There is a Meshech Chochma in this week's parsha that fits hand in glove with a Meshech Chochma we discussed a mere 5 years ago. In parshas Vayechi, we read how Yaakov reversed his hands and placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, even though he was the younger son, and his left hand on Menashe's head, even though Menashe was older. Why was the placing of the hands so significant? Meshech Chochma writes that right represents the revelation of Hashem derech nes; left represents the revelation of Hashem within teva. אַף־יָדִי֙ יָ֣סְדָה אֶ֔רֶץ וִימִינִ֖י טִפְּחָ֣ה שָׁמָ֑יִם (Yeshayahu 48:13). The right hand is used to create the heavens; the left hand to create earth. We read in Zos haBracha that "mi'mino aish das lamo," that Torah is given with Hashem's right hand, kavyachol, but when we abandon the Torah, "af choveiv amim," Hashem gets is angry with us and as a result the nations are beloved, and "kol kidoshav b'yadecha," we are held in His left hand, kavyachol.
In Zos haBracha, Rashi comments on the words וְהֵם֙ רִבְב֣וֹת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְהֵ֖ם אַלְפֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה that רִבְב֣וֹת are the multitudes killed by Yehoshua, who was from sheivet Ephraim, and the אלפים are those killed by Gidon, who was from Menashe. Meshech Chochma connects Moshe's words to the pasuk (Teh 91:7) יִפֹּ֤ל מִצִּדְּךָ֨ אֶ֗לֶף וּרְבָבָ֥ה מִימִינֶ֑ךָ אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א יִגָּֽשׁ. He explains that וּרְבָבָ֥ה מִימִינֶ֑ךָ, on the right, because it corresponds to רִבְב֣וֹת אֶפְרַ֔יִם, and Yaakov placed his right hand on Ephraim's head. מִצִּדְּךָ֨ אֶ֗לֶף, on the left side, corresponds to אַלְפֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה, and Yaakov placed his left hand on Menashe. Ephraim devoted himself exclusively to Torah study. He lived a life detached from normal day to day events, a "right handed" life. Therefore, his descendent Yehoshua merited open miracles like the sun stopping in the middle of the sky to help him pursue and defeat his enemies, the rivivos Ephraim. Menashe helped deal with the mundane affairs that Yosef had to administer. He was his father's "left hand." His descendants would work within the derech ha'teva to defeat the enemies of the Jewish people, the alphei Menashe.
When we take the Torah out we say the pesukim of "va'yehi bi'nso'a" where Moshe davened for Hashem to scatter our enemies. When we put the Torah back, we say "shuvah Hashem rivivos alphei Yisrael" -- rivivos and alaphim, Ephraim and Menashe, l'maaleh min ha'teva and b'toch ha'teva as one.
The gemara (Sota 47a) writes רבי שמעון בן אלעזר אומר, יצר תינוק ואשה תהא שמאל דוחה וימין מקרבת. The Meshech Chochma in our parsha uses a slightly different formulation, but his basic point in interpreting this Chazal is consistent with this right/left split. We don't believe in eschewing materialism completely. There is a role even for the yetzer, or otherwise we might not procreate. However, we have to always keep in mind what the end goal is. The right-handed l'shem shamyim ימין force should guide us, not the left-handed force of gashmiyus for its own sake.
The gemara (Menachos 25, a recent daf yomi) tells us that while ordinarily the left hand cannot be used for avodah, it is allowed on Yom Kippur, when the kohen carries the ketores into kodesh kodashim using a kli held in that hand. On Y"K we completely separate ourselves from the material world, so on that day even the left hand is empowered for holiness.
What does all this have to do with our parsha? In the process of the taharah of the metzora, the oil to be dabbed on him is placed in the kohen's left hand וְטָבַ֤ל הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶת־אֶצְבָּע֣וֹ הַיְמָנִ֔ית מִן־הַשֶּׁ֕מֶן אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־כַּפּ֖וֹ הַשְּׂמָאלִ֑ית (14:15) The kohen who exemplifies leading a life where the left has its proper place -- his eating is done b'kedusha, e.g. kodshim and terumah; he is barred from marrying certain women; he cannot do avodah when he is tamei -- such a person can serve as the role model for the metzora of how to achieve a proper balance in life. We are not meant to live בּדד ישׁב like a hermit, divorced from the world, but at the same time. That is a temporary measure designed to enable a return to the right balance.
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