Sadie Cohen lived in an integrated neighborhood on Long Island. Her neighbor was a very generous Black woman who stopped in on the first morning of Passover and asked, “Mrs Cohen, I have to go to NYC this afternoon to meet my daughter; can I get you anything?”

Mrs. Cohen thanked her and exclaimed, “Listen, I have a commuter’s ticket for the train. Why don’t you use my ticket, and you’ll bring it back tonight. After all, it’s all paid for – why should you pay extra.”

The neighbor thanked her and got on the train. As the conductor came through the train, he happened to glance at the ticket and noticed the name “Sadie Cohen. “Excuse me madam, are you Sadie Cohen the person whose name appears on this ticket?”

The woman smiled sweetly and nodded her head affirmatively. A little suspicious, the conductor asked, “would you let me compare signatures – would you please sign your name?” The Black lady turned indignantly and snapped, “Man are you crazy?; You want me to write on Passover?”

* * *

Metzora: Blood and Oil

Pertaining to the purification ceremony of the metzora, the Torah tells us that we are to apply the blood of the (asham) sacrifice and place it on three places of the former metzora. Place the blood above the cartilage of his right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.[1] Then take olive oil and place it on the three above locations plus a fourth: on top of the head. Why three applications of blood and four of oil? And why a total of seven applications?

One approach is, as the Talmud states, that a metzora is considered to be like one who is dead[2] (since he must reside alone outside of all three camps of Israel). Therefore, when a metzora begins his ritual cleansing, he must be cleansed in a similar fashion to one who is purified after coming in contact with a dead body. One who purifies himself after coming in contact with a dead body, needs the ashes of the red heifer to be sprinkled upon him on the third and seventh days of the purification process.[3] Similarly, this metzora needs the sprinkling of the three blood applications and four oil applications, for a total of seven applications. Why does a person who contracted impurity from a dead body, need these sprinklings on the third and seventh day?

ETERNAL LIFE
The Alter Rebbe explains[4] that to remove the impurity contracted from contact with a dead body, you need its antithesis, eternal life. Three and seven refers to the third and seventh of the faithful shepherds that administer and continue to administer faith into the people of Israel. The third shephard was our forefather, Jacob and the seventh was King David. Concerning Jacob, it is stated in the Talmud, “Jacob our forefather never died.” [5] Also with David it states, “David, King of Israel is alive and continues to live.”[6] So, too, in the case of the metzora, we sprinkle (blood) three times and (oil) four times, alluding to Jacob and David (four after Jacob), to purify the metzora, who was considered dead. However, we still need to understand the affiliation of blood to Jacob and oil to David.

BLOOD: A METAPHOR
Blood is a metaphor for Torah. Just as blood carries the soul of life and gives us vitality, so, too, Torah is “our life and the length of our days.” Also, the Torah states: “This is the Torah; .” or Alef-dam. Torah is dam, i.e., blood.[7] So when a limb is punctured or severed and there is loss of blood, we give the body a blood transfusion. We replace lost blood and increase blood flow. Similarly, the metzora, by speaking gossip, severed one-by-one the limbs of his people, who spiritually are like one body. He now needs to restore the blood loss and give them new life. With increased Torah study, one can repair what one damaged.[8]

Thus, Jacob, known as “the man who sits in the Tent”[9] of Torah, represents the blood of life.

OIL: A METAPHOR
Oil is a metaphor for mitzvots, G-d’s commandments.[10] As King Solomon states, “the candle (or oil) is the performance of mitzvots.” The oil becomes totally absorbed by the wick and nullified to the flame. So, too, in order to do a mitzvah, one needs to be nullified to G-d’s will. A simple illustration is that a good citizen must be subservient to the king’s will, even though he may not understand it. David, the king of all Israel, clearly, then, represents the theme of oil-the “candle is the mitzvah.”

MOSHIACH: KING AND TEACHER
This also explains an interesting teaching in the Talmud, “For whom was the world created?” One opinion says David; another opinion says Moses; and finally, a third says Moshiach.[11] What are they saying? This apparent conflict can be understood based on a teaching of the Tzemach Tzedek. He explains that Moshiach will be both a king and a teacher. Moshiach, as king, will cause the world to follow G-d’s laws; as a teacher, he will reveal the secrets of G-d’s Holy Torah.[12] This now clarifies the question in the Talmud, “For whom was the world created?” The first opinion says (King) David, i.e., performing the mitzvots. Another opinion says Moses, i.e., Torah study. The conclusion is Moshiach, who will be the embodiment of both David and Moses for Moshiach will teach Torah and inspire the world to observe G-d’s laws.

The combination of blood (Torah study) and oil (obeying G-d’s laws) is the antidote to tzara’as-death. With Moshiach’s arrival, death will be swallowed up forever.

THREE MATZOH / FOUR CUPS WINE
This parsha is read either before or right after Passover. What is the connection? Matzoh is known as poor man’s bread because you do not add any spices. It is simply water and flour. Matzoh represents the service of accepting G-d’s yoke unconditionally. Wine, on the other hand, is tasty and uplifting. Passover teaches us when one does mitzvots with subservience, alluding to oil, one must drink four cups of wine, adding joy and gladness of the heart. When studying the Torah, a subject of logic and understanding, we are told to eat three matzoh. In other words, study Torah not only because you enjoy it, but because G-d has commanded you to do so.

STORY[13]
Word reached Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev that the owners of the local matzah bakeries were forcing the young women who kneaded and rolled the dough to work from early morning until late at night.

He stood up in the synagogue and cried out: “Gentile anti-Semites always claim that Jews knead their dough for the matzos with the blood of Christians. That is an outright lie! It is not Christian blood they use, but the blood of the young daughters of Israel who are being overworked in our matzah bakeries!”

ACTION: Train yourself to speak in positive terms about other people. Call a friend and extol them on one of their virtues.  

FOOTNOTES
[1] Leviticus 14:14, 17, 18
[2] Avoda Zara 5A
[3] Numbers 19:11-12
[4] Likutei Torah, Chukas pp 61C, D
[5] Ta’anis 5B
[6] Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 25A
[7] Numbers 19:14
[8] Tzara’as has the same letters as atzeres, the holiday of Shavuos, the day the Torah was given at Sinai. See Sefer Halikutim of the Tzemach Tzedek on the topic of dam and tzara’as.
[9] Genesis 25:27
[10] The Zohar calls mitzvots the “limbs of G-d, Our Eternal King.” See Tikuni Zohar 38 and Tanya, Iggeret HaTshuva, Ch. 1
[11] Sanhedrin 88B
[12] Sefer HaMitzvots of the Tzemach Tzedek, Minuy Melech; and Sefer HaSihos 5751, pp. 330, 498, and 529
[13] A Treasury of Chassidic Tales on the Festivals, Pesach.