Parshah Columnists - Metzora

Choose your words wisely. Be bold and articulate, spreading good ideas and positive energy around you.

The year is the same, the days are the same, but the months are different. It is a time quite individual—created by G‑d especially for me . . .

Unresolved repetitive conflict ultimately prevents people from reaching their relationship potential.

See how a nuance in a simple one-line Rashi can be examined, unpacked, and understood in an entirely new light.

Does every cloud really have a silver lining? Is there a blessing in disguise inside every curse?

The implication is that when spiritual malaise is neglected and allowed to fester we can accustom ourselves to it and become oblivious...

How often people justify malicious gossip with the explanation that the slander is true?

Even if this life was here the whole time, if I just noticed it, then it is new...

Perhaps the metzora's isolation is not just for him to sense the distance from other people caused by gossip, but also to see how foolish a sense of superiority is...

It is our patriotic duty. It’s all in the name of G-d. We don’t mess with tradition. And it’s much easier to put down others than to climb up yourself.

I find the swing from inspiration and proactivity to be a lifelong dance. For a stretch of time I devoted most of my day to Torah study, surrounded by mentors who spoke the message of
G-d’s unity through their teachings and their conduct. And then it was over . . .

Retribution is very un-Jewish. For retribution leaves wounds in its wake. Rehabilitation is very Jewish. For rehabilitation cures and gives new life. This elemental idea is beautifully captured in a biblical passage discussing the treatment of gossipers.

The condition of being a metzora is the product of an imbalance, similar to acne, which might be caused by a hormone imbalance. In the case of the metzora, the imbalance is spiritual in nature . . .

In times of sickness and sorrow, the mind craves answers. People want to know why things are going so spectacularly wrong, and if there is anything they can do to change the situation. People look for someone to blame.

The most important institution of Jewish life, next to the home, is the mikveh and its cycle of union and separation between husband and wife. Because precious things only stay beautiful when you follow the manufacturer's instructions...

Sticks and stones break bones, but the damage wrought by negative words reaches far deeper, to the very soul.

But what about when life slaps us in the face even in sobriety, even when we're doing the right things? When this happens, we cry foul...

Everything you wanted to know about Mikvah but didn't know to ask.

By recognizing the good in people and saying so, we help bring people’s potential to fruition. Praising their efforts rather than their innate gifts helps encourage growth.

Not harming others is not a strong enough foundation upon which to build the Land of Israel.