In these week's parsha we read about the tzaras affliction, leprosy, which would inflict people and cause them to become spiritually impure. Our Sages teach that this affliction comes as a result of Lashon Hara , evil speech. The interesting thing to note is that the Torah delineates a number of forms of leprosy, but it stands out that the skin turning white and the color of white are primarily associated with this form of impurity. This is in contrast to our general perception that the color of white is a sign of purity. How can it be then that the color that is normally associated with purity and holiness, in this case is a sign of impurity?

R' Elimelech Biderman- answered this by saying that the Torah is teaching us a very important point. Even a person who is pure and holy (white), if he doesn't properly guard his speech then he becomes impure.

There is a story which I may have related before (but worth repeating) about two young women who were sitting on a bus behind an older woman. The two post high school women were discussing between themselves how their classmate had just got engaged to a certain boy. They began to speak disparagingly about the new "kallah". They continued speaking and putting down the "kallah" the entire ride. Before they got off the bus the older woman in front of them turned around and began to thank them. They didn't understand why she was so grateful, but she explained to them that she heard their entire conversation and all of the negative things they had to say about the new "Kallah" who happens to be the girl who her son just got engaged to. She said she was so happy to find out the "truth" about her future daughter-in-law and she has decided that under no circumstances would she allow her son to follow through with the marriage. The two younger women were mortified when they realized the magnanimity of their "innocent" patter. The two women burst into tears, pleading with the older women not to take them so seriously and that what they said was exaggerated.

We must always keep in mind how harmful our words and speech can be.

Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov,

Heath