Weekly Shabbat Parsha Thoughts – Chukat – 6.18.2010

This week we talk about the red heifer. It has always seemed highly ritualistic and almost “voodoo”-like in its structure and design. A cow with specific coloring and details that is sacrificed for our sins seems like an pagan, throw-back ritual to a more barbaric age. So clearly that cannot be what this is all about … right? If not, than what can this teach us about our Judaism and values of today?

Although there are many ways we can think about the Red Heifer story, there is always one that has stuck with me. What has always struck me is that no matter how metaphysical or abstract the sins were for the Israelites, the ritual of the red heifer always reminded me that forgiveness and repentance for these sins must not only be abstract and conceptual, but must also have a representative real world action. And an action that was visible by all. Ideas and concepts, such as repentance, must not only be thoughts but need to be acted (or represented) as a real world action.

The red heifer has always taught me that to think and believe is only a starting point. Until one is ready to show actions in the real world that represents your values and beliefs you are not living in any real way. And these actions should not all be private actions, but many should (and must) be expressed to the public.

Rituals we perform remind us that we are Jewish, and they are also expressions to the world around us to show that we have these beliefs and commitments. And we should look to these rituals and see what lessons they remind us of living in the real world as well. Our actions, values and beliefs only mean something if they are manifest in action.

Rituals remind us that actions must be a part of belief. Take a moment and think about the beliefs that we believe are the most important. Then ask how we are making sure those are being expressed in our everyday actions in a way that the world can see. So even though we may not be able to perform the rituals of the red heifer, we can show that we have learned one of its lessons every single day.

Shabbat Shalom



Shabbat Shalom.

Parsha Summary

General Overview: This week's Torah reading, Chukat, begins with a discussion regarding the laws of the red heifer. Miriam and Aaron die. When the Jews are in need of water, Moses strikes a rock – despite being commanded to talk to it. Waters stream forth, but Moses is banned from entering Israel. Amalek battles the Israelites and is defeated. Edom andMoab refuse the Israelites passageway to Israel. The Israelites battle Sichon and Og, and are victorious.
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First Aliyah: The most severe of all ritual impurities is tum'at met, the impurity contracted through contact with a human corpse. This section details the purification process for an individual or object which has contracted this form of impurity. A red heifer is slaughtered and is burned together with a few added ingredients. Water from a stream is added to the ashes. On the third and seventh day after contracting tum'at met, this mixture is sprinkled upon the individual or object. After immersion in amikvah (ritual pool), the person or object is freed of this impurity.
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Second Aliyah: The abovementioned purification process is continued, along with an admonition that the impure individual not enter theTabernacle or Temple until the purification process is completed. Miriam dies in the fortieth year of the Israelites' sojourn in the desert. With Miriam's death, the waters which flowed from the miraculous "Well of Miriam" dried up. The people complain bitterly about the lack of water.
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Third Aliyah: G d tells Moses and Aaron to take a staff and gather the people in front of a certain rock. They should speak to the rock, and it will give forth water. Moses and Aaron gather everybody, and Moses strikes the rock and it gives forth water. In the course of this episode they committed a grave error, the conventional explanation being that they struck the rock instead of speaking to it. This caused G d to punish Moses and Aaron, barring them from leading the Jews into Israel.
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Fourth Aliyah: Moses sends messengers to the King of Edom requesting permission to pass through his land (which is south of Canaan) on the way to the Promised Land. Despite Moses' promises not to cause any harm to the land whilst passing, Edom refuses the Jews passage. The Jews are therefore forced to circumvent the land of Edom, and approach Canaan from the east.
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Fifth Aliyah: The Jews arrive at Mount Hor. At G d's command, Moses, Aaron and Aaron's son, Elazar, go up the mountain. Aaron removes hishigh priest's vestments and Elazar dons them. Aaron then passes away. The entire nation mourns Aaron's death for thirty days. The Amalekites, disguised as Canaanites, attack the Jews. The Jews pray to G d and are victorious in battle. The Jews complain about their food, claiming that they are "disgusted" by the manna. G d dispatches serpents into the Israeliteencampment, and many Jews die. Moses prays to G d on the Jews' behalf. Following G d's instructions, Moses fashions a copper serpent and places it atop a pole. The bitten Jews would look at this snake and be healed.
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Sixth Aliyah: The Jews journey on, making their way towards the eastern bank of the Jordan River. Encrypted in this section is a great miracle which occurred when the Jews passed through the Arnon valley. Tall cliffs rose from both sides of this narrow valley, and in the clefts of these cliffs the Emorites, armed with arrows and rocks, were waiting to ambush the Jews. Miraculously, the mountains moved towards each other, crushing the Emorite guerrilla forces. This section ends with a song of praise for the well which sustained the Jews throughout their desert stay -- and whose now-bloodied waters made the Jews aware of the great miracle which G d wrought on their behalf.
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Seventh Aliyah: The Jews approach the land of the Emorites, which lies on the east bank of the Jordan River. They send a message to Sichon, king of the Emorites, asking permission to pass through his land en route to Canaan. Sichon refuses and instead masses his armies and attack the Jews. The Jews are victorious and occupy the Emorite lands. Og, king of Bashan, then attacks the Jews. The Jews are triumphant again; they kill Og and occupy his land too. Now the Jewish nation has reached the bank of the Jordan River, just across from the city of Jericho in the land of Israel.