In parshas Chukas the Chumash
gives the laws concerning purification from defilement caused by contact with a
dead body. Specifically a cow whose fur is entirely red is burnt as a
sacrifice. Cedar wood, a hyssop plant, and red yarn are thrown into the fire.
The ashes are then combined with water. A person, who has touched a corpse or
has been in a room with a corpse, or even a cemetery, will be considered tumay טמא. Consequently it is forbidden for him to
eat consecrated food or visit the Temple grounds. Purification takes a week
during which the ashes of the red heifer are sprinkled on him on the third and
seventh day.
The mitzvah is called a חק (chok) because many aspects of it are not
logical. The word chok is similar to the word engraved, meaning that because it
is engraved in stone one follows it the way it is written. Rashi explains it is
called a chok “Because Satan and the nations of the world taunt Israel, saying,
“What is this commandment, and what purpose does it have?” Therefore, the Torah
uses the term “law”. I have decreed it; you have no right to challenge it”, (Yoma
67b).
The concept of defilement due
to death has difficulties. It may cause a person to be perceived as dirty by
G-d, themselves, or others, however they are not physically dirty. In addition
why does this elaborate ritual remove the stain of death? Adding to the
complications a person who is pure טהור
who comes into contact with ashes of the red heifer becomes טמא. In addition cohanim, who are specifically warned against
becoming ritually impure, are the only ones that can produce the ashes of the
red heifer, but do become tumay in the process. The Chumash also says that
those who sprinkle the ashes on the defiled must launder their clothes. Rashi
comments though that they still are in fact pure.
The concept of defilement and
purification from death remains today. The Shulchan Aruch cites a halacha that
after one who has been in a cemetery, he must wash his hands in a prescribed
fashion (Orach Chaim 4:18). The commentaries explain that it is because evil
spirits (Mishna Brura 42) or demons (Magan Avraham 20) accompany him.
The Gemara (see Yoma 14a) is
puzzled by the fact that the ashes of the red cow make one who is pure impure. It
reasons that if these ashes make one who is impure pure, it should make one who
is already pure even more pure. Based on this Rabbi Akiba says it is like King
Solomon who said, “I will become wise but it was far from me”, (Ecclesiastics
7:23).
The Sforno notes these Gemaras
and apologetically suggests that we have something to understand in every
mitzvah and maybe we can steal a shred from this one as well. He remarks in
addition to the difficulties already mentioned the color red is generally
associated with sin; therefore it’s unusual that it should be associated here with
repentance. In addition the ashes contain cedar, a symbol of pride, and hyssop,
a symbol of humility. He comments that in addition to contradicting each other
they are both considered as sinful in regards to this mitzvah. Concerning
humility the Sforno brings the Gemara that King Saul was punished because he
was not properly strict about the honor of his throne.
He explains that the mitzvah
of the parah aduma hints that in repairing one’s ways it may be appropriate to
do some very negative things. For example to uproot a bad quality it may be
necessary to go to the opposite extreme. Also a cure may involve doing
something disgusting like inducing diarrhea.
These principles are applied
in the Rabbi Nachman story, “The Man who became a Turkey”. In it a prince goes
crazy and imagines that he is a turkey. He then sat naked under the table and
would only eat scraps of food. To cure him a wise man did the same thing. The
wise man commented to the prince that he also was a turkey. Once the wise man
gained the confidence of the prince he gradually dressed, sat nicely at the
table, and ate properly, explaining that turkeys can do these things, too. The
prince accepted the wise man’s point of view and emulated him, until little by little,
he completely acted like a normal man.
We see from this that there
are times when good people must do unusual things to help others. This is one
way we understand the verse, “A time to do for Hashem, void your Torah”, (Psalm
119:126). Rashi explains there may be times when a good person must transgress
the words of the Torah in order to help Israel. The more fundamental idea is
that there is a transcendent G-d who has a transcendent good that even
transcends the Torah and certainly transcends man’s small ability to understand.
לע"נ, הדוד ,לייב
הערש בן אהרון ז"ל נלב"ע י"ז תמוז תשל"ב
Acknowledgements to websites:
תורת אמת, וויקיטקסט, http://dictionary.reference.com/,
http://hebrewbooks.org/,
וגם בדואר אלקטרוני
ניתן באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.co.il
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