Its About More Than Dermatology

My high school teacher once compared our character flaws to a car’s high beam. “You can drive without realizing that your lights are on, and be obtusely unaware that it’s hitting the other driver squarely in their eyes - until they flick their lights to help us realize what we’re doing. Likewise, too often we don’t realize our own dysfunctions, until another person lets us know.”

I think there’s a lot of truth to that metaphor, which is a jarring thought. We each have some behavioral shtick. Being aware of it is key to managing it.

This week’s Torah portion tells us of a skin condition, called Tzaraat. Although it appeared physically on our skin (and has been mistakenly translated by the King James Bible as leprosy), it was supernatural, in the sense that it would appear on our bodies in response to spiritual maladies. For example, if one engaged in gossip, or generally divisive speech, the person would break out in Tzaraat. (the Torah details how to rectify the behavior and to  actively clear up the issue.

Tzaraat was both an affliction, and a Divine gift to the human condition. 

Tzaraat enabled moral clarity. If someone did something wrong, he had a clear, unmistakable indication. No place for obtuseness, no place for defensiveness. 

Your past actions couldn’t just fade into the dustbin of history; they were staring you in the face. The afflicted person needed to take stock of his behaviors and identify the weak link.

Tzaraat as a skin affliction ended ages ago. We don’t draw direct causality between bodily problems and soul afflictions, since we no longer have ‘clear communication’ between soul and body. 

But the concept – and lessons – of Tzaraat are as fresh as ever.

What if, as we went to bed every night, we imagined seeing a Tzaraat lesion? What if we took the time to search our memory banks and assess our social interactions? What if I offended someone, or carelessly impugned a third party’s reputation, and didn’t even realize I had my ‘high beam’ on?

It wouldn’t have dermatology ramifications, but we’d probably make tomorrow a better day.