This week’s Torah portion, Metzora, tells of the laws of one finding Tzora’as on his house. The Torah says that[1] “When you come to the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as a possession, and I place a lesion of Tzora’as upon a house in the land of your possession …” Rashi comments that “Finding lesions of Tzora’as is (actually) good news for the Jews. The Emorim had hidden away treasures of gold inside the walls of their houses throughout the entire forty years that the Jews were in the desert. It is because of finding the lesion, that one will demolish the house and find them.”
Why does Rashi assume that the Emorim were hiding their treasures throughout the forty years? It would seem much simpler to say that they began hiding their treasures after the conquest of Sichon and Og by the Jews. Rashi clearly writes that Sichon and Og were the two kings upon whom the Emorim relied[2]. It would seem that it was then, near the end of the forty years, that they would have become frightened and begin hiding their gold.
This can be answered in the following manner. Hiding one’s treasures in the walls of his house is indicative of two apparently contradictory feelings. On the one hand, it indicates that he is afraid of being conquered, and that is why he hides his treasure. On the other hand, hiding it in the walls of his house demonstrates that he is confidant of returning to his house.
This explains why they began hiding their treasures immediately after the Jews left Egypt. At the time of the Exodus, they already knew that the Jews would possess their land. Therefore, that was when they began hiding their gold.
They knew that Hashem told Avrohom that[3] “the fourth generation will return here (to Israel), for the iniquity of the Emorim will not be complete until then.” This demonstrated that the Land of Israel does not tolerate sin; which is why the Jews could not return to Israel until the “sin of the Emorim was complete.” Since a nation’s sins would not allow him to remain in this land, they hoped that at some point they would retake the land (and their homes), because the Jews would not (Chas Veshalom) merit to remain.
May our actions earn us the right to return to Israel in the complete and true redemption together with Moshiach now!
Wishing one and all a good Shabbos and a Kosher and happy Pesach!
Rabbi Shmuel Mendelsohn
Adapted from Likkutei Sichos Volume 32, Page 91
IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR FATHER
Mr. Sholom Moshe Hacohen
ben Reb Shlomo Meir Hacohen ע”ה Cohen
Passed away Shabbos Parshas Beshalach, 13 Shevat, 5779
May His Soul be bound in the Eternal Bond of Life
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DEDICATED BY HIS FAMILY
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לעילוי נשמת
ר’ שלום משה הכהן בן ר’ שלמה מאיר הכהן ע”ה כהן
נפטר ש”ק פ’ בשלח, י”ג שבט, ה’תשע”ט
ת. נ. צ. ב. ה.
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יו”ל ע”י בני משפחתו שיחיו
[1]. Our Parshah, Vayikroh 14:34.
[2]. Parshas Balak, Bamidbar 22:2.
[3]. Parshas Lech Lecho, Bereishis 15:16.
The Rebbe Teaches Rashi 