Parshat Tazria: Soaring Like Eagles

In Parshat Tazria, the Torah discusses the affliction of tzaraas, a skin lesion that appears due to various sins. The pasuk says, “Adam ki yihiyeh”— if a person develops tzaraas, he must be brought to Aharon HaKohen or one of his sons, the kohanim.

There’s an important question: Why does the Torah use the word adam—a term of distinction and honor—when referring to someone who sinned and developed tzaraas? Shouldn’t a less prestigious term be used?

I heard from my father, Rav Yitzchok Fingerer, shlit”a, that the Alshich explains a profound idea. Tzaraas is not a mark of a person’s lowliness, but rather a reflection of his greatness. Tzaraas afflicts a person because he is adam—he is distinguished. Hashem expects more from those who have greater potential. Our struggles and sins arise not because we are inferior, but because we are destined for greatness. Our unlimited potential is precisely why Hashem holds us to higher standards.

There is a powerful story illustrating this idea:

A farmer once found a large, unusual egg and placed it among the chicken eggs in his coop. When the eggs hatched, a peculiar-looking chick emerged—it was not a chicken at all, but an eagle. The eagle grew up among the chickens, scratching for worms, clucking, and never daring to fly.

One day, the young eagle saw a majestic bird soaring high above. Curious, he asked a chicken what kind of bird it was. The chicken replied, “That’s an eagle, the king of the skies. But we’re chickens—we don’t fly.”

Later, an adult eagle landed near the coop. Recognizing the young eagle, he exclaimed, “Why are you down here? You are an eagle—you belong in the sky!” At first, the young eagle resisted, believing himself to be merely a chicken. But the older eagle took him on his back and soared into the sky. Finally, encouraged, the young eagle spread his own wings—and flew.

The lesson is clear: many of us are like that eagle, unaware of our true greatness. We live among “chickens,” forgetting that we are meant to soar. We are holy and capable of ascending to the greatest heights. Our struggles and punishments are reminders of our enormous potential. Let’s embrace who we are. Let’s soar high and reach even greater heights!

By Aryeh Fingerer