“And to the Sanctuary she shall not come until the days of her purification are completed" (Vayikra, 12:4). My teacher Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook, of blessed memory, states that modesty and purity form the foundation of the sanctity of the House of Israel. This sanctity is the source of the strength and resilience of the camp of Israel, granting it the power to prevail, to act with courage, and to stand upright. Modesty and purity run like a continuous thread through all the paths of the holy body of the people of Israel (based on “Modesty and Purity in Israel").
As the previous portion, Shemini, concludes: “For I am the Lord who brings you up out of the land of Egypt to be your G-d," so G-d elevates the people of Israel from the forty-nine gates of impurity to the exalted level of the Land of Israel, the most elevated of lands, raising them to a state of purity and holiness. Here, in the Land of Israel, lies the essence of their mission: “You shall be holy, for I am holy." Rashi explains that this refers to sanctification both in this world and in the World to Come.
Angels differ fundamentally from human beings. In the daily blessings of the Shema, we say that G-d “creates holy beings and forms ministering angels." Angels are created holy from the outset, whereas human beings are commanded to achieve purity and holiness through an ongoing process: “You shall be holy, for I am holy." Every Jewish man and woman is called upon to strive toward this ideal, within the home, in the laws concerning afflictions of the house, in the regulations of impurity and separation relating to the metzora and the zav, and in relation to the great and holy Temple.
To reach this refined state of holiness and purity, the portions of Tazria and Metzora teach a profound principle articulated by Maimonides in the Guide for the Perplexed: beyond the deeper reasons, preserving the value of something often requires periodic distance from it. “And she shall not come into the Sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed." Distance during times of impurity, and closeness during times of purity. This distancing elevates the significance of the object, for constant proximity diminishes its impact and reduces the sense of awe it inspires.
The Sages highlighted this idea in Masechet Chagiga (7.), noting that it is not appropriate to enter the Temple at all times, echoing King Solomon’s teaching: “Make your visits to your neighbor’s house infrequent, lest he grow weary of you and come to resent you" (Proverbs 25:17). In other words, one should make such encounters rare and meaningful, so that familiarity does not breed contempt (Moreh Nevochim 3, 47).
The Jerusalem Talmud (Brachot 3,4) describes the human being as a “holy body." Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair outlines a progression of spiritual growth: Torah leads to vigilance, vigilance to diligence, diligence to cleanliness, and separation to purity. Purity leads to piety, piety to fear of sin, and fear of sin to holiness; ultimately culminating even in the revival of the dead (Masechet Avodah Zara, 20:). Based on this teaching, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, the Ramchal, composed Mesillat Yesharim, first published in Amsterdam in 1740, which has since been widely regarded as one of the great spiritual treasures of the Jewish people and has become one of the foremost spiritual treasures of the nation, hewn from the very source of its soul.
Upon its publication, the Vilna Gaon declared that a new light had entered the world, and remarked that had Luzzatto been alive, he would have gone to greet him in person. He even gave a gold coin in appreciation of the work and reviewed it frequently. In this book, the Ramchal lays out the stages of human spiritual development, including vigilance, diligence, purity, and holiness, and the ways of attaining them.
According to the Ramchal, purity entails leaving no room for the evil inclination in one’s actions. Even necessary physical activities should be directed toward the service of G-d, rather than toward personal gratification. As King Solomon teaches: “In all your ways know Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Mishlei 3:6). Separation means taking from the world only what is necessary; purity goes further, ensuring that even what one takes serves solely the fulfillment of G-d’s will, and not for one’s own inclinations.
A person may often wonder: who can truly attain such a level? After all, we are physical beings and how can we attain such a level. Yet those who love G-d and desire His service find joy in demonstrating their devotion and refining themselves.
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord, and who may stand in His holy place?" It is difficult to ascend to the mountain of G-d, but even more challenging to remain there. The Torah provides a vital tool: the balance between distance and closeness. This principle applies to family purity, to the laws of the metzora and the zav, to the sanctity of Israel’s camp, and to the Temple itself.
Marriage is only the beginning of the journey. Many may “ascend," but who can endure and remain in holiness within their home, their personal sanctuary, where the Divine Presence rests if they are worthy? “He who has clean hands and a pure heart…" (Tehillim 24:3-4). The Radak explains that this verse refers to three dimensions of human life: action, speech, and thought, all of which must be refined.
The principles of distance and closeness are essential tools, enabling a couple to sustain holiness within their private sanctuary, just as in the Temple.
Maimonides explains that just as there is a positive commandment to remove those who are impure from the Temple, there is also a prohibition against entering it in a state of impurity. The degree of impurity determines the extent of separation required. In the wilderness, Israel was divided into three camps: the camp of Israel, the camp of the Levites, and the camp of the Divine Presence (the Tabernacle). Each category of impurity corresponded to a different level of exclusion.
Maimonides writes regarding the removal of the impure from the Temple (Hilchot Bi’at Mikdash 3:10): “Just as there is a positive commandment to send the impure out of the Temple, so too, if they enter, they transgress a prohibition, as it is stated: ‘They shall not defile their camps’-this refers to the camp of the Divine Presence."
The commandment of removal is graded and not uniform for all types of impurity; rather, the severity of the exclusion corresponds to the severity of the impurity itself. In the wilderness, the people of Israel were organized into three camps. The Camp of Israel was divided into four sections, in which the twelve tribes encamped-three tribes in each section, excluding the tribe of Levi. Surrounding them was the Camp of the Levites, which encircled the Tabernacle. At the center was the Camp of the Divine Presence, comprising the Tabernacle and its courtyard.
Not all those who are impure are sent out from every camp. Some are prohibited from entering Jerusalem altogether and must remain outside the city walls. Others are forbidden from entering the Temple Mount, while some are permitted to enter the Temple Mount but are restricted from the Temple courtyard itself. This commandment remains in effect even after the destruction of the Temple, as its sanctity endures forever.
From the Torah’s specification of three categories-“every leper, every zav, and everyone impure through contact with the dead"-we learn that not all forms of impurity are treated alike. Had they been equal, the verse would have stated simply, “Send every impure person out of the camp." Instead, three distinct levels are identified.
The metzora bears the most severe form of impurity, as he transmits impurity upon entry; the moment he enters a house, everything within it becomes impure. Accordingly, he is sent out from all three camps-beyond the walls of Jerusalem. The zav does not transmit impurity through mere entry but does impart impurity through objects he lies or sits upon. His status is therefore less severe: he is excluded from the two inner camps-the Camp of the Divine Presence and the Camp of the Levites-but may remain within Jerusalem. In practice, he is sent away from the Temple Mount and the Temple courtyard.
The third category is one who has become impure through contact with the dead. This form of impurity is the least severe in terms of exclusion, as it is transmitted only through direct contact. Such a person is barred only from the Camp of the Divine Presence-that is, from the Temple courtyard-but is permitted to enter the Temple Mount.
This graduated system reflects a broader psychological principle, as noted by Maimonides in the Guide for the Perplexed: habitual exposure diminishes emotional impact. The more something becomes routine and readily accessible, the more its value diminishes in a person’s perception.
In the field of education as well, this pattern of “distance and closeness" offers a significant advantage. Constant closeness carries the risk of spiritual and intellectual burnout, and in order to emphasize the need for a certain degree of distance in order to value learning, a sense of reverence must be maintained. Some distance between teacher and student is beneficial. Thus it is stated in Pirkei Avot: “Let the fear of your teacher be like the fear of Heaven" (Avot 4:12).
This is also the reason why the Sages prohibited a student from calling his teacher by name, and from issuing a halachic ruling in his teacher’s presence, as we read just this past Shabbat regarding the sin of the two sons of Aaron. In this way, the erosion of respect for learning transmitted through the teacher to the student is prevented-or at least reduced.
The same applies to excessive study load. On the verse “that which I command you today," the Sifri explains that the goal is that it should not be in your eyes like an old decree that no one values, but like something new that everyone rushes to hear (Deuteronomy 6:6). Therefore, it is extremely important that both for teacher and student, “each day they should be as new in your eyes," so that neither loses the sense of excitement for what is being learned.
The Meiri and other commentators (on Pesachim 3b) explain that if a teacher presents too much beyond the student’s capacity for absorption, the student becomes weary of learning. Constant and excessive “closeness" to difficult material diminishes the value of learning in the student’s eyes.
However, in the view of the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, removing a student from the classroom should be excluded from the list of punishments. He wrote: “One should certainly not punish by means of the cancellation of Torah study, for the damage is certain, whereas the benefit is only doubtful, and at times only a very remote doubt. Therefore, one must seek other forms of punishment, and not through the cancellation of Torah study" (Responsa Igrot Moshe, Yoreh De’ah II:103).
We also find in the words of the Sages a similar principle of “closeness and distance": it is fitting that “the left hand should push away while the right hand draws close" (Sotah 47a). If there is only a “right hand that draws close"-constant closeness without boundaries-the status of the educator and the values in the student’s soul are diminished. It is precisely the “left hand that pushes away" which creates the necessary distance to generate longing, appreciation, and reverence.
Within this proper balance between distance and closeness, my teacher, Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein’s colleague and rosh yeshiva at Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav, Rabbi Avraham Kahana Shapira, of blessed memory, would frequently warn against “religious nervousness." Similarly, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto writes in Mesillat Yesharim about excessive and misplaced piety.
We see this illustrated in the case of Gedaliah son of Ahikam: due to his excessive piety-his unwillingness to accept lashon hara about Ishmael son of Nethaniah’s intent to kill him-he did not judge him unfavorably and said to the messenger, Johanan son of Kareah: “You are speaking falsely about Ishmael." As a result, he caused his own death, along with many others who were killed by Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and the remnant of Israel was scattered and the last ember of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel was extinguished.
After my engagement to my wife, I merited to study the laws of family purity with Rabbi Yehoshua Neuwirth. This was due to a gesture of gratitude on his part toward my father, of blessed memory, for his many years of work editing all three editions of the book Shmirat Shabbat Kehilchatah, and for preparing its index. The rabbi told me that since at weddings he “does not know how to dance properly," he suggested that instead we study the laws of family purity together-and so it was. For about three months I would go to his home, and he taught me in person. Many people came to him with questions in matters of family purity.
The rabbi emphasized an important principle in the laws of ritual purity: a question in matters of general halachic conduct is not comparable to a question in monetary law (Choshen Mishpat) or to questions in the laws of ritual impurity and family purity. For while in the first category one may sometimes rule stringently in cases of doubt, this is not correct when the issue concerns monetary law or family purity.
Here, there is no place for either unnecessary stringency or leniency, because being stringent for one side is being lenient for the other, and vice versa. Likewise, an overly strict approach in the laws of family purity may prevent the fulfillment of the mitzvah, and the opposite may also be true.
He added that nevertheless, in order to reach accurate rulings, he would make use of a forensic system-“Zehut Plilit" (forensic identification techniques)-to distinguish between different types of blood.
Now, in the 78th year of the State, one may hope that what Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, of blessed memory, once prayed for will be realized: that in these final generations, Israeli purity and modesty will be revived in their full strength, with a vigilant guardianship and a careful sense of responsibility-shaping the consciousness of generational continuity and the sanctity of eternal life planted within us.
In this way, the complete dimensions will be revealed-both in the personal and public spheres-of redeemed Israel, arising and living in its land of inheritance: the splendor of its strength, the truth of its courage, and the humility of its righteousness. “With God we shall do valiantly; He will trample our enemies" (Tehillim 108:14).
In the coming week, we will commemorate those heroes who ascended to the highest level of sanctity and purity attainable in human form, giving their lives in sanctification of God’s name, of the people, and of the land. May their merit stand for all Israel, and from them the nation draws the strength to become holy and pure, in accordance with God’s will as reflected in these Torah portions.