Motzei Shabbos Maaseh #3- Tazria-Metzorah

Living in Israel, we don't even realize what we speak. I mean, we speak Ivrit, (Hebrew) but that language truly comes from the language of the Torah- Lashon HaKodesh.

Why is Lashon HaKodesh called Lashon HaKodesh- the holy language? Is there something so unique about it that it deserves to be called holy? (Besides for the fact that the Torah is written in it, and so therefore it is holy- it should be holy by itself in order to have the Torah written in it.)

The Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim (Guide to the Perplexed) gives an answer to it, that since Lashon HaKodesh has no bad language- no curses or swear words, therefore, it is called holy. This seems interesting- why does that give it the designation of holiness? Just because it doesn't have bad language?

In this week's parsha, it discusses Tzaaras, leprosy- which is a punishment for speaking Lashon Hara- negative facts about another person. It is very interesting, as it is a unique punishement for that sin.

R' Yerucham Levovitz, former Mashgiach of Mir, states some interesting facts about Tzaaras. Tzaaras is given not as a punishment for speaking negatively about another person, but it is a natural outgrowth of the person's negativity. As if the person himself has a flaw, and that flaw causes the natural outspurt of a physical problem. It's as if the flaw manifests itself on the outward part of a person.

A non kosher animal, known as a Behaimah Temaiah (impure animal), has signs of impurity- that it doesn't have split hooves, or chew it's cud. However, we might think that that is what makes it impure, unfit for Jewish people to eat. The answer is not that- but rather, that because these animals are not-kosher, they innately have this certain impurity, and therefore, it manifests itself on their outward apperance.

The same goes for holiness- if something is innately holy- it will express itself outwardly. There seems to be an outpouring of holiness from something, which expresses itself in the physical world.

That is why Lashon HaKodesh is holy. Because it itself is holy- it's "Kadosh Hu- it is holy"- as the Rambam says, so therefore, it has no bad language. It expresses the holiness in itself, and that is why the world was created and the Torah was written with Lashon HaKodesh.