LEV135 The portion of "Tazria" serves as a lesson that we must refrain from speaking loshon hora. The entire portion of Tazria is a lesson in guarding one's tongue. The Rambam writes that the disease of tzoraas was a supernatural disease sent to warn someone to refrain from speaking loshon hora. There were three levels of tzoraas. The first attacked the person's house. If he repented, then it would spread no further. If, however, he continued speaking against others, his clothes would contract tzoraas. Again, if he repented, it would stop spreading. If he did not, then his body would be afflicted with tzoraas. (Hilchos Tumas Tzoraas 16:10). The Chofetz Chayim pointed out that from the severity of the tumah (spiritual uncleanliness) of the metzora (the person afflicted with tzoraas), we have an indication of the severity of loshon hora. This is the only type of tumah in which the person is required to stay entirely out of the camp or city where other people live. (Shmiras Haloshon 1:5). In accordance with the concept that tzoraas is a punishment for speaking loshon hora, the Chasan Sofer said that verse 2 points to three reasons why people might speak against others: 1) Sais (a rising). A person might speak against others to raise his own stature. Others have faults which he feels he does not have. 2) Sapachas (a scab): A person might join (sipuach) a group of people who speak against others. In ordinary circumstances he would not speak loshon hora, but he tries to be sociable and behave like people around him. 3) Baheres (a bright spot): A person might have done something against someone else, and in an attempt to exonerate himself, he speaks against that person. That is, he clarifies (bahir) the reason for his behavior. A person should be aware of his motive for speaking loshon hora and then work on correcting himself.