Weekly Dvar Torah: Moshe and the Reason Beyond Chuka
A while back I was a guest at a wedding, at which all the who is who were invited, they sat me and a few other Lubavitchers at the table of the Choshuve Rabbis.
Sitting with us was a Rabbi who identified himself as scion of the Soloveitchik family, his appearance and his Torah knowledge matched his claim.
The Rabbi started talking Torah, and he was showing off tremendous knowledge with his presenting some of his own Torah thoughts, he just went on nonstop with ideas and Chidushim of his, on various subjects of the Parsha.
As Lubavitchers we listened respectfully, but we also wanted to share some of the Rebbe’s Torah, but with him going on and on, we couldn’t get even one-word in.
At one point he mentioned that he never merited to meet the Rebbe in person, even though that the Rebbe had a connection with him through his brother in law who would come to the Rebbe, and the Rebbe would send him – the Rabbi – Matza before Pesach, and wine from Kos Shel Bracha, and Lekach for every Yom Kippur, through his brother in law.
Finally, when the main course was served, the Rabbi participated in the Seudas Mitzvah, and he joined the meal, this gave us the Lubavitchers a moment to squeeze in a word from the Rebbe.
One of the Chabad Rabbis present, repeated a thought from the Rebbe on this week’s Parsha, Parshas Chukas.
The Rebbe asks a very simple but deep question, the Parsha starts with the Mitzva of Para Aduma, the red heifer, which is a Mitzva called Chuka, it is a most fundamental law which is beyond comprehension, it is inexplicable, and as Rashi says that the nations of the world would tease the Jewish people, saying, what kind of idea is this, it makes no sense?
This idea of Chuka, is different from the other groups of Mitzvos which are Eidus, commemorative, like Pesach when we remember the exodus, or Mishpatim, common law, which are basic civil law, ideas that we humans can relate to and understand.
Chuka, however, is from the Mitzvos that are inexplicable, and they serve a purpose of connecting us with Hashem beyond reason.
The Midrash teaches, that Shlomo Hamelech, the smartest human being ever, tried to figure out the reasoning of this Mitzva of the red heifer, to make some sense of this Mitzva, however he found this impossible, nevertheless, Hashem told Moshe, to you I will reveal the reasoning of this Mitzva too.
Asks the Rebbe, if Moshe got to know the reason for this Chuka, then Moshe was lacking an important component of Mitzvos, since having a group of Mitzvos that are beyond reason is an essential part of keeping Mitzvos, how could it be that Moshe doesn’t have the ability of connection to Hashem in a way that is beyond reason?
Says the Rebbe, we find a similar thing by Moshe, Tfila L’Moshe, a prayer for Moshe, that Moshe gave a prayer. But here too we ask, what did Moshe need to pray for, wasn’t Moshe independently wealthy, didn’t Moshe achieve ultimate greatness, what was Moshe lacking, why did he need to pray?
The answer is that Moshe indeed did not need to pray for himself, but Moshe being the true trusted leader of the Jewish people, he prayed like a rich man prays for his people, that also they should achieve greatness and wealth, Moshe does not have an independent existence outside of his people, his whole life centers around the Jewish people, he’s not praying for himself, he is praying for his people.
So too here, it is true that Moshe knew the secret of the red heifer, but since his flock, his people Israel, were still in the dark and did not know the reasoning for this Chuka, so by Moshe it feels just like he doesn’t know the answer either, the idea of Chuka is as relevant as if he doesn’t know the reason, because Moshe does not have an independent existence outside of the Jewish people.
The Rabbi heard this idea, and his chin dropped, and in excitement he shouted out loud, such an idea can come only from a Rishon! A giant in Torah just like the Rishonim of yesteryear.
In one sentence the Rebbe described what a true Jewish leader is, he has no independent existence other than that of his people.
The Rebbe concludes, that such is the behavior of all Jewish leaders in every generation, the Frierdiker Rebbe, whose liberation from Soviet prison we are celebrating this week, he was not impressed by his imprisonment, he was able to rise above all the torture, as illustrated by the fact that he was threatened with a gun, he responded, this toy works for those who have two Gods and one world, but I who have one G-d and two worlds, will not be intimidated by this toy.
However, the Rebbe was concerned about his flock, his Chassidim, and the entire Jewish nation, being the leader of his generation, he knew that they need him, and he is needed to lead them, therefore when he was in jail he was concerned how this will affect the Jewish people.
A sign of a true Jewish leader.
Have a leaderful Shabbos,
Gut Shabbos and Gut Yomtov
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
