Parashas Chukas

Our Parsha this Shabbos is Parashas Chukas . Continuing with the Laws of the Kohanim as was at the end of the previous Parsha, Moshe inquired ofHaShem how to cleanse one of the Tum'a Impurity of a dead body . This request was made in the morning and HaShem didn't answer Moshe straight away , but waited till he was with Aharon and HaShem Spoke to them both instructing on the Laws of the Parah Aduma , the Red Heifer . This Law is termed a Chok , one of the Chukkim . Directly in Torah , the word Chok appears with four cases . This one of the Parah Aduma , where a Red Heifer , prepared as HaShem Instructs , purifies one who has the strictest Tum's level , Av HaTum'a , yet make Tamei Impure , one who prepares it according to its Laws .
Another Law that in Torah is termed Chok, is the Law of Shaatnez , which is the Law of not mixing wool and linen together in the same garment , yet it is fine to put them together in a Garment of Tzitzis.
Another Law where the Hebrew word ' Chok ,' appears in Torah is to do with the Law of Yibum , where if a man dies childless, his surviving widow can be taken and married to the surviving brother , so long as there were no children , and so , children can be brought up in the deceased brother's merit . The fourth example of the word 'Chok ' appearing in Torah , is to do with the S'air La' Azazel the goat sent to Azazel , which purifies the Camp , yet make impure the one who handles it .There are of course other Chukkim , like Shabbos and sending away the Mother Bird , but these are not directly stated in Torah as Chukkim .
So what is a Chok ?
HaShem Gave us Laws and Ordinances and with them , explanation on understanding some of the meaning of the why's , but with a Chok , the reasons are hidden . Even though , to all Torah Laws , there are hidden facets to all HaShem Commands , with the Chukkim , The rationale behind them , is totally hidden , beyond logic . Thus doing them , is purely for the love and trust in HaShem , a possible reason for them , for , to obey HaShem without even the reward of knowing why , is in itself a good enough reason for a Law , for it shows from us , the pure love we have for HaShem to follow Him Wholehearted ly and trust Him totally faithfully , a belief that proves we have total faith that HaShem Is the Creator of Creation - just my idea .
Only Moshe was given much of the deep reasons for the Chukkim , but no one else .
Shlomo Ha Melech , who was the wisest of men , who was able to fathom the deep reasons for all the other Chukkim , had to admit , in Mishlei , that this Law of the Parah Aduma eludes him .Now this was Shlomo Ha Melech , who knowledge of Astronomy surpassed even that of Avraham , his knowledge of Science , surpassed that of Scientists of even our time , knowledge of the character and understanding of Animals , even beyond Adam's knowledge who named them according to their characteristics. His knowledge of Torah , to the great depths , able to state 3000 parables to explain each Torah Law and over 1005 depths to each Mishpat . His Wisdom was even a total understanding of people and what they thought , not because he was telepathic , but because his knowledge of anatomy and health ( having written a book on herbal healing ) and psychology was unsurpassed .
His Judgements were beyond physical knowledge as we know with the case of the two women and the child . In another case , three merchants came before him , telling him how they had stopped together for Shabbos in a place and each one had buried his money . After Shabbos the money was stolen , and so they came before Shlomo Ha Melech for Judgement . He heard their case , and told them he wanted to pose to them a different question . He related a story of a woman who had betrothed herself to a man who had then given her a dowry when she was a very young girl , and the two of them had since moved apart . When she grew up , she subsequently met someone else and so she decided to return to the man who she had agreed with when she was young to return the dowry . That man agreed to free her for the sake of her happiness . On her way back , she was set upon by a robber , who wanted to take the dowry and have his way with her . She pleaded that he not do that and make her impure and told him he would be forever punished and she would not want that , so the robber agreed to let her go . King Solomon asked the three merchants , who in this other story was the real hero, the woman , the man who agreed to let her marry the other man , or the robber ?
The first merchant said the woman ,the second merchant said the man who gave her freedom to marry the other man , but the third one said ,' The robber , who not only let her go and didn't defile her , but returned the money too . ' Shlomo Ha Melech ordered the third merchant accused and he straight away confessed , for King Solomon said that he didn't even have the compassion to worry about the feelings of the man who gave up marrying his intended bride and the woman who was threatened , but only worried about the money . So great was the wisdom of Shlomo Ha Melech , yet he still said , this Chok of the Parah Aduma is beyond him . The Red Heifer , as Instructed here by HaShem , had to be a completely Red Heifer , without even two hairs of another colour . It had to be completely pure , without ever having a yoke put upon it , given to Elazar the Kohein , who had to take it outside the camp for Shechting .Some of its blood had to be sprinkled with his forefinger seven times toward the Tent of Meeting . It had to be burnt . The Kohein was to take cedarwood , hyssop and a crimson thread( coloured with the blood of a worm ) and thrown into the burning of the Heifer .The Kohein had to then immerse himself and his clothing and only then enter the camp , remaining contaminated till evening . The ones who burnt it and who gathered the ash , the same . A pure man was to gather the ash of it and put it in a place outside the camp in a pure place as safekeeping , for water of sprinkling , for purification . Torah Explains the process carried out then for one who cane in contact with a corpse . And some of the Laws of Tum'a are then mentioned and levels of Tum'a .
Our Sages have offered explanations for the possible reasons of this Chok and have linked it to the Chait Ha Eigel , the Sin of the Golden Calf . As a completely Red Heifer is taken , it is like the Blood of those who deserved death for that sin and go it . As this purifies from death , so did the Golden Calf bring death back to the generation .It gad to be a pure Heifer , as the Sin of the Golden Calf , brought back Sin to the entire Camp . As the Heifer ,had to have never had a yoke put on it , sadly the people sinning at the Chait Ha ' Eigel had tried to throw off the Yoke of HaShem .
As the Parah Aduma had to be burnt and its ash used , so did the sinners at the Golden Calf have to drink the very dust they had supported before it was burnt in the Sin of the Golden Calf , which was also like a Heifer . As Cedarwood and Hyssop had to be tied with a crimson thread , so was the cedar wood a sign of affluent arrogance , while the lowly Hyssop was a sign of humbling oneself , where the crimson thread was a sign of the blood of death and sin that was the result . Thus it was like saying that the very calf idea that was the part to the sin , needed a heifer calf to purify . Like but opposite , cures .
To date , there have been nine Red Heifers and we await the tenth one in Mashiach's time . The first one was prepared in Moshe's time , on the Second of Nissan .
I believe the idea of the Red Heifer purifying the contaminated , yet making impure , the ones who prepare it , has to do with , that without the negativity of temptation of Sin , we cannot rise above it , and choose the good , and thus become holier . We need tests to become holy , as it is in the overcoming of and rising above them , that we grow into holiness , thus we need the negativity and the temptation of Sin in this World , in order to Avoid it , not be robots that just live a positive life with no growing . It is in the very choice of either , that helps us grow to holiness . Just my idea . The word " Chok , " in Hebrew can also be part of the root word ' Rachok , ' which means ' Far from ,' showing us that these Chukkim , are far from our own level of wisdom and sit on high with HaShem Only .
Just after these Laws of the Parah Aduma , tragedy comes , in the form of the passing of Miriam , Moshe and Aharon's sister . With her passing , also went the waters from the Well of Miriam . Miriam merited this Well of Water as she had helped Jewish babies get born in Egypt , against the decree of Pharaoh .This Well , was actually a rock , from which water spewed out , in Miriam's merit , and this water would , from HaShem , provide water in the Wilderness , that would flow to all the Tribes , for the leader of each tribe would come with their staff and draw a line in the sand from the Rock , and the water would follow toward each Tribe . With the passing of Miriam , the Water stopped flowing and the people cane to the mourning Moshe and Aharon , wanting water . This took place near the end of the journey in the Wilderness . The remnants of the Eirav Rav wanted to bait Moshe , into getting water from a different rock . This is why Moshe called them rebels and referred to 'this rock ,' which was not the Rock Well of Miriam , for Moshe wanted to insist that only from the Rock of HaShem , that was the Well of Miriam , should the water come . HaShem Instructed Moshe to take Aharon and speak to the Rock which also meant teach Torah in front of the Rock , that they realize the true source is HaShem for all Living Water which is a reference to Torah . HaShem Only asked Moshe to bring the Assembly , but Moshe , meaning well , wanted to publicize the Miracle of HaShem , and thus called the entire Congregation . One must listen to HaShem , Who Knows best . It was then that Moshe disobeyed HaShem in anger and struck the Rock Well of Miriam twice , once when only a trickle of water came out and then again when it came out Gushing . To HaShem , our anger as an emotion is wrong , for in those moments of anger , we lose sense of HaShem and in Gemorah it is akin to Avodah Zorah Idol Worship Chas Ve Shalom . HaShem Then Decreed that Moshe and Aharon would not enter the Holy Land . Again , beyond our understanding . Our Rabbis say that in Moshiach's time Moshe will come and lead those who never got in during the travel in the Wilderness, into Eretz Yisroel , may that day come soon in our days Bekarov . There was an opportunity to Sanctify HaShem's Name here at the Rock , by showing that through Torah , comes aid to life , not anger . The Well of Miriam Rock had healing powers by HaShem if one had faith in HaShem and today , sits in the Sea of Tiberius .
Moshe coming to the border of Israel , sent emissaries asking Edom to let us pass through the land , not for war , but in peace , and that we would not touch a thing , but Edom threatened and did not allow us to go through . Moshe asked a second time but Edom came out with a massive army and so we journey away. And around , to the area of Hor Hahar , Mount Hor . It was here that HaShem Told Moshe to tell his brother Aharon , that Aharon was to pass on and Elazar would succeed him . Aharon went up with Moshe and Elazar on the 1st of Av and it was this day that Aharon , dressed in Heavenly Garments passed away with a Divine Kiss of HaShem . With the passing of Aharon , so did the Clouds of Glory in Aharon's merit also remove itself for that time , thus leaving K'lal Yisroel exposed . When Moshe came down with Elazar , the people protested and blamed Moshe for the passing of Aharon , saying he must have pronounced some judgement upon him . Aharon was very well likes by the people , knowing for making Sholom Bayis between couples and also between people involved in Machlokes ( friction and strife ) , where he would inform each one that the other is sorry and wants to make peace , for he very deep down knew , that very deep down , the Yiddishe Neshoma wants to be at peace with their fellow Jew , even if the body doesn't know or realize it yet . Moshe prayed that HaShem Show them a sign of his death and so , HaShem displayed his resting place in the air . Because of the complaints and attacks on Moshe , HaShem sent Amalek against us . HaShem Gave us victory against them . They are specified as Caananites , for they were disguised as such , but were really Amalekites , who thought they could trick us , for our power is in our prayer , and they thought we would pray for help against the Canaanites , but they would be Amalek in disguise . How wrong they were , for we spotted their different features and thus prayed to HaShem to generally help us with this present enemy , and how silly they were , for HaShem Knows who they are .
The people came and complained to Moshe about the Manna ( Mann) and thus Loshoned HaShem . It was in honor of Moshe that the Manna fell for us . So HaShem sent fiery serpents ( like the animal ((serpent)) into which Samael came when he tempted Adam Ve Chava ) , for HaShem wanted to show them the result of Loshon Horah , with the first creature that Loshoned HaShem . The people begged Moshe to ask HaShem to remove the fiery serpents . HaShem Instructed Moshe to make a fiery serpent ' Nachash ' ( made of copper , which in Hebrew is also ' Nechoshes ' ) to miraculously throw it on the pole and when the people would look up at it , they would be healed . It wasn't the looking up at the serpent that did the healing . It was the direction of upward at and toward Heaven that the people would be healed when they looked up toward HaShem . This serpent on a pole was kept for many generations and became a subject of idol worship which was called ' Nechushtan ' as the people misunderstood the healing powers didn't come from it , but from HaShem . Thus in King Chizkiyahu's time ( spoken of in the Books of the Kings , he destroyed it .
The people continued to journey and near Arnon , HaShem performed for us a Miracle , the inhabitants there had planned to stand on either side of the narrow pass , on opposite mountains , and wanted to throw large boulders down on us , which we were not even aware of until the river ran red afterwards , but HaShem brought the sharp jutting mountains together and squashed our enemy , without us even knowing it at that moment HaShem Did it .
This is what the words in Torah are about in this Sedra . How Often Does HaShem Protect our road ahead , without us even ever knowing it , of what HaShem Removed from out pathways, so that in His Love , we escape unknowingly , without any harm . Something to consider and think about , how great His Love for us is .
HaShem then instructs Moshe to wage war with Sichon king of the Amorites and Og , King of Bashan . These two giants , were the offspring originally of the Fallen Angel Shemchazai and a human woman . They were both brothers and Moshe personally killed them both himself and our people , with HaShem's Help , destroyed them . This was the same Og , who had lived in Avraham's time , who was the messenger who had come to tell Avraham that his nephew Lot had been taken captive . Og came to warn Avraham about Lot , not for the good of Lot , but to try get Avraham to join the battle and get killed Chas Ve Shalom , so Og could get Sara for himself but HaShem is All Knowing and Saved Avraham . This is why our Hafotrah for this portion is from the book of Judges 11 1-33 where the people of Ammon want to wage war against us , for it was the Ammonites who had lost their land to Sichon , and now that we had in Moshe's time defeated Sichon and Og , and thus captured that land part of Moav,that their fellow brothers the Ammonites wanted it back . After the defeat of these two giants , the Children of Israel journeyed and encamped in the plains of Moav near the Jordan River , near Yericho and this is where this Parsha ends .
With the two giant protectors of the nations in K' na'an ,killed , the people there were terror stricken and so , decided that there last hope lay in the evil Bilaam , ( which appears in the next Sedra ) , who had previously come and helped Sichon and Og defeat the Moabites by cursing them , for that section that was taken in our war with them , was originally Moabite territory , for Bilaam was known to curse a people, person or nation and it would come true . Little did he or they know , that it wasn't Bilaam's curse , but HaShem manoeuvering things for our Jewish people so as to ensure we attain that area . HaShem Continues His involvement with His Creation even though we are not aware of it .
HaShem gave us Chukkim , Out Of Pure Love. All HaShem Does , Is Done Out Of Pure Love . We may not and actually don't understand His Holy Ways . We are not and never can be on His Lofty Level , even though we are to try emulate His Ways and Strive for Him all the time in all we do and wherever we are . Yet Most is left to Emunah and Bitachon , Faith and Trust in Him . The very fact that HaShem Created Creation , and all that is still to come , shows that we know nothing and He Knows all . Thus all Creation is like a " Chok , " an unexplained Mystery of His Wonders and Reasons .
We might try through the Centuries to surmise and conclude reasons , but at the end of the day , we are too small to really know the depths of it all . Though HaShem Tells us , in the Prophet Isaiah , " That All He Created , was purely for His Glory That He Created It , " we really don't understand HaShem's True Meaning of that . All we can do is trust Him . He Does Know All . The idea of a " Chok " is a perfect opportunity , as I mentioned earlier , and we need to take this opportunity to show HaShem how much we love Him , by doing all He Asks of us , following Torah explicitly and Knowing with contentment , that His Laws are our Guide to Life here and in the hereafter . His Torah is our Lighthouse on the stormy sea of this World , and thus listening to Him , will always bring us home . Creation , is a Mystery , but HaShem's Love is always within us . All we need to do is to follow That Path of His Love , and the future is guaranteed . For HaShem is All and can always be relied upon to bring us to Heaven . All we need to do , is trust in His " Chukkim " and take His Hand and let HaShem With His Immense Love , Lead us to Him . If we compare what we know , to what HaShem Knows ,it is as if we know Nothing . But let us remember that at the beginning of Creation , HaShem First Created the Nothingness and out of that , Creation Came from HaShem . The Creation was there all the time within HaShem 's Thought , Waiting To Be Revealed . By following HaShem's Laws in Torah , The Light within that Nothingness Will Be Revealed in its time . Not knowing the reasons , and doing the Laws either way , is revealing the Light Hidden within all things and to reveal The Light , is to reveal HaShem's Shechinah . We will never know everything , but we can be content that all things can be safely left in HaShem's Capable Hands and all we need to do , is to follow wholeheartedly where HaShem Knows we need to go . We do this with loving trust in The Creator of All Things , of Tomorrow and of the Future - in the loving trust of HaShem Ha Kadosh Baruch Hu , The One And Only G-D . May His Closeness Be Revealed Soon in our days , for True Heaven , is only within The Loving Arms of HaShem HaKadosh Baruch Hu .
I wish HaShem With Love Beyond Love , a Very Special and Beloved Shabbos Kodesh with Love , and to all my fellow Yidden , a very special and beloved Shabbos Kodesh with love .