As Heard from Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

“He shall dwell alone.” (13:46)

“The most precious is Solitude…The prophets Eliyahu and Elisha chose especially the mountains because of solitude. And the early Sages and saintly men of blessed memory walked in their footsteps, for they found this to be the most suitable means to gain the perfection of Perishut.” (Mesilat Yesharim 15)

“The lack of fear of Hashem in a man’s mind when he is together with men and speaks with them” (Chovot Halebabot, Cheshbon Hanefesh 17) is a constant ordeal; and therefore” isolation from men is the most effective cause of good qualities (ibid.). Thus the leper is enabled to derive great benefit, for he gains from his calamity the great opportunity to learn to think of Hashem. Just as the Cohen Gadol went into isolation seven days before Yom Kippur (Yoma 2A) “so that the fear (of Hashem) should come upon him by his separation from men.” (Rashi ibid.) So also does the isolation from men enable the leper to become more aware of his Creator. In the future, whether in this life or in the Afterlife, he will look back and recognize the immense benefit of his misfortune. “And on that day you will say, “I give thanks to You Hashem that you were angry with me.” (Yeshayah 12:1)

“Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that you observe diligently” (Devarim 24:8) is a prohibition against cutting off from the person any of the symptoms of the plague of leprosy. (Makot 22A) The symptoms are not mere indications of illness, for leprosy in ancient Israel was a message from Hashem. Just as Miriam was stricken with leprosy because of her words (Bamidbar 12:14), and as Gehazi was smitten with leprosy for seeking payment for the healing of Naaman (Kings II 5:27), and as the king Azariah became a lepor (ibid. 15:3) because he presumed to perform the service of the Cohen Gadol in the Sanctuary (Divre Hayamim 26:16).

When the king sends a summons, the matter cannot be solved by merely destroying the summons. Therefore the symptoms should not be cut off. Also from the following verse (Devarim 24:9) which sites the episode of Miriam, we see that “Take heed” means also to avoid the calamity of leprosy by guarding ones mouth against belittling others or vexing them with unkind words or by gossip or talebaring. Thus the stricken man becomes a teacher that admonishes all the beholders to learn important lessons, and he serves Hashem thereby. And when he cries out “Unclean, unclean!” he is a model to teach that we must avoid causing someone to sin by our negligence. And we learn to pray for him and for all sufferers, so that even today when we hear the siren of an ambulance we pray for the Israelite in distress. These variable functions, as well as others, are performed by the man stricken with leprosy.

Quoted from “A Kingdom of Cohanim” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

Shabbat Shalom

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