PARSHAS TAZRIA:
Dvar Torah:
1) The Passuk tells us that a person only becomes Tammei with Tzaraas only after a kohein pronounces him to be so. If the Kohein inspects the Nega and is unsure whether or not it is Tzaraas, he sends the person away and re-checks him after a waiting period of 7 days. If it has spread, the Kohein pronounces him impure, and the man is a Metzora.
Q: Why is the waiting period so long, an entire week?
A: The Sforno answers that it is very hard to measure the growth of something if one continuously watches it. ("A watched pot never boils.")
This teaches us an important principle in life and in Avodas H-Shem. During the days of Sefira we attempt to better ourselves. Yeshiva Bochrim return to yeshiva, married men may add on to their sedarim, girls and woman may work on their davening or middos ... whatever the case may be.The Yetzer Hara tries to get us to keep glancing internally as often as possible, as we will ultimately get frustrated when we don't see a tremendously noticeable difference. This Parsha offers us advice to aid in this struggle: Wait a while before checking to see how much you grew or else you will just end up getting frustrated. And when you finally do look back after Sefira, or an event causes you to compare yourself now to how you used to be, only THEN will you see what a better person you have become, and it will certainly be worth the wait.
- Adapted from Sefer Al Harishonim; by Rabbi Aryeh Bruckheimer
2) The Passuk tells us (12:2/12:5), that a woman becomes Tammei after giving birth. There are many P'shatim given which offer explanation for this Tumah. The Kotzker Rebbe explains that anytime Kedusha leaves a being, tumah fills its place and descends upon that being. An example of this is Tumas Mes, which descends on the body after the Neshama has left it. Childbirth is managed by H-Shem alone, without a partner. The science of the development of a fetus and the process of Childbirth is nothing short of openly miraculous, Thus, when that process ends, and the presence of H-Shem departs, tumah sets in.
- Mayana Shel Torah
Interesting Point:
The Zohar says that the reason we give a baby boy a bris on the 8th day is that in that time frame he would definitely have experienced his first Shabbos, and only with the special strength that Shabbos gives every individual could the little baby handle having a bris.
Quotes:
1)"Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there." -Will Rogers.
2)"One day your life may flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching." - Unknown
Dvar Torah:
1) The Passuk tells us that a person only becomes Tammei with Tzaraas only after a kohein pronounces him to be so. If the Kohein inspects the Nega and is unsure whether or not it is Tzaraas, he sends the person away and re-checks him after a waiting period of 7 days. If it has spread, the Kohein pronounces him impure, and the man is a Metzora.
Q: Why is the waiting period so long, an entire week?
A: The Sforno answers that it is very hard to measure the growth of something if one continuously watches it. ("A watched pot never boils.")
This teaches us an important principle in life and in Avodas H-Shem. During the days of Sefira we attempt to better ourselves. Yeshiva Bochrim return to yeshiva, married men may add on to their sedarim, girls and woman may work on their davening or middos ... whatever the case may be.The Yetzer Hara tries to get us to keep glancing internally as often as possible, as we will ultimately get frustrated when we don't see a tremendously noticeable difference. This Parsha offers us advice to aid in this struggle: Wait a while before checking to see how much you grew or else you will just end up getting frustrated. And when you finally do look back after Sefira, or an event causes you to compare yourself now to how you used to be, only THEN will you see what a better person you have become, and it will certainly be worth the wait.
- Adapted from Sefer Al Harishonim; by Rabbi Aryeh Bruckheimer
2) The Passuk tells us (12:2/12:5), that a woman becomes Tammei after giving birth. There are many P'shatim given which offer explanation for this Tumah. The Kotzker Rebbe explains that anytime Kedusha leaves a being, tumah fills its place and descends upon that being. An example of this is Tumas Mes, which descends on the body after the Neshama has left it. Childbirth is managed by H-Shem alone, without a partner. The science of the development of a fetus and the process of Childbirth is nothing short of openly miraculous, Thus, when that process ends, and the presence of H-Shem departs, tumah sets in.
- Mayana Shel Torah
Interesting Point:
The Zohar says that the reason we give a baby boy a bris on the 8th day is that in that time frame he would definitely have experienced his first Shabbos, and only with the special strength that Shabbos gives every individual could the little baby handle having a bris.
Quotes:
1)"Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there." -Will Rogers.
2)"One day your life may flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching." - Unknown