Chasidut · Izhbitz
Mei HaShiloach, Volume I, Leviticus, Metzora/מי השלוח·
אזֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע. כְּתִיב (ירמיה ט"ו,י"ט) "וְאִם תּוֹצִיא יָקָר מִזּוֹלֵל כְּפִי תִהְיֶה" כוּ', עִנְיַן לְשׁוֹן "כְּפִי תִהְיֶה" רוֹמֵז עַל ד"ת כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברי הימים א' ט"ז,י"ב) "מִשְׁפְּטֵי פִיהוּ", "מִפִּיו דַּעַת" כוּ', וְזֶהוּ "אִם תּוֹצִיא יָקָר מִזּוֹלֵל", שֶׁאִם יְבָרֵר הָאָדָם הַחֶסְרוֹן הַנִּמְצָא בּוֹ לְהוֹצִיא מִזֶּה דָּבָר יָקָר, אָז "כְּפִי תִהְיֶה", שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הַיּוֹצְאִים מִפִּיו מְלֵאִים ד"ת, וְזֶה רֶמֶז הַכָּתוּב "זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע", "זֹאת" מוֹרָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָדָם אוֹמֵר, זֹאת עַצְמָהּ שֶׁנִּדְמֶה תְּחִלָּה שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שַׁיָּיכוּת לְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה זֹאת עַצְמָהּ יִתְבָּרֵר אַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁהוּא מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה. כִּי צָרַעַת הוּא בַּעֲוֹן לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, וְהַחֶסְרוֹן הוּא אֲשֶׁר אֵין מַעֲצוֹר לְרוּחַ הָאָדָם וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה מַרְבֶּה דְּבָרִים. וְהַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה "בְּיוֹם טָהֳרָתוֹ" לֹא כְּפִי דֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, כִּי עַל פִּי דֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע הָיָה מֵהַצֹּרֶךְ לַעֲצוֹר רוּחוֹ וּלְמַעֵט כֹּחַ דִּבּוּרוֹ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר "זֹאת תִּהְיֶה", הַיְינוּ שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה כְּפִי דֶּרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, רַק שֶׁיִּרְאֶה שֶׁאוֹתוֹ כֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁהָיָה מְבִיאוֹ עַד כָּאן לִדְבָרִים שֶׁלֹּא כַּתּוֹרָה, וְעַכְשָׁיו יִרְאֶה לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּכֹחוֹ זֶה לְדַבֵּר בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה וּפַטְפְּטַיָּא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא טָבִין. וְזֶהוּ "וְהוּבָא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן" שֶׁעַל יְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה יַהֲפֹךְ כֹּחַ פִּיו לְדַבֵּר בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה. וְזֶה שֶׁאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (ויקרא רבה פרשה ט"ז,ב') מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרוֹכֵל אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה מְחַזֵּר בַּעֲיָרוֹת וְקָרָא, מַאן בָּעֵי סַמֵּי דְחַיֵּי, מַאן בָּעֵי סַמֵּי דְחַיֵּי, חָזַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי אַבַּתְרֵיהּ וְאָמַר אֲנָא בָּעֵי סַמֵּי דְחַיֵּי, אַפֵּיק סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ פָּסוּק "מִי הָאִישׁ הֶחָפֵץ חַיִּים כוּ' נְצוֹר לְשׁוֹנְךָ מֵרָע" כוּ'. הָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה מַה חִדֵּשׁ הָרוֹכֵל הַזֶּה שֶׁכָּךְ קִלְּסוֹ רַבִּי יַנַּאי, וְלָמָּה נִתְכַּנָּה בַּמִּדְרָשׁ בְּשֵׁם רוֹכֵל. כִּי זֶה הָאָדָם הָיָה לוֹ חֶסְרוֹן בְּכֹחַ הַדִּבּוּר וְכַעַס, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָה שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לְהִתְעָרֵב בֵּין הַבְּרִיּוֹת עַל יְדֵי חֶסְרוֹנוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּא עַל חֶסְרוֹנוֹ וְזָכָה לְהַשְׁלָמָה הָיָה לוֹ זֶה הַכֹּחַ עַצְמוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, וְהָיָה מְחַזֵּר בַּעֲיָרוֹת בְּטוֹבַת עַיִן מְאוֹד לְהַכְנִיס זֹאת בְּתוֹךְ כָּל הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר נִתְבָּרֵר לָהֶם הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁגָּרַם לוֹ לְרָעָתוֹ תְּחִלָּה, הָיָה מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ הַכַּעַס שֶׁהָיָה נִמְצָא בּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי כ"א,כ"ג) "שׁוֹמֵר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ שׁוֹמֵר מִצָּרוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ", וְאַחַר כָּךְ רָץ בְּטוֹבַת עַיִן וְקָרָא הַפָּסוּק "נְצוֹר לְשׁוֹנְךָ מֵרָע", וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִקְרָא רוֹכֵל כִּי הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה נִתְגַּלָּה לוֹ לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה צַר לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לְהִתְעָרֵב בֵּין הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְרָאָה כִּי אַף גַּם בְּדִבְרֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אֵין שׁוּם מָקוֹם לַמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת בְּדֶרֶךְ הָעוֹלָם לְכָךְ יִקָּרֵא רוֹכֵל.
1“This shall be the law of the leper [torat hametsora] ….” (Vayikra, 14:2)It is written (Yirmiyah, 15:19), “If you take forth the precious from the vile, then you shall be as my mouth …” The formulation “you shall be as My mouth” hints at words of Torah, as it is written (Divrei haYamim 1, 16:12), “the judgments of His mouth” or (Mishlei 2:6) “out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” This is “if you bring forth the precious from the vile,” for if one clarifies the deficiency within him, to bring out of it something precious, then “you will be as My mouth,” for that which comes forth from his mouth will be filled with words of Torah.This is hinted at in the verse “this shall be the law of the leper [torat hametsora].” “This” hints at as one would say “this” itself (singling out the deficiency), which at first seemed as if it has no connection to the Torah; “this” itself will afterwards be clarified that it came from the Torah. This is because the source of leprosy is from the sin of lashon hara (not guarding one’s speaking evil of another), on account of the inability of a man to stop his breath, and consequently he says too much.17 in Hebrew, comprised of the same letters as metsora, leprosy. The rectification of this on the day of his purification does not come about in a natural way, for according to nature it would have been necessary to stop his breath and limit his speech. On this it says, “this shall be,” meaning in this specific way and not according to nature. Rather, he should take care that the very power of speech that was previously used to say things that were not connected to Torah will now be used to its full power to speak words of Torah and the goodness of discourse in the Divine Law.This is, “and he shall be brought unto the Cohen,” that by means of Divine service the power of his speech will be transformed to speak words of Torah. This can be understood through of the Midrash (Vayikra Rabba, 16:2), with “the tale of a certain merchant [rochel] who would go from town to town and say, ‘who wants the drug of life? Who wants the drug of life?’ When Rabbi Yannai heard him he answered, ‘I want the drug of life!’ whereupon he [apparently the merchant] took out a book of Tehilim and showed him the verse, ‘who is the man who desires life … guard your tongue from evil …’”The question is, what new insight into Torah did this merchant have that merited Rabbi Yannai’s praising him, and why did the Midrash specifically call the merchant by the term rochel (meaning also rechilut, tale bearing, or gossip)?It seems that this man has the particular deficiency in his power of speech and in anger. Then after, when he saw that he could not mix in with society because of his deficiency, he then managed to come upon his lack, complete it, and then transformed this particular power into words of Torah. Then he would pass from town to town with a greatly benevolent eye in order to enter into all he would meet and thus clarify this verse for them. For indeed the power of speech that had initially caused him harm, stemmed from the root of anger within him, as it is written (Mishlei, 21:23), “guard your mouth and tongue, guard your soul from strife.” So afterwards he would run with a good eye and proclaim this verse, “Guard your tongue from evil!” Therefore he is called a rochel, for this particular verse was revealed to him the lack that prevented him from mixing in with society.18 Thus he saw that there is no room for this attribute even in our everyday dealings in the ways of the world, so therefore he is called a rochel, merchant, related to rechilut, gossip.
בדַּבְּרוּ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אֲלֵהֶם אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה כוּ'. מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּזֶה "דַּבְּרוּ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בְּכָל טוּמְאַת הַגּוּף שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר כֵּן, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (תנחומא תזריע ט') "לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע" שֶׁאֵין הָרָע גּוֹרֶרֶת אוֹתְךָ. הָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה כִּי הַנְּגָעִים מוֹרִים עַל חֶסְרוֹן בְּשֹׁרֶשׁ הַנְּקֻדָּה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְזֶה שֶׁמַּתְחִיל לְעֵיל בְּפָרָשַׁת תַּזְרִיעַ, "אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ שְׂאֵת אוֹ סַפַּחַת אוֹ בַּהֶרֶת", וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבועות ו':) כִּי סַפַּחַת טְפֵלָה לַשְׂאֵת וְלַבַּהֶרֶת וְהוּא סִימָן לְרַבּוֹת שְׂאֵת וְתוֹלְדוֹתֶיהָ, בַּהֶרֶת וְתוֹלְדוֹתֶיהָ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ בְּסוֹף שָׁבוּעַ שֵׁנִית נֶאֱמַר "וְטִהֲרוֹ הַכֹּהֵן מִסְפַּחַת הִוא", כִּי הַשְּׂאֵת וְהַבַּהֶרֶת הֵם אֲבוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה הַנִּפְרָדִים לְגַמְרֵי מִנְּקֻדָּה הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִית, וְזֶה אֵין הָרָע גּוֹרֶרֶת אוֹתְךָ כִּי שֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹרֶה לִדְבֵקוּת בְּהַש"י כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּבֹאָר יָשָׁר אֵל, אֲבָל אֲבוֹת הַטֻּמְאוֹת הָאֵלֶּה אֵין לָהֶם שַׁיָּיכוּת לְשֵׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלִדְבֵקוּת הַש"י. וְהַסַּפַּחַת מוֹרָה אִם נִטְפַּל בְּחִבּוּר לַאֲבוֹת הַטֻּמְאָה וְלָזֶה אִם נִדּוֹן בִּשְׁנֵי שָׁבוּעוֹת בְּפִשְׁיוֹן וְלֹא פָּשָׂה, אָז נֶאֱמַר "מִסְּפַּחַת הִוא טָהוֹר הוּא", הַיְינוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּזֶה מְבִינוּת שֶׁאֵין זֶה מְחֻבָּר לְטֻמְאָה בְּשׁוֹרְשׁוֹ רַק נִטְפַּל לוֹ לְפִי שָׁעָה, "וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְטָהֵר". וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ בַּגְּמָרָא (יבמות מ"ז:) "קָשִׁים גֵּרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּסַפַּחַת" פֵּי' אַף שֶׁהַגֵּר בָּא לַחֲסוֹת תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵּן צָרִיךְ בֵּרוּרִים בְּעִנְיַן טְפֵלָה לְחִבּוּר לְטֻמְאָה. וְלָעִנְיַן הַזֶּה נִתְיַחֵס גַּם עִנְיַן נְגָעִים, כִּי נְגָעִים הוּא גַּם כֵּן בֵּירֵר מֵאֵיזֶה שֹׁרֶשׁ נִצְמַח הַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת בָּאָדָם כְּמוֹ "בְּרֹאשׁוֹ נִגְעוֹ" וְגַם נִגְעֵי בָּתִּים הֵם עִנְיַן עָמֹק מְאוֹד, כִּי מוֹרֶה עַל הֶעָתִיד כְּשֶׁיְּבַעֵר הַש"י הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע מִלִּבּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַחַר כָּךְ נֶאֱמַר פָּרָשַׁת טֻמְאַת זָב וְנֶאֱמַר בָּהּ "דַּבְּרוּ אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", כִּי הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה מוֹרֶה לְבָרֵי לֵבָב וְעוֹשִׂים מַעֲשִׂים יְקָרִים מְאוֹד רַק שֶׁנִּמְצָא בּוֹ טָעוּת כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה וְהוּא כְּעִנְיַן שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר עַל רְחַבְעָם עַיֵּין שָׁם [לקמן ליקוטי מלכים א' י"ב] כִּי מִזֶּה פָּשְׁטָה הַגְּמָרָא (סנהדרין מ"ח:) שֶׁרְחַבְעָם הָיָה זָב מִמַּה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ (מלכים א' י"ב,י"ח) "הִתְאַמֵּץ לַעֲלוֹת בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה", וְהָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת הַמְּלוּכָה הִיא שַׁיֶּיכֶת רַק לְזֶרַע בֵּית דָּוִד וְרַק שֶׁהוּא הָיָה רוֹצֶה לִתְקֹף בְּחֹזֶק קֹדֶם זְמַן, כִּי אָז הָיָה בִּרְצוֹן הַש"י לְתִתָּהּ לְיָרָבְעָם לְפִי שָׁעָה, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁהִתְאַמֵּץ לְכָךְ בָּא לוֹ עֹנֶשׁ הַזִּיבָה, כִּי זֶה עִנְיַן הַזָּב שֶׁהַדָּבָר בְּעַצְמוֹ הוּא טוֹב רַק שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת בְּעִתּוֹ הַיְינוּ לְקַיֵּים מִצְוַת פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה, וְחֶטְאוֹ אֵינוֹ רַק שֶׁדּוֹחֶה אֶת הַזְּמַן, וְהָעִנְיָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ מִן "וְכִי יִטְהַר עַד מִזּוֹבוֹ" אַרְבָּעִים וְתֵשַׁע תֵּיבוֹת כְּנֶגֶד כָּל שַׁעֲרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁבְּאַרְבָּעִים וְתֵשַׁע יְמֵי סְפִירָה מִפֶּסַח וְעַד שָׁבוּעוֹת, וְכָל תֵּיבָה שַׁיָּיךְ לְיוֹם מִנְיָנוֹ.
2“Speak unto the children of Israel and say to them, each man who has a running issue out of his flesh, this issue renders him impure.” (Vayikra, 15:2)Why, regarding this skin affliction, does the Torah preface it by saying, “speak unto the children of Israel,” where it does not say this before any of the other bodily impurities of which the Torah commands? It is written in the Midrash (Tanchuma, Ta’azria, 9), “evil shall not dwell [yagorcha] with you, means that evil shall not draw you along [goreret].” The afflictions discussed teach of a deficiency in the very essence of Jewish existence, God forbid. This began in the previous Parsha, Ta’azria, where it says, “a man who has in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or a bright spot.” Our sages said (Shevuot, 6b), “a scab is a derivative of both a rising and a bright spot.”19 This is a sign to include a rising with its derivatives, and a bright spot with its derivatives. After the leper has undergone two weeks of confinement, it is written, “the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is a scab,” because the rising and the bright spot are the primary transmitters of the impurity, and as such are completely separated from the very essence of Jewish existence.This is “evil shall not draw you along,” for the very name “Israel” teaches of cleaving to God, as Yisrael can be divided into yashar El, or “straight ahead, God.” On the other hand, these primary transmitters of the impurity have no connection whatsoever to the name Israel or to intense cleaving to God. The scab, as it is secondary in connection to the primary transmitters of impurity, and it is judged according to its spreading, and it does not spread, then of it is said, “it is a scab, it is pure.” In other words, one understands from this that it is not connected to impurity at its root, only secondary and temporary. “And he shall wash his clothes, and be clean” (Vayikra, 13:6). This is as it is written in the Gemara (Yevamot, 47b), “Converts are as difficult to Israel as a scab.” Even though the convert has come to cover himself in the wings of the Shechina, nonetheless he needs to undergo great clarifications regarding derivation from connections to impurity.This is all related to the matter of afflictions, for the very negia serves to clarify from which root sprouts the deficiency in man, if the leprosy is in his head, or in the walls of his house, and the whole matter is exceedingly deep. For the affliction of the house teaches of how in the future God will cause the evil inclination to pass from the hearts of Israel. (See the verse in Yirmiya, 4:19 where the same word for wall, kir, is used for the chambers of the heart, kirot libi.)The next section (in Parshat Metsora) discusses the impurity of one who has a running issue, and it is prefaced by saying, “speak unto the children of Israel.” (Which is, as was said at the outside, unique in all of the discussions of bodily impurity.) This is because this kind of impurity teaches of the upright of heart, whose actions are very precious, yet within them there is a slight mistake.20 on the book of Melachim 1, Ch. 22 concerning Rechavoam. There it says, “Then King Rechavoam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor; and all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rechavoam exerted to mount his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. The matter is discussed in the Gemara (Sanhedrin, 48b), ‘Rechavoam had an issue [signaled in that he had to exert himself to mount his chariot]. This shows that his sin, for “issue” means rushing and preceding the proper time, even though afterwards the kingdom would be his. And thus, in the future the kingdom of the house of David will spread over all of Israel, yet here, with Rechavoam, he preceded his time, in exerting to mount his chariot.” In truth, sovereigntry is proper only for the seed of the house of David, yet Rechavoam to seize it with strength before his time. At that time, it was God’s will temporarily to give the kingdom to Yeravoam, and because Rechavoam exerted himself in this (to seize the kingdom) he was punished with an issue. An issue is in itself something good, but it must be at its proper time, meaning to fulfill the commandent of “be fruitful and multiply.” His sin was only in forcing the hour prior to its time. This matter is hinted at in the forty-nine words from “and when he shall be pure” (Vayikra, 15:13), until “[he shall make an atonement before God] for his discharge” (Vayikra, 15:13). For there are forty-nine gates of Kedusha in the forty-nine days of the counting of the Omer between Pesach and Shevuot.21 Each of the days of the Omer corresponds to one of the forty-nine words in these three verses.
גוְהוּבָא אֶל הַכֹּהֵן. אִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (ויקרא מ"ט:) כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר "וְהוּבָא אֶת בַּדָּיו בַּטַּבָּעוֹת". פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁהַכֹּהֵן מוֹרֶה עַל יִרְאָה וַעֲבוֹדָה כְּדִכְתִיב (מלאכי ב',ה') "וָאֶתְּנֵם לוֹ מוֹרָא וַיִּירָאֵנִי", פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת בְּכָל דָּבָר קָטָן וְגָדוֹל אִם הוּא רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְזֹאת הַנְּקֻדָּה נִמְצָא בְּכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, רַק שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִמְצָא בּוֹ רַק לִפְעָמִים בְּעֵת שֶׁעוֹסֵק בַּעֲבוֹדָה בְּדִבְרֵי מִצְוָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא אָז יִקָּרֵא בְּשֵׁם כֹּהֵן, כְּפֵרוּשׁ רַשִׁ"י עַל פָּסוּק (בראשית מ"ט,כ"ח) "כָּל אֵלֶּה שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל" שֶׁכָּל שֵׁבֶט כּוֹלֵל מִכֻּלָּם, וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ כד"א "וְהוּבָא אֶת בַּדָּיו בַּטַּבָּעוֹת", שֶׁיַּכְנִיס אֶת עַצְמוֹ תַּחַת מִדַּת הַכֹּהֵן הַנִּמְצָא בּוֹ הַיְנוּ עֲבוֹדָה וְיִרְאָה, וִיצַמְצֵם אֶת עַצְמוֹ כְּפִי הַצֹּרֶךְ כְּשֶׁיַּתְחִיל לְהִתְרַפֹּאת, מֵאַחַר שֶׁנִּמְצָא חֶסְרוֹן בְּשֹׁרֶשׁ חִיּוּתוֹ וְעִקָּר לְהִתְרַפֹּאת שָׁרְשׁוֹ.
3“[This shall be the law of the leper on the day that he is purified] and brought to the Cohen.” (Vayikra, 14:2)It is written in the holy Zohar (Vayikra, 49b), “this is as it is said (Shemot, 27:7), ‘And the poles shall be put into the rings.’ ” (The same word above means “brought” and here means “put.”) The Cohen represents the fear of God, and the service of God. This is as it is written (Malachi, 2:5), “and I shall place dread upon him and he shall fear Me.” What this really means is that the Cohen has a confident mind in knowing that everything he does, small or great, is God’s will. This is a point that exists in every one of Israel, yet it is not always apparent, only at times when one is engaged in the service of God or His mitzvot at which time he is called a Cohen (priest).This is the meaning of Rashi’s explanation on the verse (Bereshit, 49:28), “these are the twelve tribes of Israel.”22 This means that each of the tribes included all of the others. This is why the holy Zohar explains, “this is as it is said [Shemot, 27:7], ‘And the poles shall be put into the rings.’” That at the moment he is coming to the Cohen, then he himself shall bring out the quality of the Cohen inside himself, meaning the service and the fear.23 uses the word huvah (brought) a term that is only found elsewhere in the Torah with regard to the service of the Cohen. Then he should limit himself as much as is necessary when he begins to heal. This is because there is a deficiency at the root of his life, and the main point is to heal the source.
דוְשִׁלַּח אֶת הַצִּפּוֹר הַחַיָּה עַל פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה. אִיתָא בַּמִּשְׁנָה (נגעים פי"ד מ"ב) אֵינוֹ הוֹפֵךְ פָּנָיו לֹא לַיָּם וְלֹא לַמִּדְבָּר וְלֹא לָעִיר רַק לַשָּׂדֶה. הָעִנְיָן הוּא כִּי יָם וּמִדְבָּר רוֹמְזִים עַל יִרְאָה וְאַהֲבָה, וְכֵן עִיר מוֹרָה עַל יִרְאָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דניאל ד',כ') "עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ". וְאַחֲרֵי הַשָּׂגוֹת יְשׁוּעוֹת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁנִּתְרַפֵּא בְּשָׁרְשׁוֹ, אֵין צָרִיךְ עוֹד לְצַמְצֵם עַצְמוֹ כָּל כָּךְ וּמֻתָּר לְהִתְפַּשֵּׁט, כִּי שָׂדֶה מוֹרֶה עַל הִתְפַּשְּׁטוּת, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּזוה"ק (בראשית קכ"ב.) כִּי אִית שָׂדֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב "אִישׁ שָׂדֶה", וְאִית שָׂדֶה "כְּרֵיחַ שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרֲכוֹ ה'" וְהָבֵן.
4“[And he shall take to purify the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. And he shall slaughter one of the birds in an earthen utensil over living water. And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird, and in the living water, and sprinkle the house seven times. And he shall purify the house with the blood of the bird, and with the living water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet.] But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house; and it shall be purified.” (Vayikra, 14:53)It is written in the Mishna (Negai’im, Ch. 14, Mishna 2), “He does not turn to the sea, nor to the desert, nor to the city, but to the field.” The matter is thus. “Sea” and “desert” both teach of fear and love. “City” also teaches of fear, as it is written (Daniel, 4:20), “and the king saw a watcher, a holy angel, descending from the heavens.”24 After the leper has experienced God’s salvation in being healed at the very root of his life, he then no longer has to restrict his actions to such an extent, and he is permitted to expand. “Field” represents expansion. This is as it is written in the holy Zohar (Bereshit, 122a), “for there is a field that is on the level of [Devarim, 20:19], ‘a man is a tree of the field,’ and there is is a field which is on the level of [Devarim, 27:27], ‘as the scent of a field which God has blessed.’” Understand this.