Wednesday, 28th Nissan 5783/April 19, 2023
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Parshas Tazria Metzora-Revi’i
- If the lesion on the clothing did not change color, it is impure and is to be burnt in the fire. If the lesion lightened in color, the area of the lesion is to be torn off the garment. If the lesion ever returns to the garment or vessel, it is to be burned. If the lesion disappeared after being laundered, it is to be laundered a second time and then purified.
- The laws of the purification of a Metzora:
- The following are the laws of a Metzora on the day of his purification when he is brought to a Kohen. The Kohen is to come visit the Metzora outside of the camp. If the Metzora is seen to be healed of his Tzaraas, the Kohen is to begin his purification process.
- The first stage of purification: The Metzora is to take two birds, cedar wood, a wool string, and hyssop. One bird is to be slaughtered and have its blood poured into an earthenware vessel that is filled with water. The cedar wood, a wool string, and hyssop are to be bound and dipped into the water and blood. The live bird is to also be dipped into the vessel. The above items are then to be sprinkled seven times onto the Metzora. The bird is then to be let free. The Metzora is to wash his clothing and shave all his hair and immerse in a Mikveh. He is then able to enter the camp. He must however remain outside his tent for another seven days.
- The second stage of purification after seven days: On the seventh day, he is to have all his hair shaved a second time. He is to wash his clothing and immerse in a Mikveh.
- The Karbanos on eighth day: On the eighth day, he is to take two unblemished male lambs and a female lamb in its first year, and three tenth-ephahs of flour and one Lug of oil. The Kohen is to place the Metzora in front of the opening of the Heichal, before Hashem. One lamb is to be offered as an Asham with the oil and then they are both taken and waved before Hashem.
- The Asham blood: The Asham is to be slaughtered in the same area that the Chatas and Olah is slaughtered. The blood of the Asham is to be placed on the Metzoras right ear lobe and right thumb of his hand and foot.
- The oil: The oil is to be poured into the left palm of the Kohen and the Kohen is to dip his right finger into the oil and sprinkle the oil seven times in front of Hashem. The remaining oil is to be placed on the Metzora’s right ear lobe and right thumb of his hand and foot, on top of the blood. The remaining oil is then to be poured on the head of the Metzora.
- The Kohen is then to offer the Chatas and then offer the Olah and then the Mincha. The Metzora is now pure.
Tanya Chapter 42
1. Seeing G-d in the world around you instills fear:
- Fear is of the soul of the person and not his body: The main fear of a king is from his soul and spiritual presence and not from his physical body, which if it were to be sleeping one would not fear it. Similarly, the fear of Hashem is due to Hashem’s spirit, which is found in all creations to enliven them, and the heavens and legions above, as can readily be seen.
- The fear of a person is not affected by the amount of garments he wears: Although one can argue that Hashem is hiding within many garments of the physical creations, nonetheless, in truth there is no difference in the natural fear one has towards a king, whether the king is without garments at all, or wearing a single garment, or wearing many garments, as the main factor which inspires the fear is the presence of the king.
- Customizing oneself to contemplating God’s presence to instill fear: Accordingly, one is to accustom his thought and intellect to constantly set upon his heart and mind that everything which he sees with his eyes in heaven and earth, and all that inhabit it, they are all the external garments of Hashem, and through doing so one will remember always their inner vitality, which comes from G-d.
- The mitzvah of Emuna: The above said exercise is included in the term [and Mitzvah] of Emuna, which also means to train oneself [in the above perception of creation] similar to a craftsman who trains his hands in handiwork.
2. Gloss-Seeing the heavenly legions bow to G-d instills fear in the heart:
- We readily witness that the sun travels towards the west on a daily basis, hence signifying its bowing, and nullification, to the Shechina which is in the west.
- This should instill fear in one’s heart just as one would naturally fear an individual whom everyone is bowing down to.
3. Constant acceptance of the yoke of heaven:
- In addition to the constant need to contemplate God’s presence in order to instill fear in one’s heart, one should also constantly remember the command of the sages for a person to accept the yoke of Heaven,” which is similar in idea to accepting a king over oneself.
- God chose to become our king and requires our acceptance of Him: Hashem chose to forgo the higher and lower world and bestow his kingship specifically on our world, and we therefore in turn must accept the heavenly yoke.
- The acceptance of the yoke of heaven in prayer: We verbally accept the yoke of Heaven in Shema, and then go ahead to accept the yoke of heaven in actual deed through bowing in the course of the prayer of the Amidah.
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