So Let Us Not Talk Falsely Now, The Hour Is Getting Late (Bob Dylan - "All Along the Watchtower")

Friends of ours who normally go to the Catskills for Passover have suddenly changed their plans. The measles outbreak in Williamsburg section of Brooklyn forced them to change their minds. While many of the Williamsburg residents and Rabbis hold that vaccinations are legal according to Halacha (Jewish Law), there is a small group that has been exposed (no pun intended) to the “alternative facts”, “mis- information”, and questionable data concerning vaccinations. Several New York newspapers raised a fascinating question. This is not a community that has a plethora of access to mass media, or to social media. How did the anti- vaccination campaign over the past few years gain credence in this particular community?  The answer was so obvious that it was profound. People talk, people share ideas, people share information and people share what they hear whether it is true or not. The result is that a disease that was once considered eradicated has returned as a result of people talking, listening and spreading misinformation about vaccinations.

This Shabbat we read from Parsha Metzorah. The discussion and laws for Tamei/ Tahor (Purity & Impurity) as it affects human beings is continued from last week’s Parsha, Tazria. We continue to learn intricate details concerning how an individual becomes ritually purified, his/her reentrance into the camp, and the prominent role of the Kohen Gadol in ascribing a spiritual treatment for a physical expression of a spiritual problem. Besides discussing the laws of the Metzorah, the laws of one who suffers from this skin ailment, the Parsha also confronts the issues of the Metzorah spreading to a house and the method by which that impurity is removed from the house. The second half of the Parsha concentrates on the laws of Taharah Mishpachah, the laws of family purity.

             When Tzaraat is discovered on an individual, he or she would go to the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, and undergo and examination. However if the Tzaarat spreads beyond the individual and pollutes the home: U’Vah Asher Lo HaBayit V’Higid LaKohen Leimor- “K’Negah NiReH Li BaBayit” – And he that owns the house shall come and tell the priest saying: It seems to me there is as it were a plague in the house. (Lev. 14:35) Even if the individual sees the Tzaarat, sees the impurity, knows that it is Tzaarat, the individual cannot and must not say that “It is plague in the house,” but rather K’Negah literally “It is like a plague”. Rashi explains that “even if the individual is knowledgable and has no doubt as to the nature of the plague, only the Kohen Gadol has the authority and expertise to utter a definitive judgment. Any statement from anyone else ought not be considered definitive. Rashi’s comment appears to be focused upon the issue of “Purity and Impurity”, and reminding us that the authority to decide and declare Purity and Impurity rests solely upon the High Priest. Rashi, is also reminding us that even if it "seems like" an impurity it must be treated as such. However the authority  to officially diagnose and treate resides with the Kohen, everyone else must have enought humility to possess self doubt.  The MaHaRaL of Prague (Rabbi Yehuda Loew of Prague 1525-1609) takes the lesson a step further. “Since it is but the priest who establishes the Nega (the plague and its legal implications); anyone else would not be speaking the truth.”

Here in this simple statement “K’Negah” –It seems to be a plague” , we address the health issue. We recognize the potential damage the Lashon HaRah has done, “K’Negah” – it seems like a plague; then the Kohen treats the plague and the patient. We quarantine the individual/individuals in order to prevent the spread of something that looks like a plague. Knowing that Pesach is soon approaching, and the Holiday means greater socializing and greater exposure; it looks like more people could be at risk. So the Mayor has taken it upon himself to issue a State of Emergency Order instructing everyone to have proof of vaccination. In the meantime, our friends have made alternative plans at home in Toronto; and we all learn the lesson of the power that words and language can have upon the health and welfare of an entire community.

Peace,

Rav Yitz

If My Words Did Glow With The Gold Of Sunshine (Robert Hunter & Jerry Garcia - "Ripple")

In between Festivals, copious amounts of food, eating in a Sukkah, and smelling the beautiful fragrance of the Etrog, another season has been upon us. In our home, when presented with the opportunity, we have been celebrating Major League Baseball’s Postseason. For my wife, a native San Franciscan, this has been, so far, a joyous period of time corresponding nicely to the joy associated with Sukkot, Shemini Atseret, and Simchat Torah. For me, our eldest daughter and our son this has been a bitter sweet time as we are happy for Mommy but the season seems empty without our beloved New York Yankees and especially Derek Jeter. So besides watching baseball, we have taken to watching the very classy commercials about Derek Jeter, in particular the Gatorade commercial, as well as numerous articles about him. One article particularly poignant article discussed the most meaningful number and statistic of Derek Jeter’s career. Yes he was 6 all time in the number of hits, 3465 is the total number of hits, and he won 5 world series to name a few of the numbers that he compiled over a 20 year career. However the most meaningful statistic is “0”. Zero was the number of times that he was thrown out of game, zero was the number of times that he showed up an umpire, zero was the number of times he said something controversial, the number of times that he publicly humiliated someone, and the number of times that he lost control of what comes out of his mouth.

This Shabbat, the first Shabbat of a new Torah cycle, we begin with Breishit, and the story of Creation, the story of Adam and Eve, the story of being thrown out of the Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden); the story of fratricide as Cain murders his brother Abel. However it is in the very first Chapter, in the very first few verses that we are introduced to God. For these very few verses, we learn about God not as God interacts with humanity, but rather how God interacts with God’s self. Or if we were to assume the Midrash, then we could understand how God interacts with the rest of the spiritual world and the Angels.  In these first few verses, in this first chapter, God creates. However the activity of “Creating” embodies several sub activities that, when put together becomes part of the process of Creation. God sees that that there is something missing, God makes a statement, God divides something, God evaluates (judges), and then God goes to the next step.  Vayomer Elokim Yehi Or VaYehi Or- God Said: “Let there be light,” and there was light. VaYar Elokim et Ha’Or Ki Tov Vayvdeil Elokim Bein Ha’Or U’Vein HaChoshech – God saw that the light was good, and God separated between the light and the darkness.  VaYikrah Elokim La’Or Yom v’LaChoshech Karah Laila – God called the light : “Day” and the darkness He called: “Night (Gen.1: 3-5). Within the God’s creative process, God says, God sees (in order to judge/evaluate), God separates and God calls (or names).  Two out of the four steps involve some aspect of communication and specifically speech.  On the sixth day when God created Adam and breathe the Ruach HaKodesh, the Divine Spirit, into him, what was Adam empowered to do? In the Second Chapter, Adam has been given the authority to give names to God’s creation. Adam calls a cow “cow”, and calls a tree “tree”.  The divine spirit that God breathed into Adam is speech.  The most mundane activity, talking, is perhaps one of the holiest acts that we could possible engage in.

Most of us take speech for granted. We waste words. We waste time and words by public demonstrations of emotions. We waste words speaking ill about someone else or trying to get a rise out someone else. He happily listen to or watch someone say something controversial. In reality, we are demeaning the Ruach HaKodesh, the most divine aspect within our souls, by not using our power of speech for sacred purposes, for learning, for prayer, for offering praise and support. Yet in the course of 20 years, our children’s’ autumn hero, Derek Jeter, never said a word that demeaned himself. He achieved “0”. Zero is a circle, a circle is perfection. During the course of a 20 year career he was perfect in being able to control himself and never say anything that would warrant being tossed from a game, never embarrass himself or humiliate another.  Yes we will watch the rest of the baseball playoffs, I just wonder how many players, in the heat of the moment will be able to exert enough self-control to achieve zero.

Peace,

Rav Yitz