Beyond Orthodox Conversion to Judaism

"The Kohen shall look at the affliction on the skin of his flesh: If hair in the affliction has changed to white, and the affliction's appearance is deeper than the skin of the flesh - it is a tzaraas affliction; the Kohen shall look at it and declare him contaminated"

Rav Moshe Sternbuch, Raavad of the Eidah HaChareidis Beis Din, in his sefer Ta'am V'Da'as brings down in the name of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter that what is the connection from Parshas Shemini that deals with animals that one is not allowed to eat and Parshas Thazria that discusses the laws of tzaraas?

A person is careful in the foods that they eat to make sure that they have the highest kosher certification but they are not careful how they speak. The connection between the two parshas is to teach us that if one is careful and does not eat those animals that the Torah forbids and contaminates our souls, still a person has to be very careful what comes out of our mouths as well.

The reason for this is because that which comes out of our mouths can contaminate as well since the sin of Lashon Hara causes tzaraas and blemishes on a person. There are three classes of people that speak Lashon Harah. 1) Se'eis which a person speaks against someone else to make themselves look better by putting someone down. 2) Sapachas - the nature of these people is not to speak Lashon Hara but they hang out with scoffers and mockers of Torah and they are not able to stand up to them and they end up acting like them. 3) Baheres - every secret is known and clear to him and his hand and mouth are in everything, which makes them very dangerous.

Here we see, Rav Sternbuch tells us that there is great merit for someone who is able to close their mouths and not speak Lashon Hara. If we see the punishment for Lashon Hara is tzaraas and people will stay away from him because of these blemishes, all the more so the merit the receive if they are quiet and are careful with what they say.

We live in a world without limitations of how people don't care what they say or how they say it. Great is the person and the merit they receive for learning when to keep their mouth shut!