I
The Torah describes the process of purification from tzara'as, in which the Kohen must take birds, cedar wood, red wool (shni tola'as) and hyssop (aizov) (Vayikra 14:4). Rashi interprets (as translated by Artscroll), "Since afflictions come about because of malicious talk (lashon hara) which is an act of verbal twittering, birds that twitter and chirp constantly were required for purification. Because afflictions come as a result of haughtiness, what is the cure for his affliction? He should lower himself from his arrogance like a worm (tola'as), and like hyssop (an herb which does not grow tall)."
When tzara'as is diagnosed, the Kohen quarantines that person to one house (Rashi ibid 13:4); while he is impure, he must stay in in isolation (badad). Rashi explains, "since he caused a parting (a dispute) by speaking leshon hara, he, too, shall be set apart."
"This is the law of the metzora on the day of his purification" (ibid 14:2). The Medrash Raba (ibid 16:2) explains the etymology of metzora as coming from motzi shem ra, slandering someone falsely. While lashon hara is forbidden even if it is true, slander is much worse (Chofetz Chaim 1:1).
The Gemara (Shabbos 33a-b) teaches that askara, the most difficult death (Berachos 8a), is a punishment for lashon hara. The Gemara's source for this assertion is, "The mouth of the liars will be stopped, yisacheir", literally choked, which connotes askara (as Rashi explains, a disease that chokes). This punishment is limited to liars, i.e. motzi shem ra (Maharsha).
II
All of Rabbi Akiva's students died because they did not honor one another. They all died a difficult death - askara - between Pesach and Shavuos (Yevamos 62b). The Maharal explains that honoring a friend is the essence of life, and leads to longevity (Megila 27b). It is literally the way of life (Brachos 28b), indicating that these students who died did not properly honor their friends.
Askara begins in the mouth and ends in the throat, the source of speech which defines human life. "Man became a living soul" (Bereishis 2:7) is rendered by Onkelos as, "a speaking soul." Askara is so called because the throat, the source of speech and life, is choked (niskar).
III
The Rambam (Hilchos Ta'aniyos 1:1-3) writes:
it is a Torah commandment to cry out to Hashem when a crisis besets the community...such as a plague (dever)...this is the path of teshuva, for when a crisis comes and they cry out to Hashem, all will know that because of their misdeeds they were punished. This prayer will cause the crisis to be removed from them. But if they will not cry out, but instead say, this is a natural occurrence which happened by chance, this is a path of cruelty which causes them to cling to their misdeeds and can add to even greater troubles. This is what the Torah states, "If you will not heed Me and will be indifferent, I will be indifferent to you, with a vengeance" (Vayikra 26:27,28). That is, when I bring a crisis upon you so that you repent, if you say it happened by chance, I will respond with vengeance to your indifference.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis which affects all of mankind. The Rambam enjoins us to view it as a wake-up call to heartfelt tefila and teshuva. Nearly a century ago, the Chofetz Chaim warned that a natural disaster in the Far East was Hashem's call to Am Yisrael to repent. "I have destroyed nations...I thought that you would fear Me, that you would learn a lesson" (Tzefania 3:6,7). If the lesson is not learned, Am Yisrael itself will suffer (Letters of the Chofetz Chaim, no. 30).
The present crisis, which originated in the Far East, has taken many lives. We all live in fear, isolation and apart, many in quarantine. Many victims are torn from their families as they enter hospitals, dying alone, mostly because of the inability to breathe. While we are unable to identify a particular misdeed for which we should repent, it behooves us all, at all times, to avoid lashon hara and motzi shem ra associated with askara. This is especially timely in the week of Parshas Tazria-Metzora, when verbal (and other forms of gossip and) twittering is named as the primary cause of tzara'as, and during Sefira when Rabbi Akiva's students died of askara because of interpersonal failings.
IV
Aharon HaKohen offered the ketores (incense) to atone for the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped (Bamidbar 17:12,13). As such, it is recommended to recite Pitum Haketores daily, even for those who usually say it only on Shabbos after Mussaf (Pele Yoetz, Dever).
But what caused the plague in the first place? It was caused by the paradigmatic dispute which was not for the sake of Heaven (Avos 5:20), that of Korach and his entire company. This began as a family feud (Rashi, Bamidbar 16:1) over leadership, and fueled by rabble-rousers it ensnared multitudes, including great God fearing men (Ha'amek Davar).
More important than reciting Pitum Haketores is eliminating disputes, both in families and within and between communities. These two responses - stopping lashon hara and seeking peace - are indeed the answers to the question we all ask at times of rampant death: "Who is the person who desires life and who loves days of seeing good?" (Tehilim 34:14,15)
As in the case of Korach, disputes often result from hubris, as does tzara'as. To be purified from tzara'as, and to end a plague, one must lower himself from his arrogance, as Rashi teaches.
The COVID-19 crises has not only led to difficult deaths and widespread illness. It has also crippled all of mankind, totally upending our way of life and our plans for the future. All of the amazing progress in medicine and technology is not a match for this microscopic coronavirus.
The obvious lesson is that Hashem, not mankind, controls the world. This should suffice to eliminate hubris from everyone. By lowering ourselves and by ceasing lashon hara and machlokes we can do our share to end this horrific plague. By heeding Hashem's call, as the Rambam and Chafetz Chaim warn, with heartfelt tefila and teshuva, may we soon be taken by Hashem, as in Nissan long ago, from sadness to happiness, from mourning to celebration, and from heavy darkness to great light.
More divrei Torah, audio and video shiurim from Rabbi Willig