In this week’s parsha we continue learning the halachos of tzaraas. The Gemara in Nedarim 64b says that there are four people who are considered dead: a poor person, a person with tzaraas, a blind person, and one who does not have children.
What do all these four have in common? And why is each one considered dead? Although each one does suffer greatly, it is not likely that the suffering that they endure is why they are considered dead. This is because even the worst suffering is not as bad as death, as we find in several pesukim. For example, we say in Hallel, “God has caused me to suffer greatly, but He has not let me die.”
We also see from the fact that there were three advisors to Pharaoh when the plan to destroy the Jews was discussed. Bilam said to kill them, Yisro said not to, and Iyov was silent. Bilam was punished with death and Iyov was punished for being silent with terrible suffering. We see that suffering is not considered equal to death. As a side note, the reason why Iyov was punished even though he didn’t go along with the plan is because when something hurts you scream. His silence was proof that the decision didn’t bother him.
Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, zt”l, suggests that the reason these four are considered dead is because they cannot properly interact with other people, and others can’t understand what they are going through. In that sense they are alone and like dead.
A blind person cannot perceive what others are experiencing. When the Torah tells us that “Vayigdal Moshe (and Moshe grew up)” it says “va’yaar b’sivlosam – he saw their suffering.” Seeing is integral to noticing and discerning what another person needs. Therefore, a blind person is in a certain sense alone and considered dead.
In the same way a person who does not have children cannot provide for them. Children are more open to accepting gifts from their parents than from other people. We see this from the famous story of the two women who were fighting over who the baby belonged to and came before Shlomo Hamelech for a ruling. What was the motive of the woman who was lying? She knew the child really was not her child; what would she gain from raising someone else’s child? The answer is that the child would have thought that she was his mother and would have been more open to receiving her aid and assistance. She would have gained by having someone who would have accepted everything she would have given.
By not having children such a person is unable to give and is therefore considered alone and, in a sense, dead.
In the same vein, a poor person cannot help others and is considered dead. And the reason why a metzorah is considered dead is because the pasuk says he must be baddad yeishev – he must live in isolation, outside all three camps, not even next to other people who are tamei. He must be isolated and therefore he is considered dead.
In light of this idea we should all try to see what other people are going through and strive to help them as much as we can, since that is what defines us a living people. If we can take this important lesson from tzaraas, we can not only better ourselves but make our lives more meaningful as well.