בס"ד Parashat - : From a Seed in Covid-19 Times Source Sheet by ​ Mira Rivera for Romemu Open Book

1. Leviticus 12:1-4 ויקרא י״ב:א׳-ד׳ (1) The LORD spoke to , (א) וַיְַדֵ֥בּר יְ ֖הוָה ֶאל־מֶֹ ֥שׁה saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite ֵלּ ֽאמֹר׃ (ב) ַדֵּבּ֞ר ֶא ְל־בֵּ֤ני יִ ְשָׂרֵאל֙ people thus: When a woman at tazria ֵלאמֹ֔ר ִא ָשּׁה֙ ִכּ֣י ַתְזִר֔ ַיע וְיְָלָ֖דה ( - childbirth (conceives ָזָכ֑ר וְָט ְמאָה֙ ִשְׁבַע֣ת יִָ֔מים ִכּ ֵ ֛ימי bears a male, she shall be unclean ֽ seven days; she shall be unclean נִַדּ֥ת ְדּוֺ ָת֖הּ ִתּ ְט ָֽמא׃ (ג) ַוּביּ֖וֹם as at the time of her menstrual ַה ְשּׁ ִמינִ֑י יִמּ֖וֹל ְבּ ַ ֥שׂר ָעְרָל ֽתוֹ׃ (ד) infirmity.— (3) On the eighth ְוּשׁלִֹ ֥שׁים יוֹם֙ ְוּשׁלֶֹ֣שׁת יִָמ֔ים day the flesh of his foreskin shall ֵתּ ֵ ֖שׁב ִבְּד ֵמ֣י ָט ֳהָ֑רה ְבָּכל־קֶֹ֣דשׁ be circumcised.— (4) She shall remain in a state of ֽלֹ ִא־תָגּ֗ע וְֶא ַל־ה ִמְּקָדּשׁ֙ לֹ֣א ֹ :purification for thirty-three days ָתבֹ֔א ַע ְד־מל֖את יְֵמ֥י ָט ֳהָרהּ׃ she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until her period of purification is completed.

תהילים ל״ד:י״ד 34:14 .2 (יד) נְצֹ֣ר ְלשׁוֹנְָ֣ך ֵמָ֑רע וּ֝ ְשָׂפ ֶת֗ ָיך Guard your tongue from evil (14) your lips from deceitful speech. ִמַדֵּ֥בּר ִמְר ָמה׃

1 משלי י״ח:כ״א Proverbs 18:21 .3 כא ָמוֶת וְַחיִּים ְבּיַ ָד־לשׁוֹן Death and life are in the (21) ( ) ֣ ֭ ֑ power of the tongue; Those who ֝וְאֲֹהֶב֗ ָיה יֹ ַאכ֥ל ִפְּריָהּ׃ .love it will eat its fruit

ויקרא י״ט:ט״ז :16 .4 (טז) לֹ ֵא־תֵ֤לְך ָרִכיל֙ ְבַּע ֶמּ֔ ָיך לֹ֥א Do not deal basely with your (16) ַתעמֹד ע ַל־דּם ֵרעך ֲאנִי יְהוָה׃ countrymen. Do not profit by the ֲ ֖ ַ ֣ ֶ֑ ֖ blood of your fellow: I am the LORD.

ערכין ט״ו ב:י״ח Arakhin 15b:18 .5 תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל כל The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Anyone who speaks המספר לשון הרע מגדיל malicious speech increases​ his עונות כנגד שלש עבירות sins to the degree that they עבודת כוכבים וגילוי עריות correspond​ to the ​three​ cardinal ושפיכות דמים כתיב הכא לשון ,transgressions: Idol worship מדברת גדולות וכתיב בעבודת ,and forbidden sexual relations כוכבים שמות לב לא אנא and bloodshed. This can be derived from a verbal analogy ( , ) חטא העם הזה חטאה גדולה based on the word “great.” ​It is written here:​ “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, ​the tongue that speaks great things” (Psalms 12:4). ​And it is written with regard to idol worship: “And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: ​Oh, this people have sinned a great sin,​ and have 2 made for themselves a god of gold” (Exodus 32:31).

דברים כ״ז:כ״ד Deuteronomy 27:24 .6 (כד) אָר֕וּר ַמֵ֥כּה ֵרֵע֖הוּ ַבּ ָסּ֑ ֶתר Cursed be he who strikes (24) וְ ַאָמר ָכּ ָל־העם ֵאָמן׃ ס down his fellow countryman in ֥ ָ֖ ֽ ( ) secret.—And all the people shall say, Amen.

What about gossip makes it so compelling at times?

How do we harmonize the importance of open debate in a free society with self-imposed restrictions on ​?​

7. Leviticus 14:1-3 ויקרא י״ד:א׳-ג׳ (1) The LORD spoke to Moses, (א) וַיְַדֵ֥בּר יְ ֖הוָה ֶאל־מֶֹ ֥שׁה saying: (2) This shall be the ritual ֵלּ ֽאמֹר׃ ב זֹאת ִתּ ְהיֶה ַתּוֹרת metzora ( ) ֤ ֽ ֙ ֣ for a leper ( ) at the time ַה ְמּצָֹר֔ע ְבּי֖וֹם ָט ֳהָרת֑וֹ וְ ָ֖הוּבא that he is to be cleansed. When it ֶא ַל־הכֵֹּֽהן׃ (ג) וְיָָצא֙ ַהכֵֹּ ֔הן ,has been reported to the priest א ִל־מחוּץ ַל ַמּחנה וָראָה ַהכֵֹּהן the priest shall go outside the (3) ֶ ֖ ֽ ֲֶ֑ ְ ֙ ֔ camp. If the priest sees that the וְִהֵנּ֛ה נְִרָ֥פּא ֶֽנַג ַע־הָצַּ֖רַעת leper has been healed of his scaly ִמ ַן־הָצּֽר ַוּע׃ ,affection

3 דברים רבה ו׳:ח׳ Rabbah 6:8 .8 (8) Remember that which the (ח) ָזכוֹר ֵאת ֲא ֶשׁר ָע ָשׂה ה' ֹ :Lord, your God, did to ֱאל ֶה ָיך ְל ִמְריָם (דברים כד, ט), Halacha: A person who has a ֲהָלָכה, ָאָדם ֶשׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ ֶנַגע וְָהיָה blemish and a priest was his ַהכֵֹּהן ְקרוֹבוֹ ַמהוּ ֶשׁיְֵהא ֻמ ָתּר לוֹ relative, what is [the law as to ִלְראוֹתוֹ, ָכּך ָשׁנוּ ֲחָכ ִמים ָכּל whether it is] permitted for him ְ to see (inspect) it? So did the ַהנְָּגִעים ָאָדם ֶרוֹאה חוּץ ִמנְִּגֵעי tzaraat sages learn: All [​ ​] ַעְצמוֹ. blemishes can a man see except for his own blemishes.

9. Mishneh : defilement by leprosy: 16:10 (10) The Hebrew term for leprosy is (י) ַהָצַּרַעת הוּא ֵשׁם ָהאָמוּר a homonym embracing various ְבּ ֻשׁ ָתּפוּת ֵכּוֹלל ִענְיָנִים ַהְרֵבּה meanings. The whiteness in a man's ֶשֵׁאין ִדּוֹמין ֶזה ָלֶזה. ֶשׁ ֲהֵרי לֶֹבן skin is called leprosy; the falling off עוֹר ָה ָאָדם ָקרוּי ָצַרַעת. וּנְִפ ַילת of some hair on the head or the chin is named leprosy; and a change of קָצת ְשַׂער ָהרֹאשׁ אוֹ ַהָזּקן קרוּי ְ ָ ָ color in clothing or in houses is ָצַרַעת. וְ ִשׁנּוּי ֵעין ַהְבָּגִדים אוֹ referred to as leprosy. Now this ַהָבּ ִתּים ָקרוּי ָצַרַעת. וְֶזה ַה ִשּׁנּוּי change in clothes and in houses ָהאָמוּר ַבְּבָּגִדים ַוּבָבּ ִתּים ,which the Torah has called leprosy as a homonym, is not a natural ֶשׁקָּראַתּוּ ָתּוֹרה ָצַרעת ְבּ ֻשׁ ָתּפוּת ְ ַ phenomenon, but was deemed a sign ַה ֵשּׁם ֵאינוֹ ִמ ִמּנְ ָהגוֹ ֶשׁל ָעוֹלם and a wonder among the people of Israel to warn them against evil

4 ֶאָלּא אוֹת ֶוּפֶלא ָהיָה ְבּיִ ְשָׂרֵאל gossip. If a man dealt out malicious gossip, the walls of his house would ְכֵּדי ְל ַהְז ִה ָירן ִמָלּשׁוֹן ָהַרע. change; if he repented, the house ֶשׁ ַה ְמ ַסֵפּר ְבָּלשׁוֹן ָהַרע ִמ ְשׁ ַתּנּוֹת would become clean again. But if he ִקירוֹת ֵבּיתוֹ. ִאם ָחַזר בּוֹ יְִט ַהר persisted in his wickedness until the ַהַבּיִת. ִאם ָע ַמד ְבִּר ְשׁעוֹ ַעד house was demolished, leather objects in his home upon which he ֶשׁ ֻה ַתּץ ַהַבּיִת ִמ ְשׁ ַתּנִּין ְכֵּלי ָהעוֹר would sit or lie would then suffer a ֶשְּׁבֵּביתוֹ ֶשׁהוּא ֵיוֹשׁב וְ ֵשׁוֹכב change; if he repented, they would ֲעֵל ֶיהן. ִאם ָחַזר בּוֹ יְִט ֲהרוּ. וְִאם become clean again. But if he ָע ַמד ְבִּר ְשׁעוֹ ַעד ֶשׁיִּ ָשְּׂרפוּ persisted in his wickedness until they had to be burned, the clothes which ִמ ְשׁ ַתּנִּין ַהְבָּגִדים ֶשׁעָליו ִאם ָ . he wore would undergo a change; if ָחַזר בּוֹ יְִט ֲהרוּ וְִאם ָע ַמד ְבִּר ְשׁעוֹ he repented, they would become ַעד ֶשׁיִּ ָשְּׂרפוּ ִמ ְשׁ ַתֶּנּה עוֹרוֹ clean again. But if he persisted in his wickedness until they had to be וְיְִצ ָטֵרַע וְיְִהיֶה ֻמְבָדּל ְוּמֻפְר ָסם burned, his skin would suffer a ֹ ְלַבדּוֹ ַעד ֶשׁלּא יְִתַעֵסּק ְבּ ִשׂ ַיחת change and he would become ָהְר ָשִׁעים ֶשׁהוּא ַהֵלּ ָיצנוּת וְָלשׁוֹן leprous, and be set apart and exposed ָהַרע. וְַעל ִענְיָן ֶזה ַמְז ִהיר ַבּ ָתּוֹרה all alone, so as not to engage in evil talk, which consists of mockery and וְ ֵאוֹמר (דברים כד ח) " ִה ָשּׁ ֶמר malicious gossip. ְבֶּנַגע ַהָצַּרַעת" (דברים כד ט) In warning against this, the Torah "ָזכוֹר ֵאת ֲא ֶשׁר ָע ָשׂה יי ֱאלֶֹק ָיך says: "In an attack of leprosy you shall be careful… Remember what ְל ִמְריָם ַבֶּדֶּרְך". ֲהֵרי הוּא ֵאוֹמר the Lord your God did to Miriam on ִהתבּוֹננוּ ָמה ֵאַרע ל ִמריָם ְ ְ ְ ְ .(the journey" (Deuteronomy 24:8-9 ַהנְִּביאָה ֶשִׁדְּבָּרה ְבּ ִאָח ָיה The Torah means to say: Consider ֶשׁ ָהיְָתה ְגּ ָדוֹלה ִמ ֶמּנּוּ ְבּ ָשׁנִים what happened to Miriam the

5 וְִגְּדַלתּוּ ַעל ִבְּרֶכּ ָיה וְִסְכּנָה prophetess who spoke against her brother, even though she was older ְבַּעְצ ָמהּ ְל ַהִצּילוֹ ִמן ַהיָּם וְִהיא לֹא than he, and had nurtured him on her ִדְּבָּרה ִבְּגנוּתוֹ ֶאָלּא ָטֲע ָתה knees after having endangered her ֶשׁ ִה ְשׁוַתּוּ ִל ְשׁאָר נְִב ִיאים וְהוּא לֹא life to save him from the sea. Now ִהְקִפּיד ַעל ָכּל ַהְדָּבִרים ָהֵאלּוּ she did not disparage him but made the only mistake in placing him on a ֶשֶׁנּ ֱא ַמר (במדבר יב ג) "וְָה ִאישׁ level with other prophets, and he did ֶמשׁה ָענָו ְמאֹד" וְאַף ַעל ִפּי ֵכן :not mind all this, as it is written ִמיָּד ֶנֶענְ ָשׁה ְבָּצַרַעת. ַקל וָחֶֹמר "Moses was a very humble man" ִלְבֵני ָאָדם ָהְר ָשִׁעים ַה ִטְּפּ ִשׁים Numbers 12:3). And yet, she was) immediately punished with leprosy. ֶשׁ ַמְּרִבּים ְלַדֵבּר ְגּדוֹלוֹת How much more then is this וְנְִפָלאוֹת. ְלִפ ָיכְך ָראוּי ְל ִמי ,applicable to evil men, those fools ֶשׁ ֶרוֹצה ְלַכוֵּן ְאָר ָחוֹתיו ְל ִה ְתַר ֵחק who keep talking arrogantly and boastfully. ִמ ִישׁ ָיב ָתן ִוּמְלַּדֵבּר ִע ָמּ ֶהן ְכֵּדי It is therefore proper for the man ֹ ֶשׁלּא יִָתֵּפס ָאָדם ְבֶּר ֶשׁת ְר ָשִׁעים who would steer his course of life וְִסְכ ָלוּתם. aright to shun their company and refrain from talking with them, that he should not be caught in the net of evil and arrogant men.

10. ORIGINAL TEXT MODERN TEXT ROMEO tries to break up the fight TYBALT ROMEO tries to break up the fight. stabs MERCUTIO under ROMEO’s arm TYBALT reaches under ROMEO’s arm and stabs MERCUTIO. PETRUCHIO PETRUCHIO Away, Tybalt. Let’s get away, Tybalt.

6 Exeunt TYBALT, PETRUCHIO, and the TYBALT, PETRUCHIO, and the other other CAPULETS CAPULETS exit. MERCUTIO MERCUTIO I am hurt. I’ve been hurt. May a plague curse both your A plague o' both your houses! I am sped. families. I’m finished. Did he get away Is he gone and hath nothing? clean? BENVOLIO BENVOLIO What, art thou hurt? What, are you hurt? MERCUTIO MERCUTIO Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry, ’tis Yes, yes. It’s a scratch, just a scratch. But it’s enough. enough. Where is my page? Go, boy. Get me Where is my page?—Go, villain, fetch a a doctor. surgeon. Exit MERCUTIO'S PAGE MERCUTIO'S PAGE exits. ROMEO ROMEO Courage, man. The hurt cannot be much. Have courage, man. The wound can’t be that bad. MERCUTIO MERCUTIO No, ’tis not so deep as a well nor so wide as a No, it’s not as deep as a well, or as wide as a church-door, but ’tis enough, ’twill serve. church door, but it’s enough. It’ll do the job. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me Ask for me tomorrow, and you’ll find me in a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for a grave. I’m done for in this world, I believe. this world. A plague o' both your houses! May a plague strike both your houses. Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat to scratch Goddammit! I can’t believe that dog, that rat, a man to death! A braggart, a rogue, a villain that mouse, that cat could scratch me to that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why death! That braggart, punk villain who fights the devil came you between us? I was hurt like he learned swordsmanship from a under your arm. manual! Why the hell did you come in between us? He struck me from under your arm. ROMEO ROMEO I thought all for the best. I thought it was the right thing to do.

Source Sheet created on Sefaria by Rabbi Mira Rivera for Romemu Open Book

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