Chapter 3 )ג(
The maamar previously explained the idea of a Metzora as someone who lacks balance between “yearning” and “returning.”
“Yearning” means a yearning to leave this world and become included in the infinite Truth of Hashem. This yearning comes from “the Intellect of the Mother” – Binah - from contemplating the greatness of Hashem until he awakens the emotions.
“Returning” means to return to reveal Hashem in this world through Torah and Mitzvos. This desire to return comes from “the Intellect of the Father” – Chochma - from a higher awareness and self-nullification to the truth. This “returning” is motivated by an awareness that Hashem is the only true existence and that His Will is for us to reveal Him in this world.
A Metzora has the “yearning” that comes from “the Intellect of the Mother,” without the “return” that comes from “the Intellect of the Father.” This lack of balance results in the impurity of Tzaraas. From the intensity and emotions of his yearning, he can come to unholy emotions and words, etc.
The rectification of the Metzora is that he should regain the revelation of the “Intellect of the Father.” This process is twofold:
- First, “he should be brought to the Kohen.” The Kohen is Chochma- total self-nullification to the truth Oneness of Hashem. By connecting to the Kohen, the Metzora can attain the selflessness needed to receive the revelation of his “Intellect of the Father.”
- Secondly, he must reveal his “Intellect of the Father” through learning and reciting the words of the Torah. By reciting the words of the Torah and thereby revealing Hashem in this world, he restores the revelation of the “Intellect of the Father” and is cured.
Now, the maamar will continue to explain that in addition to the need to bring back the revelation of the “Intellect of the Father” through being brought to the Kohen and learning Torah, there is something else that must be corrected.
Namely, the fact that he originally had a “yearning” without a “return.” Since the entire purpose of the “yearning” is to help him “return” to reveal Hashem in the world, if he has a “yearning” without a “return,” then the “yearning” itself is flawed. The only way to correct the “yearning” is to reconnect the “yearning” to the “return.”
This means that he cannot just learn Torah to correct his impurity. He must first arouse a “yearning” during prayer and connect that “yearning” to a “return,” through studying Torah and fulfilling Mitzvos. Through this, he will correct the flawed “yearning.”
The Verses and Their Deeper Meaning
The maamar will continue to explain the wording of the verses:
We must understand the meaning of what it says, “And he [the Metzora] shall be brought to the Kohen,” which implies that they should bring the Metzora to the place of the Kohen,
But immediately afterward, it says, “And the Kohen shall go outside of the camp” (outside of the Camp of the Jewish People, since the Metzora is required to leave the Jewish Camp). This implies the exact opposite- that the Kohen goes outside the camp to the Metzora?!
Also, we must understand the idea of the wording of the verse, “This shall be the teaching of the Metzora,” apparently the word "תִּּהְיֶה" - “shall be,” is extra, as this question is written in the commentary of the Alshich. The verse could have said: "זֹאת תּוֹרַ ת הַמְצוֹר ע ", “this is the teaching of the Metzora”, without the word "תִּּהְיֶה " - “shall be.”
The maamar will continue to resolve the apparent contradiction between the verse that says that he should be brought to the Kohen and the verse that says that the Kohen should go to him.
The Inner Meaning of Going to the Kohen
Before doing so, the maamar explains the inner meaning of the idea that the Metzora should go to the Kohen:
However, the idea will be understood based on what is written in the Zohar - (vol. 3) pg. 49 side 2 - in the explanation of the verse, “And he shall be brought to the Kohen:” ‘It should have said, “And he shall be elevated (to the Kohen) etc.”?!’
In the Zohar, there is a discussion between R’ Yosi, who said that when the verse states, “And he shall be brought to the Kohen,” it means to the Holy One Blessed be He (Hashem). That is why sometimes it says “Aharon the Kohen” and sometimes it says only “the Kohen,” because “the Kohen” (without adding Aharon’s name) is a reference to Hashem.
In response, R’ Yitzchok asks two questions: 1- Why is Hashem called the Kohen? 2- Why does it say that he should be brought to the Kohen? It should say, “He should be elevated to the Kohen,” since being brought implies that they are on the same level, just that one is going to the other. If “the Kohen” is a reference to Hashem, then it should say that he should be elevated up to Hashem’s level?
To these 2 questions R’ Yosi replied as follows:
- Hashem is called the Kohen because He is the source of all purification and holiness (just like the Kohen purifies and sanctifies the Metzora in this world).
- When it says “he should be brought,” it means that he should be brought inside, like we find regarding the poles on the Aron (where the Luchos are placed), that “they should be brought into the rings” that are on the sides of the Aron. So too here, it means to “come inside” and become included in his source Above, in Hashem. Hence, it means ‘to be elevated,’ but the expression of “bringing” implies also becoming included in its source.
