Shemini Tazria Mitzvas of the Mouth

[Rabbi Tal Zwecker]

In parsha Shemini we discuss what goes into our mouths Maachalos Asuros, the different categories of kashrus of things we can and cannot eat. Many people dont understand kashrus they ask what does G-d care what you eat? But that truth is You are what you eat. Literally. Your physical body is made up of the building blocks from the food you consume. The Torah tells us that this has a an effect on our souls as well. Read not as veNitmesim Bam - that it defiles you, but rather veNitamtem Bam - that it clogs your mind and heart. The Baal Shem Tov's grandson, the author of Degel Machne Efraim (Ekev) says that his grandfather's great disciple, the Toldos Yaakov Yosef quotes an amazing Teshuvas HaRambam, it seems that a community questioned the Rambam on the authenticity for Chazal's mesora for our traditional belief of resurrection and techuyas hamesim, they scoffed at the proofs brought. The Rambam chastised them and wrote back that surely their apikorsus and disbelief stemmed from the fact that they ate forbidden foods and the non kosher food had meddled with their minds and clogged their hearts!

Next in Tazria we read about the Metzora who is afflicted for what comes out of his mouth namely Lashon HaRa.

Both these Parshas follow Pesach a YomTov whose Name  (according to the AriZal) means Peh Sach - the speaking mouth. In fact all of the mitzvos connected are done with our mouths. Eating the matzah (during beis hamikdash of the korban Pesach), the marror, the karpas and charroses, drinking the 4 cups of wine and retelling the Sippur Yetziyas Mitzraim of the Exodus from Egypt. Even counting Sefiras HaOmer which begins on night 2 of Pesach - all done with the mouth.