This D’var Torah should be a Zechus L’Ilui Nishmas my sister, Kayla Rus Bas Bunim Tuvia A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my maternal grandfather Dovid Tzvi Ben Yosef Yochanan A”H, my paternal grandfather Moshe Ben Yosef A”H, my uncle Reuven Nachum Ben Moshe & my great aunt Rivkah Sorah Bas Zev Yehuda HaKohein.
It should also be in Zechus L’Refuah Shileimah for:
-My father Bunim Tuvia Ben Channa Freidel
-My grandmothers Channah Freidel Bas Sarah, and Shulamis Bas Etta
-MY BROTHER: MENACHEM MENDEL SHLOMO BEN CHAYA ROCHEL
-Mordechai Shlomo Ben Sarah Tili
-Noam Shmuel Ben Simcha
-Chaya Rochel Ettel Bas Shulamis
-And all of the Cholei Yisrael, especially those suffering from COVID-19 and the Meiron tragedy.
-It should also be a Z’chus for an Aliyah of the holy Neshamos of Dovid Avraham Ben Chiya Kehas—R’ Dovid Winiarz ZT”L, Miriam Liba Bas Aharon—Rebbetzin Weiss A”H, as well as the Neshamos of those whose lives were taken by terrorists (Hashem Yikom Damam), COVID-19, and the Meiron tragedy.
-It should also be a Z’chus for success for Tzaha”l as well as the rest of Am Yisrael, in Eretz Yisrael and in the Galus.
בס”ד
For the my audio content, please visit me at The DataBeis:
https://jewishpodcasts.fm/thedatabeis
חֻקַּת ● Chukas
“The Parah-dox of Life”
The following idea can also be listened to in my my audio series on the Dalet Parshiyos:
https://jewishpodcasts.fm/thedatabeis/11153
The rite of Parah Adumah is referred to as the “Chukas HaTorah,” the quintessential Chok or statue of the Torah, the model for Mitzvos which are decrees of the King which we simply cannot understand. Chazal teach that even the wisest of men, Shlomo HaMelech had to confess that the Mitzvah of Parah Adumah was simply beyond him [Bamidbar Rabbah 19:3]. They indicate further that even Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest prophet in history struggled to comprehend Parah Adumah [Ibid. 19:6].
The question is what about Parah Adumah is so beyond us. Why is Parah Adumah more difficult to understand than any other statute? It’s not the only Chok. There are many Chukim that are difficult to understand. The rationale behind laws like those of Kashrus and Sha’atneiz are also difficult to comprehend. What makes Parah Adumah the model Chok? What makes Parah Adumah so much more beyond us?
Parah Adumah is known for its paradoxical end result, that it is “Mitaheir Es HaTimei’im,” purifying the impure, while it is also “Mitamei Es HaTehorim,” or contaminating the pure. The Kohein who cleanses his fellowman dirties himself in the process. How is that fair?
Maybe, the mystery of Parah Adumah goes beyond the metaphysics of ritual impurity. Perhaps, the unknowable secret of Parah Adumah is so much more fundamental.
Put differently, perhaps the paradox of Parah Adumah can be understood as a model for the question of theodicy, why it is that “Tzaddik V’Ra Lo” and “Rasha V’Tov Lo.” Why should the “righteous” suffer while the “wicked” prosper? In fact, Chazal teach that Moshe Rabbeinu was plagued by this very question [Brachos 7A]. In this vein, the enigma of the Parah Adumah is one of the oldest mysteries of life. And yet, Hashem would not provide Moshe a full answer to this mystery. In our own Parsha, Moshe, the Tzaddik of all time would suffer a harsh blow in the mysterious story of Mei Merivah which we will never fully understand.
Why the righteous have to suffer when sacrificing for others is a question that plagues everyone. Why it is, we don’t know. If it is at all comforting though, Ramchal in Derech Hashem [2:3:8] implies how, indeed, this paradox of life is part of such an intricate design of Divine Justice which is put in place for the benefit of both the Tzaddikim who suffer and the entire population of the world for whom they suffer. Why it is, once again, we don’t know. And for now, it is not our job to know. But, on the contrary, it is our job to humbly accept that we don’t know and nonetheless accept the Gezeiras HaMelech, the decree of the King, with awe and love; awe for what we can’t understand, and love for what we ultimately know, that Hashem is our Father Who loves us and does everything for our best.
We should all be Zocheh to move on, despite what we don’t know because of what we do know, to maintain awe for the King’s decree and love for our Father’s care, and ultimately, all of the mysteries of life should be resolved with the coming of Moshiach, Bimheirah BiYomeinu! Have a Great Shabbos!
Yehoshua Shmuel Eisenberg