In this week’s Parsha (14:2), Parshas Metzorah, we learn about the purification process for the person who was stricken with Tzaraas. According to the Mishnah (Negaim 2:2), The Kohen must make every effort to not place the person in a compromising position. Any element that may cause the affliction to look brighter is discouraged.
The Mishnah lists several examples: When examining this person, the Kohen should not look with any artificial light. In addition, the Mishnah says that he should not look in the wee hours of the morning, which may make a dull color look bright, rendering the person impure. The Mishnah also says that if the house is dark, the Kohen should not open the windows to bring in more light to see a potential negah – to see an affliction. The question is why? Why can’t the Kohen look in the wee hours of the morning? Why can’t the Kohen open the windows to see what’s there?
I heard from my father, Rav Yitzchok Fingerer shlita that the Yalkut P’ninim shares a phenomenal lesson: We must never be jaundiced. We must try to find merits and not flaws. We must try to see virtues and not problems – to love, not to judge. That’s why the Kohen must see it in broad daylight. To not mistakenly think that the person has sinned.
The Chofetz Chaim was once traveling through Eastern Europe where he stopped by an inn. As he sat waiting to be served, a large man barged in, threw himself into a seat, cursed, and wolfed down his meal without a Bracha. The Chofetz Chaim walked towards this man who seemed to be Jewish. The innkeeper stopped the Chofetz Chaim and told him not to bother, because this man was a Cantonist (he was in the Czar’s army as a child), and he had served in the army for twenty-five years.
Many people have tried to change this man before, but they have failed. His army years have distanced him tremendously from Judaism and turned him into a ruffian.
The Chofetz Chaim wasn’t daunted by this warning. He sat near the man and asked him if he had been in the czar’s army for 25 years and the man replied that it was true. The Chofetz Chaim said to him, “You must be a holy individual! It’s amazing how you were able to retain your Jewish identity after all those years of you having gone through countless beatings and being pressured to convert to Christianity.”
The Chofetz Chaim then said to the man, “You probably never had a chance to study Torah while in the army, and yet still you held on. I wish I could have your merits. I wish I could have your portion in Olam Haba (the next world).” The Cantonist burst into tears and kissed the hand of the Chofetz Chaim.
The Chofetz Chaim continued, “You will go to Olam Haba, but since you never learned Torah and you aren’t keeping mitzvos, you will be embarrassed to be among all the great people. If you would improve in just a few areas, do you know how great you will be? There would be no one like you!”
Because of the Chofetz Chaim, the Cantonist turned his life around and did teshuvah. We must all work on finding the good in others! Let’s try to find other’s merits, not their flaws.
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