Delving into the Daf by Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

Delving into the Daf

Tzaraas Rulings

By Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow

The Medrash Tanchuma (Parshas Tazria 6) cites a story about an impoverished kohen living in Eretz Yisrael. Trying whatever he could to support his family, he just couldn’t make ends meet. He decided to embark on a business trip abroad. Painful as the separation from his wife and children may be, he concluded that this was his only option. However, being a kohen, he was given a mandate by the Torah to rule on questions regarding tzaraas. People frequently would seek him out, and he would advise them of the halachic status of their afflictions. Leaving the populace without someone to rule on their tzaraas questions bothered him. The kohen realized that he needed to find a substitute. The thought crossed his mind that his wife would be the perfect replacement. He then proceeded to teach her the intricacies of the laws of tzaraas. One important element of the laws of tzaraas relates to the hair that grows in the middle of an affected patch of skin. The kohen explained to his wife that Hashem provides every strand of hair with a follicle that supports the growth of that strand. When the hair stops growing, it is clear that the hair’s source of growth, the follicle, has dried up. The wife responded to this fact by saying, “Listen to what you’re saying! Hashem provides every single strand of hair with a source of nourishment. You are a human being and have children who depend on you. Hashem will certainly provide support for you! There is no need to travel abroad!” Just like that, the international trip was canceled.

HaGaon Rav Henoch Leibowitz points out that a person may be aware of and believe certain concepts. However, intellectual knowledge is not the same as internalizing the idea and acting upon it. Presumably, this couple truly always believed that Hashem provides sustenance to each and every human being. However, it wasn’t until they saw a complete disconnect between their beliefs and actions that they internalized this message. Rav Yisrael Salanter used to say that the longest distance in the world is the distance between the mind and the heart.

Truthfully, this would be a nice dvar Torah on Parshas Tazria. But what does it have to do with the Daf? One connection may be that the Gemara says in Yoma 38b that one cannot take away even a hair’s breadth of what is destined for his friend. Ben Azzai uttered this statement in reference to the attempted firing of the Garmu and Avitinus families from their respective positions in the Beis Hamikdash. However, the Sages

were forced to hire them back at double their original salaries. Rashi (38a) comments that one should not worry that a competitor will take away his business because whatever Hashem decrees one should earn is guaranteed his. However, there is another connection.

Rav says (Yoma 42a) that the shechita of the Para Adumah must be performed by a kohen. The Gemara points out that typically the shechita of sacrifices do not need to be performed by a kohen. Rav explains that the shechita of the Para Adumah is not really akin to an Avoda, the technical name used to describe service in the Beis Hamikdash. Rather, just as it is a scriptural decree that questions of tzaraas must be decided by a kohen and not a Torah scholar who is a Yisrael, so, too, it is a scriptural decree that the shechita of the Para Adumah must be performed by a kohen. Although shechita of the Para Adumah may look like an Avoda, in truth it is not. Based on this, the Chazon Ish comments that just as a kohen when he is deciding matters of tzaraas does not need to wear his special priestly garments, so, too, the kohen when he

shechts the Para Adumah does not need to wear his priestly garments.

The Chazon Ish assumed as a given that the kohen performing a tzaraas inspection does not need to wear bigdei kehuna. However, the Tiferes Yaakov (on Chomer B’kodesh 4:8) disagrees. When the Torah says that “the kohen” must inspect the ailment, it means while wearing his bigdei kehuna. (Indeed, the Gemara makes a similar exposition. Yoma 43a.)

However, a proof against the Tiferes Yaakov may be brought from the Medrash Tanchuma cited above. How was the kohen’s wife able to rule on tzaraas – she certainly didn’t have any bigdei kehuna! It must be that bigdei kehuna is not required to pasken on tzaraas. Indeed, this is how the Kol Torah understands the Medrash. The wife of the kohen was actually ruling on tzaraas questions. Although typically priestly duties must be performed by male kohanim, this must be an exception. We do find a precedent for this. A wife of a kohen may accept some of the matnos kehuna.

However, the Pardes Yosef (Vayikra 14:9) disagrees. All agree that even a kohen who is not proficient in the laws of tzaraas, may rule on negaim provided that he brings an expert with him, even if that expert is a Yisrael. So, too, suggests the Pardes Yosef, perhaps the poor kohen was only training his wife to be the expert. She would be able to advise any male kohen, such as her son, for example, what the halacha should be. However, the actual pronouncement must be made based on a scriptural decree by a male kohen.

In any event, as a matter of what will hopefully soon be practical halacha, the above discussion is irrelevant. The Rambam rules that the shechita of the Para Adumah may be performed by a non-kohen, whether male or female.

Rav Yisrael Salanter used to say that the longest distance in the world is the distance between the mind and the heart.

Rabbi Avrohom Sebrow is a rebbe at Yeshiva Ateres Shimon in Far Rockaway. In addition, Rabbi Sebrow leads a daf yomi chaburah at Eitz Chayim of Dogwood Park in West Hempstead, NY. He can be contacted at ASebrow@gmail.com.