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This week’s double Torah reading explains the laws of Metzora; a spiritual impurity (loosely translated “leprosy”) indicated by unusual discolorations of the skin.
For instance, if one’s skin turned partially white, the victim was locked away and examined for one week and if the color remained for a second week he was declared a “Metzora”; ostracized from society until the “disease” healed.
But the Torah tells us a very strange law; whiteness is impure only if it covers some of the body. But if it spreads over the entire body….it is pure! (13:12).
Why would a little discoloration be bad and total discoloration not?
But even a more; what do we care? Metzora only existed in the time of the Temples. Today there is no such ‘disease’ so why learn about it? How is it relevant today?

Here is a story to help us understand.

Some one hundred and fifty years ago there lived a simple innkeeper in Russia, by the name of Yaakov.
He and his family were the only Jews in town so he had to bring someone from another town to teach his children Torah, and of course there was no ‘minyan’ (ten Jews) to pray with. But he considered himself lucky; his inn provided him with a decent livelihood and the villagers all liked him…with one exception.
Father Stefan the local priest.
He was an excellent speaker and whenever possible he would pour out his wrath in public against the Jews, warn his congregation not to do business with them and because Yaakov was the only Jew around, he even opened a tavern of his own to force Yaakov out of business, but all his tricks bore no fruit.
No one could figure out why he was making such a fuss about one little Jew. And they didn’t frequent his tavern because they were ashamed to get drunk in front of a priest.
Now Father Stephen was no fool and soon he realized he needed to change tactics. So he cooked up a foolproof, diabolical plot. One afternoon he paid Yaakov a visit and offered a reasonable price to buy him out. Then, when Yaakov, as he expected, politely refused he began his act;
“Ahhh, Yes! You are right! Why should you trust me after I’ve treated you so terribly? AHHH… I’ve been such a fool! Why, I have been doing the opposite of what the Bible teaches; mercy, kindness!! You know what? I have decided this moment to close my inn and let you succeed. I WANT you to succeed! Come! Let us forget our differences!  I am no longer your competition! Come! Let us drink a toast to BROTHERHOOD! Bring a bottle of Vodka! The best you have! I will pay!” And he slapped several golden coins loudly on the table.
Yaakov brought the bottle and opened it, but before he could pour the priest stopped him, “Why should we drink alone?! Let us invite some of our friends from outside, let them all come! Let them be witnesses to our new pact of friendship and trust! This will begin a new era of partnership!”
As soon as Yaakov went outside to call people, the priest took out a small vial from his pocket, poured some in to the vodka bottle, shook it up and returned the cork. Minutes later Yaakov returned with several villagers, sat them down and filled the cups. Suddenly one of the men who couldn’t wait, excitedly lifted his cup, yelled out joyously “To Brotherhood!!” downed the contents, grabbed his throat, began gasping for breath and fell to the floor.
The priest jumped from his place, ran over to the victim’s twitching body and after a short examination stood to his full height, yelled ‘He’s been poisoned!!! The vodka has been poisonded!!!’ Then he pointed his finger, trembling with rage like a prophet of doom at poor Yaakov and roared solemnly, “GRAB THE MURDERER!”
The police were called, Yaakov was arrested and charged with premeditated murder. His family was imprisoned as surety he wouldn’t escape and he was released to prepare a defense for his trial which would be held in ten days.
He had no time to lose. He was desperate. He needed the advice and blessing of his Rebbe, the Mahara’sh; the holy Rebbe Shmuel of Chabad, as quickly as possible. He immediately took the first train to the city of Lubavitch.
After a day’s journey he arrived, ran directly to the Rebbe’s house, told the Rebbe’s secretary of his urgent problem and the secretary entered the Rebbe’s office with Yaakov’s request. But he exited seconds later with disappointing news; “The Rebbe said that there are others who have appointments before you, maybe tomorrow!”
Finding a place to spend the night was no problem; he had a lot of friends there. The problem was that when he did return the next day, he received the same depressing reply. And the day after as well!
He felt like he was about to go insane. Four days had passed, his trial was less than a week away, and the Rebbe seemed to be ignoring him.
The next day however, things were different. As soon as he arrived the secretary told him the Rebbe wanted to see him immediately.
He was so relieved!! Finally, he would see the Rebbe and everything would be all right! As soon as he entered the room the Rebbe handed him a small sum of money and told him to leave immediately, run to the train station and buy a first-class ticket on the next train back home.
Yaakov backed out the door, grabbed his bag, dashed to the station, bought his ticket and boarded the train just minutes before it left. Once aboard he found his cabin, closed the door behind him, sat down, caught his breath and thanked G-d that he had gotten in to see the Rebbe and that he caught the train.
But as the train slowly pulled out of the station it suddenly hit him: He was returning empty handed, no blessings, no advice, nothing!!
After an hour or so he snapped out of his confusion, took out his Tallis and Tefillin (prayer shawl and phylacteries) put them on and began to pray.
Suddenly the hopelessness of his situation struck him. The Rebbe probably sent him back because there was nothing that could be done. He thought of the prospect of dying a miserable death for a crime he didn’t commit, how his beloved wife would be a widow, his children orphans and he began to weep. Drowned in the noise of the train he wept loudly and uncontrollably, occasionally moaning a word from the prayer book before him.
He was unaware that all this was disturbing the entire first-class train car.
His neighbor came out of his cabin, began to knock on Yaakov’s door and when there was no answer, opened up and saw a Jew wrapped in a large white cloth with some sort of little black box on his head crying like a baby. He had to interrupt,
“What are you sobbing about, Jew? You are disturbing me! What are you doing?”
Yaakov looked up and began to apologize but one thing led to another and before he knew it he was pouring his heart out to the stranger.
Yaakov’s door was open, and eventually his emotional monologue drew several of the other first-class passengers from their rooms as well. They listened until he finished, and all agreed that it was a sad story and asked him to please try to control himself for the duration of the trip.

A few days later the trial began and things looked very bad for Yaakov. The courthouse was packed with a bloodthirsty crowd and five mean-faced judges, who had been brought in from Vitebsk were peering at him from their large white wigs and long black gowns. Everything was against him.
Yaakov watched helplessly as witness after witness gave the same damning testimony until it was the turn of the priest. He took the stand, was sworn in and launched into an virulent tirade against the Jews. The crown was spellbound, at the highpoint of his speech he theatrically pointed his finger at Yaakov and screamed; “So, your honors, it should come as no surprise that this cursed Jew …. poisoned the vodka!!”
One of the Judges interrupted:
“But, excuse me Father, that is not what you told us last night!”
“Ehhh? Wha… what? Last night?” The priest stammered. “What do you mean your honor? Last night? I didn’t …..” The question completely confused him.
“Yes you did!” Said another judge menacingly as he and the other judges removed their wigs. “Don’t you recognize us? We were guests at your home for the last few days. Excuse us for not disclosing our true identities but don’t you remember how after a few toasts last night you bragged about how you yourself poisoned the vodka!! GUARDS! Put this man under arrest for murder!”
The crowd was on their feet screaming at the priest while Yaakov just sat there with his mouth open, tears of gratitude streaming down his face eyes raised on high. Those Judges were his neighbors on the train a few days ago that he had disturbed! They must have gone to the priest’s house to discover the truth for themselves.

That’s why the Rebbe made him wait; he wanted him to be on the train with the Judges. And also why he didn’t comfort him; if Yaakov hadn’t cried on the train, the Judges would not have noticed him!!

That answers our question about why partial whiteness is impure but total ‘whiteness’ is pure; because when evil is totally revealed; purity begins.

One of the most important things in life is to reveal one’s own faults in order to correct them. But people don’t see themselves objectively. That is one of the lessons of our section. Only when the fault is completely revealed like what happened to the priest in our story, is the solution possible.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe once told a joke about two men waiting to see a doctor. Each had a large boil on his leg. Shortly after the first entered spine-tingling shrieks came from the office, and a half hour later he came out, barely able to walk, pale as a ghost, sweating profusely, leg bandaged and fell into a chair. Then the second man entered, only to exit five minutes later with a smile on his face shaking the doctor’s hand in gratitude.
“Ehh?” Said the first man still not recovered from his operation. “How did you get out so fast? You had the same problem as me! How did you get healed so painlessly?”
“No no, my friend” answered the first patient. “I just showed him my healthy leg!”

So, when we are surrounded by darkness and difficulties or when we are confronted with our own faults and shortcomings, it is a sign that NOW we can correct ourselves (by prayer, taking positive advice etc) and come to a higher level of truth, integrity and responsibility. There is no reason to despair or deny our failures.
This also explains why the Talmud says that when falsehood is dominant in the world it is a sign that Moshiach is near.
Indeed, Moshiach is called a “Metzora” (Ibid 98b); because he will transform this impure world into a different type of “completely white”; namely a place where the ONEness of G-d is revealed; all mankind will see and feel the Creator; as it was at Mount Sinai and again will be in the Third Holy Temple.
It depends on us to make it happen even one moment sooner. We are standing on the merits of thousands of years of Jewish hopes, prayers and suffering. Now it could be that just one more good deed, word or even thought can bring Moshiach NOW!!
Rabbi Tuvia Bolton
Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim
Kfar Chabad, Israel

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