Parshas Chukas
Tumah and Taharah Defy Our Understanding
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion: Tape #
731, Shkia - 7:02: Mincha 7:00 A Problem? Good Shabbos!
The whole ceremony of Parah Adumah [Red Heifer] is the quintessential chok
[mitzvah-decree with no apparent reason]. Rashi cites the Medrash that the
Satan and the nations of the world mock Israel concerning this commandment
– taunting us to explain its rationale.
The Parah Adumah contains within itself the greatest of paradoxes. Ashes
of the Parah Adumah mixed with water have purifying powers. They are the
only mode by which a person who has come in contact with a dead corpse
(tumas mes) may become pure again. And yet the halacha is that the people
who prepare the Parah Adumah, that sprinkle its waters, and that have
anything to do with it become tameh (spiritually impure) themselves.
The Rambam writes at the end of Hilchos Mikvaos: It is a clear matter that
the laws of impurity and purity are Divine decrees (gezeiros hakasuv hem)
and we cannot understand their rationale. They are in the category of
Jewish law known as chukim. Likewise, the fact that immersion in a mikveh
removes tumah is a chok, because tumah is not dirt that can be removed by
water.
The Shemen HaTov addresses the paradox of the Parah Adumah. The Parah
Adumah comes to purify from death impurity (tumas mes). When did death
begin? It started at the beginning of time with the sin of Man's eating
from the Tree of Knowledge. Why did Adam eat from the Tree of Knowledge?
Everything was available to him in the Garden of Eden. The Torah says that
the motivation was so that "you will be G-d like, knowing the difference
between Good and Evil" [Bereshis 3:5]. He ate from the Tree of Knowledge
because he wanted to know everything and to understand everything. He
wanted to become intellectually equivalent to G-d.
The way to correct the sin that brought death to the world is by teaching
man that to reverse the effects of death; he must undergo a procedure about
which he understands NOTHING. Rather than understanding everything, by
eating from the forbidden tree, Man ruined everything. The correction of
that sin is to nullify ones understanding, to engage in a process which
defies understanding. Even Shlomo HaMelech [King Solomon], the wisest of
men did not understand it: "I said I would make myself wise, but its
interpretation is far from me." [Koheles 7:23]. This is the tikun
[correction] for the sin of partaking of the forbidden fruit, which was
supposedly to give man G-dlike understanding and knowledge.
The Gemara in Shabbos [31a] expounds the pasuk in Yeshaya [33:6]: "V'haya
Emunas Itecha Chosen Yeshuos Chochmas V'Daas (yiras Hashem hi otzaro)" [the
faith of your times will be the strength of your salvations, wisdom and
knowledge, (fear of Hashem that is man's treasure)]. The Gemara says that
each of those six words represents one of the six orders of the Mishneh.
Emunas = Seder Zeraim (because farmers who plant need faith that Hashem
will help their crop grow); Itecha = Seder Moed, having to do with time;
Chosen = Seder Nashim; Yeshuos = Seder Nezikin; Cochmas = Seder Kodshim;
and V'Daas = Seder Taharos.
The reason why Daas [knowledge] represents Seder Taharos is because Seder
Taharos requires nullification of one's Daas. It requires one to put his
own understanding (sechel) on the shelf, so to speak, and say I will study
it anyway even though it is beyond my comprehension.
The reason for this is because the first man sought to know everything.
That is impossible. Certain things are beyond our comprehension. Thus,
tikun of that sin are the laws of tumah and taharah, which require a person
to nullify his understanding and subjugate his power of reasoning to that
of a Higher Power (sechel Elyon).
This week's write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah
portion. The complete list of halachic portions for this parsha from the
Commuter Chavrusah Series are:
Tape # 018 - Rending Garments on Seeing Yerushalayim
Tape # 063 - Intermarriage
Tape # 107 - Rabbonim and Roshei Yeshiva -- Do Sons Inherit?
Tape # 152 - Halachic Considerations of Transplanted Organs
Tape # 199 - Stam Yeinam: Non Kosher Wines
Tape # 245 - Skin Grafts
Tape # 335 - Postponing a Funeral
Tape # 379 - The Jewish "Shabbos Goy"
Tape # 423 - Tefilah of a Tzadik for a Choleh
Tape # 467 - Detached Limbs and Tumah
Tape # 511 - Autopsies and Insurance
Tape # 555 – Women Fasting on 17th of Tamuz, Tisha B'Av and Yom Kippur
Tape # 599 - Blended Whiskey
Tape # 643 - Choshed Bekesherim and Daan L'kaf Z’chus
Tape # 687 - Water, Coffee and Tea
Tape # 731 - Shkia - 7:02: Mincha 7:00 A Problem?
Tape # 775 - Wine At a Shul Kiddush
Tape # 819 – Mayim Gelyuim – Uncovered Water – Is There a Problem?
Tape # 863 – Shabbos in the Good 'Ol Summertime
Tape # 907 – Bracha Acharono on Coffee and Ice Cream
Tape # 908 – K’rias HaTorah and Tircha D’Tziburah
Tape # 951 – The Body Works Exhibit
Tape # 952 – Beer: Is This Bud For You?
Tapes or a complete catalogue can be ordered from the Yad Yechiel Institute,
PO Box 511, Owings Mills MD 21117-0511. Call (410) 358-0416 or e-mail
tapes@yadyechiel.org or visit http://www.yadyechiel.org/ for further
information.
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