IT’S ONLY SKIN DEEP

Since October 7th, many of us in the Jewish community have felt a deep and painful frustration. We’ve watched, stunned, as the world seems to accept lies, embrace distortions, and amplify the narrative of those who committed unspeakable atrocities against us. Hamas murders, it rapes, it tortures, and it kidnaps — and somehow, Israel is the one put on trial.

The lies spread about Israel has seen the truth about those who attacked Israel and actively seek its destruction fade into the background, or worse – seem justifiable! It’s maddening. And it can make us feel powerless, like we’re losing the narrative war because we refuse to stoop to their level.

But Parshat Tazria tells us: refusing to lie, refusing to distort, is not a weakness. In fact, it’s our greatest strength. Our inability to absorb falsehood and hate isn’t a failure — it’s proof that our souls are still spiritually alive.

The opening line of the parsha dealing with tzara’at reads strangely: אָדָם כִּי יִהְיֶה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ שְׂאֵת אוֹ סַפַּחַת אוֹ – בַהֶרֶת וְהָיָה בְעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ לְנֶגַע צָרָעַת “….And there shall be in the skin of his flesh a plague of tzara’at.”

The problem is this: Chazal tell us that the word “vehaya” always introduces something good. It’s the Torah’s way of signaling good news. So how are we to understand the word “vehaya” in this pasuk? What kind of good news is getting tzara’at?

The Alshich HaKadosh has a great answer — and with just two words, he completely reframes the pasuk. He says, the key is right there, straight after the word ‘vehaya’: בְּעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ — the tzara’at is “on the skin of his flesh.”

That’s good news, says the Alshich. The tzara’at affliction is only on the surface. It’s only skin deep. Tzara’at may be caused by doing something wrong — most famously by speaking lashon ha’ra — but when a Jew gets tzara’at, it’s a sign that the wrongdoing hasn’t penetrated to the essence. It’s still skin deep. You’re a good person who did something wrong. But you’re not a bad person. The neshama — the core of who you are — remains untouched.

Or, to put it in everyday terms: It’s like getting into a fender bender. You hear the crunch, and you panic. You bring the car to the shop assuming the worst. Your car seems totaled, and you’re sure its done for. And then the mechanic checks under the hood and says, “Good news —it’s just cosmetic damage. The engine’s fine. I can repair it.”

At that moment, you say, “Baruch Hashem!” Really? Baruch Hashem your car has all this damage? Yes! Because you thought it was over — but now you know it’s fixable. That’s exactly what tzara’at is. It looks scary, but it’s a sign that the core is still whole.

That’s what the Alshich says. But the Sefas Emes (5638) takes this idea to a whole new level. He looks at a different pasuk — not from Vayikra, but from Devarim (24:9): זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה׳ אֱלֹקיךָ לְמִרְיָם – “Remember what Hashem did to Miriam…”

Now we all know the story. Miriam spoke negatively about Moshe and was afflicted with tzara’at. But the Torah doesn’t say, “Remember what Miriam said.” Or “Remember what Miriam did wrong.” It doesn’t even say, “Remember what happened to Miriam.” It says: “Remember what Hashem did to Miriam”

Why that phrasing? The Sefas Emes gives a completely different read. He says: this verse isn’t a warning. It’s not about the punishment. It’s a statement of identity. Hashem “did” something to Miriam — yes. But what He did wasn’t a punishment. It was about showing how spiritually sensitive the Jewish soul really is.

And here’s the metaphor: Imagine two people. One lives on a junk food diet — greasy burgers, processed snacks, soda all day. You give him the worst junk food, and he eats it without flinching.

The other one is used to healthy, nutritious meals — fresh, clean, wholesome food. You give that person junk food, and what happens? He throws it up. But that’s not because he’s weak — on the contrary, it’s because he’s healthy. His body rejects what doesn’t belong there.

And that’s tzara’at. The nations of the world can consume lashon ha’ra and spiritual toxicity like it’s their favorite snack. And nothing happens. But when a Jew — with a neshama that’s naturally pure — tries to take in that same negativity, the body can’t hold it in. It breaks out. It reacts.

That’s not a flaw. That’s the greatest compliment. That’s what the Torah means by: זָכוֹר אֵת אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה ה׳ לְמִרְיָם – Remember — Hashem designed Miriam this way, and he designed you this way. We have a soul that rejects lashon ha’ra. We have a soul that can’t digest gossip and slander and cynicism.

And that’s why the pasuk in our parsha begins with: וְהָיָה בְּעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ — it uses the language of joy. Not because tzara’at feels good. But because it means your soul is still alive. Still sensitive. Still functioning.

Let me share a true story that brings this idea to life. A friend of mine is a lawyer – very straight, very honest. A few years ago, he was assigned to a corporate case that involved… let’s just say, ethically questionable strategies. Technically legal, but definitely manipulative. At first, he rationalized it — “this is how the business world works.” But after a week or two, something strange started happening. He developed migraines. He couldn’t sleep. He kept getting indigestion.

He went for tests — the doctors found nothing. He was as healthy as ever. Finally, one of the doctors — Jewish, but not a religious man, and certainly not trying to preach — said something offhand: “Maybe your body is reacting to something in your life that your soul can’t tolerate.” The line shook him. He dropped the case. And within days, all the symptoms vanished.

That’s tzara’at. That’s what the Torah is telling us when it says וְהָיָה בְּעוֹר בְּשָׂרוֹ — the pain on the outside may be real, but it’s actually a sign that you’re still spiritually functioning on the inside. Your body is not suited to lashon hara. You are a Jew, your spiritual immune system is rejecting this infection called lashon hara.

We may live in a world where truth is treated as optional and lies are marketed as virtue. But we are not designed to function that way. Our spiritual wiring rejects cynicism. Our moral immune system reacts violently when exposed to dishonesty, to cruelty, to lashon hara — even when the rest of the world treats it as normal.

That’s our tzara’at. And it’s our badge of honor. We will always choose truth over narrative. We will always choose soul over spin. Because our enemies can fight with propaganda — but we fight with something they’ll never have: a conscience.

We have a Jewish soul, and a Jewish sould refuses to absorb evil, it refuses to conform to lies, and it refuses to digest the spiritual junk that the world is selling.

Let me be clear: That’s not weakness. That’s who we are. And that’s why we will always have the upper hand.