Parashat Mesora- Commitments Made During Times of Crisis
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Parashat Mesora- Commitments Made During Times of Crisis
Parashat Mesora (Tahor) begins by detailing the laws relevant to a Mesora – a person stricken by leprosy – upon being cured from the disease. The Torah writes that when the skin discoloration fades and the skin returns to its natural condition, the individual is "brought to the Kohen" (14:2), at which point the Kohen performs the rituals required to allow the Mesora to return to the city.
Curiously, the Torah speaks of the individual being "brought" to the Kohen, rather than of him "coming" to the Kohen, suggesting that he is brought against his will. We might ask why a person in such a situation would not want to come to the Kohen for purification. Throughout the period in which he was afflicted with Sara'at (leprosy), he had lived in solitary confinement outside his city, banned from all social interaction. Now that the leprous infections have disappeared, wouldn't he rush to the Kohen in order to immediately restore his state of Tahara (ritual purity)? Why, then, does the Torah have to require that other people forcefully bring the Mesora to the Kohen?
Rabbi Mordechai Gifter ZT"L (1915-2001) explained that this verse reflects the natural tendency of people to neglect commitments made during times of crisis and hardship. While suffering from the isolation and embarrassment of Sara'at, the Mesora likely made all kinds of commitments to God, promising to correct the mistakes that might be responsible for his condition. Sara'at generally surfaced as punishment for the sin of Lashon Hara (gossip and slander), which is often spoken against Rabbis and other religious leaders. The Mesora thus naturally committed himself to show greater respect to leaders, and vowed to submit to their authority henceforth, rather than denigrating and ridiculing them as he had in the past. Once he is cured, however, those commitments are quickly forgotten. At this point, he might begin thinking, "Who needs a Kohen? I do not have Sara'at anymore; I can just reenter the city on my own, without a Kohen!" The Torah therefore requires that he be "brought" to the Kohen, that his peers remind him of his commitments and help ensure that he follows through on those commitments.
There are many different challenging situations when we feel driven to commit ourselves to a higher standard of Torah observance. During illness, Heaven forbid, or other crises, we react – as well we should – by examining our conduct and making commitments to improve in certain areas. The challenge becomes to follow through on those commitments and not forget them once the crisis has passed and life returns to normal. Commitments must not only be made, but also be fulfilled. In order to grow and improve, we must not only commit ourselves to grow and improve, but also exert the effort to fulfill our pledges to the very best of our ability, and not allow our peace and serenity to lead us to forget our commitments.
