Take Control!

The Torah portions we read this week deal mostly with Tzoraas – discolorations that appear on one’s body, clothing or the walls of one’s house as a result of him speaking Lashon Harah – speaking ill of another – even if it is true, or spreading a false rumor and the like.

The discoloration was inspected by a Kohain to see if it was Tzoraas. If it turned out that the Tzoraas afflicted a person, he was excommunicated outside the city, if it affected a garment it had to be burned, and if it affected a house it had to be razed.

The common thread of the bad traits that lead to Tzoraas is the lack of regard or appreciation of someone else, and an interest to play them down. By doing so, they create friction and discord, and cause people to distance themselves from the one about whom he spoke.

G-d has His way of dealing with the perpetrator. He first sends a message in the form of Tzoraas that appears on his house or clothing. If the person persists in his bad habits, Tzoraas will visit his body causing him to be excommunicated from society, with his misdeed becoming evident. He can only return when he repents and the blemishes disappear.

When the Kohain finally releases him from excommunication, the Torah prescribes sacrifices that he must offer in the Temple. Part of the sacrifice entails that the Kohain smears blood of the sacrifice on the person’s right ear, right thumb and right big toe.

I recently heard a contemporary explanation as to why the blood application was done on these three areas.

We can understand that the ear should be involved with the atonement because it listened to Lashon Harah. The toe also was involved because with one’s toes he walks or rushes to tell the faults of others.

But how does the thumb relate to spreading ill about others? With our mode of communication with today’s technology it becomes quite apparent. Texting and blogging with our devices is commonly done with our thumbs.

Needless to say, so much slander, besmirching, lies, shocking opinions and ill are communicated through this form, and the capacity and potential for it to reach the masses is exponential. The message of the atonement process upon the thumb is quite applicable us.

We are the only people who have laws governing what we are allowed and not allowed to say about others.

Commentators explain that just as we are required to be extra careful with the Kosher status of the food we put into our mouths to maintain our level of Kedusha – holiness, so too, we are commanded to maintain our level of Kedusha – sanctity in regards to the output of our mouths, by refraining from speaking ill of others.

It is said that the tongue has a greater power and capacity to kill then the sword or bullet. While the bullet can only kill that which is at close range, the spoken word can kill, disable, depress and alienate someone across the world. Today it is so easy to completely demolish a person by simply pressing a button.

We have been mandated to abide by these rules and thus we have the ability to withstand this temptation.

In addition to the blood of the sacrifice that is applied to the ear, thumb and toe, the Torah also commands that the Kohain apply oil of an offering on top of the blood that was applied to his ear, thumb and toe.

Perhaps the message is as follows: As the person who was excommunicated is being transitioned back into society, we apply blood on him to communicate that wrongly chosen words can devastate and are tantamount to bloodshed.

On the other hand, we want to communicate that words can be used like the pleasantness and smoothness of oil. This is when they are expressed positively, sensitively, pleasantly and with a constructive intent. As such they have the capacity to brighten and dispel so much of the darkness, negativity and distrust that is so prevalent.

Let’s think about it; TSA takes a few steps to ensure that no one carries anything harmful or destructive before boarding a plane.

Similarly, our mouths have two guards, our teeth and lips. If we think twice before we speak or share information we can change the world.