Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

"This is the teaching of the leper תורת המצורע  on the day of his becoming pure…" (14,2)

 His Torah

On the words "This is the teaching of the leper תורת המצורע  on the day of his becoming pure" the Chovot Halivavot says that when a person speaks slander about his friend, his mitzvahs are taken away from him and the person about whom he spoke is credited with them. Moreover,the sins of the person he spoke about are transferred to him.

 Accordingly, the Eretz Tzvi says we can understand the Gemara (Rosh Hashanah) that says, "If one forgives others, all his sins will be forgiven". In other words, if a person knows that slander was spoken against him and he restrains himself – his sins are transferred from him and the people who spoke against him are accredited with them.

 We learn from here that a person who speaks slander looses the entire Torah that he learned in toil and everything goes to the friend about whom he spoke. The reason why  must be very careful of one’s words.

However the Torah says, "This is the teaching of the leper תורת המצורע  on the day of his becoming pure" –For  that leper – מצורע -who speaks badly about his friend - (שמוציא שם רע על חברו) – when will his Torah return to him? "On the day of his becoming pure"  - on the day that he repents and purifies himself from the sins of his slander.

 SHABBAT SHALOM!!