KabbalaOnline.org Tazria-Metzora 5783 Chasidic Masters Insights on the Torah Reading

 KabbalaOnline.org Tazria-Metzora 5783 Chasidic Masters Insights on the Torah Reading

 

Eating Humble Pie

Chasidic Masters

 Beginner

By Binyomin Adilman, based on Chidushei HaRim

"Then the priest shall command to take two clean living birds and cedar wood, scarlet wool and hyssop, for the purification of the so-called "leper"."(Lev. 14:4)

The plague, or tzara'at [various skin diseases (usually and incorrectly translated as "leprosy") that can render a person spiritually impure], came as a punishment for arrogance. What is the remedy? Let him relinquish his arrogance and consider himself as lowly as a worm [which was used to dye the scarlet wool] and the hyssop [a low scruffy shrub]. (Rashi)

If the purpose of the service of purification is to have the so-called "leper" abandon his arrogance, then what is the purpose of cedar which is tall and stately and symbolizes pride?

Once, the Baal Shem Tov went to spend Shabbat in Polnoye, the hometown of his student, the "Toldot", Rabbi Yaacov Yosef of Polnoye. The Baal Shem Tov was traveling in quite a fancy carriage and a resident of the town, a well known instigator, used the opportunity to disparage the Baal Shem Tov for what he deemed unwarranted opulence.

The Baal Shem Tov however, was unmoved by his taunts. "Let me relate to you a parable", he offered:

A king once searched the world over for the fountain of youth - an elixir that would guarantee him immortality. A wise man came before the king and offered him a remedy. He must absolutely remove from himself any trace of arrogance, and conduct himself with utter humility. The suggestion of the wise man found favor in the king's eyes and he immediately began its implementation.

It wasn't long before the king stopped riding in his royal carriage, and instead, walked behind it on foot. However, the more he took humble behavior upon himself, the more haughty he became. 'Look at me', he would think as he pictured himself in his mind's eye. 'I am a powerful King, yet see how I carry myself. No one is more humble than I!'

The wise man however saw through the sham. 'Your Majesty', he cajoled, 'This is not what I intended. Your Majesty should indeed be riding in the Royal carriage. But in your heart you should feel contrite and humble like the man walking behind the carriage. This kind of humility is acquired with much greater effort and sacrifice. It is however, genuine humility."

The cedar wood was needed to teach the so-called "leper" the proper way of humility, a genuine correction of his arrogance. Humility and submission do not require that the body be bent over in the process. Of paramount importance is inner humility and acceptance.

The Baal Shem Tov explained this according to an idea found in the Nishmat prayer of Shabbat morning. "And all that stand before You shall bow down…." One can bow even while standing erect.

The role of the cedar wood is to remind the so-called "leper" that he doesn't need to go around bent over and miserable. He can stand straight and erect as a cedar, yet in spirit remain humble like the hyssop.

There is another well known explanation for the role of the cedar wood. When a person humbles himself in repentance, it is possible that the process can humiliate him so much that it is harmful. The addition of the cedar in the rite reminds the so-called "leper" that the purpose of his acquired humility is to make him a good person and not a pariah.

For this reason, the next verse (Lev.14:5) tells us that one of the birds of the sacrifice was to be slaughtered in an earthenware vessel, over live running water. The earthenware vessel reminds the so-called "leper" of his humble lowly state. Yet the live waters serve to refresh and revive him, preventing him from becoming despondent. Living waters symbolize the Torah; through Torah and mitzvot he will regain the stature that he lost.

The Chiddushei HaRim adds that this humility should not be false humility. There are times when a person must exhibit pride; for example in the face of someone denouncing the Torah or disparaging the Sages. Other times he must show initiative when his advice or assistance are required. At those times, if a person would insist on saying, "Who am I, and what am I to offer my advice or to get involved?", then his humility is false.

May we learn to walk humbly with every part of Creation and before its Creator.

[First published in B'Ohel Hatzadikim, Metzora 5759; http://www.nishmas.org/htmldocs/archtabl.htm]

 

 

By Binyomin Adilman, based on Chidushei HaRim

Binyomin Adilman is the former head of the Nishmas Chayim Yeshivah in Jerusalem. Back issues of his weekly Parsha sheet B’Oholei Tzadikim may be found on www.nishmas.org.

Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rothenberg Alter (1799-1866), known as the Chidushei HaRim, was the founder and first rebbe of the Ger dynasty, which at one time counted over 100,000 Chasidim, and to this day remains one of the largest Chasidic groups. He was a disciple of Rabbi Simcha Bunem of Pshischa and Rabbi Mendel of Kotzk.

 

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KabbalaOnline.org is a project of Ascent of Safed www.ascentofsafed.com ascent@ascentofsafed.com Please Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Ben Gvir, Mr. Smotrich and Mr. Gallant unite and bring Hashem’s Righteousness back to the Har HaBayit? Under HaShem’s Righteousness the Har HaBayit shall become a Prayer House for all peoples. Jews, Muslims, and Christians when they put away Avoda Zara and their false doctrines…… By annulling that covenant made with the Islamic authorities in ’67 on the Har Habayit and all other covenants, banning all crimes and abominations by PA, Hamas and Islamic Jihad with an Iron fist declaring Jewish Sovereignty in all the Land Hashem gave the Jewish People in ’67. בבקשה מר נתניהו, מר בן גביר, מר סמוטריץ' ומר גלנט תתאחדו והחזירו את צדקת ה' להר הבית,? תחת צדקת השם הר הבית יהפוך לבית תפילה לכל העמים: יהודים, מוסלמים ונוצרים כשהם מסירים עבודה זרה ואת דוקטרינות השקר שלהם... על ידי ביטול הברית שנכרתה עם השלטונות האיסלאמיים בשנת 67' על הר הבית וכל שאר הבריתות, איסור על כל הפשעים והתועבות שנעשות על ידי הרשות הפלסטינית, חמאס והג'יהאד האסלאמי. והכרזת ריבונות יהודית על כל ארץ ישראל.   Come let us Pray that Hashem's Righteousness shall 'return' to the Har haBayit and the whole of Eretz Israel. בוא נתפלל שצדקת ה' 'תשוב' להר הבית ולארץ ישראל כולה. Free to study all Jewish Scripture: חופשי ללמוד את כל כתבי הקודש היהודיים: Sefaria Calendar - לוח שנה ספריה     Our Prayer and hope: All the gates to the Har haBayit have to be opened for Jews and non-Jews seven days in the week 24 hours a day. The Jews need to have the freedom to go with Tefillin, Tallit and Torah Scroll up on the Mountain to serve Hashem. And do קידה ('Kidah' prostate, laying down, before Hashem) Everyone showing his/her respect for the Jewish and all other religions. But NOT for the words/deeds/sins spoken against any word of the Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu and the 'real' teachings of the Jewish Rabbis. The Jews must be the guardians of the Har haBayit. תפילתנו ותקוותנו: כל שערי הר הבית צריכים להיפתח עבור יהודים ולא-יהודים שבעה ימים בשבוע 24 שעות ביממה. ליהודים צריך להיות חופש ללכת עם תפילין, טלית וספר תורה במעלה ההר כדי לשרת את ה' ולקוד קידה .מתוך הפגנת כבוד ליהודים ולכל הדתות האחרות, אבל לא למילים/למעשים/לחטאים הנאמרים נגד תורת משה רבנו. מלמודי רבנים, היהודים חייבים להיות שומרי הר הבית.     Let's pray for a death sentence for the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Hezbollah and for the continuation of the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria. The Palestinian Authority, Hamas and Hezbollah must disappear. Enough of the hatred from the world (the USA, the European Union, and the UN!) against the Jewish people.   בואו נתפלל לגזר דין מוות לרשות הפלסטינית, חמאס, חיזבאללה ולמען התיישבות יהודית ביהודה ושומרון. הרשות הפלסטינית, חמאס וחיזבאללה חייבים להעלם. די לשנאה מהעולם (ארה"ב, האיחוד האירופי והאו"ם!) נגד העם היהודי! The Jews have the mission to change the Har HaBayit, from her situation now, into a Prayer House for all peoples based on the Torah Law of Moshe Rabbeinu.   על היהודים מוטלת המשימה לשנות את הר הבית, ממצבו הקיים, לבית תפילה לכל העמים על פי חוק התורה של משה רבנו.   Ariel, hopefully your Representee אריאל, מקווה שהנציג שלך     Click: If you have Prayer Requests By Har HaBait Jewish Sovereign for all Israel I pray as a Jew when I bring your prayers.