Chazal teach us that when it comes to tzara’as in one’s home, it’s a besorah tova - great news. It sounds very strange to call a severe punishment like tzara’as great news. Part of the explanation is that if one must knock down his home because of the spread of tzara’as, he will end up finding a treasure that was left in the walls by the Amorites who lived in Israel before Bnai Yisrael entered. This makes things even more complicated. It certainly can’t mean that one should speak loshon hara in his home when he gets to Israel so that he can be rewarded with hidden treasures in his walls!
I was thinking of an explanation that connects to an idea I mentioned on Achron Shel Pesach, on which we had a beautiful neilas hachag. There is a passuk that we recite at a bris שש אנוכי על אמרתך כמוצא שלל רב" - I rejoice over your words, Hashem, like finding a great booty.” What does Dovid Hamelech mean?
On Achron Shel Pesach, we explained that part of fulfilling the commandment of Anochi Hashem Elokecha - (which means to know that Hashem is the One who took us out of Egypt and we believe he is the Creator and the only one G-d in the world) is that he will send us Mashiach, who will redeem us, and the world will be transformed into a peaceful, joyful, and pleasurable state in which all bad that we ever experienced will be totally forgotten. This must be part of Anochi because the true defining of Hashem is that He is only good, and even when He punishes us, it’s really emanating from good.
Dovid Hamelech teaches that even when things are tough, even when a baby is being cut and made to bleed, and one might even think how cruel – after all, the Rama says we don’t say Shehecheyanu by a bris because of the pain of the baby – we must see the good. Thus, regarding a bris as cruel is a grave mistake. When a baby is circum- cised, he is entering into the best covenant a human can enter into – a covenant with the Creator. Yes, the course of life is sometimes really tough, but the challenge is to know, believe, and feel that all is for the best.
This is the message of negaim. Hashem doesn’t punish us for no reason; He wants us to grow, to wake up, and to take advantage of the real treasures of the world, Torah and mitzvos. Then, we will truly enjoy and merit the good in the next world.
RABBI DANIEL COREN
SEMICHAS CHAVER SHIUR in R’ Coren’s office every Wednesday at 9:00 PM
