Rabbi Howard Morrison

This week's Torah portion begins with the joy and marvel of birth. We read of Torah laws regarding a woman who has given birth. The Mitzvah of Brit Milah on a boy's eighth day is reiterated after having been originally revealed to Abraham regarding his son Isaac.

Early in the Parsha, we learn of a skin affliction called "Nega Tzaraat." Such a person is examined by the Kohen, sent out of the camp for seven days at a time, until the person is completely healed and re-entered into the camp of Israel.

Our Sages understood this plague as originating from a moral illness. They note that the word for one who has a skin disease, "Metzora," can also be read as "Motzi (shem) Ra," literally, "one who has spread falsehood and gossip about another person."

A hint toward this rabbinic understanding can be found in a narrative when Miriam gossiped and spread falsehood about Moses to their brother Aaron. She was stricken with a skin affliction and banned from the camp, until she was completely healed. One may surmise that her physical illness started with her committing the sin of slander.

Often, acts of evil and horror originate with how one speaks and regards another. This can be evidenced in families, social relationships, communities, and nations. 

While Israel was co-existing with her neighbors on October 6, those who deny Israel's right to exist attacked our people in an unprovoked manner on October 7. Already going back many years, these attackers and those who inspired them had gossiped, slandered, and spread malicious lies about Israel and the Jewish people. Since October 7, further lies, slander, and gossip have spread around the world, often culminating with acts of violence perpetrated against our people.

Less than two weeks before Pesach, may we work to repair broken relationships in our families and in our local communities. May we see the day when the vision of the Prophets comes true, "Nation shall not lift sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore."

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Howard Morrison