Parshas Tazria / Metzora

In this powerful and deeply reflective shiur, Rabbi Zev Cohen uses Parshas Tazria/Metzora not just as a halachic study, but as a moral compass for modern Jewish life. He dismantles the misconception that tzara'as is leprosy, emphasizing instead that it is a spiritual consequence of lashon hara—speech that causes division and strife. The core lesson? A person who speaks lashon hara is spiritually isolated, symbolized by the mitzorah’s solitary confinement. Yet, Rabbi Cohen delivers a radical counterpoint: even those who are spiritually distant—those who are not keeping mitzvos, who are intermarried, or who are non-observant—must still be embraced with love and inclusion. He challenges listeners to care for every Jew, not just the 'kosher' ones, and to preserve simcha even when halachic boundaries are tested. The shiur culminates in a profound ethical question: Should we say 'good Shabbos' to a non-observant Jew, or to a Nazi? The answer, he implies, is yes—because our responsibility is not to judge, but to connect. This is not just about tzara'as; it’s about the soul of klal Yisrael.