Adam: The First Man to Speak Evil

The Torah uses the word  אדם (Adam, man, mankind) instead of the more common word איש (ish, man), to identify the leper.

“When a man (adam)  shall have a rising in his body’s skin, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes in the skin of his body the plague of leprosy, then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of his sons, the priests…”
Leviticus 13:2

While “adam” can and does mean “man,” (and has a connection to the word “red”), it hearkens back to Adam HaRishon, the First Man, who sinned in the Garden of Eden. Adam’s sin caused a shock wave effect of spiritual leprosy throughout creation, causing untold suffering in the world. When Adam was confronted about his sin by God, he immediately points at the woman, and says, “the woman YOU gave to be with me gave it to me.” Instead of owning up to his disobedience, he shifts the blame onto Eve (and God!), and speaks lashon hara, the evil tongue, malicious slander or gossip. The cause of tzara’at is ascribed to lashon hara, and the one who experiences tzara’at is called a metzora (leper). In Aramaic, the word for leper is “chivra,” which literally means “white”.

Brief Background about “adam”
“Adam” means man. It also means dust of the earth. Using different vowel points, “adam” becomes “edom”. (Remember Hebrew does not have vowels. The vowels are implied.) “Edom” means red. In Genesis 25, Esau is given the name “Edom” 

27 When the boys grew up, Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a civilized man, living in tents. 28 Now Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 When Jacob had cooked a stew one day, Esau came in from the field and he was exhausted; 30 and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a mouthful of that red stuff there, for I am exhausted.” Therefore he was called Edom by name. 31 But Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” 33 And Jacob said, “First swear to me”; so he swore an oath to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and got up and went on his way. So Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:27-34)

“Edom” means red. Esau wanted the “red stuff” to eat. Esau was red and hairy when he was born. “Edom” also means dirt or earth. It is a play on words that Esau is a “man of the field” (verse 27).

Sacrifice for the Leper
The book of Leviticus describes the sacrifice of the metzora,
“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, and the priest shall go forth out of the camp. The priest shall examine him, and behold, if the plague of leprosy is healed in the leper, then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. The priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. He shall sprinkle on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird go into the open field.”
Leviticus 14:2-7

What is the meaning of this sacrifice?
The following elements are:
Two Living Clean Birds
Cedar Wood
Scarlet
Hyssop
Earthen Vessel
Living (Running) Water
The message to the metzora is clear. His lashon hara will be atoned for by sacrificing the animal who “chatterers” throughout creation. On a deeper level, the clean tzippor (bird), is identified as either a Tor (turtledove) or a Yonah (dove). Both the “Tor” and the “Yonah” are names for the Mashiach. The word ‘tzippor’ (bird) has the gematria of ‘zehu Mashiach’ (this one is Messiah):
צפר = זהו משיח = 370

Two animals sacrificed
For the sacrifice of the metzora, one bird is to be killed while the other one is to be set free. This same sacrifice happens on Yom Kippur. Two identical goats are brought together, one is killed, and the other released. 

 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. 6 Then Aaron shall offer the bull as the sin offering, which is for himself, so that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. 7 He shall then take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 8 Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the Lord fell, and make it a [l]sin offering. 10 But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat. (Leviticus 16:5-10)

The exact same scenario played out with Yeshua and a man named “Yeshua bar Abba”, popularly known as Barabbas. One was killed while the other one was set free.

15 Now at the Passover Feast the governor was accustomed to release for the [f]people any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was because of envy that they had handed Him over.

19 And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “See that you have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.” 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas, and to put Jesus to death. 21 And the governor [i]said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “Crucify Him!” 23 But he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” Yet they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”
24 Now when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; you yourselves shall see.” 25 And all the people replied, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified. (Matthew 27:19-26)

Bird sacrificed: Blood and Water
As the bird is sacrificed, its blood joins the water flowing from the jar of clay. The human body is likened to a jar of clay, and God is the Potter.
But now, Lord, You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter,
And all of us are the work of Your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

When Jesus was crucified, we are told that water and blood came forth from His body.

31 Now then, since it was the day of preparation, to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath ([r]for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews requested of Pilate that their legs be broken, and the bodies be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other who was crucified with Him; 33 but after they came to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 Yet one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. (John 19:31-34)


Hyssop
In the Torah, the hyssop and cedar create a connecting thread between the Sacrifice of the Leper, the Red Heifer, and the blood of the Lamb for Passover. The Midrash Rabbah says,
“The hyssop, for instance, appears to man to be of no worth, yet its power is great in the eyes of God, who put it on a level with cedar in numerous cases,-in the purification of the leper, and the burning of the Red Heifer; and in Egypt too He commanded a precept to be performed with hyssop, as it says: AND YOU SHALL TAKE A BUNCH OF HYSSOP. Of Solomon, also, does it say: “And he spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springs out of the wall” (I Kings 5:13)- to teach you that the small and the great are equal in the sight of God. He performs miracles with the smallest things, and through the hyssop which is the most lowly of trees, did He redeem Israel.”
Exodus Rabbah 17:2, Soncino Press Edition

It is fascinating that the Gospel of John mentions “hyssop” at the execution stake of the Messiah. It may be possible that the stake itself was made of cedar wood.
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, *said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. 30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (John 19:28-30)

Like the cedar and the hyssop, the scarlet yarn formed a part of the korbanot of the Red Heifer, and the goats of Yom Kippur.

Messiah himself was cloaked in a garment of scarlet.
So Pilate then took Jesus and had Him flogged. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and put a scarlet cloak on Him; 3 and they repeatedly came up to Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapped Him in the face again and again. (John 19:1-3)

Jesus and Lepers

As we read Scripture, we can often gloss over many details. When we read about Jesus cleansing lepers, we often do not understand what leprosy was or how it affected an individual. It was a spiritual affliction which exiled the person. The person was not allowed to live in cities. The person had to dwell alone away from others. Before Jesus, no Israelite afflicted with leprosy was ever healed. Once a person was declared unclean with leprosy by a priest, the person remained that way for the rest of his life. Knowing all this, we can now begin to understand the implications for Jesus and His ability to cleanse a person from leprosy. We begin to understand how a person who was given a life sentence of exile now had hope of re-entering society. 

Many people believe and teach Jesus did not follow Torah, and Jesus did whatever He wanted. However, this is not so. Even Jesus follows Torah and its protocols in regards to leprosy (tzara’at).

Mark 1:40-45
40And a leper *came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and *said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44and He *said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.


Matthew 8:1-4
1When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”


Things to note:
1. Jesus told the lepers to go show themselves to the priest. The priest would be the one who would make the declaration of a person being cleansed from tzara’at.

2. Jesus told the lepers to present the offerings Moses commanded. Again, this emphasizes Jesus did not tell people to break the Torah. Instead, Jesus is upholding it.

3. Jesus did not heal the lepers. Many erroneously believe the lepers needed healing. No, they needed cleansing. Why? Because tzara’at was a spiritual affliction. When a person repented and/or renewed their faith with God, they went to a place called a mikvah. They completely submerged themselves into the water. When they came up, it is said they had a new birth. They were born again.


Washing was a requirement for cleansing the leper. In Leviticus 14, we read on the first day and on the seventh day, the person who has been declared free from tzara’at must bathe. Please note, this is not taking a shower; the person is not bathing because he is dirty. It is a ritual washing.

1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest, 3and the priest shall go out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look, and if the infection of leprosy has been healed in the leper, 4then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. 5The priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. 6As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the scarlet string and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slain over the running water. 7He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. 8The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe in water and be clean. Now afterward, he may enter the camp, but he shall stay outside his tent for seven days. 9It will be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair: he shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and be clean.


Does tzara’at still exist?
The short answer is no. Tzara’at seemed loonily be an affliction which plagued the Israelites (and also Naaman the Syrian). Priests are needed to declare someone unclean with the affliction. However, priests are needed to declare some cleansed from tzara’at. Then, offering must be brought to the Temple. As long as there is no Temple and no priesthood, there can be no tzara’at.

Although there is no tzara’at, that does not mean God does not use other means to punish use for evil speech. We may have financial struggles, car troubles, failed friendships, broken marriages, etc. God can use many things to teach us lessons. Moreover, evil speech is a poison which will create its own punishment. How many times have your own words spoken in secret come back to you? King Solomon warns about this in Ecclesiastes.

21Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you. 22For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others. (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22)

Furthermore, in your bedchamber do not curse a king, and in your sleeping rooms do not curse a rich man, for a bird of the heavens will carry the sound and the winged creature will make the matter known. (Ecclesiastes 10:20)

Scripture gives us many reprimands about speaking evil about one another.

12A worthless person, a wicked man,
Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth,
13Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet,
Who points with his fingers;
14Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil,
Who spreads strife.
15Therefore his calamity will come suddenly;
Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.
16There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
18A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers. (Proverbs 6:12-19)


We need to strive to speak well of one another. Scripture gives us many verses to meditate on as we try to let love and peace flow from our mouths.

17‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. 18You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:17-18)


23Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
24Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious speech far from you.
25Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established.
27Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:23-27)


6Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
7The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
8The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will be ruined.
9He who walks in integrity walks securely,
But he who perverts his ways will be found out.
10He who winks the eye causes trouble,
And a babbling fool will be ruined.
11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
But the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
12Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all transgressions. (Proverbs 10:6-12)


18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19We love, because He first loved us. 20If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. (1 John 4:18-21)


12So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:12-17)

Evil Speech: Being Placed Outside the Camp

Tzara’at Punishment
The punishment for tzara’at was to be isolated outside the camp. If a person was immediately declared unclean, the exile was permanent. However, if the priest was not sure if the person did or did not have tzara’at, the person was isolated seven days and potentially seven more days. If the person was declared clean, he was allowed to go back into the camp. If he was declared unclean, his isolation was permanent (until he was declared clean by the priest, brought offerings, cleansed himself and did the other obligations set forth by the Torah).

Many believe if the lashon hara was severe, only then would the person be immediately declared unclean with tzara’at. However, most lashon hara is done without much conscious thought. For this reason, many believe that is why there is a waiting period of up to two weeks before being given a definite decision about having or not having tzara’at. During this time, the person was outside the camp. He had time to think about his actions. If he repented, it is believed the tzara’at would not spread. If he was starting on the path to change his heart and ways, God would allow the person to continue the process back in the camp. If the person was not going to repent, God would make the isolation permanent.

What does it mean to be outside the camp
Being outside the camp meant a person was in exile. People inside the camp were not allowed to go to the people outside the camp and socialize with them. Being outside the camp was punishment. The people were not allowed to attend worship services or festivals. Being placed outside the camp was supposed to give the person time to reflect on his actions. If he repented, turned back to God and changed his ways, he would have to seek out leadership and ask to be re-instated in the camp.

Some examples of being set outsider the camp:

Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. (Exodus 12:15)

Seven days there shall be no leaven found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is an alien or a native of the land. (Exodus 12:19)

“For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’ (Leviticus 17:14)

‘As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people. (Leviticus 20:6)

If there is a man who lies with a menstruous woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow, and she has exposed the flow of her blood; thus both of them shall be cut off from among their people. (Leviticus 20:18)



Once declared clean, offerings and rituals
Once a priest declared someone free from tzara’at, the person has to bring a number of offerings and go through 8 days of specific tasks.

1Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest, 3and the priest shall go out to the outside of the camp. Thus the priest shall look, and if the infection of leprosy has been healed in the leper, 4then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds and cedar wood and a scarlet string and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. 5The priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. 6As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the scarlet string and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slain over the running water. 7He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. 8The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair and bathe in water and be clean. Now afterward, he may enter the camp, but he shall stay outside his tent for seven days. 9It will be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair: he shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water and be clean.

10“Now on the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, and a yearling ewe lamb without defect, and three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and one log of oil; 11and the priest who pronounces him clean shall present the man to be cleansed and the aforesaid before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 12Then the priest shall take the one male lamb and bring it for a guilt offering, with the log of oil, and present them as a wave offering before the Lord. 13Next he shall slaughter the male lamb in the place where they slaughter the sin offering and the burnt offering, at the place of the sanctuary—for the guilt offering, like the sin offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14The priest shall then take some of the blood of the guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 

15The priest shall also take some of the log of oil, and pour it into his left palm; 16the priest shall then dip his right-hand finger into the oil that is in his left palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the Lord. 17Of the remaining oil which is in his palm, the priest shall put some on the right ear lobe of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering; 18while the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm, he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the Lord. 19The priest shall next offer the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Then afterward, he shall slaughter the burnt offering. 20The priest shall offer up the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be clean.

21“But if he is poor and his means are insufficient, then he is to take one male lamb for a guilt offering as a wave offering to make atonement for him, and one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and a log of oil, 22and two turtledoves or two young pigeons which are within his means, the one shall be a sin offering and the other a burnt offering. 23Then the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, at the doorway of the tent of meeting, before the Lord. 24The priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and the log of oil, and the priest shall offer them for a wave offering before the Lord. 25Next he shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 

 

26The priest shall also pour some of the oil into his left palm; 27and with his right-hand finger the priest shall sprinkle some of the oil that is in his left palm seven times before the Lord. 28The priest shall then put some of the oil that is in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering. 29Moreover, the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement on his behalf before the Lord. 30He shall then offer one of the turtledoves or young pigeons, which are within his means. 31He shall offer what he can afford, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed. 32This is the law for him in whom there is an infection of leprosy, whose means are limited for his cleansing.” (Leviticus 14:1-32)

Things to note:
One the first day, the person had to go through a special ceremony of being sprinkled with the blood of a bird. The man has to wash his clothes and bathe in water. He is now free to come back into the camp. However, he cannot enter his tent. He must remain outside his tent for seven days.

On the seventh day, he must shave off all his hair, wash his clothes and bathe. Then he is clean. Now he can go back to his tent.

In the eighth day, the cleansed person now makes offerings. Eight represents new beginnings. Making these offerings signifies a new start to this person. He overcame tzara’at and thus he hopefully learned how to better guard his speech. Also, a person must be declared clean to making offerings. Thus, the person cannot make an offering before day 8, or he will have offered them while unclean and violated the Torah.


Cedar and Hyssop
The Torah prescribes an elaborate ritual for the cleansing of a leper after his symptoms have abated. The ritual involves several components including two live birds, scarlet wool, living water, hyssop and cedar wood. Jewish tradition provides meanings for each of the symbols.

Why did the cleansing of the leper require cedar wood? Rashi suggested that the purification ceremony employed cedar wood because the cedar, as a tall and lofty tree, represents the haughty spirit. The metaphor of a cedar as a haughty person comes from the words of the prophet Isaiah.
The LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and lofty and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased. And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up. (Isaiah 2:12-13)

A haughty spirit finds it difficult to tolerate other people's character flaws. The haughty person fails to recognize his own shortcomings. Instead, he focuses on the shortcomings of others. Most often, when we speak ill of others, it is because we are defending our own pride. People elevate themselves by stepping on other people. By putting someone else down, we think we are lifting ourselves up. 

 

The Proverbs contrast two kinds of people: a person who guards his words and a person with a haughty spirit:
He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles. "Proud," "Haughty," "Scoffer," are his names, who acts with insolent pride. (Proverbs 21:23-24)

The Psalms also equate haughtiness with evil speech. Psalm 101 warns that God punishes the slanderer and does not endure haughtiness:
Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; no one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure. (Psalm 101:5)

The big, tall, haughty cedar is the most likely tree in the forest to be cut down. As the saying goes, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling" (Proverbs 16:18). The Bible says that God's "eyes are on the haughty to bring them low" (1 Samuel 22:28).

In our attempts to elevate ourselves by stepping on others, we inevitably lower ourselves. This is part of what Jesus meant when He taught that if a man lifts himself up he will be humbled, but if he humbles himself he will be lifted up.

Hyssop is also used in the ceremony. Hyssop is a plant which lies close to the ground. It is believed hyssop represents being lowly and humbled. The person with tzara’at was sprinkled with the hyssop to remind him that he should be lowly and humble like the hyssop.