Rabbi Doniel Staum, LMSW
Rabbi, Kehillat New Hempstead
Rebbe/Guidance Counselor – ASHAR
Principal – Ohr Naftoli- New Windsor
STAM
TORAH
PARSHIOS
TAZRIA/METZORA 5775
“TWO BIRDS”
Rabbi Ephraim Wachsman related the
following story:
A
number of years ago Rabbi Wachsman was in Miami
After davening ended the young man - who
obviously recognized Rabbi Wachmsan - approached Rabbi Wachsman and asked him
if he could offer his wife some words of encouragement. They walked to the
entrance of the shul where a young woman was sitting in a wheelchair. It was apparent
that she had some serious health issues. Rabbi Wachsman felt somewhat uneasy
conversing with them in front of his father so he wrote down the man’s number
and told him that they would be in touch.
Later that day, Rabbi Wachsman went to meet
with them. The woman explained to him that, despite her young age, she had
suffered a stroke. [The chances of such a thing occurring are one in a couple
hundred thousand.] She had become completely paralyzed on one side of her body
and could not speak at all. The doctor had told her that with a great amount of
therapy, over time she would hopefully regain most of the faculties she had
lost. However, her speech would likely be the last faculty she would regain, if
ever.
A group of her close friends decided to
undertake a “machsom l’fi” in merit of her recovery. They accepted upon
themselves to be extremely vigilant not to speak any negative words, especially
loshon hora (gossip) for a few hours each day over a certain period of time.
Incredibly,
on the day that their machsom l’fi ended, a half hour after the allotted time
she regained complete usage of speech! She herself explained to Rabbi Wachsman (in
perfectly un-slurred speech) that she is in constant contact with others who
suffer similar conditions and she can testify that speech is always the last
faculty to return.
The disease of tzara’as is most unique for
although it is a physical malady it is the external manifestation of spiritual
sin[1].
One afflicted with tzara’as had to follow a precise protocol. He had to show
the afflicted areas to a kohain and then, if condemned, he had to dwell outside
the main community in isolation for a defined period of time.
When the tzara’as finally healed, the
afflicted individual had to undergo a purification process. Among the other
materials and animals that he had to bring to the Temple
Rashi explains that because tzara’as was
commonly a punishment for gossiping, the purification process involved live
birds who chirp and twitter.
What was the purpose of the second bird; the
symbolism of the bird’s chirping could be accomplished with one bird?
Furthermore, why was it necessary to bring a bird to the Temple
The Apiryon[3]
offers a poignant answer: The gemara[4]
states, “Rabbi Yitzchok said: What is the meaning of the verse “Indeed silence? Speak righteousness. Judge
people with fairness.”[5] What is the trade of man in this world? He
should make himself like a mute. Perhaps you will think that even includes
speaking words of Torah? This is why the verse continues, ‘Speak
righteousness’ [i.e. talk in Torah study]. Perhaps the Torah scholar is
permitted to become arrogant? This is why it continues, ‘Judge people with
fairness’.”
Ramban explains that the purpose of bringing
an offering to the Temple
Thus, according to Ramban, the point of
offering a korbon was so that it would serve as a symbolic message to the owner,
a vicarious atonement for his sin.
If the metzora were to offer merely one
bird which was slaughtered on the Altar, he would conclude that speech is
dangerous, and that he had to learn to always remain silent. However, that is a
mistake. One must realize that although negative speech is extremely
detrimental and can literally destroy lives and tear relationships asunder, when
used properly it can have the opposite effect as well. Words spoken with
compassion, empathy, understanding, and love can offer encouragement, advice,
and the expression of one’s innermost feelings.
Therefore, the metzora must bring a second
bird to the Temple
The pasuk in Mishlei[6]
expresses this idea when it states, “Life and death are in the hand of the
tongue”.
One bird was led off the slaughter, the
other bird was set free. It is indeed a powerful analogy to the power of words
and speech.[7]
The commentators call attention to the fact
that the aforementioned gemara refers to silence as a ‘trade’. Rabbi Avorhom
Erlanger shlita[8]
quotes the gemara Kiddushin[9]
which details the responsibilities that every father has in regards to his son
– circumcise him, redeem him (if he is a firstborn), teach him Torah, marry him
off, and teach him a trade. Rashi
explains that if a father fails to teach his son a trade the son will have no
means with which to support himself or his family, and he will invariably
resort to abusing and stealing from others.
Rabbi Erlanger explains that it is in this
sense that the art of silence is called a trade. Just as one must learn a trade
in order to have means for physical sustenance, so too must he be provided with
the necessary means to sustain himself spiritually. One who is not taught how
to utilize his powerful ability of speech is no less a danger to society than
one who lacks physical sustenance. In life there are countless examples of
people who destroy lives (their own as well as the lives of others) because
they lack verbal restraint.
Just
as parents are willing to expend tremendous amounts of money and resources
towards the education of their children, so must they invest energy and resources
to teach their children how - and when - to speak!
The Chofetz Chaim[10]
wrote that in order to learn a trade and become a professional one must have
experience and a great deal of training and practice. To learn the “trade of
silence” one must also have practice, training, and experience.
The message to the metzora is that he must
not only learn how to curb and restrain his speech, but he must also learn how
to use it properly. If one chooses to remain silent at the wrong time the
results can be damaging, if not downright disastrous.
During his fierce battles for racial
equality, Martin Luther King Jr.
once quipped that, "In the end, we will remember, not the words of our
enemies, but the silence of our friends."
His words ring true in the ears of the
Jewish people. A very moving song from the first JEP album[11]
captured this idea with the haunting words of its chorus, “For six million
tears fell to the ground; the world stood still… didn't make a sound!”
Time and again we have been subject to
horrific cruelties at the mercy of our adversaries, and virtually no one has
stood up in our defense. Indeed at times silence is anything but golden.
On the other hand, we are all too aware of
the tragedies that have occurred, and occur, on account of slander and gossip.
In the haggadah we state that our patriarch
Yaakov descended to Egypt Egypt Egypt Egypt
as viceroy and Yaakov’s ultimate descent to Egypt
The message to the healing metzora is that
as he resumes his place in society he must learn - not only the art of silence,
but also the art of speech.
Words!
Speech!
To
build, or destroy!
To
slaughter, or to soar above the horizon!
“The trait of man in this world”
“For the person being purified two live
clean birds”
[1] Rabbi
Hirsch explains in detail that the common translation of tzara’as as leprosy is
completely erroneous.
[2] Vayikra
14:4
[3] Rabbi
Shlomo Ganzfried (1804-1886)
[4] Chullin 89a
[5] Tehillim
58:2
[6] 18:21
[7] The
Apiryon adds that the reason why the bird is set free specifically in a field
is to allude to an idea expressed in the gemara (Eiruvin 21b). The Gemara
compares a Torah scholar to a farmer. Just like the farmer ekes out his living
by the sweat of his brow working in the field, so too the Torah scholar often
sacrifices material comforts, in his relentless pursuit to achieve success in
his Torah studies.
The bird was set free in a field to symbolize
this metaphor. Speech is a vital and invaluable gift when it is used for Torah
study by scholars who are tantamount to the farmer in the field.
[8] Birchas
Avrohom –ma’amarim, vol. 3
[9] 29a
[10] Shmiras
Halashon 2:1
[11] JEP
(Jewish Education Program) sings “Reach Out”, released January 1980
[12] “Maggid
Tzedek” (quoted in Tallilei Oros haggadah).
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