The Torah Portion of Tazria discusses at length the spiritual malaise of tzoraaswhereby a person is afflicted with white blotches on his skin. He must then experience a period of isolation and finally undergo a process of purification. The Talmud tells us that this affliction comes about because of a person's sins, in particular that of lashon hara (negative speech).(1) The process that the metsora must undergo is intended to demonstrate to him the destructiveness of his sin