17 Apr When Bad Things Happen for the Good; Mechanism of Consequence (Tazria-Metzora)
When Bad Things Happen for the Good; Mechanism of Consequence
Inspired by the teachings of HaRav Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Rabbi Moshe Genuth
We certainly can’t address every situation in life, but let’s look at the lessons we can take from a couple of examples from the Torah from Pashas Tazria-Metzora.
The first example deals with the deficient spiritual condition of an individual or community. of ‘one who runs to a miklat’; a refugee city as a result of an ‘accidental murder’.
In this brief example of one who incurs a blemish. In Devarim 19:5 speaks about the circumstance of a man who swings his axe and the axe head flies off and accidentally kills someone. He may then flee to a miklat, a city of refuge to a avoid being killed himself by one who may avenge the death. As any Jew should know, just as our transgressions affect us individually, they also affect the klol (community) collectively. The tshuvah one embarks on is not only for himself but also in the merit of the community (klol). A further explanation is necessary. For a Jew and the Jewish Nation what affects one, affects all.
We need to understand the mechanism at work here. The ‘blemish’ of the ‘accidental’ act (of the axe head flying off and killing someone) is a reflection of the spiritual disconnect of the individual and the collective (Klol Yisroel). In a rectified (perfected society) accidents don’t happen. An accident reveals a lack of spiritual connection (a disconnection) that caused a ‘blemish’ that manifested in the occurrence of an ‘accidental’ murder. There was thus a consequence of G-ds lack of protection. Accordingly the individual and the community are awakened to do tshuvah to heal the blemish . The goal of the individual and community needs to be to do tshuvah to repair the spiritual deficiency that caused… allowed the ‘blemish’ to occur. We ought not simply dismiss the occurrence of a ‘blemish’ as the fault of the individual or happenstance.
The Second example is where the blemish of tzaraas (aka the [so called] leprosy of the metzora) is spoken about in parshas Tazria-Metzora. Only the most righteous (a tzadik) will incur the blemish.
Where the National (collective) ‘mission of Tikun Olam, rectifying the world to bring Mashiach’ may have reached a spiritually deficient state , a Tzadik in his frustration (of the lacking spiritual condition of his community) may come to transgress by speaking loshen hora. The Tzadik would then incur tzaaras ( the blemish referred to as leprosy) and accordingly he must then be removed from the community to heal physically and spiritually. It is thus incumbent on the tzadik to do his tshuvah, and the awareness of the loss of the merit and presence of the communities Tzadik will prompt awareness of the ‘cause of the blemish’ on the Tzadik and the community to inspire the Tshuvah that restores spiritual purity.
As these two examples will show, there is a mechanism of cause and effect at work and a need to maintain and repair to restore balance and harmony and elevate spiritual purity. The blemish occurs as a sign to become aware (as a blessing in disguise as a ‘curse’… a blemish) to help us learn to do better. The consequence of ‘falling down’ is the to rebuild ourselves, our community and the world better than before… tshuvah…tikun. As a reminder of the merit of our efforts to strive to repair and elevate our selves and the world, it is said that ‘a Tzadik falls down 7 times’. (7 is kabbalistically significant)
On a daily and ongoing basis we encounter many different kinds of blemishes. They are numerous for example; cancer, depression, addiction, hate, poverty, antisemitism, terrorism… the blemishes (imperfections) of our world et al. This is G-ds system of entropy; ‘all that lacks perfection will break down’. Things may become ‘broken’ , only to be resurrected in a more rectified way than before.
The blemishes of this world are not solely the blemishes of the individual but also of the community. As Jews we are individuals AS part of the unified collective Klol Yisroel…One. The greater our knowledge is to reveal the secrets of the worlds blemishes with our minds and hearts, the greater our ability be to do the appropriate tshuvah to tikun.
The world is filled with gifts concealed as blemishes that need to be rectified to perfect the world and bring Mashiach. It is a profound understanding to realize that the blemishes are not only an individual responsibility, but a call to action at a Community and National level. What effects one, affects all.
All is for the good.
Leib Getzel (Lawrence) Lax
Addictions and Counseling
http://lawrencelax.com
lawrenceJlax@gmail.com