This Shabbat we study the Parshah Chukat, meaning “Statute” (Numbers 19:2). Moses is taught the laws of the red heifer, whose ashes purify a person who has been contaminated by contact with a dead body. After 40 years of journeying through the desert the people of Israel arrive in the wilderness of Zin. Miriam dies, and the people thirst for water. G-d tells Moses to speak to a rock and command it to give water. Instead Moses strikes the rock. Water issues forth but G-d tells Moses that neither he nor Aaron will enter the Promised Land. Aaron dies at Hor Hahar and is succeeded in the high priesthood by his son Elazar.

Moses leads the people in battles against the Emorite kings Sichon and Og (who seek to prevent Israel’s passage through their territory) and conquers their lands, which lie east of the Jordan.

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Chabad.org

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The law of the red heifer is the most mysterious law of the Torah. Somehow, the red heifer would purify one who contracted the most severe form of ritual impurity, that of coming in contact with a human corpse. Chassidic philosophy explains that the red heifer captures the secret of the uniquely Jewish approach to purifying the negativity within each of us. It is the key to dealing with our inner passions, which overwhelm us with the force of their energy.

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The Torah’s insight into the red heifer is as profound as it is revolutionary: “The cow shall then be burned in his presence; its hide, its flesh, its blood, with its dung he shall burn it . . . They shall take for that unclean person from the ashes of the burnt purification offering, and it shall be placed in a vessel [filled] with spring water . . . A ritually clean person shall take the hyssop and dip it into the water and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, and on the people who were in it, and on anyone who touched the bone, the slain person, the corpse, or the grave.” 

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Purity is not achieved by suppressing or waging war against desire. The Torah teaches us to look right at the passionate, forceful red heifer. Look at its core and understand that the red heifer is not negative, nor is it spiritually neutral. The Torah wants us to understand that the heifer can be the most powerful agent of purity in our life. The power of desire, its incredible force and energy, is not evil. For while the external expression of the desire may be negative and must be burned, the ashes of the heifer, its inner essence, is the source of purity. When the ashes are mixed into the “living waters,” when the power of desire is directed toward a positive goal, the heifer itself will be an unbridled force that will provide spiritual and emotional purity.

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From an article by Rabbi Menachem Feldman

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A stroke of brilliance arising from the innermost will of the Creator of all things, left for you to perform on the stage of His world. A connection point in time, at which Heaven meets Earth, Earth meets Heaven, and the two embrace.

An instance, left in your hands, for the true reality to be exposed, as what would otherwise be a trivial object—a dollar bill, a candle, a braided loaf of bread, a black leather strap—is suddenly revealed as a divine instrument.

An opportunity to make the transient eternal in a moment—you, your body, and the artifacts of your world.

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Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

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The ashes of the “red heifer” are used for removing a legal state of impurity. The redemption will purify the entire people of Israel (including those who halachically are pure) from any trace of deficiency in the bond with our Father in Heaven. One of the Messianic prophecies thus says of that time, in terms analogous to the “waters of purification” of the “red heifer”: “I shall sprinkle pure waters upon you that you be purified. I will purify you from all your impurities and from all your idols!” (Ezekiel 36:25). Maimonides cites a Mishnah with the following words: “Nine ‘red heifers’ were prepared from the time this precept was ordained until the Second Temple was destroyed: the first was prepared by Moses our Master, the second Ezra prepared, and there were seven from Ezra to the destruction of the Temple. The tenth will be prepared by King Moshiach-may he soon be revealed, amen, may thus be (G-d’s) Will!” (Hilchot Parah Adumah 3:4) Our present mitzvot can make this happen momentarily!

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From an article by Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet

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Would it be logical to willingly sign up for a situation that will: Cost you lots of money? Cause you countless sleepless nights? Create innumerable messes (some really smelly ones!)? Rob you of hard-to-come-by time at a period in your life when you are busiest? Wreak havoc on your body (and, possibly, your marriage)? Provide you with crushing responsibility for years to come? Offer no guarantees (whatsoever!) of outcome? And yet, so many of us willingly embark on parenthood.

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Professor L. A. Paul, a distinguished metaphysics philosopher, explains that deciding to have children is not a rational decision. Rational decisions are based on outcomes, but having children is “an epistemically transformative experience.” You cannot know what the experience of having your own child will be like until you experience it.

You may be so transformed by this baby that his or her well-being becomes more important than your own. You may be completely changed, finding room within yourself for another who becomes as important, or even more important, than your own self.

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Does that make sense? No. Is it logical? No. But some of the greatest experiences in life result from actions that go far beyond logic. This week’s Torah portion is called Chukat, which refers to supra-rational laws, and keeping G-d’s laws due to our devotion to His will even when it is beyond our understanding. It begins with the most enigmatic law—the law of the red heifer, whose ashes were sprinkled on those who became ritually impure.

The clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean person . . . and he shall be clean at evening. . . . [But] he who sprinkles the water of sprinkling . . . shall be unclean. (Numbers 19:19-21)

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One of the fascinating things about this ritual is that although the ashes purify the impure individual, the kohen performing this act becomes impure himself! Midrash Tanchuma elucidates:

All who are involved in the preparation of the heifer, from beginning to the end, become impure, but the heifer itself purifies the impure! G-d says: “I have made a chok, a decree . . .”

The Rebbe points out that the Torah is teaching us to care about another person’s impurity and corruption, and to do everything within our power to rehabilitate him.

What about the time, energy and resources that it will rob me of? What if my contact with him will diminish me, emotionally, materially and spiritually?

Just as the Torah instructs the kohen, who is very careful not to become impure, to do so, so must we.

Does it make sense? No. Is it logical? No.

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But life isn’t about doing things that are only logical. Our lives are about transcending our egos—putting aside our own self-interests, and opening ourselves up to loving another and doing something purely out of our devotion to G-d’s will even when it is devoid of rationale. Indeed, some of the greatest experiences in life result from actions that go beyond logic.

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Chana Weisberg