tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171591895504222.post611882884820743340..comments2014-04-30T18:23:12.206-07:00Comments on Torah and Tweens: Tazria: The "Yuck" Portion!BarbaraJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087943193241413838noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4294171591895504222.post-46553317854832006602014-04-28T13:24:39.198-07:002014-04-28T13:24:39.198-07:00This is a great comment on a maturing child's ...This is a great comment on a maturing child's reaction to this Torah portion. Indeed, this is a less pleasing Torah portion and difficult to relate to. And the lesson that both the beautiful and less pleasing Torah segments are equally important and require attention. However, what seems left out of this discussion is the real lesson behind Tzaraat--that actions have consequences. The Talmud (Arachin, 16a) says that Tzaraat was caused by 7 sins, among them insulting speech (lashon harah), haughtiness, "tzarus ayin" (not assisting others, according to Rashi), and theft. These are sins that show disrespect for other human beings, elevating the "sinner" above others, and causing rifts between man and his fellow. The Talmud discusses at length the damage that can be done by insulting speech (it kills three people--the person who speaks the insult, the person who hears the insult, and the person about which the insult is said). The person afflicted with tzaraat is punished "measure for measure" by being quarantined: he is separated from the encampment of Jews just as his actions caused separation between people. Additionally, the cure of tzaraat is not to go to a doctor, but rather to go to a cohen, a spiritual role model, so that the person who commits these sins can receive instruction on how to correct his character flaws. Also, we must realize that even great people are human and can succumb to such character flaws, as Miriam did when speaking about her brother (Numbers 12:10). At a time in life when young adults do not fully appreciate the consequences of their actions, and especially their speech, these are the lessons our teens should learn from Parshat Tazria.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02330774815903040629noreply@blogger.com