Netziv (Vayikra 13:41): The verse states karachas which is the baldness on the back of the head prior to gebachas which is the baldness on the front of the head. Why did the verse distinguish between them? ...We can explain this according to the view that the baldness is a sign of the sin of errors in theology. There are in fact two types of error. The first type is errors that result from philosophical analysis. The second type results from lack of belief that does not result from philosophy. It is known that the back of the brain deals with decisions that a person makes Intellectual analysis occurs in the front of the brain. The fact is that errors in emuna are much more common and worse than mistakes that result from the intellectual analysis. That is why there are two types of baldness and why the one associated with errors without philosophy is stated first in the verse.
“Baldness and heresy” Bravo. I like this post. I agree: “The fact is that errors in emuna are much more common and worse than mistakes that result from the intellectual analysis.” Allow me.
ReplyDeleteLeviticus 13:40-44 “If the hair of a man’s head falls out: He is bald at the back of the head, he is pure טהור הוא. And if his hair falls out toward his face, he is frontally bald, he is pure טהור הוא. And if in the posterior or frontal baldness there shall be a a reddish-white affliction: It is an eruption of tzara’as צרעת פרחת הוא on his posterior or frontal baldness. The Kohen shall look at it, and behold! --- there is a s’eis affliction שאת הנגע that is reddish-white, in his posterior or frontal baldness, like the appearance of tzara’as צרעת on the skin of the flesh. He is a person with tzara’as, he is impure , the Kohen shall make him impure: his affliction is upon his head.”
In the midrash God allowed Satan השטן to afflict Job with tzara’as in Job chapter 2. In the midrash Elihu ben Brarachel the Buzite recognized that God afflicted job with tzara’as and Elihu knew what to do. In Job chapter 42 God was angry at Eliphaz the Temanite and two friends but not at Elihu.
Job 2:4 And Satan answered ויען השטן the Lord, and said: ‘Skin for skin עור בעד עור, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
Job 32:6 Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: I am young צעיר, and you are old ישישים; therefore I was too awestruck and fearful to hold forth among you.
Job 42:7 After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: I am incensed at you and your two friends; for you have not spoken the truth about Me as did My servant Job.
All 42 chapters of the Book of Job are Torah, according to the Talmud, written by Moses. Commentators say that Moses taught the Book of Job to the Jews while they were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt. Beautiful. Uplifting.