April 17th, 2021 — Tazria-Metzora 5781
In ancient times, when the affliction appeared experts were called to determine if it was a harmless, surface reaction, or a symptom of a dangerous illness taking root in a body already profoundly unwell. Today the experts– those closest to the pain point—are unequivocal: the contagion of violence in our society is no surface rash. Police killings, mass shootings—these are not isolated incidents, individual tragedies. Those pulling the trigger are not lone gunmen, bad apples. A dangerous affliction has taken root in our nation, and it threatens to destroy the whole body if it’s not rooted out.