"This is the statute of the
Torah... and they shall take to you a red heifer
." (19:2)
In speaking of the laws of the red heifer, the Torah states, "This is
the statute of the Torah," not just the statute of the red heifer. The red
heifer has the power to purify one who was defiled, yet those who partake in the
preparation of the red heifer become defiled. The verse is teaching us one of
the basic lessons of the Torah, that we are obligated to help our fellow Jew,
even if it requires sacrifice. (The Lubavitcher
Rebbe) "This is the statute of the Torah." (19:2) Comments
Rashi, the foremost Torah commentator: "Such is My decree: you do not have
permission to second-guess [the Torah]." The same word for permission appears
in Ethics of the Fathers (3:15): "Everything is foreseen, yet permission
[freedom of choice] is granted." Permission implies that something is possible;
"you do not have permission" implies that second-guessing G-d is outside
the realm of possibility. In truth, it is against the Jew's nature to question
a Divine decree. If doubts do exist, they are only the product of the Evil Inclination. (The
Lubavitcher Rebbe)
The sin of the Golden Calf came about through a weakness
in faith. Its rectification is the commandment of the Red Heifer, a statute so
blatantly non-rational that its fulfillment can only be through total faith.
(Rebbe Yitzchak of Vorke - translated from Sichat HaShavuah #443) "
Which
has no blemish, which has never borne a yoke." (19:2) If
a person sees himself as "without blemish," confident that he has already
reached perfection, it is a sure sign that he "has never borne a yoke"
-- he has never accepted the yoke of heaven. Otherwise he would understand that
he is still full of flaws and imperfections... (The Seer of Lublin) "Speak
to the Children of Israel, that they bring to you a completely red cow on which
there is no blemish, that has never borne a yoke." (19:2) "It
should be perfect in redness; if there were two black hairs upon it, it would
be disqualified." Rashi In the same way a red heifer is prevented from
being "perfect" by the appearance of two black hairs, so too is a Jew's
perfection disqualified by even the slightest "hairsbreadth" of dishonesty
or deception, as it states, "You shall be perfect [whole] with the L-rd your
G-d." (Chidushei HaRim) "This is the statute of the Torah...a
completely red cow." (19:2) Why does the Torah refer to the laws
of the red heifer as the "statute of the Torah" rather than "the
statute of the red heifer," which would seem more logical? To teach us that
the concept of purity is central to Judaism, the very foundation of a Torah-true
life. Rather than constituting only one of the Torah's 613 mitzvot, it is the
basis and starting point for all the others. (Peninei Torah)
"This is the law, when a man dies in a tent." (19:14)
When do the holy words of Torah truly endure? According to the Talmudic Sage
Reish Lakish, only if a person "kills" himself (demonstrates real self-sacrifice)
in the "tents" of Torah learning. And as the verse continues, "everyone
who comes into the tent, and all that is in the tent"- anyone who comes into
contact with the Torah scholar and supports his study will derive benefit.
(Rabbi Avraham Mordechai of Gur) "This is the law when a
man dies in a tent (ohel)." (19:14) Symbolically, the tent is the
"tent of Torah study"; the "dying" symbolic of the devotion
of the Torah scholar, who "kills" himself with the effort. Unfortunately,
it often happens that the Torah is only valued when it is still in the ark, and
the Torah scholar isn't appreciated until after he is lying in his grave (another
meaning of the word "ohel"), as no one paid much attention to him during
his lifetime... (Nachalei Devash) "This is the torah (law),
a man..." (19:14) The Torah is arranged in the same form as a man's
body. Just as there are physically 248 limbs and 365 sinews in the body, correspondingly
there are 248 positive and 365 negative commandments in the Torah. The 248 limbs
of a person receive their sustenance from the 248 positive commandments, and the
365 sinews draw their sustenance from the 365 negative commandments. (Likutei
Torah) "Every open vessel that does not have a tight seal is impure."
[19:15] This refers [also] to the mouth! If as person can't shut it at appropriate
times, 'he is impure.' Silence is preferable to speech. (Rebbe Elimlech of
Lisensk -translated from Sichat HaShavuah #494) "Aharon
will [die and] be gathered to his people." [20:24] Even though Aharon
departed this earthly life, his good qualities did not die; they were "gathered
to his people" to influence them and be part of them forever. (Penini
Torah -translated from Sichat HaShavuah #443) "And from the wilderness
to Matana [literally "gift"]." (21:18) Our Sages commented:
He who makes himself a "wilderness," that is, works at refining his
character until his own ego is as ownerless as the unclaimed land of a wilderness,
will be truly worthy of receiving the precious gift of the Torah. (Degel Machane
Efraim) "Make yourself [the image of] a poisonous snake and place
it on a pole" (21:8) The suffering and afflictions that befall a
person have hidden good in them, since 'no evil comes from above' and 'everything
is for the good'. But when this elavated good comes down to this world, it seems
to be suffering and evil and we cannot see the positive in it. That is why it
says: "and place it on a banner": if you contemplate the "snake"
(symbol of evil) as it is in the higher spheres, at its root and source - you
will conclude that also suffering is for the good. (Likutei Torah - translated
from Sichat HaShavuah no.134) "Make yourself [the image of] a serpent
and put it on a pole (neis), and let whoever is bitten look at it and live."
(21:8) "Does a snake cause death or life? However, when Israel looked
heavenward and subjected their hearts to their Father in heaven, they would be
healed." (Rashi) In Hebrew a miracle is referred to as a neis, which
means a pole or banner-like the one that Moshe erected in the desert. And, just
like the original neis, the purpose of a miracle is to help us lift up our eyes
to G-d and thereby elevate our perception of reality. When we see the world from
a higher vantage point, what we used to consider impossible, now becomes possible-even
natural. Whenever you are faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge, realize
that it is an opportunity to rise to a higher plane, where the impossible becomes
commonplace. ("Moshiach Day by Day" - 14 Tevet) |
"This is the Torah's decree... have them bring you a completely red
cow which has no blemish." (19:2) There is a profound link between
the precept of the "red heifer" and the principle of Messianic redemption:
Mitzvot signify life. When one follows the commandments one attaches himself to
the Al-mighty and draws spiritual vitality from the Source of All Life. Sin signifies
death. Violating G-d's will disrupts attachment to the Creator, thus bringing
about the "impurity of death." Both the red cow and the Messianic redemption
effect purification. For just as the ashes of the red cow are used for removing
a legal state of impurity, the Final Redemption with Moshiach will purify the
entire people of Israel from any trace of deficiency in their bond with G-d.
(Peninei HaGeula) [Reprinted with permission from L'Chaim Magazine (www.lchaim.org).]
"..bring you a perfectly red heifer.." (19:2) Nine
red heifers were prepared from this mitzvah was given until the destruction of
the Second Temple. The first was prepared by Moshe, the second by Ezra, and there
were seven from Ezra until the destruction of the Temple. The tenth will be made
by King Mashiach - May he be speedily revealed! Amen, may this be Your Will!
(Rambam - MishneTorah, Laws of the Red Heifer) When Moshiach will come,
he will prepare the red heifer, the tenth since the one prepared by Moshe in the
desert. It can be said that since "Moshe and Aharon are with them,"
all details in the preperation of the red heifer will be through Aharon. Thus,
even though the preparing of the first red heifer was done by Elazar, son of Aharon,
as it is written, "the commandment [is performed] by the deputy [to the High
Priest]" (Rashi, BaMidbar 19:4), this was because the red heifer was
made in order to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf, which was made through
Aharon, and the prosecutor is not made into a defender. However, in the Future
to Come, when the atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf will be totally completed,
this reason will no longer apply and Aharon will surely prepare the heifer himself.
(The Lubavitcher Rebbe 5747 - translated by Michoel-Lieb Dobry) Moses prepared
the first red heifer, Ezra the Scribe prepared the second one. In the Mishna (Para
3:5) our Sages say, "Seven red heifers were prepared since Ezra. And who
prepared them? Shimon HaTzaddik and Yochanan the High Priest each prepared two;
Eliyahu-Ayni ben Hakuf, Chananel the Egyptian, and Yishmael ben Piani (or Pabi)
each prepared one." The tenth and final one will be prepared by Moshiach.
"G-d
spoke to Moses, saying, 'Take the staff
.'"(20:8) This staff
was in Ya'akov's hand, when he said "With my staff I have crossed the River
Jordan." This staff was in Yehuda's hand, when Tamar said to him: "Give
me your staff as security." This staff was in Moshe's hand and he used it
for the signs in Egypt. This staff was in the hand of Aaron, and he turned it
into a snake before Pharaoh. This same staff was in the hand of King David, and
with it (sic) he killed Goliath the Philistine. the staff was also in the hand
of the kings, until the Temple's destruction, and this staff shall likewise be
in the hands of Mashiach. [From "The Weekly Midrash" (ArtScroll).]
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