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By Rabbi Shloimie Lindenbaum
טמא הוא טמא יטמאנו הכהן בראשו נגעו (פרק יג פסוק מד)
The Torah describes all different types of צרעת (leprosy) and the הלכות that pertain to each one. One type is on the body of a מצורע (leper) while another is on their head- either from the front or back. After introducing צרעת on ones head the Torah adds a seemingly extra פסוק, “he is impure, the כהן should surely make him impure, his affliction is on his head.” What is this פסוק teaching us? The נצי”ב explains that צרעת on ones body comes for a different reason than when on ones head. The צרעת is sent as a message to repent, but on ones body it is to repent from sins done out of תאווה, while on ones head it is a message that the person has sinned in the area of אפיקורסות, denial of Hashem. When one is sick with צרעת, people will naturally stay away from them because they are sick. Many times, however, a holy person like a כהן may live above the rules of nature and come close to a sick person in order to encourage them to do תשובה (repent). This is the point of the פסוק- “he is impure”- and stay away like any מצורע, “the כהן shall surely make him impure”- even on his high level he should not come close to this מצורע because “his affliction is on his head”- in the area of false beliefs. When the מצורע is guilty of אפיקורסות, even a כהן cannot approach him, as the risk of being influenced is too great.
ולקח למטהר שתי צפרים חיות טהורות (פרק יד פסוק ד)
As part of the purification process of the מצורע they must bring two birds. Rashi, quoting the Gemara in ערכין, says that because צרעת comes from לשון הרע, evil speech, the atonement is through birds which are always chirping and twittering. R’ Ahron Leib Shteinman asks, if we are trying to teach the מצורע to not babble so much then he should bring animals that don’t make so much noise- why would he bring animals that talk a lot? R’ Shteinman explains that we are trying to teach him a lesson in how to use his speech. A bird chirps in a way that is pleasant to hear, in an almost musical sound that typifies the beautiful and calm morning. The bird always makes noise, but a noise that others enjoy. The lesson to the מצורע is to always use his power of speech in a way that is nice and pleasant for other people. This is why he brings birds, to remind him to use his voice in a way that is pleasing for others.
