In conjunction with Yom Hashoah this past Monday, I would like to touch upon an idea presented in this week's double parsha portion, Tazria-Metzora.
Parashat Tazria delves into the technical laws regarding the impurity of Tzaraat, while Parashat Metzora relays the process of purification from this leprosy. As The Sfat Emet explains, the word
"Metzora"
is a contraction of two words
"Motzi Ra"
, "eliminating the bad." The question I would like to pose is as follows; Why is the leprosy that afflicts a person written in a separate parsha from that of the healing process?
From an outside perspective, we can easily look at the affliction and self-purification as part of the same human experience. However for many people inundated with tragedy, suffering and renewal are not apart of the same process. In our moments of deep pain and despair, it is too difficult to feel positive or constructive. We tend to wallow in self pity, with no attempt to pick ourselves up again. But eventually, through courage and strength, we are able to overcome obstacles. We can recognize that the challenges we face shape who we are, and enable us to prevail triumphant over life's most difficult "impurities".
This week however, we read the two parshiyot together, presenting what I think to be a quite meaningful parallel to the Holocaust. Victims of the Holocaust suffered from indescribably profound trauma. Despite this overwhelming feeling of helplessness and anger, many victims maintained their emunah. They kept their faith intact amongst great affliction, intertwining these two elements of Tazria and Metzora. This unique acknowledgement of God's presence, of hope, during the ultimate suffering, must be learned from in our own times of despair.
As we read the double parsha this week, I challenge everyone to go beyond our usual patterns of separating pain and affliction. To embody this combination of Tazria-Metzora, and spend this month of Elul, often characterized as a period of self growth and healing, channeling the faith of these holocaust victims. And in doing so, may we all achieve our own self purification. Shabbat Shalom.
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