Articles with the tag: chukas

The Chukas Journey (19:2)

I think we can all agree, Moses is having a lousy week.  Throughout this entire Biblical reading, he suffers one setback after another. First, (1) his sister Miriam dies. Then (2) ‘Someone’ upstairs (guess Who!) shuts off the faucet from the miraculous well. Consequently, (3) the people complain bitterly and wonder about Moses’ leadership abilities. So, in his anger, Moses strikes the rock (instead of speaking to it) and (4) is censured by G-d for distorting His command. For that slight mistake, Moses is informed (5) that he has forfeited his entrance pass into the Holy land. Next, (6) our cousins, the Edomites, emphatically refuse the Jews passage thru their territory and threaten war. Left with no wiggle room for…

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Chukas Journey: Irrationality Engraved

Moses is having a lousy week.  (1) His sister Miriam dies. (2) ‘Someone’ upstairs shuts off the well. (3) The people complain bitterly about Moses’ leadership abilities. So, in his anger, Moses strikes the rock. (4) He is censured by G-d for distorting His command. (5) He forfeits his entrance pass into the Holy land. (6) The Edomites refuse the Jews passage thru their territory and threaten war. (7) Moses is forced to lead the Israelites on a more circuitous route. (8) His older brother Aaron dies. (9) The Clouds of Glory depart. (10) The Jews are attacked by Amalek. (11) The people continue to whine, “Why did you bring us to die in this wilderness…our souls are disgusted with…

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Subtle Progress (20:4)

Moses is denied entrance into the Land of Israel as a result of his hitting the rock at the Waters of Merivah. Many of the Torah commentaries are baffled as to the exact nature of Moses’ sin. Maimonedes is of the opinion that the great Jewish leader blew it when he publicly lost his temper and exclaimed,  “Listen here you rebels, shall we bring forth water for you from this rock?” 
We need to analyze the Rambam’s explanation. Moses had a legitimate reason to be angry and frustrated, since this was not the first, but rather the second incident regarding the Well. Thus who cannot justify Moses thinking, “I’ve had it with these people! After forty years they have not…

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Words Work Well! (20:1)

No less than twenty two verses are utilized to describe in graphic detail the procedure of the red heifer (Parah Adumah). Although a mitzvah that is practically impossible to fulfill in our time and one that is completely incomprehensible, the Torah finds it necessary to elucidate.
Following this commandment is the episode of Miriam’s passing. One of the greats of that generation, her demise is summed up in five Hebrew words, “Vatomos Shom Miriam Vatikover Shom - Miriam died there and she was buried there.”  The sequence of these two passages is explained in the Midrash that just as the red cow brings atonement, so does the death of the righteous bring atonement. Another parallel between the two is the…

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Chukim - Beyond Man (19:2)

Why does there have to be at least on Chukah, a commandment that defies human comprehesion? Why can’t Torah make sense?