In this week's parsha we are confronted with a mysterious disease called tzaraas. The Torah's descriptions of severe and acute skin lesions bring leprosy to mind. However, a careful reading will show that the Torah is not describing leprosy at all. In fact, the symptoms of tzaraas do not match any known illness.
The cure is even more mysterious than the illness. The initial "treatment" of this disease is quarantine (Vayikra 13:4). However, it is clear that tzaraas is not contagious.
Obviously, the Torah is not talking here about an ordinary medical illness. The Torah is not a medical textbook and tzaraas is not a dermatological problem. Tzaraas on the skin is a physical symptom of a spiritual disorder. It is a disease of the soul of such severity that it breaks out of the confines of the spiritual realm onto the surface of the physical body.
The Talmud tells us that tzaraas afflicts a gossiping and slanderous Jew (Erchin 15b). The sin of evil gossip is so unhealthy for the soul, it so corrupts us internally, there is potential for an actual physical reaction. What is it about gossip that's so bad for our souls?
When G-d created man, He breathed into his nostrils a breath of life and man became a nefesh chaya, a living creature (Beraishit 2:7). There is an ancient teaching that this "nefesh chaya" refers specifically to man's power of speech (Targum Onkelos). This power of speech, this extraordinary ability to communicate, is one of the central differences between man and animal. It is our primary tool for doing mitzvot. With our words we pray and study. With our words we honor and respect others. But man can also misuse his powers. The power of speech can be used to destroy. It can be used to belittle and hurt people. When man corrupts this G-d given ability he is corrupting that very characteristic that elevates him above all other living creatures. A gossip damages that which distinguishes him as a human being; the exalted soul that G-d has placed within.
The Kuzari (Rabbi Yehuda HeLevi, 1074-1141) states that tzaraas is actually decomposing flesh. Evil gossip is poison for our souls. On some level, a kind of spiritual death takes place when the power of speech is misused. The physical expression of that spiritual reality is tzaraas, a sign of death. As the Talmud says, "A person afflicted with tzaraas is, in a certain sense, not among the living" (Nedarim 64b).
The Midrash compares the gossipmonger with the murderer (Tanchuma). Indeed, one who slanders is engaging in character assassination. We know that G-d judges us measure for measure, that is, the penalty always corresponds logically with the nature of the transgression. It is very fitting that the murderous act of destroying someone's reputation would earn the sinner a bout of tzaraas. It is a subtle death penalty for a subtle act of murder.
How is tzaraas cured? "He must remain alone, and his place shall be outside the camp" (13:46). In other words, the afflicted must leave town. A person that destroys relationships with his evil gossip needs to be separated from society. He has to go cold turkey on his gossip addiction. If he uses the time for introspection, if he does teshuvah and sincerely commits to use his power of speech for constructive purposes, his soul is cured. G-d accepts his repentance and the tzaraas will fade away by itself. The reformed gossipmonger will then be welcomed back into the community.
Unfortunately, in modern times our physical bodies are not linked to our souls as intimately as they should be. Today, symptoms of spiritual illness don't show up visibly on our bodies. It is most unfortunate that we do not have tzaraas. We could really use it.
The fact that we cannot see spiritual blemishes today does not mean they aren't there. Evil speech hurts us on a much deeper level than we would like to believe. It is a perversion of a divine gift, a tragic misuse of our unique potential. By keeping our speech pure and positive we create a healthy and unpolluted environment for our souls. It is only then that we are alive in the fullest sense. As King David wrote, "Which man desires life, who loves days of seeing good? Guard your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it" (Psalms 34:13-15).
