Parashat Chukat
June 15, 2021
Rabbi Yitzchak Zilbiger, High School Tanakh Teacher
Three Thoughts at the End of a Challenging Year
Search for meaning.As another great, though challenging school year comes to an end, I want to paraphrase the words of Maimonides and say the following: “A person needs to search for meaning as much as possible, but at times there is no answer and that is okay.”
The opening of this week’s parashah, חֻקַת Chukat (Statute) can demonstrate this idea. The parashah starts with a puzzling commandment known as פָרָה אֲדֻמָה — the Red Heifer. The ancient midrash on this parashah quotes קהלת (Ecclesiastes) and says, “אָמַרְתִי אֶחְכָּמָה וְהִיא רְחוֹקָה מִמֶּנִּי” — “I said I will get wisdom, but it was far from me.” This year, amid all the turmoil across the world, we might feel the same. But this year also enabled us to recognize once again how to find wonderful things and wonderful people around us. Wonderful, yes, but still with so many unanswered questions. It is very challenging to answer the question of why things happen as they do, but it is our duty to be busy with the more essential question when these things happen . . . then what?
No act of kindness is ever wasted.
Just before the famous event where משה (Moshe) hits the rock, the Torah informs us about the death of מרים (Miriam). The Talmud makes a connection between the two events. רש”י (Rashi) says that during the entire 40 years in the desert, the people had a constant water supply due to מרים’s merits, and her death caused this “miraculous well” to disappear. The connection between מרים and מים (water) had already started back in Egypt when she put her life on the line while standing, watching, and guarding her baby brother in the basket on the bank of the Nile. Throughout the Torah, there is almost nothing about מרים’s involvement in the nation’s leadership. Maybe the opening of chapter 20 in this week’s parashah gives her back some of the credit she deserves for being part of the nation’s leadership team, although mostly from behind the scenes. The Talmud suggests that due to מרים’s act of kindness, the nation had water for almost 40 years. מרים’s unique contribution was an essential part of the long and challenging journey. Although it doesn’t say that the nation mourns מרים, nevertheless her death was noticeable, as was her contribution to the welfare of the nation throughout the long journey. Always, and this year more than ever, acts of kindness, however subtle, have been needed by so many. If this value will continue to be part of our lives as we renew our days, it will be enough — דַיֵנוּ.
Just before the famous event where משה (Moshe) hits the rock, the Torah informs us about the death of מרים (Miriam). The Talmud makes a connection between the two events. רש”י (Rashi) says that during the entire 40 years in the desert, the people had a constant water supply due to מרים’s merits, and her death caused this “miraculous well” to disappear. The connection between מרים and מים (water) had already started back in Egypt when she put her life on the line while standing, watching, and guarding her baby brother in the basket on the bank of the Nile. Throughout the Torah, there is almost nothing about מרים’s involvement in the nation’s leadership. Maybe the opening of chapter 20 in this week’s parashah gives her back some of the credit she deserves for being part of the nation’s leadership team, although mostly from behind the scenes. The Talmud suggests that due to מרים’s act of kindness, the nation had water for almost 40 years. מרים’s unique contribution was an essential part of the long and challenging journey. Although it doesn’t say that the nation mourns מרים, nevertheless her death was noticeable, as was her contribution to the welfare of the nation throughout the long journey. Always, and this year more than ever, acts of kindness, however subtle, have been needed by so many. If this value will continue to be part of our lives as we renew our days, it will be enough — דַיֵנוּ.
A time to speak . . . again.
Following instructions is essential for all and much more so for those whose actions influence others. The instruction to משה was clear; “וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל הַסֶּ֛לַע” — talk to the rock and it will give water to the entire congregation. However, as it is well known, משה hit the rock (not once but twice). For this action, משה paid a heavy price and his dream to enter the promised land vanished. Much was written to explain משה’s actions. Why did he choose to hit the rock? What was he thinking?
If we try to put ourselves in משה’s shoes for a second we might see the event from his perspective. After all, walking for almost 40 years in the desert with so many challenges had taken its toll on everyone, משה included. Contemporary commentaries focus on the difference between “hit” and “talk” and emphasize what was behind the initial request, “talk to the rock,” especially now as the journey was about to end. Things changed, this is a new generation, we are not at the same point we were earlier in this unprecedented journey, and therefore a fresh outlook is expected. A different approach is needed. Gentler, more considerate, and more understanding. Hence the instruction, “talk” (do not “hit”). The author of משלי (Proverbs) says: “כַּמַיִם הַפָּנִים לַפָּנִים, כֵּן לֵב הָאָדָם לָאָדָם” — “As in water face answers face, so does the heart human to human.” Maybe one of the messages that this event comes to teach us is that nothing will replace direct speech, nothing will come in place of honest dialogue. Now more than ever, face to face conversation is a must. Now, as hopefully we are starting to take the masks off, the words of the prophet Jeremiah — ירמיהו in אֵיכָה — Lamentations, which were echoed by the late poet אהוד מנור (Ehud Manor) in his song, “הַלְוַאי” — “If Only” are as relevant as always. “הַלְוַאי שֶׁלֹא נִכְאַב… הַלְוַאי וּנְחַדֵשׁ יָמֵינוּ כָּאן כְּקֶדֶם” — “If only we would not suffer . . . if only we could renew our days here as long ago,” as long ago but also renew . . . Amen.
Following instructions is essential for all and much more so for those whose actions influence others. The instruction to משה was clear; “וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל הַסֶּ֛לַע” — talk to the rock and it will give water to the entire congregation. However, as it is well known, משה hit the rock (not once but twice). For this action, משה paid a heavy price and his dream to enter the promised land vanished. Much was written to explain משה’s actions. Why did he choose to hit the rock? What was he thinking?
If we try to put ourselves in משה’s shoes for a second we might see the event from his perspective. After all, walking for almost 40 years in the desert with so many challenges had taken its toll on everyone, משה included. Contemporary commentaries focus on the difference between “hit” and “talk” and emphasize what was behind the initial request, “talk to the rock,” especially now as the journey was about to end. Things changed, this is a new generation, we are not at the same point we were earlier in this unprecedented journey, and therefore a fresh outlook is expected. A different approach is needed. Gentler, more considerate, and more understanding. Hence the instruction, “talk” (do not “hit”). The author of משלי (Proverbs) says: “כַּמַיִם הַפָּנִים לַפָּנִים, כֵּן לֵב הָאָדָם לָאָדָם” — “As in water face answers face, so does the heart human to human.” Maybe one of the messages that this event comes to teach us is that nothing will replace direct speech, nothing will come in place of honest dialogue. Now more than ever, face to face conversation is a must. Now, as hopefully we are starting to take the masks off, the words of the prophet Jeremiah — ירמיהו in אֵיכָה — Lamentations, which were echoed by the late poet אהוד מנור (Ehud Manor) in his song, “הַלְוַאי” — “If Only” are as relevant as always. “הַלְוַאי שֶׁלֹא נִכְאַב… הַלְוַאי וּנְחַדֵשׁ יָמֵינוּ כָּאן כְּקֶדֶם” — “If only we would not suffer . . . if only we could renew our days here as long ago,” as long ago but also renew . . . Amen.