[Avodah] Tazria

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Apr 15, 2018 at 08:48:58AM -0400, Cantor Wolberg via Avodah wrote:
: The etiology of leprosy in the Torah was not a physical 
: but rather a spiritual disease. 

I like calling it spirito-somatic, coining a term to parallel
"psychosomatic". Just as it stress can turn the presence of Helicobacter
pulori in the stomach into having an ulcer.

: The Rabbis comment: b'sorah tovah hee l'Yisroel --
: "It is good news for the Jews if a house is stricken with leprosy."
: Ramban remarks that it is odd for a house made of bricks and
: mortar to act as if it were alive...

But they also say it's purely theoretical (Sanhedrin 71a). Although that's
tied to R' Elazar b"R Shimon's side of a machloqes in the mishnah (Nega'im
12:3). R' Yishmael and R' Aqiva (the other two opinions in the mishnah)
would apparently disagree. In any case, as with the rest of the cases
in the gemara of laws that exist only for learning (ben soreir umoreh
and ir hanidachas) it continues with tannaim saying they saw something
local tradition said was evidence of one.

Nowadays, house mold is known to be all too common. The actual physical
side of tzara'as habayis needn't be miraculous.

However, unlike tzara'as of the body, one can't invoke a soul - mind -
brain causality. It would be pretty direct evidence of Divine Providence
if tzra'as of the sort that would cause tum'ah struck only appropriate
homes.

Which is how I saw the quote. It requires people living on a level where
blatant hashgachah peratis is approrpriate.

As opposed to an era where even tzara'as of the body requires far more
spirituality than people achieve.

: Since in today's world we don't have the warning of leprosy attached to our
: houses, let us hope we can pick up other signs and warnings in order to be 
: able to remedy whatever difficulties caused by our own sinfulness. 

There is a discussion of the role of learning Torah, and whether studying
Torah that is non-applicabile is of value. Because of ideas like this one,
it is hard to believe there can be Torah that is non-applicable. Even if
the case isn't, "derosh vekabel sekhar" could refer to taking home lessons
for the general principle.

Chodesh Tov!
Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 16th day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        2 weeks and 2 days in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Gevurah sheb'Tifferes: What type of discipline
Fax: (270) 514-1507                             does harmony promote?