 Torah Thoughts
This week we read a double Torah portion- Chukat
and Balak. The Torah portions are discussed separately below.
This week we read the Torah portion "Chukat"
(ch pronounced as in “Loch Ness”- Choo- cut) (Numbers
19-25:9). “Chukat” contains 3 positive commandments (“do’s”) and 87 verses.
Our portion begins with G-d telling Moses and Aaron “Zot
chukat haTorah…”-“this is the decree of the Torah.” G-d then provides the
details of the laws relating to the “Parah Adumah”, the Red Cow. This was a
component in the process of purification for those who came in contact with a
corpse. The term “chok”, employed to describe this procedure, means “decree”,
an inscrutable declaration of the Divine will. This commandment is a “chok”
par excellence. It is unfathomable to the human mind, and is thus a vehicle
for the Jewish People to express their faith and devotion to G-d.
We should view the Torah in its entirety, even those
commandments which “make sense” to us, as a “chok”, a Divine decree.
Obviously, obeying G-d’s commandments will be beneficial to us spiritually
and physically, but that should not be our motivation.
Those who mistakenly think that the laws of keeping
kosher (for example) were given to us for health reasons, reduce a Divine
decree to an alternative to the Atkins diet. They also make the observance of
this mitzvah dependant on the concurrence of the latest scientific studies.
If scientists discover a benefit to eating pig (unlikely!), then those who
make their observance of mitzvot dependant on external factors will succumb
and deny the Torah’s immutability.
Our Torah portion continues with the passing of Miriam,
sister of Moses and Aaron. Since it was in her merit that the Israelites had
a water supply in the desert, upon her death, the well of Miriam dried up.
This led to the infamous incident of Moses’ “sin” that resulted in his not
being permitted to enter the Promised Land.
The Torah describes the death of Aaron on Mt. Hor. Moses dressed Aaron’s son Elazar in his
father’s robes, a sign of his succession as high priest. After having the
satisfaction of seeing his son invested, Aaron died a most exalted death,
described as a “kiss”. When Moses and Elazar returned from the mountain and
the people knew Aaron died, they cried and mourned for thirty days. Aaron was
so beloved since he dedicated his life to fostering peace between people and
bringing them closer to G-d.
Following his death, the “cloud” that shielded Israel
from its enemies in Aaron’s merit, dissipated. The Torah describes the
subsequent attack by the Canaanites, who were miraculously vanquished.
Once more, the Israelites set forth on their odyssey to
the Promised Land. Their spirits were low and they complained in disparaging
terms about the manna. They were struck by a plague of serpents. The serpents
were a reminder of the primeval serpent that caused man to defy G-d. It was
punished by no longer being dependant on G-d for its sustenance. It’s “food”
was ubiquitous. Thus it would feel that it no longer needed a relationship
with G-d. The manna was the opposite. It was a powerful symbol of Israel’s
dependence, and hence intimacy with G-d. Moses placed the image of a copper
serpent on a stick. Those poisoned by a snake would look upward toward the
copper serpent and be healed. (Hence the serpent on a stick has become the
modern symbol for medicine.) Obviously, the copper serpent had no healing
powers, but looking upward reminded the people of their dependence on G-d.
After defeating the Amorite King Sihon, following his
unprovoked attack, the Israelites traveled to the Plains of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho. This would be the final encampment
before the death of Moses and their entry into the Land of Israel.
The HAFTARA (excerpt from the prophets) that is traditionally
read with Chukat is from Judges 11:1-33. (This year the Haftara for Balak
is read since the portions are combined)
At the end of our Torah portion, the Israelites seek
permission from Sihon, king of the Amorites to traverse his territory in order
to reach Canaan. They promised not to use
any of the local resources. Sihon responded by attacking the Israelites. The
aggressor was defeated and the land he refused the Israelites to tread upon;
now became Israelite territory.
History continues on its spiral course. Centuries later,
the Ammonite king tried to conquer that territory captured by the Israelites.
The leader of the Jewish people at the time, Jephtah, reminded the Ammonite
king how that territory came to be Israel’s possession. Jephtah
declared that any territory from which G-d expelled their enemies is Israel’s
possession. The king failed to heed Jephtah’s declaration and went to war
against Israel.
Once more, the enemies of the Jewish People and G-d were miraculously and
utterly defeated.
The resemblance to the history of modern-day Israel
is startling.
Balak
This week we read the Torah portion, "Balak"
(Numbers 19-25:9). “Balak” contains 104 verses and no mitzvot (commandments.)
We read the narrative of how the king of Moab, Balak,
realizing that the power of the Israelites was supernatural, employed the
gentile prophet and sorcerer, Bilam to use his dark “powers” to defeat them.
After receiving equivocal divine permission, Bilam
departs with the Moabite king’s messengers.
Along the way, a strange incident occurs. Bilam’s donkey
perceives an angel obstructing its path. The donkey veers off the road. The
angry Bilam, unaware of the angel, beats the donkey to drive her forward. She
presses into a wall, crushing his leg in the process. He beats the donkey
again. Suddenly, she opens her mouth and addresses him. Then the angel is
revealed to Bilam and informs him that the donkey, by refusing to proceed,
actually saved his life.
This strange incident was didactic for the arrogant
Bilam. He was taught that it is only at G-d’s will that G-d is perceived.
Bilam was made to recognize that he did not have a “hotline” to G-d. He was
taught that even a brute beast had more spiritual perception than he did.
Before arriving at his destination, Bilam was forced to acknowledge that his
power of prophetic speech was subject to the Divine will, just as the
donkey’s was.
Every attempt by Bilam to curse the Jewish People was
foiled. To his and his patron Balak’s chagrin, Bilam was forced to bless the
Jewish People.
His poetic blessings contain important messages for
the nations of the world and for the Children of Israel. Bilam states,
“How can I curse those whom G-d does not curse?” The Midrash explains that
even at times when the Jewish People are worthy of being cursed by G-d, He
does not do so. Those who attempt to destroy the Jews are crossing swords
with G-d; and they will ultimately be destroyed, as history testifies so
eloquently.
Bilam states that the Jews are a “nation that dwells
alone and will not be counted among the nations.” The Jewish People are
unique and any attempt by Jew or gentile to deny this, will unravel. We can
infer from Bilam’s involuntary blessings that the converse was his true
intention. He wished to destroy the Jewish People by cursing them with denial
of their historic mission, and a desire to assimilate.
Failure of a Jew to recognize his unique role will
result in his disappearance in the “melting pot”. All attempts by the modern
Jewish political entity, the State of Israel, to be “a nation like all
other nations” are constantly rebuffed by the nations of the world.
(The only commonality that truly unites the “United
Nations” is their antipathy toward the Jewish People.)
Bilam further declaims, “How goodly are your tents, O
Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel.” This verse, in fact, has been
incorporated into our daily liturgy. It is recited upon entering the
synagogue for the Morning Prayer service. The commentaries explain that
“tents” refers to Torah study halls. “Dwelling places” refers to the places
where the Divine Presence dwells- the Tabernacle in the desert, the Temples at Jerusalem
and synagogues in all places.
Bilam was proclaiming that the secret of the
resilience of the Jewish People through their turbulent history is their
connection to their “tents” and “dwelling places”. We can only survive
tribulation by grasping our lifeline to G-d. That lifeline is Torah study and
communal prayer. Those who have relinquished their hold on these, or have
tried to compromise these in any way, watch helplessly as their descendants
disappear in the fog of assimilation.
The HAFTARA (excerpt from the prophets) is taken
from the Prophet Michah (5:6-6:8).
The prophet reminds the Jewish People how G-D nurtured
and protected them since the time of the Exodus. He provided them with the
great leadership of Moses, Aaron and Miriam. The prophet also mentions the
nefarious plot of Balak, King of Moab. As we read in our Torah portion, Balak
hired Bilam, the gentile prophet, to curse the Jewish People. This plan was
thwarted, but his plot to use Midianite women to seduce Jewish men to
idol-worship met with a level of success. Nevertheless, G-d continued to
support His People.
The Haftara concludes with an important exhortation. G-d
defines very clearly what is good and what Jews as individuals and as a
society must do: “…what G-d seeks from you- only the performance of justice,
the love of kindness and walking modestly with your G-d.”
The first two elements are a call to emulate G-d’s ways
(see Deuteronomy 10:12.)
The last element is understood by our Sages to instruct
a Jew not to make a show of one’s religiosity. One should observe the laws of
the Torah to the best of one’s ability. Nevertheless, it is important to
remember why one is doing so.
Our motivation should be purely to serve our Creator
and not to garner praise and recognition for our piety.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Baruch Price
Technical
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