Weekly Reading Insights:  Chukat

Overview of the Weekly Reading

Torah: Numbers 19:1-22:1
Haftorah: Judges 11:1-23 (Messengers to Edom)

Overview: Chukat (Numbers 19:1-22:1) opens with G-d's command to slaughter a red heifer whose ashes purify those who had contact with the dead. The water the Jews had in the desert came in the merit of Miriam the prophetess, Moshe's sister. After her passing, the Jews complain about the subsequent lack of water. G-d then tells Moshe to speak to a certain rock; when Moshe instead hits the rock to bring forth water, Moshe and Aharon are punished with a decree that they will not merit to enter the Land. Next, the Jews request to pass through the Land of Edom, but the Edomites refuse, and the Jews must go around. Following this, Aharon passes away on Mt. Hahar. When the Cana'anite king of Arad hears that the Jews are nearing his land, he wages war with them. G-d fulfills the Jews' request to allow them to defeat the Cana'anites and conquer their land, which they dedicate to G-d in return for their victory. The Jews complain to Moshe again, and G-d sends poisonous snakes to bite them. Moshe prays on the Jews' behalf, and G-d tells him to make an image of a snake; Moshe makes a copper snake, places it on a pole, and those that gaze up at the copper are cured of their snake bites. Next are details about some of the places where the Jews traveled and also the Song of the Well. The parsha concludes relating the Jews' defeat of Sichon and Og, two very powerful kings, and the conquest of their lands.

FROM THE CHASSIDIC REBBESMOSHIACH THIS WEEK

"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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