Parshat Tazria-Metzora
Question
A gutten Erev Shabbos.
The Torah tells us in this week’s parashah, Parashas Metzora, regarding nega habayis:
“Ki savo’u el Eretz Canaan… v’nasati nega tzara’as b’veis eretz achuzaschem”
When you come into Eretz Canaan, the land that the Ribbono Shel Olam is giving you as an inheritance, “v’nasati,” I will give a nega tzara’as in your house that’s in the land of your inheritance.
The pasuk does not say, “nega tzara’as ki yihyeh b’bayis,” that a nega will happen to be in a house, the way it says by nega adam, “ki yihyeh ba’adam.” Rather, “v’nasati,” I will give a nega. It’s a lashon of matanah. It sounds like a besorah tova, like something positive.
Rashi explains, based on Chazal, that it is indeed a besorah for Klal Yisrael, since the Emorim, when they lived in Eretz Yisrael, hid treasures of gold in the walls of their homes during the forty years that Klal Yisrael were in the midbar. Through the nega, the house would have to be broken, and in that way, the Yidden would discover these hidden treasures.
The question is;
If the whole purpose of the nega habayis is to reveal the hidden treasures, and that it’s really something positive, then what has it got to do with the tumas nega’im and why is there a need to do the whole process of taharas habayis?
Answer
Before we answer this question, we must first resolve what appears to be a contradiction in the Midrashim.
On the one hand, there is the Midrash brought by Rashi, which is from Vayikra Rabbah in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Zechuso mogein lanu, ….Hi me’iras eineinu…)
On the other hand, there is another Midrash, which is also brought in the Rambam:
Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin, and Rabbi Zechariah, the son-in-law of Rabbi Levi, in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Merciful One does not strike a person’s body first.
Rather, afflictions that come upon a person first appear in his house; if he repents, the house requires only removal of the affected stones, and if not, it requires demolition.
Then they come upon his garments; if he repents, they require washing, and if not, they require burning.
Then they come upon his body; if he repents, he becomes pure, and if not, he must dwell alone.
This Midrash is brought in the Rambam, Hilchos Tumas Tzaraas, Chapter 16, Halacha 10.
Although the Kiryas Sefer there explains somewhat differently the purpose of the three types of afflictions, he writes that:
Man is distinguished from animals in three ways: intellect and speech, clothing, and possessions. When a person misuses these abilities through lashon hara, he is punished measure for measure. If he speaks negatively about his fellow’s possessions, his own possessions are affected, meaning his house. If he speaks negatively about his fellow’s body and honor, his garments are affected. If he speaks negatively about the person himself and his intellect, his own body is affected, and he becomes a metzora, isolated like an animal.
Through this explanation, he explains why in the case of Miriam, who spoke about Moshe Rabbeinu, the curtains of her tent and her garments were not affected first; rather, she was immediately stricken on her body. This is because she spoke about Moshe himself. (Although within his explanation, there is a chiddush, that the Nega could have potentially been on Miriam’s tent even though she was not in Eretz Yisrael; however, we find from the Ramban and other Rishonim that these Negaim apply specifically in Eretz Yisrael, וצ"ע)
In any case, we see from here that there are two explanations for Nega Habayis, either they are to reveal hidden treasures, or they are a punishment for speaking lashon hara.
The sefer Maskil LeDavid, in his commentary on Rashi, explains that there is no disagreement between the Midrashim. Rather, it depends at which stage it happened. When they first entered Eretz Yisrael, the purpose was to reveal the hidden treasures; later, when the Jewish people were settled in Eretz Yisrael, the purpose became a punishment for speaking lashon hara.
And this is a quote from the Maskil LeDavid:
“….Nevertheless, at the beginning of their entry into the Land, it did not come as a punishment but as a reward, and this is what it hinted in the Passuk.”
According to this, we must return to our original question, if the purpose, especially at the time of entering the Land, was to reveal the treasures, how does the impurity of the Nega and the house fit in?
This question I found in the holy Zohar, who explains that since the Emorites were idol worshippers, when they built their houses they would mention the names of their idols, and a spirit of impurity would rest upon the house. Therefore, through the afflictions of the house, Hashem not only revealed the hidden treasures of the Emorites, but also purified the house through the process described in the Torah.
And this is a quote from the Zohar (Vayikra, Parshas Tazria, Maamar Nigei Batim, section 147):
The Canaanites were idol worshippers, all attached to impurity, and they would build structures for their idols and abominations. When they began building, they would say certain things, and through their speech, impurity would attach itself to the structure.
When the Jewish people came into the Land, Hashem desired to purify and sanctify it for them, and to prepare a place for the Shechinah, so that it would not dwell in impurity. Therefore, through these afflictions, the houses built in impurity were demolished.
If the purpose were only to find treasures, the stones and dirt should have been returned afterward. However, the verse states that the stones are removed and new ones are brought, indicating that the purpose is to remove the impurity and sanctify the land.
Therefore, one who builds a house should verbally declare that he is building it for the service of Hashem. Then divine assistance will rest upon it, and Hashem will bestow His holiness and call peace upon it, as it says: “And you shall know that your tent is at peace…”.
Based on the words of the Zohar, we asked Moreinu, HaGaon Rav Fried shlit”a:
If someone buys a house from a non-Jew or from a Jew who is not observant, is there something that needs to be done to the house before moving in?
The Rav answered: It is advisable to repaint the house, however one is not obligated to do so.
And if one buys it in order to rent it out, is the landlord required to repaint the house before renting it out?
The Rav answered: The landlord is not required to do so.
On behalf of the entire Sheilot staff, we wish you a Shabbos Shalom u’Mevorach and a Chodesh Tov.
