Shemini listed all of the permitted and prohibited foods. We learn that equal to our concern for what goes into our mouths should be that for what emanates from our mouths. In Tazria / Metzora, speaking 'contaminated' words can cause a spiritual illness.
The middah of Arrogance - Ga'avah גאוה
(ד) יַכְרֵ֣ת יהוה כׇּל־שִׂפְתֵ֣י חֲלָק֑וֹת לָ֝שׁ֗וֹן מְדַבֶּ֥רֶת גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃ (ה) אֲשֶׁ֤ר אָמְר֨וּ ׀ לִלְשֹׁנֵ֣נוּ נַ֭גְבִּיר שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ אִתָּ֑נוּ מִ֖י אָד֣וֹן לָֽנוּ׃
(4) May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, every tongue that speaks arrogance. (5) They say, “By our tongues we shall prevail; with lips such as ours, who can be our master?”
[An] amplified sense of self intoxicates us with overconfidence, which, unless checked, will corrupt us in many ways. It can delude us into thinking that we can safely lower our guard against the enticements of materialism; it can render us overly judgmental of others (hence the increased propensity toward gossip or slander); it can exaggerate our self-estimation, thereby leading us to depression when we fail to live up to our unrealistic expectations for ourselves, and so on. ~Chabad.org
(ז) גַּ֭אֲוָה אֲפִיקֵ֣י מָגִנִּ֑ים סָ֝ג֗וּר חוֹתָ֥ם צָֽר׃
(7) His protective scales are his pride, Locked with a binding seal.
SUMMARY
Tzaraat is a general erosion of the skin causing a disintegration of the flesh (gradual escape of life). The person so afflicted was seen as in a state of being in a state of death. Impurity was caused by this 'leakage of life' (Jewish Study Bible).
There are 4 causes of ritual impurity: human corpses, carcasses of animals, discharges / emissions of life fluids, and a condition known tzaraat [previously thought of as leprosy. Leprosy was not known in Biblical times plus the description in the Bible is not consistent with leprosy, especially since it affects not only a person, but fabric and houses.
Tazria /Metzora discuss the laws of tumah (impurity) and taharah (purity) ---regarding rituals related to the Mishkan.
The person afflicted with tzaraat (skin discoloration / eruptions) is in a state of ritual impurity and is purified by the kohein with a specific process.
After a woman gives birth, she immerses in a ritual bath (mikvah) and brings offerings to the Mishkan.
Male infants are circumcised on the 8th day of life.
The parsha details the specifics of Tzaraat (not leprosy) which can appear on a person's skin, clothing, or their homes.
A kohein is called to determine ritual impurity or purity.
A person so inflicted must leave the camp and live elsewhere until healed.
The afflicted area in clothing or home has to be removed. If it recurs, the entire garment or home must be destroyed.
A home can be afflicted with tzaraat by having red or green patches on the walls. There is also a specific process for purification, and after a set period (19 days) the kohein decides if the house can be purified or if it has to be demolished.
Men can become ritually impure by having a seminal discharge and women by menstruating (or childbirth as outlined in Tazria). Purification is by immersion in a mikvah (natural body of water).
This time of separation was viewed not as punitive but as corrective. The isolation provided the metzora time for introspection, so as to examine and correct his or her errant behavior. The Torah instituted effective modes of rehabilitating miscreants long before correctional reforms were adopted by other cultures. Not to be overlooked is the comprehensive way that tzara’at was treated. Torah recognized that tzara’at was a physical manifestation of a spiritual cause. The Torah’s treatment of tzara’at integrated a spiritual treatment to affect a positive outcome. It treated the entire person, not just the illness. The Torah’s approach was way ahead of its time. ~Chabad.org
(יד) עַל כֵּן מָצְאוּ לָהֶם הַחֲסִידִים טוֹב לִהְיוֹת הָאָדָם מְעַנֶּה נַפְשׁוֹ לִפְעָמִים, לְמַעַן הַשְׁפִּיל יֵצֶר הַגַּאֲוָה אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ מִתְגַּבֵּר אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ הָרִבּוּי, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמְרוּ זַ"ל (ברכות ל"ב): אֵין אֲרִי נוֹהֵם מִתּוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל תֶּבֶן אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל בָּשָׂר.
(14) Therefore the pious deemed it good for a man to afflict himself sometimes, in order to put down the evil inclination of arrogance, which grows strong only through abundance, similar to what our sages, of blessed memory, said: "a lion does not roar over a basket of straw but over a basket of meat" (Berachot 32a).
וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וּבֵ֣ין הַחֹ֑ל וּבֵ֥ין הַטָּמֵ֖א וּבֵ֥ין הַטָּהֽוֹר׃
for you must distinguish between the sacred and the profane, and between the impure and the pure;
(ב) דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אִשָּׁה֙ כִּ֣י תַזְרִ֔יעַ וְיָלְדָ֖ה זָכָ֑ר וְטָֽמְאָה֙ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֔ים כִּימֵ֛י נִדַּ֥ת דְּוֺתָ֖הּ תִּטְמָֽא׃ (ג) וּבַיּ֖וֹם הַשְּׁמִינִ֑י יִמּ֖וֹל בְּשַׂ֥ר עׇרְלָתֽוֹ׃
(2) Speak to the Israelite people thus: When a woman at childbirth bears a male, she shall be impure seven days; she shall be impure as at the time of her condition of menstrual separation.— (3) On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.—
A Jew is in essence "circumcised" even if, for whatever reason, his physical foreskin has not yet been removed. Thus the verse says, "On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised"--the flesh need to be circumcised, but, spiritually, the Jew is always "circumcised". A Jew is in essence "circumcised" even if, for whatever reason, his physical foreskin has not yet been removed. Thus the verse says, "On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised"--the flesh need to be circumcised, but, spiritually, the Jew is always "circumcised". ~Alshich
Intuitively, we would not associate tumah with birth and with that which is connected to having children. In our minds, tumah belongs with death, with dead bodies---whether human or animal--or with common creeping things. But birth is joyous. Birth is life. Birth is a blessing. ~Rabbi Yehiel Perr . How does R' Perr resolve on this conflict?
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) אָדָ֗ם כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֤ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂרוֹ֙ שְׂאֵ֤ת אֽוֹ־סַפַּ֙חַת֙ א֣וֹ בַהֶ֔רֶת וְהָיָ֥ה בְעוֹר־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ לְנֶ֣גַע צָרָ֑עַת וְהוּבָא֙ אֶל־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֔ן א֛וֹ אֶל־אַחַ֥ד מִבָּנָ֖יו הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ (ג) וְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֣ן אֶת־הַנֶּ֣גַע בְּעֽוֹר־הַ֠בָּשָׂ֠ר וְשֵׂעָ֨ר בַּנֶּ֜גַע הָפַ֣ךְ ׀ לָבָ֗ן וּמַרְאֵ֤ה הַנֶּ֙גַע֙ עָמֹק֙ מֵע֣וֹר בְּשָׂר֔וֹ נֶ֥גַע צָרַ֖עַת ה֑וּא וְרָאָ֥הוּ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן וְטִמֵּ֥א אֹתֽוֹ׃
(1) יהוה spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: (2) When a person has on the skin of the body a swelling, a rash, or a discoloration, and it develops into a scaly affection on the skin of the body, it shall be reported to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests. (3) The priest shall examine the affection on the skin of the body: if hair in the affected patch has turned white and the affection appears to be deeper than the skin of the body, it is a leprous affection; when the priest sees it, he shall pronounce the person impure.
Being in a state of ritual impurity meant that people could not enter the sanctuary or handle sacred items such as sacrifices, terumah (priests’ portion), or sacred objects (such as appurtenances of the tabernacle). In biblical times, therefore, ritual impurity was a serious disruption of daily life. People would seek out purification and undergo the required rites to regain the state of purity as soon as possible.
With the destruction of the Second Temple, many of these laws became moot. Furthermore, most of the biblical ritual purification ceremonies (which involved sacrifices) were no longer available. Except for certain states of personal impurity, such as menstruation, most of these laws fell into disuse. Even awareness of the consequences of purity and impurity dwindled. .....there was a worldview and attitude to life embedded in those rituals. Through the opposing states of purity and impurity, the Torah points us toward both upholding life, as well as dealing constructively with the inescapable—but often shattering—incursion of death into our lives. ~Rabbi Yitz Greenberg
There is another lesson here as well: it is not the fact of the tzaraat that renders the metzora impure, but the kohen’s declaration of his impurity. In other words, no matter how terrible a person’s state may be, to speak ill of him is more terrible still. The kohen’s saying that he is impure affects his spiritual state far more profoundly than the actual fact of his tzaraat! ~ The Lubavitcher Rebbe
(יב) וְאִם־פָּר֨וֹחַ תִּפְרַ֤ח הַצָּרַ֙עַת֙ בָּע֔וֹר וְכִסְּתָ֣ה הַצָּרַ֗עַת אֵ֚ת כׇּל־ע֣וֹר הַנֶּ֔גַע מֵרֹאשׁ֖וֹ וְעַד־רַגְלָ֑יו לְכׇל־מַרְאֵ֖ה עֵינֵ֥י הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (יג) וְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֨ה כִסְּתָ֤ה הַצָּרַ֙עַת֙ אֶת־כׇּל־בְּשָׂר֔וֹ וְטִהַ֖ר אֶת־הַנָּ֑גַע כֻּלּ֛וֹ הָפַ֥ךְ לָבָ֖ן טָה֥וֹר הֽוּא׃
(12) If the eruption spreads out over the skin so that it covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot, wherever the priest can see— (13) if the priest sees that the eruption has covered the whole body—he shall pronounce as pure the affected person, who is pure from having turned all white.
How can someone who is afflicted, on their entire body from tzaraat be considered pure????
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ זֹ֤את תִּֽהְיֶה֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת הַמְּצֹרָ֔ע בְּי֖וֹם טׇהֳרָת֑וֹ וְהוּבָ֖א אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃
יהוה spoke to Moses, saying: This shall be the ritual for a leper at the time of being purified. When it has been reported to the priest,
Metzora, one afflicted with tzaraat, is related to the commitment of slander by a play on words:
Said Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: One who bears evil tales will be visited with the plague of tzaraat. . . . Reish Lakish said: What is the meaning of the verse “This shall be the law of the metzora”? It means: This shall be the law for him who is motzi shem ra (‘gives a bad name’ through slander).”
"...the plague teaches us that society should take notice of the first sign of misconduct, however small. Just as the same as a disease begins with hardly noticeable symptoms and can be stopped if detected in time, so a moral disease in society can be prevented from spreading if immediate steps are taken. Otherwise it will spread throughout the community." ~Nechama Leibovitz, Studies in Vayikra, p.137 - 138.
This shall be the law of the metzora . . . he shall be brought to the kohen (14:2)
".....even after a diagnosis of tzaraat had been made, the state of ritual impurity does not take effect, and the metzora’s banishment is not carried out, until a kohen pronounces him “impure.” This is why even after all physical signs of tzaraat have departed, the removal of the state of impurity and the metzora’s readmission into the community is achieved only by the kohen’s declaration.
The kohen’s function as a condemner and ostracizer runs contrary to his most basic nature and role. The kohen is commanded by G‑d to “bless His people Israel with love”; our sages describe a “disciple of Aaron” as one who “loves peace, pursues peace, loves G‑d’s creatures and brings them close to Torah.” But this is precisely the reason that the Torah entrusts to the kohen the task of condemning the metzora. .....The metzora must be ostracized because, through his slander and talebearing, he is himself a source of divisiveness; nevertheless, the Torah is loath to separate him from the community. So it is not enough that the technical experts say that he marked by tzaraat. It is only when the kohen—whose very being shudders at the thought of banishing a member of the community—is convinced that there is no escaping a verdict of tzaraat that the metzora is separated from his people. And it is only when the one doing the banishing is suffused with loving concern for the banished person that the penalty will yield a positive result—the repentance and rehabilitation of the metzora.
Tzara’at is widely understood to occur as a punishment for sin, and the kabbalistic tradition offers a metaphysical understanding of how spiritual transgressions can cause a physical condition. In his 16th-century kabbalistic work Sha'arei Kedusha, Rabbi Chaim Vital explains illness as resulting from an imbalance of the spiritual forces that manifests physically. ~Sefaria.org "Behold, when man sinned with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he caused this admixture to permeate all worlds. *See Sefer HaMashalim of Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla, translated as The Book of Allegories 1-4, and elsewhere. Due to this, there is nothing that does not include both good and evil in it." Sha'arei Kedusha , Part 1:8
The Ramchal describes 3 different levels of separation: 1. from the prohibited thing itself, 2. paying attention to the safeguards already in existence by our text and sages and 3. the distancing measures you enact upon yourself, knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
Maimonides, for example, explained that tzaraat is a type of disease. Ultimately, however, even he reached the conclusion that the tzaraat described in the Torah cannot be identified with any of the diseases known to him. On the contrary, especially in light of the fact that it can appear on houses as well as on flesh, tzaraat more closely resembles a miracle than a disease. In fact, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi writes that only supremely exalted individuals can be stricken with tzaraat, for only a spiritually exceptional person is worthy of experiencing such a miracle on his flesh. ~chabad.org
(א) זֹאת תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת הַמְּצֹרָע. יְלַמְּדֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ, עַל כַּמָּה דְּבָרִים נְגָעִים בָּאִים עַל הָאָדָם. כָּךְ שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, עַל אַחַת עֶשְׂרֵה דְּבָרִים הַנְּגָעִים בָּאִים עַל הָאָדָם. עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְעַל חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם, וְעַל גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, וְעַל הַגְּנֵבוֹת, וְעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרַע, וְעַל הַמֵּעִיד עֵדוּת שֶׁקֶר, וְעַל הַדַּיָּן הַמְקַלְקֵל אֶת הַדִּין, וְעַל שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא, וְעַל הַנִּכְנָס בִּתְחוּם שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלּוֹ, וְעַל הַחוֹשֵׁב מַחְשָׁבוֹת שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר, וְעַל הַמְשַׁלֵּחַ מְדָנִים בֵּין אַחִים. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים: אַף עַל עַיִן רָעָה.
“This shall be the law of the one with tzara'at” (Lev. 14:2). Let our master instruct us: For how many things does tzara'at come? Thus have our masters taught: The affliction comes [upon one] for eleven things:
(1) For idolatry,
(2) for desecration of the name [of God], (3) for unchastity,
(4) for theft,
(5) for slander,
(6) for false witness,
(7) upon the judge who perverts justice,
(8) for swearing in vain,
(9) upon one who enters a domain which is not his,
(10) upon one who thinks false thoughts, and
(11) upon one who instigates quarrels among brothers.
And some also say, “for the evil eye (i.e., for being miserly).”
(ג) וְיָצָא֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וְרָאָה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְהִנֵּ֛ה נִרְפָּ֥א נֶֽגַע־הַצָּרַ֖עַת מִן־הַצָּרֽוּעַ׃ (ד) וְצִוָּה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וְלָקַ֧ח לַמִּטַּהֵ֛ר שְׁתֵּֽי־צִפֳּרִ֥ים חַיּ֖וֹת טְהֹר֑וֹת וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת וְאֵזֹֽב׃
(3) the priest shall go outside the camp. If the priest sees that the leper has been healed of the scaly affection, (4) the priest shall order two live pure birds, cedar wood, crimson stuff, and hyssop to be brought for the one to be purified.
If the point is that he should show humility, why does he bring both a cedar and hyssop? But the true meaning of humility is not to broken and bowed, but to be humble even as one stands straight and tall. ~ Hasidic masters
The middah of Arrogance - Ga'avah גאוה
(ב) הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב כ, כח): יִגֶל יְבוּל בֵּיתוֹ נִגָּרוֹת בְּיוֹם אַפּוֹ, יְהוּ גוֹרְרִין וּמוֹצִיאִין, אֵימָתַי, בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיְּגָרֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַפּוֹ בְּאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ, הָא כֵיצַד אָדָם אוֹמֵר לַחֲבֵרוֹ הַשְׁאִילֵנִי קַב חִטִּים וְאָמַר לוֹ אֵין לִי, קַב שְׂעוֹרִים, אֵין לִי, קַב תְּמָרִים, אֵין לִי. אִשָּׁה אוֹמֶרֶת לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ הַשְּׁאִילִנִּי נָפָה, הִיא אוֹמֶרֶת אֵין לִי, הַשְּׁאִילִנִּי כְּבָרָה, וְאוֹמֶרֶת אֵין לִי, מָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה מְגָרֶה נְגָעִים בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, וּמִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהוּא מוֹצִיא אֶת כֵּלָיו הַבְּרִיּוֹת רוֹאוֹת וְאוֹמְרוֹת לֹא הָיָה אוֹמֵר אֵין לִי כְּלוּם, רְאוּ כַּמָּה חִטִּים יֵשׁ כָּאן, כַּמָּה שְׂעוֹרִים, כַּמָּה תְּמָרִים יֵשׁ כָּאן. לְוַוט בֵּיתָא בְּאִלֵּין לְוָוטַיָא. רַבִּי יִצְחָק בְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מַיְיתֵי לָהּ מִן הָדֵין קְרָא (ויקרא יד, לז): שְׁקַעֲרוּרֹת, שָׁקַע בֵּיתָא בְּאִלֵּין לְוָוטַיָא. לְפִיכָךְ משֶׁה מַזְהִיר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל: כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן.
(2) That is what is written: “The increase of his house will be exiled, poured out [nigarot] on the day of His wrath” (Job 20:28). They will be dragging [gorerin] it and taking it out. When? It is on the day that the Holy One blessed be He will arouse [sheyigareh] his wrath against that man. How so? If a man says to another: ‘Lend me a kav of wheat,’ and he says: ‘I do not have.’ [He asks to borrow] a kav of barley, [and the man responds:] ‘I do not have.’ [He asks to borrow] a kav of dates, [and the man responds:] ‘I do not have.’ If a woman says to another: ‘Lend me a sifter,’ and she says: ‘I do not have.’ ‘Lend me a sieve,’ and she says: ‘I do not have.’ What does the Holy One blessed be He do? He brings leprosy upon the house. When he takes all of his utensils out,6See Leviticus 14:36; when a house is struck by leprosy it must be cleared completely before the priest enters. the people see and say: ‘Would he not say that he has nothing? See how much wheat there is here, how much barley, how many dates there are here. The house has been deservedly cursed with these curses.’ Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Elazar cites it from this verse: “recessed [shekaarurot]” (Leviticus 14:37); the house has sunk [shaka] with these curses. Therefore, Moses cautions Israel: “When you will come to the land of Canaan.”
וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃
Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes:
A person should have two pockets in his coat. One should contain the Talmudic saying (Sanhedrin 37a) “A person is commanded to maintain: For my sake was the world created.” In the second pocket he should keep the verse (Genesis 18:27) “I am but dust and ashes.” ~ Rabbi Bunim of Peshischa
(ה) (מלושני) [מְלׇשְׁנִ֬י] בַסֵּ֨תֶר ׀ רֵעֵהוּ֮ אוֹת֢וֹ אַ֫צְמִ֥ית גְּֽבַהּ־עֵ֭ינַיִם וּרְחַ֣ב לֵבָ֑ב אֹ֝ת֗וֹ לֹ֣א אוּכָֽל׃
(5) He who slanders his friend in secret I will destroy;I cannot endure the haughty and proud man.
(ה) תּוֹעֲבַ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה כׇּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵ֑ב יָ֥ד לְ֝יָ֗ד לֹ֣א יִנָּקֶֽה׃
(5) Every haughty person is an abomination to the LORD;Assuredly, he will not go unpunished.
וְיֵשׁ דֵּעוֹת שֶׁאָסוּר לוֹ לָאָדָם לִנְהֹג בָּהֶן בְּבֵינוֹנִית אֶלָּא יִתְרַחֵק מִן הַקָּצֶה הָאֶחָד עַד הַקָּצֶה הָאַחֵר. וְהוּא גֹּבַהּ לֵב. שֶׁאֵין דֶּרֶךְ הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אָדָם עָנָו בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שְׁפַל רוּחַ וְתִהְיֶה רוּחוֹ נְמוּכָה לִמְאֹד. וּלְפִיכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בְּמשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ (במדבר יב ג) "עָנָו מְאֹד" וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר עָנָו בִּלְבַד. וּלְפִיכָךְ צִוּוּ חֲכָמִים מְאֹד מְאֹד הֱוֵי שְׁפַל רוּחַ. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ שֶׁכָּל הַמַּגְבִּיהַּ לִבּוֹ כָּפַר בָּעִקָּר שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ח יד) "וְרָם לְבָבֶךָ וְשָׁכַחְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ". וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ בְּשַׁמָּתָא מַאן דְּאִית בֵּיהּ גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ וַאֲפִלּוּ מִקְצָתָהּ. וְכֵן הַכַּעַס מִדָּה רָעָה הִיא עַד לִמְאֹד וְרָאוּי לָאָדָם שֶׁיִּתְרַחֵק מִמֶּנָּה עַד הַקָּצֶה הָאַחֵר. וִילַמֵּד עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִכְעֹס וַאֲפִלּוּ עַל דָּבָר שֶׁרָאוּי לִכְעֹס עָלָיו. וְאִם רָצָה לְהַטִּיל אֵימָה עַל בָּנָיו וּבְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ אוֹ עַל הַצִּבּוּר אִם הָיָה פַּרְנָס וְרָצָה לִכְעֹס עֲלֵיהֶן כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּחְזְרוּ לַמּוּטָב יַרְאֶה עַצְמוֹ בִּפְנֵיהֶם שֶׁהוּא כּוֹעֵס כְּדֵי לְיַסְּרָם וְתִהְיֶה דַּעְתּוֹ מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא מְדַמֶּה כּוֹעֵס בִּשְׁעַת כַּעֲסוֹ וְהוּא אֵינוֹ כּוֹעֵס. אָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים כָּל הַכּוֹעֵס כְּאִלּוּ עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים. וְאָמְרוּ שֶׁכָּל הַכּוֹעֵס אִם חָכָם הוּא חָכְמָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ וְאִם נָבִיא הוּא נְבוּאָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ. וּבַעֲלֵי כַּעַס אֵין חַיֵּיהֶם חַיִּים. לְפִיכָךְ צִוּוּ לְהִתְרַחֵק מִן הַכַּעַס עַד שֶׁיַּנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יַרְגִּישׁ אֲפִלּוּ לַדְּבָרִים הַמַּכְעִיסִים וְזוֹ הִיא הַדֶּרֶךְ הַטּוֹבָה. וְדֶרֶךְ הַצַּדִּיקִים הֵן עֲלוּבִין וְאֵינָן עוֹלְבִין שׁוֹמְעִים חֶרְפָּתָם וְאֵינָם מְשִׁיבִין עוֹשִׂין מֵאַהֲבָה וּשְׂמֵחִים בְּיִסּוּרִים. וַעֲלֵיהֶם הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (שופטים ה לא) "וְאֹהֲבָיו כְּצֵאת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בִּגְבֻרָתוֹ":
But there are dispositions within which it is forbidden for a man to follow moderation, but rather he should distance himself from one extreme to the point [of going to] the other extreme. And [one such disposition] is haughtiness, גֹּבַהּ לֵב such that the good path is not that a person just be modest, but rather he should be lowly of spirit and his spirit should be very cast down. And therefore, it is stated about Moshe, our teacher (Numbers 12:3), "very humble," and it does not only state, "humble. And therefore, our sages commanded (Avot 4:4), "Be very, very, lowly of spirit." And they also said (Sotah 4b), "Anyone who is haughty is denying a fundamental principle of faith, as it stated (Deuteronomy 8:14), "And your heart become haughty and you will forget the Lord, your God."
Duties of the Heart 34:5, Rabbi Bahya ibn Pakuda
The admirable kind of pride is that, when the wise man prides himself on his wisdom, and the just man on his works, he should acknowledge, in these things, the great beneficence of the Creator, and should rejoice on account of these gifts. Such pride in these gifts will then induce him to increase them and make good use of them, and to be meek with all around him; and to rejoice with his fellows, and be eager for their glory, and to cover over their folly, and to speak in praise of them, to love them, and to rejoice over them, and to be careful of their honour. Then, also, his own good deeds will appear so small in his eyes, that he will be continually striving to increase them. He will be humble because of his sense o[ inability to attain to the realization of his ideal in respect to them, and he will be full of gratitude to G-d for giving him these precious qualities. Such pride is helpful, and not harmful, to humility.
א"ר יוסף לעולם ילמד אדם מדעת קונו שהרי הקב"ה הניח כל הרים וגבעות והשרה שכינתו על הר סיני (והניח כל אילנות טובות והשרה שכינתו בסנה) א"ר אלעזר כל אדם שיש בו גסות הרוח ראוי לגדעו כאשירה כתיב הכא (ישעיהו י, לג) ורמי הקומה גדועים וכתיב התם (דברים ז, ה) ואשיריהם תגדעון
Rav Yosef says: A person should always learn proper behavior from the wisdom of his Creator, as the Holy One, Blessed be He, disregarded all of the mountains and hills and rested His Divine Presence on the lowly Mount Sinai. And similarly, when appearing to Moses, He disregarded all of the beautiful trees and rested His Divine Presence on the bush (Exodus 3:2). Rabbi Elazar says: Concerning any person who has arrogance within him, it is fitting to hew him down, as a tree designated for idolatry [asheira] is hewn down, as it is written here with regard to the arrogant: “And the high ones of stature shall be hewn down [gedu’im]” (Isaiah 10:33), and it is written there with regard to trees designated for idolatry: “And hew down [teggade’un] their trees worshipped as part of idolatrous rites [asheireihem]” (Deuteronomy 7:5).
RAMBAM
Tzara'at is a collective term including many afflictions that do not resemble each other. For the whitening of a person's skin is called tzara'at, as is the falling out of some of the hair of his head or beard, and the change of the color of clothes or houses.This change that affects clothes and houses which the Torah described with the general term of tzara'at is not a natural occurrence. Instead it is a sign and a wonder prevalent among the Jewish people to warn them against lashon hora, "undesirable speech." When a person speaks lashon hora, the walls of his house change color. If he repents, the house will be purified. If, however, he persists in his wickedness until the house is destroyed, the leather implements in his house upon which he sits and lies change color. If he repents, they will be purified. If persists in his wickedness until they are burnt, the clothes he wears change color. If he repents, they will be purified. If he persists in his wickedness until they are burnt, his skin undergoes changes and he develops tzara'at. This causes him to be isolated and for it to be made known that he must remain alone so that he will not be involved in the talk of the wicked which is folly and lashon hora.The Torah warns about this, stating Deuteronomy 24:8-9: "Take care with regard to a tzara'at blemish.... Remember what God your Lord did to Miriam." Now, this is what the Torah is implying: Contemplate what happened to the prophetess Miriam. She spoke against her brother. She was older than he was; she had raised him; and she had endangered herself to save him from the sea. She did not speak pejoratively of him; she merely erred in equating him with the other prophets. Moses did not object to any of this, as Numbers 12:3 relates: "And the man Moses was exceedingly humble." Nevertheless, she was immediately punished with tzara'at. Certainly, an inference can be made with regard to the wicked and foolish men who speak extensively about great and wondrous matters. Therefore a person who seeks to structure his course of conduct should distance himself from their gatherings and from speaking to them so that he will not become caught up in the web of their wickedness and foolishness.This is the path followed by the gathering of wicked fools: In the beginning, they speak excessively about empty matters, as Ecclesiastes 5:2 states: "The talk of a fool is characterized by a multitude of words." As a result of this, they come to speak negatively of the righteous, as reflected by the verse Psalms 31:19: "May the lying lips be silenced; those which speak falsehood about a righteous man." As a consequence, they will become accustomed to speaking against the prophets and casting aspersions on their words, as reflected by the verse II Chronicles 36:16: "They would abuse the messengers of God, scorn His words, and mock His prophets." And this would lead them to deny God's existence entirely, as reflected in the verse II Kings 17:9: "And the children of Israel spoke in secret things that were not true against God, their Lord."In this vein, Psalms 73:9 states: "They set their mouths against Heaven and their tongues strut on earth." What caused them to "set their mouths against Heaven"? Their tongues which previously were given free reign on earth. This is the speech of the wicked that is caused by loitering on the streetcorners, frequenting the assemblies of commoners, and spending time at the parties of drunkards.In contrast, the speech of proper Jewish people only concerns words of Torah and wisdom. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, assists them and grants them merit because of it, as Malachi 3:16 states: "Then those who fear God conversed, each person with his fellow and God listened and paid heed. And a book of remembrance was composed before Him for those who fear God and contemplate His name."