- Teaches that if a person pledges to charity beyond one’s means, G-d assists
- Teaches Jewish people are one “body” and can feel each other’s problem as their own
If a person vows to bring a sacrifice for another’s tzara’as sufferer, there are two elements:
- To fulfill the vow – one acts in that person’s place; then, rich or poor depends on the sufferer
- To achieve atonement – they merge identities and then, rich or poor depends on the status of the maker of the vow
אם דל הוא יד, כא רמב"ם כזא
Tzara’as of the houses reveals openly the unique purpose of “going down for the sake of elevation”. Tzara’as has a spiritual source that was misdirected; Tzara’as of the houses displays the great goodness that is “locked up” in the strong tumah of avodah zarah.
צרעת בבית יד, לד כזב
Intention of Tzara’as is not to negate the bad talk (אמורי), but to turn one’s talk into (previously hidden) holy talks. Amorites knew their time for eviction had arrived when the Jews left Egypt; they hid their gold, since they hoped the Jews would sin, and then they would get their gold back.
*נגע צרעת יד, לד לב
One accidental discharge becomes a Zav; this corresponds to strengthening the bad inclination even if not one’s fault. Second discharge must be intentional to become a Zav Ketana; this corresponds to the acute strengthening of the bad inclination when a person incites oneself to sin more. The third discharge (after any type of two earlier ones) can be unintentional; this corresponds to the effects of chronic strengthening of the bad inclination even without choosing to do so. The law is different for each stage; this corresponds to the need for a new type of Teshuvah at each stage.
לז
