The Mic Is Hot
This week we read about a spiritual malady known in the Torah as tza'raat. Tza'raat is comparable to leprosy. The disease would manifest on a persons body, on their clothing, and on the walls of their home.
Tza'raat would afflict a person who spoke lashon hara (the tongue of evil). The Torah forbids us to gossip, and tza'raat is a punishment for transgressing this mitzvah.
Okay, so John gossiped and was struck with tza'raat. I get why he'd have a terrible rash, but his clothing and house break out too? Make it make sense.
The reason for such an embarrassing,
Public punishment is to teach us just how harmful lashon hara is! The disease would be visible by others to oust them. A marked house sends a message to others to avoid this abode until it's inhabitant changes their ways.
The Talmud relays that lashon hara affects three people. The one who spoke it, the one who heard it, and the one who it's about. Let's channel the opposite and avoid gossip. Imagine how much positivity can emanate from that!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Baruch Hecht
