Midreshet Amit

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Simita E. Barrocas, Boca Raton, Florida
Nicole Berlin, Great Beck, NY

Brit Milah is introduced to Bnei Yisrael in the first of this week's Parshiot, Parshat Tazria. According to Chazal, performing a Brit Milah takes precedence over Shabbat, so much so, that if a baby's 8th day falls out on Shabbat, the mitzvah is not only permitted, but obligatory. This is so despite the fact that performing a circumcision transgresses several violations of Shabbat.

One may inquire why the mitzvah of Brit Milah overrides the observance of Shabbat? Deepening the question still further is the fact that, as Tosafot on Brachot points out, both Brit Milah and Shabbat are referred to as an אות , a sign, between Hashem and Bnei Yisrael, so there doesn't seem to be any real reason for one to override the other.

Upon further thought however, it becomes readily apparent why Brit Milah is the one that takes precedence. Shabbat is actually dependent on the Brit Milah. Chazal in Sanhedrin explain that a non-Jew is forbidden from observing Shabbat. Since Brit Milah is what distinguishes a Jew and a non-Jew, without this mitzvah, Jews too would have been forbidden to keep Shabbat. Thus, performing the mitzvah of Brit Milah is what enables a Jew to observe Shabbat.

Tzara'at (leprosy) is another major topic that we will read about this Shabbat, in the second of this week's parshiot, Parshat Metzorah. One usually perceives tzara'at as a punishment. Contrary to popular belief however, Malbim infers from the words "v'natati nega tzara'at" that it sounds like Hashem is promising something positive that He will give us for a good purpose. In fact, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai taught that when those who were living in Eretz Yisrael heard that Bnei Yisrael were coming upon them, they quickly hid their money and treasures within the walls of their homes and in their fields. Since Hashem had promised Bnei Yisrael that He would bring them to a land that was "filled with all good," He decided to bring about tzara'at on their homes so that the homes would be torn down, revealing the treasures hidden within.

Ramban adds the following insight. He says that when Bnei Yisrael first entered Eretz Yisrael, they had not yet sinned and had not yet impaired the land's kedusha. Thus, any tzara'at that came upon them was a gift to them to help them uncover treasures. Only once they began sinning and profaning the holiness of the land did the blessing of tzara'at turn into a curse that began to appear as a sign of the corruption of Bnei Yisrael's souls.

Overall, in both parshiot, there is an apparent proof which indicates that Bnei Yisrael have the power to both remove tumah and bring kedusha. Perhaps that is the truer treasure, that in every material thing in the world, kedusha can be brought forth.