This is analogous to a noblewoman who entered the king’s palace. When she saw the whips hanging, she was afraid. The king said to her: ‘Fear not, those are for the slaves and the maidservants, but you will eat, drink, and rejoice.’ When Israel heard the Torah portion dealing with tzara’as, they were afraid. Moses reassured them: ‘Fear not, these are for the nations of the world, but you will eat, drink, and rejoice,’ as it is stated: “There are many pains for the wicked, but one who trusts in the Lord – kindness surrounds him” (Psalms 32:10). (Vayikra Rabba 15:4)

This Medrash raises two questions. First, the gemora tells us that tzara’as only applies to Jews, not to gentiles. Yet this medrash seems to say the exact opposite!  Second, when exactly is a Jew supposed to “eat, drink and rejoice” in connection with tzara’as? In general, Jews don’t believe in the “eat, drink and be merry” philosophy of life!

I saw an answer that resolves both difficulties, and I’d like to share it. The medrash tells us that the king has various punishments for those who misbehave. This reminds me of a beloved uncle of mine — a wonderful father to his children. In his house, the children were all aware that somewhere in the back of the closet was a special belt with nails in it. They were threatened that if they ever misbehaved, they would be beaten with this belt, which would cause many cuts in their skin. The mere thought of it kept the children in line; they were absolutely petrified.

Years later, when the children were grown, I asked them if they had ever actually seen that belt. None of his children could recall ever seeing the belt. Curiously, I asked my aunt the truth. She told me that in fact there was never such a belt. The threat alone was enough to keep the children in line. Only if the children would have been “really bad children”, would their father have needed to produce or even create such a belt.

This, I believe, may be the deeper idea behind the medrash. Tzara’as is a warning – a threat meant to inspire repentance. When a Jew gets a possible tzara’as and must go to the Kohein, the entire process should prompt him to repent. The goal is that the actual punishment never needs to be meted out. The “whip” stays in the closet.

The idea of eating, drinking and rejoicing reflects the fact that the threat itself enables us to function as human beings without the concern that we will one day be eradicated. This is indeed a great reason to rejoice.

The non-Jews, lacking the same pure soul, will not necessarily hearken to these warnings. They may have to be beaten, even to the point of destruction!

This understanding of the medrash has a pertinent message for us today. We live in a time when much of the non-Jewish world seems intent on criticizing and even harming the Jewish people. I cannot recall a time when the eyes of the world have been so fixed on us – watching our behavior, our every policy – for such an extended period. In such a climate, it is especially important that we make our ways “godly”, in particular, by caring for others in a way that shows that we are truly Hashem’s Chosen nation. This way we will hopefully have Hashem keep “His belt in the closet”.

Ultimately, lev melachim bayad Hashem (Proverbs 21:1). But it is much better if we repent on our own, before we are persecuted, avoiding harsher decrees that threaten our beliefs and religious freedom. Though Hashem knows that the Jewish people will serve him even if persecuted, He would rather that we act properly without the need of painful reminders or threats.

The Shla HaKodesh (Rabbi Yeshayahu HaLevi Horowitz 1555-1630) teaches that the nations of the world can never achieve true, lasting peace amongst themselves – because if they ever did, they would unite against the Jews and destroy us! A great Talmid Chacham once explained to me that this is why the United Nations will never be successful.

May Hashem protect Jewish communities everywhere from antisemitism. My prayer is that all nations choose the path of peace, allowing every Jew to live and practice their faith without fear—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—so that we may serve Hashem openly and wholeheartedly.