"Bigdei Kahuna" Parsha page by Rabbi Yehuda Katz

Tazria-----Metzora

"If a person will have on the skin of his flesh................and it will become a tzaraas affliction................(13:2)

The Tamud in Erchin 15a mentions 7 sins that can bring about the tzaraas skin ailment, the first being Loshon Hara ( derogatory gossip about a fellow Jew). From tzaraas we can Bezrat Hashem learn a tremendous lesson concerning G-ds relationship with Man.How so? Suppose a person were to say something derogatory about his or her fellow Jew ,Chas VeSholom..........This gossiper is under the false impression that nobody cares about his or her maligned friend. However, G-d is listening and cares ......................................Therefore, this gossiper is stricken with a dread skin ailment "tzaraas".......We must realize and appreciate that Hashem loves and cares for every Jew. Hashem will not and can not stand by while His beloved Jew is being maligned.There must be retribution for such a criminal act and so there is, "tzaraas". In addition, Hashem must also teach the gossiper the concept of "HASGACHA PRATIS". This means that every person is personally supervised from Hashem. This gossiper might falsely think that his or her actions bear no consequences..........G-d is surely not intimately concerned with his or her actions, but this is a mistaken notion. The Torah spends an enormous amount of space elaborating on tzaraas in order to educate Man that his actions have meaning and consequences. Even if this person spoke Loshon Hara privately and even about a Jew who is of a "lowly" position in society, this evil act must be accounted for. Let us all begin to speak words of kindness about one another, and thus fully eliminate strife and hatred from our midst.........................Have a good Shabbos.......................