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Yaakov Ben Behora
The navi tells us that Uziyah was, for the most part, a righteous king, like his father, Amatzya. Yet, we are told that he was afflicted with tzara’at that lasted until the end of his life (Melachim II, 15: 3-5), unlike Moshe and Miriam’s short-lived cases. What was the root of the tzara’at? To learn more, we have to look in Divrei Hayamim, as Tanach elaborates in one place on that which is cryptic in another place. Yoash, king of the northern kingdom of Israel, defeated Amatzya in Beit Shemesh, leaving him with a weak kingdom- militarily, financially, and internationally, which he inherited to his son (see Divrei Haymim II, 25: 23-24). The young king, Uziyah, decided to go about things differently. Instead of continuing the warfare with the rival Kingdom of Israel, he cooperated with Yerovam II and was thus able to expand the borders of Israel until Eilat in the south and Ashdod in the west. This opened ports in the Mediterranean and Red seas, enabling the country to control important land and water routes of international trade. The Scriptures write also of impressive advances in agriculture and in the production of military supplies (see ibid. 26).
What impressive advances by a wise, righteous and ambitious king! But all of his success collapsed on him for one reason. "As he became strong, his heart became haughty until it brought destruction, and he betrayed Hashem, his G-d, and entered the Sanctuary of Hashem to burn incense on the Altar of Incense ... and the tzara’at shone on his head" (ibid.: 16,19). In this way, Uziyah, who was basically righteous like his father, also failed for the same reason as his father. Indeed, the navi addressed Amatzya with the complaint, "your heart raised you up" to overconfidence and failure (ibid. 25:19).
So we see another root cause of tzara’at. It can remind a person that, as important as he may be and even if he channels his ambitions to ostensibly good causes, he must know his limits. As a human being, he is limited and must conform to Divine commandments and know his place. For this reason, the sacrifices that a leper brings at the conclusion of his period of leprosy include cedar wood (etz erez) and hyssop (eizov). The former, one of the tallest and most proud members of the plant world, is combined with the latter, which is one of the most lowly, to show the importance. This reminds the leper, as he returns to society, that he must temper his ambitions for greatness with the proper measure of humility.
Parashat Hashavua The Content of Kingliness and Servitude
Based on Harav Shaul Yisraeli – from Shirat Hageula pp. 22-25
Igrot Hare’aya Improving New Yishuv More Practical than Alternatives
Igrot Hare’aya – Letters of Rav Kook #107
Rabbis in Midrash
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Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part II
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part II
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
Parashat Hashavua Happiness for the Right Reasons
[With painful longing, we share these divrei Torah from our co-Rosh Kollel for close to 40 years, Harav Moshe Ehrenreich zt”l.]
