Positive Mitzvah 74: Offering for the "Zav"
Leviticus 15:13-14 "And when he that is a Zav is cleansed from being a Zav... And on the eighth day, he shall take for himself..."

The Zav impurity applies only to males. A man purifying himself from this type of impurity is commanded to bring the type of sacrifice that is specified in the Torah.

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Positive Mitzvah 77: Offering brought by a Metzorah
Leviticus 14:10 "On the eighth day, he shall take..."

Debby and Ruth were good friends. One day, a girl in their class told Debby a secret about Ruth. As a result of what she had heard Debby stopped playing with Ruth.

Ruth was certain that Debby's change in attitude was relate to what her classmate had told Debby. Imagine how hurt and unhappy Ruth was! All because of some silly secrets!

The Torah warns us not to gossip. It tells us that a person who does gossip and speaks badly of others, may contact a type of impurity called Tzara'at - which appears as a skin ailment.

This impurity prevents the person from interaction with other people and he must be secluded outside of the community. The Torah implies that he deserves such punishment, because his gossiping caused friends to split and separate from one another (See also Positive Mitzvot 101, 112). When he is purifying himself, he is commanded to bring the type of sacrifice that is specified in the Torah.

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People think that to attain truth you have to pulverize boulders, move mountains and turn the world upside-down. It's not so. Truth means talking to G-d with sincerity, learning Torah knowing that this is something G-dly, helping out the other guy wholeheartedly -- truth is found in the little things.

On the other hand, to move a mountain takes some dynamite and a few bulldozers. To do one of those little things can take a lifetime of working on yourself.

You do what you can: Learn and meditate and pray and improve yourself in the ways you know how -- and G-d will help that what you do will be with Truth.

From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com