Metzora

The passuk states; “This is the law of the metzora on the day of his purification,והובא  to the Kohen. Raboseinu Ba’ali Tosfos explain that והובא is comprised of two words: והוא and he, בא comes. This means that the metzora comes on his own, by himself to the Kohen. No one wants to come close to him to bring him because people separate from him and stay away. The Be’er Yosef asks: the following passuk states “ויצא הכהן אל מחוץ למחנה” “And the Kohen goes out to outside the camp.” First the passuk says the metzora comes on his own, and then the passuk says that the Kohen goes to him. Which is it?

The Be’er Yosef explains that there is a din that the same Kohen who was מטמא a person, making him a metzora, also has to purify him. There is also a din that a metzora is sent out of the three camps only if the city has walls surrounding it, as these cities were sanctified by Ezra with special kedusha. If the city does not have walls then the metzora is not sent out.

The Be’er Yosef answers that who comes to who will depend on which city the metzora lived in. If the metzora lived in a walled city and he is sent outside the three camps, he is not allowed to enter into the camp.  If so, the same Kohen will have to go outside all three camps to be מטהר him; as it states ויצא. If, however, the metzora lives in an open city without walls, then the metzora can come to the Kohen; as it states והובא.

Why is there such a stringency for the metzora to be sent outside all three camps? And why is there this stringency only with a walled city?

The Be’er Yosef answers with a Gemara: a metzora is rebuked with the following; “I surrounded you with two walls; one of bone, the teeth, and a second of flesh, the lips. These walls were to protect you from speaking lashon hara. Since you broke through the breaches you too have to be sent outside the walls of your city, מדה כנגד מדה. You can’t remain inside the walls of the holy sanctified city until you repent and are able to guard your walls, your mouth and tongue, from speaking lashon hara. Then you will become tahor and you will be permitted to enter inside the walls of the city.

May Hashem help us guard our mouths from speaking evil and be the איש החפץ חיים!