והובא אל הכהן, to a site near the boundary of the encampment where the priest can come to inspect the afflicted person easily without having to subject himself to special effort.
“and he will be brought to the priest.” We read this as if it had been written in the past tense, “he had come.” The reason is that there was no one who could have brought him, as everyone had been warned not to associate with him in any manner.
Nowadays, when we do not have priests who can perform the steps leading to the rehabilitation of an afflicted person (including the sacrifices), repentance is the only instrument by which we can cleanse ourselves. The right hand of G'd is always stretched out to welcome penitent sinners.
"Human nature's control over a person is compelling. The moment that he is healed from his illness, he no longer senses the urgency to attain his purity. Thus, he must be brought to the Kohen" even if by force. (Peninim on the Torah, 9th Edition, pg 205)
Bringing in the Isolated
Shem M'Shmuel's interpretation:
"When the metzora is ourside of the camp, he should make every effort to come closer to the Kohen -- his lifestyle, his way of thinking, his total demeanor. By advancing towards the Kohen, the metzora purifies his heart and mind. When he has succeeded in motivating himself forward, then the Kohen will approach him. The sinner has to make the first move and demonstrate his true conviction. Only at such time will his teshuvah be accepted."
Siach Ha'sadeh's interpretation:
"The Kohen is the righteous leader of the generation. On his plateau of virtue, the most minor infraction is viewed as a grave sin. Hence, he might look at the average Jew with derision. He will abhor his sins, not realizing that he is simply not on the same spiritual level as the Kohen. He must learn to view the actions of the simple Jew in a positive light. The tzaddik/Kohen must recognize that if he were outside of the camp, away from the safety and shelter of the four cubits of Torah; if he were out in the market place dealing with people of diverse backgrounds and perhaps, base character, he might not be so virtuous himself. Consequently, the Torah tells the Kohen: Image yourself out of the camp. Remove yourself from your protective environment and look at what the man in front of you has to experience. Look at those with whom he must come in contact; take into consideration the type of life to which he has been exposed. Now the Kohen is prepared to observe the plague and heal the metzora." (Peninim on the Torah, 7th Edition, pg 202)
Devorah Weisberg's Interpretation: (http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/reaching-out-to-the-isolated/)
The metzora, as a result of contracting a disfiguring disease, has been exiled from the community. While this precaution may have risen from the desire to prevent the spread of a contagious disease, it undoubtedly left the metzora feeling emotionally, as well as physically, alone.
Cured of his illness, the metzora is now permitted to rejoin the community, but the period of isolation may have left him angry and withdrawn. The priest goes out to meet the metzora in part to draw him back into the community. Reentering the community is a gradual process, reflecting the difficulty the metzora experiences reconnecting with other human beings.
Our communities include individuals who for one reason or another feel isolated. We cannot ignore these people or contribute to their feelings of estrangement. Fear of their afflictions is no excuse for causing them further pain. Just as the priest goes out to meet the metzora, so too we must reach out to those in our midst who have been excluded, drawing them back into a caring community.