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Parsha Perspectives by Ozer Alport

(על כן יאמרו המשלים באו חשבון תבנה ותכונן עיר סיחון (21:27

“Therefore, the rulers would say: Come to Cheshbon, let it be built and established as the city of Sichon.”

talking points - parshas chUKAS
Rabbi Elazar Meisels

1. When You Just Don’t Get It

“This is the decree of the Torah, which Hashem commanded, saying; ‘Speak to the Children of Israel, and they shall take to you a completely red heifer, which is without a blemish, and upon which a yoke has not been placed’” 19:2

• This is the Decree of the Torah - The Torah referred to it as a “decree.” I have decreed it, and you are not permitted to question it – Rashi
• This is the Decree – Who can cause something pure to emerge from an impure source? Only Hashem! Avraham the patriarch was born to Terach the idolater, King Chizkiyahu from Achaz…we’ve learned that a small outbreak of Tzaraas causes one to be pronounced impure, yet if it spreads over his entire body he is declared pure? Who could have decreed that this be so? Only the One Above…Those engaged in the preparation of the Red Heifer are rendered impure, while those upon whom its blood is sprinkled are pure? The Holy One Blessed is His Name says, ‘This is my decree and you may not question it.’ – Medrash Rabbah, Bamidbar 19:1

In the course of the study of Torah, we spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make sense of the commandments with varying degrees of success. Some commandments resonate favorably with modern man, while others leave us struggling to comprehend their rationale. The law of the Red Heifer teaches us that this inability to comprehend is no accident and must never pose a hindrance to our level of observance. For at no point in our long history did every commandment make perfect sense to us. Nevertheless, recognizing that they all stem from an impeccable source, we agreed to perform them at all times regardless of our level of comprehension. Failure to comprehend is no excuse for failure to observe.

2.Water, Water – We Need Water

“There was no water for the community, and they assembled against Moshe and Aharon. The people quarreled with Moshe and said, ‘If only we had died by our brothers’ death before Hashem. Why did you bring the congregation of Hashem to this wilderness for us, and our livestock to die there?’ 20-2-4

• For neglecting to mourn Miriam in a manner befitting her stature, the well that they had merited in her behalf and which supplied them until this point, was withdrawn after her passing. – Assorted Commentaries
• Would that we had died - We wish that we had died. - By our brothers' death - By our brothers’ death from the plague, as death from thirst is even more dreadful. – Rashi
• “The word ‘water’ also refers to Torah” – Talmud, Tractate Avodah Zarrah 5b

It is worth noting that although the people protested the lack of water perhaps a little too vehemently, they were not punished for their insolence, because as Rashi notes, death by thirst is a very frightening prospect. That a lack of water should be considered such a fearsome prospect is noteworthy for another reason as well. Water is a metaphor for Torah, and just as a person cannot accept it’s absence, one must be equally dissatisfied when it comes to a lack of Torah, without which the soul experiences similarly intense pangs of thirst.

3.The Power of Love

“When the entire assembly saw that Aharon had perished, they wept for Aharon thirty days, the entire House of Israel.” 20:29

• The Entire House of Israel – The men and the women alike, bitterly mourned his passing because he devoted himself to increasing the love between them. He often went out of his way to ensure that peace reigned in a tumultuous home. - Rashi
• The Entire House of Israel – The Torah’s insistence that the entire assembly cried over the death of Aharon, teaches us that not once in the forty years that the Jewish people spent in the desert, did a man accidentally kill his fellow. For had that occurred, the offender would have been sent to a “City of Refuge” and returned only upon the death of Aharon, and actually rejoiced over his passing. Since they all cried, this must not have been the case. – Meshech Chochmah

It seems almost impossible to believe that Aharon could have had such a remarkable impact on the nation. Yet, the Torah testifies that his boundless love for every Jew had such a powerful ripple effect upon the people that even accidental deaths were assiduously avoided during his lifetime. Aharon’s sterling example of how to love a fellow Jew is one that stands for all generations. return to top

Rabbi Elazar Meisels can be reached at rabbimeisels@partnersintorah.org 

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Becoming a Talisman By: Rabbi Elazar Meisels

Dear Rabbi Meisels,
I do not study with your program but my husband does, and I was thinking of getting him a nice gift for his sixtieth birthday. What I had in mind was a Talit [prayer shawl] as the one he wears now is from his Bar Mitzvah and it was rather skimpy on him then! What do I need to know in order to do this right? I don’t mind if you respond to me via your Parsha Partner weekly column but please change my name, as my husband would be mortified if everyone found out how old he is.
Thank you, Dana B.

Dana,
Thank you for your question and rest assured that your secret is secure with me. Your husband is fortunate to have such a caring and supportive wife and may the two of you continue to purchase birthday gifts for one another until 120! For the benefit of our readers I’m going to start from the beginning and discuss the source of the mitzvah of tzitzis as well as some of the pertinent details.

The obligation to affix tzitzis to a four-cornered garment is mentioned twice in the Torah:

"Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them that they shall make themselves tzitzis (tassels) on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations, and they shall place upon the tzitzis of each corner a thread of blue wool.” Bamidbar 15:38

"You shall make for yourselves twisted threads on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself." Devarim 22:12

The obligation is commonly understood to refer to any garment that has at least four corners and is worn by a male. Women are exempt from the mitzvah as it is considered a time-bound obligation, since it is only mandatory during the daytime. In ancient times, four-cornered garments were commonly worn and each garment required tzitzis to be affixed to them. Nowadays, it is not as common to wear four-cornered garments, and therefore you will not often see tzitzis on garments, other than those that are designed specifically to be worn in fulfillment of the mitzvah. There are two kinds of garments that are worn with tzitzis:

Talis gadol
This is the large talis (prayer shawl) worn during Shacharis [morning prayers.] This talis should be large enough to cover most of the wearer’s body or it may not meet the requirements for the fulfillment of the mitzvah. A talis that is more like a scarf fails to meet this criterion. In Ashkenazic communities, the general custom is that men don a talis gadol only once they marry.

Talis katan
This is the small talis (often just referred to as tzitzis) that is worn by men and boys above the age of three, throughout the day. It is usually worn under the clothing, however Chassidic Jews often wear it over the shirt. The garment should measure at least 16 x 16 inches in the front and back halves. Although the obligation only extends to four-cornered garments that we would anyhow wear, nevertheless, we go out of our way to wear the taliskatan at all times to take advantage of the opportunity to do a mitzvah.

For reasons far too numerous to recount here, ideally a talis should be made from wool, but a cotton garment is also acceptable. Practically speaking, the talis gadol is almost always made of wool, whereas the talis katan is often made from cotton, which causes the wearer to perspire less, and is therefore more comfortable. Synthetic materials pose many issues regarding tzitzis and should not be used to fulfill the mitzvah.

The tzitzis strings themselves, are made of wool and must be manufactured specifically for use in fulfilling the mitzvah of tzitzis. That is why it is essential to purchase them from a reliable vendor who sells only tzitzis certified as having been manufactured properly. Unfortunately, this is a lesser-known aspect of the mitzvah and many people assume that since they’re purchasing the talis from a Jew, it must be acceptable.

While you are at the Judaica store, you may be asked whether you’d like to purchase a talis bag to go along with the talis. These bags are made of velvet or leather and are not an integral part of the mitzvah. Rather, they serve a useful purpose for those who intend to wear the talis on a regular basis, as they protect it quite nicely and are a means of beautifying the mitzvah. Additionally, some have a custom to embroider the name or initials of the wearer on the exterior of the talis bag. Neither of these options should be considered mandatory, of course. The quality and fit of the talis along with the reliable certification are what really matter.

Regards,
Rabbi Elazar Meisels

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Rabbi Meisels can be reached at rabbimeisels@partnersintorah.org

Parshas chukas

Chukas contains the Laws of the “Parah Adumah” (the red heifer) and ritual purification. Miriam dies and is buried at Kadesh, in the desert of Tzin. The people complain about the lack of water, and Aaron and Moshe pray and intercede on their behalf. G-d commands them to gather the Israelites at Meribah, and to speak to a designated rock so that water will flow forth. Angered at the people’s lack of faith, Moshe becomes impatient, and instead of speaking to the rock, he strikes it. Because Aaron and Moshe did not follow G-d’s instructions implicitly, G-d tells them that they will not be permitted to enter the Promised Land. The people resume their travels but cannot go the direct route because the King of Edom refuses permission to pass through his country. When they reach Mt. Hor, Aaron dies and his son Eliezer is invested with his priestly garments and responsibilities. Aaron was beloved by all the people and they observe a national mourning period of thirty days.

The Canaanites from the south attack the people and are defeated. The route around Edom is arduous and long, and there is some complaint. Hashem sends snakes to plague the people. Repentant, they beg Moshe to pray for them, and Hashem instructs Moshe to fashion a snake and elevated it on a serpent. Miraculous victories against the local nations are alluded, and the grateful Bnai Yisroel sing a song of victory. Messages are sent to Og, King of Bashan, and Sichon, King of the Emori, requesting permission to pass through their land. Instead, these two kings attack and are vanquished. Bnai Yisroel inherit their lands. return to top

The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah (29a) cites our verse: עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף וְשִׂים אֹתוֹ עַל-נֵס וְהָיָה כָּל-הַנָּשׁוּךְ וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ וָחָי, Make yourself a fiery serpent and place it on a pole and it will be that anyone who is bitten will look at it and live (Bamidbar 21:8), and asks incredulously: "But does a serpent kill or restore life? Rather, when Israel gazed upward and subjugated their heart to their Father in Heaven, they were healed, but if not they perished." It is thus clear that viewing the copper snake was not a medical antidote, but a spiritual one that effected repentance and "subjugation of the heart." Nevertheless, there are many views as to how this was accomplished.

Maharal (Gur Aryeh) states that this was a twofold process. First, the copper serpent was placed on a נֵס, a high pole, so that a person would be forced to look heavenward, ensuring that he becomes aware of his duty to Hashem. Second, by seeing a replica of that which had harmed him, his prayers for a cure would be much more intense and focused. Maharal thus highlights a useful tool for prayer in general: to actually visualize the problem or circumstance for which one is seeking assistance and deliverance, thereby improving his concentration.

R' Shamshon Raphael Hirsch points out that it does not say in the verse that one should look upward, only that one should look at the snake. He therefore suggests that by looking at the snake, one realized that the Wilderness was an environment of snakes, as stated in the verse: הַמּוֹלִיכְךָ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַגָּדֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא נָחָשׁ שָׂרָף וְעַקְרָב, Who leads you through the great and awesome Wilderness — of snake, fiery serpent, and scorpion (Devarim 8:15). Thereby, one took cognizance of all the dangers that constantly surrounded him, and realized that his protection was based solely on Hashem's Divine benevolence. As the primary sin of the nation was that they were כְּפוּיֵי טוֹב, ungrateful, by complaining about the food and water, looking at the serpent revived their understanding that "the dangers are still in existence, dangers that the special care of Hashem lets us escape quite unconsciously, daily and hourly, so that every breath we take in our lives is made into a fresh gift from Hashem's might and goodness." In this sense, the verse is saying, "View the cure (and protection) from the snake as a נֵס, miracle."

Along similar lines, Ohr HaChaim remarks that included in the complaint of the people was the argument that one should not rely on miracles, for they are rare and cannot be depended upon, as opposed to natural law, which is continuous. He notes, pointedly, that this argument has in fact blossomed under the non-believers in their assessment of the wonders brought by Hashem, and they have sought to "naturalize" all such events with claims that they were really physical (though strange) occurrences. At best, they say, they were aberrations that cannot be repeated. It is perhaps to rectify this misunderstanding of the nature of the miraculous vs. the natural that Hashem established a permanent symbol of His hashgachah, Divine protection, as the Midrash states: Moshe threw the snake skyward and it hovered in the air, and he put a pole under it that was not held up by anything. By observing this miraculous sight, they would realize that Hashem could produce miracles at any time, and that sheltering and providing for the Jews in the Wilderness was no more difficult for Hashem than it would be in any civilized habitat.

Another observation made by Ohr HaChaim (who enumerates seven concepts that were learned from the people looking at the copper serpent on high) is that by observing the נָחָשׁ, serpent, they came to understand the underlying reason for their afflictions — namely, the sin of lashon hara, gossip, introduced into the world by the serpent of Creation, who seduced Adam into eating from the "Tree of Knowledge" with his clever tongue. Only when one recognizes the particular sin that he has committed is he able to reject that conduct and truly repent. return to top

Hey, I never knew that! By Ozer Alport

Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha   

Q: Rashi explains (20:2) that upon the death of Miriam, there was no longer any water for the people to drink as the well which had sustained them with water had only existed in the merit of Miriam. How can this be reconciled with the Gemora in Bava Metzia (86b) which states that the well was provided in the merit of Abraham’s kindness in welcoming guests and providing them with water to drink?

A: The Maharsha (Taanis 9a) answers that the well initially appeared in the merit of Abraham’s actions. However, if only for Abraham’s kind deeds, the well would have remained for a short period of time and then departed. In the merit of Miriam, the well which had come due to Abraham remained with the Jews throughout their journeys in the wilderness until her death. The Torah Temimah challenges this explanation, questioning how the merit of Miriam, who sustained the well for 40 years, could be greater than that of Abraham, who was only able to make it last a short while. One possible answer is that the first opinion maintains that initially bringing about a miracle takes infinitely more merits than sustaining it once it has already begun, and in this sense Abraham’s merits were indeed greater than those of Miriam’s.

Q: The mitzvah of the purification process of the parah adumah (red heifer) is considered the quintessential “chok” – a mitzvah which seems to defy human logic and which we perform only because Hashem commanded us to do so. The apparently counterintuitive nature of this mitzvah is often explained based on the fact that the impure person upon whom the ashes of the red heifer are sprinkled becomes pure, yet the pure person who sprinkles them becomes impure in the process. Is this indeed the case?

A: The Gemora in Niddah (9a) explicitly rules that both the person upon whom the ashes are sprinkled as well as the person who does the sprinkling emerge from the process completely pure. If so, what is indeed the apparently contradictory aspect of this mitzvah? The Gemora concludes that although both of these individuals are pure, a person who carries the container with the ashes of the heifer (who may also be the person who does the sprinkling) becomes impure by doing so. return to top

Ozer Alport can be reached at ozer@partnersintorah.org

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