We live in a polarized society and many bemoan the fact that the current political climate is tearing apart families, communities and neighborhoods. The Jewish community suffers the same issue and this week’s parsha sheds light on how we can deal with a certain aspect of this situation..
It is only natural for folks to think differently about issues and to feel passionately about their positions. To argue about ideas and respectfully disagree is healthy but things get dicey when we perceive the other’s position as a threat to our way of life. When tempers flare and the condemnations start flying we start to hear expressions like “How can such a person be considered Jewish?” or “There is no value to your participation in Jewish observance.”
Is there justification to this approach?
In this week’s parsha we learn about the laws of “Tzaraat.” Although it is commonly translated as leprosy - it was not leprosy at all. It was a miraculous skin condition for which a dermatologist was never consulted.
When the strange white spot appears on someone’s skin a Kohen determines if it is “Tzaraat” and if the individual is a “Metzora.” A Metzora is considered ritually impure and isolated from the rest of the community until the spot recedes and the Kohen declares him or her cured of Tzaraat.
This miraculous condition is a punishment for speaking “Lashon Hara” - evil talk; gossiping and peddling negative information about people. Since this person caused strife and discord in the community, this person is afflicted with “Tzaraat” and secluded from others until he or she repents and changes their evil ways.
There are times when the Kohen is obligated to postpone seeing the prospective Metzora until a later date. If someone notices these strange spots during a festival the checkup is delayed until after the festival. If a groom notices these spots during his wedding, the Kohen is approached only after the Sheva Berachot - the seven days of the marriage celebration.
Now, the appearance of these spots suggests that this person is a gossiper and a real threat to the community. How can his banishment be postponed?
The fact is that declaring this individual a “Metzora” would disrupt his or her ability to properly celebrate the festival or for the groom to fulfill the mitzvah of rejoicing with his new wife for the first week of marriage. Even though we are dealing with someone who is truly problematic, their mitzvah observance is valuable to G-d and we must be careful not to disrupt them.
Even if you perceive a fellow Jew to be a real troublemaker, there is no license to disqualify a mitzvah he or she does. On the contrary, utilize every opportunity to encourage such a person to do more mitzvot, because every mitzvah is precious to G-d.