Preventive Medicine

Tazria-Metzora MONDAY, APRIL 24 28 NISSAN, 5777 ב"ה כָּל יְמֵי אֲשֶׁר הַנֶּגַע בּוֹ . . בָּדָד יֵשֵׁב מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה מוֹשָׁבוֹ (ויקרא יג, מו) All the days the lesion is upon him… He shall dwell in isolation; his dwelling is outside the camp. (Vayika 13:46) Preventive Medicine The impurity of a metzora, a person afflicted with tzora'as, is unusually severe in that a metzora's mere entry into a home conveys impurity to the home's contents. According to R' Yehudah (see Mishna, Negaim 13:11; Tosefta, Negaim 7:11), this applies only when the metzora enters the house with permission, in which case the house is deemed "the metzora's dwelling" and becomes impure.  If the metzora enters without permission, however, R' Yehuda is of the opinion that "everything remains pure until he stays long enough for a candle to be kindled." What is the reasoning behind this leniency? According to R' Yehudah, the home is only deemed "the metzora's dwelling" if the residents of the home approve of his entry. As the people of the home might be preoccupied with something else when the metzora first enters, R' Yehuda allows for the time it would take to light a candle before deeming them compliant. What is the significance of the time it takes to light a candle? The sages based this allowance on the lighting of the Shabbos candles, which one may not interrupt before the bracha has been recited, and therefore one could not tell the metzora to leave (see Tiferes Yisrael). That the lighting of Shabbos candles is the "standard" which determines how long the impurity of tzora'as can be kept at bay is a powerful indication of the importance of lighting Shabbos candles.  Thepurpose of the Shabbos candles, says the Talmud (Shabbos 23b), is to promote shalom bayis, peace in the home. The light of the candles allows the people of the home to enjoy Shabbos by eliminating the discomfort caused by darkness and the discord it engenders. And just as the Shabbos candles save the home from physical distress, the light of this mitzvah also protects the home from any spiritual maladies—in this case, the impurity of tzora'as. Moreover, tzora'as is caused by lashon hara, derogatory speech, which "causes rifts between husband and wife or between man and his fellow" (see Talmud, Arachin 16a-b). It thus follows that the way to fend off the divisiveness and discord that is synonymous with tzora'as is the kindling of the Shabbos candles which promote peace and harmony. —Likutei Sichos, vol. 17, pp. 141-143 Sponsor a Lightpoints email A project of Or Hachassidus ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר

Expectations

Shmini WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19 23 NISSAN, 5777 ב"ה וַתֵּצֵא אֵשׁ מִלִּפְנֵי ה' וַתֹּאכַל אוֹתָם וַיָּמֻתוּ לִפְנֵי ה' (ויקרא י, ב) And fire went forth from before G-d and consumed them, and they died before G-d. (Vayikra 10:2) Expectations Why were Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, punished with sudden death? According to R' Yishmael (cited in Vayikra Rabbah 12:1), they died because they entered the Mishkan under the influence of alcohol, as is evidenced by G-d's immediate warning to Aharaon and his surviving sons to refrain from drinking wine before entering the Mishkan. To illustrate this explanation, the Midrash relates a parable of a king who once found his devoted domestic aide entering a tavern. The king executed him without a word, and appointed another aide in his place. "It might not have been obvious at first why the first aide was put to death," explains the Midrash, "but when the king instructed the new aide, 'Do not enter the doors of taverns,' the cause for the first aide's execution became evident." Rashi (on Vayikra 10:2) cites R' Yishmael's explanation and refers the reader to the Midrashic parable: "This is analogous to a king who had a domestic aide etc., as taught in Vayikra Rabbah." Though he does not quote the parable in full, Rashi draws attention to its opening words, thereby addressing the most troubling issue raised by R' Yishmael's explanation: How could G-d punish Nadav and Avihu for entering the Mishkan while intoxicated, if they had never been instructed otherwise? The warning not to drink wine before entering the Mishkan was told to Aharon immediately after their deaths, but not before! To explain, Rashi emphasizes that the Midrashic parable likens Nadav and Avihu to the king's trusted aide,—בן בית in Hebrew, a member of the king's household.Even though he was not warned, the aide is held accountable for his behavior because as a member of the king's household he should have intuitively sensed that his behavior was against the king's wishes. The same is true of Nadav and Avihu, of whom G-d told Moshe, "Through those nearest to Me I will be sanctified" (10:3). Even if entering the Mishkan after drinking wine had not yet been explicitly forbidden, the appropriate mode of conduct should have come to Nadav and Avihu instinctively. —Likutei Sichos, vol. 12, pp. 50-52 Sponsor a Lightpoints email A project of Or Hachassidus ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר

---

This email is sent from Machon Or Hachasidus - Likras Shabbos. We'd love to stay in touch with you, but if you wish to be unsubscribed from this list please click here, or click here to manage your subscriptions.

Sent via ChabadOne Communicator

Fwd: The Holiday of Faith

Pesach SUNDAY, APRIL 16 20 NISSAN, 5777 ב"ה בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר חַיָּב אָדָם לִרְאוֹת אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ הוּא יָצָא מִמִּצְרָיִם (הגדה של פסח) In every generation, a person is obligated to regard himself as if he had come out of Egypt. (The Haggadah) The Holiday of Faith One of the most remarkable aspects of Bnei Yisrael's exodus from Egypt is the simple trust they had in Moshe and in the divine promise that he relayed. Bnei Yisrael were living in Egypt—a naturally prosperous land, home to a thriving civilization. Yet at Moshe's word, millions of men, women and children abandoned their homes of 200 years, and followed Moshe on a long and uncharted journey into the wilderness, with no obvious means of survival. They left behind a land of stability, and headed into a barren desert with no provisions other than their matzah and their faith. The trust that our ancestors had in G-d, and their willingness to follow His directives (which were conveyed through Moshe), serve as an example for Jewish people in all times and circumstances. In this world of endless competition and struggle, some might argue that the key to survival is to readily adapt to your surroundings, to follow the local trends and to subscribe to the fashions and passions of the time. It is unthinkable, they say, to commit instead to an ancient set of 613 rules that dictate every aspect of human life! We therefore recount our ancestors' faith when they journeyed from Egypt, and how it brought them not only spiritual goodness but material prosperity as well. We recall that their trust in G-d led them not only to receive the Torah and become G-d's chosen people, but also to inherit "the land flowing with milk and honey"—the Holy Land of Israel. By regularly remembering and retelling the story of the Exodus, we reinforce our commitment to live by G-d's directives, as outlined in the Torah, with absolute certainty that this, and only this, will guarantee true happiness and success. —Igros Kodesh, vol. 20, pp. 204-207 Sponsor a Lightpoints email A project of Or Hachassidus ביוזמת ולזכות הרה״ח הרה״ת ר' ישעי' זושא ווילהעלם שליט״א להצלחה רבה לו ולכל משפחתו בגו״ר

---

This email is sent from Machon Or Hachasidus - Likras Shabbos. We'd love to stay in touch with you, but if you wish to be unsubscribed from this list please click here, or click here to manage your subscriptions.

Sent via ChabadOne Communicator