03 Jul 2025 Chukas 5785: Choosing Holiness, Choosing Life

In Parshas Chukas the Torah teaches us about “zos chukas ha’Torah”, the enigmatic mitzvah of Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer. The cow had to be entirely red, and even two black hairs invalidated it. It had to be pure, without blemish, and never had a yoke placed upon it.

In Temple times, when an individual became tamei la’nefesh adam (ritually impure through contact with a meis), in order to became tahor, he needed to undergo a purification process that included sprinkling with the ashes of the parah adumah. However, while the impure person would become pure through this process, those involved with the parah adumah (on the giving or doing end), would become tamei, impure.

How could the very same cow and its ashes make an impure person pure, and a pure person impure? The first Rashi to the parsha (quoting Maseches Yoma) teaches us:

זאת חקת התורה. לְפִי שֶׁהַשָּׂטָן וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מוֹנִין אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לוֹמַר מַה הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת וּמַה טַּעַם יֵשׁ בָּהּ? לְפִיכָךְ כָּתַב בָּהּ חֻקָּה — גְּזֵרָה הִיא מִלְּפָנַי, אֵין לְךָ רְשׁוּת לְהַרְהֵר אַחֲרֶיהָ

This is the law of the Torah (referring to the parah adumah): For the Satan and the nations of the world taunt Israel over this mitzvah, saying, “What is this mitzvah? What is the reason for it?” (i.e.: it is nonsensical and not logical, why do you keep such an irrational mitzvah?) Therefore, the Torah uses the word “chok,” regarding this mitzvah. To teach us that Hashem said: it is a decree before Me, you have no permission to wonder after it.

We keep the mitzvos whether we understand the rationale behind them, or not. We keep them solely because Hashem commanded us to do so.

In fact, the Sages tell us that Shlomo Ha’melech understood the reason behind all of the mitzvos, except for that of the Red Heifer. The reason for parah adumah was hidden even from him. The pasuk in Koheles says: רָח֖וֹק מַה־שֶּׁהָיָ֑ה וְעָמֹ֥ק ׀ עָמֹ֖ק מִ֥י יִמְצָאֶֽנּוּ, That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out? (Koheles 7:24). The Midrash (Lekach Tov al Koheles) says that Shlomo was referring to the paradox of the parah adumah. Even from him, it was far away, very deep and even he could not find (the reason for) it.

It is the greatest paradox and mystery: How could the same matter make one person pure and one person impure?

Keeping this in mind, later in the parsha we have the incident with the venomous vipers that came and attacked the people after they complained about their journey, and their leaving Egypt. As a consequence of their complaints against Hashem and Moshe, Hashem sent הַנְּחָשִׁ֣ים הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וַיְנַשְּׁכ֖וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיָּ֥מָת עַם־רָ֖ב מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל, the venomous snakes and they bit the nation, and many died from Israel.

Moshe davened on behalf of the people and Hashem commanded him to make a serpent and place it on a pole and whoever would see it would live. “And Moshe made a copper snake and he put it on a pole and whoever was bitten by a snake, if he looked at the copper serpent, he lived” (Bamidbar 21:4-9).

Interestingly, just like our question regarding the parah adumah, the same idea can be asked here: How could it be that a snake that bites and causes death could also be a symbol of a snake that gives life? How could the same medium represent two totally opposing realities?

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin quotes an insight of the Chizkuni. “The Chizkuni suggests that the copper serpent illustrates G-d’s extraordinary ability to afflict and to cure through the same medium. Only He can punish the nation through an attack of serpents and then heal them through a copper serpent” (Unlocking the Torah Text, Bamidbar, p.205).

[Chizkuni to Bamidbar 21:9 – ודוקא נחש ולא בריה אחרת להודיע נפלאותיו של הקב״ה שכך מדותיו שהוא מכה באיזמל ומרפא באיזמל – Specifically a serpent and not another creature—this was to make known the wonders of the Holy One, blessed be He, for such are His ways: He strikes with the scalpel and heals with the scalpel.]

While the logic and reason behind parah adumah is hidden from all men, Torah contains relevant lessons and messages for us throughout time. Even in the absence of the BHM”K, when the ritual of the parah adumah is no longer practiced (may the BHM”K be rebuilt speedily in our days), we can still ask – and answer – what does this come to teach us?

From the paradox of the parah adumah, as well as that of the biting and copper snakes, the Torah is teaching us a foundational lesson. Nothing in the world of Hashem is inherently “bad” or “good.” All of the elements Hashem gifted to us in this world bring purity or impurity, blessing or curse, positivity or negativity, depending on how we utilize them and the choices we make.

From wine (kiddush, arbah kosos on leil ha’Seder) to food (hilchos kashrus, healthy choices), from socialization (k’nei licha chavar, har’chek m’shachen rah) to the use of technology (limud Torah, assistance for people with disabilities, video chat to stay in touch with family and friends), Hashem grants us a world full of beauty and conveniences to facilitate our journey through this world, so that we may merit the World to Come.

The very same device, or matter, can bring tumah or taharah, the very same element can bring life or death. What does it depend on? The choices we make in how we use the gifts Hashem bestows upon us.

הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם, אֶת–הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת–הָאָרֶץ—הַחַיִּים וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה; וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים—לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה, אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ – This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses to you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life, so that you and your seed will live (Devarim 30:19).

When we follow the precepts of Torah at all times, whether the mitzvos are rational to us or not; when we keep davar Hashem because Hashem is our Father and King and we are here to fulfill His ratzon, then we are choosing life. And then we will bring taharah, kedusha v’chaim (purity holiness and life) to ourselves and our nation, utilizing all that Hashem grants us to serve Him well and elevate our souls.

בברכת בשורות טובות ושבת שלום,

Michal