Parashat Chukat
From Likutei Torah
By Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
July 1, 2023
Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Gedalia Potash and William Schecter, MD
This draft has neither been edited nor approved by Rabbi Potash
The Elter Rebbe begins by quoting the first Pasuk in this week’s Parasha (Numbers19:1-2) “G-d spoke to Moses and Aaron saying this is the decree (law) of the Torah which G-d commanded saying….” The Rebbe then says that we first have to understand that G-d is speaking to Moses saying “this is the law of the Torah..” and afterwards why did He say “…and G-d commanded” when he should have said “I commanded”. The Rebbe then says we also have to understand the issue of the Red Heifer which is discussed in this week’s parasha and is part of the law of the Torah.
Comment: Rabbi Potash commented that the entire Torah can be understood by contemplating the laws of the Red Heifer. A Red Heifer is sacrificed in the Temple and its parts burned upon the Alter. The ashes are then collected and mixed with pure fresh water flowing from a spring and sprinkled upon a person who has been in contact with the dead, walked over buried corpses or been in the same enclosure with a dead person. So, what is the relationship between the Mitzvah of the Red Heifer and the Torah in general, particularly since the Mitzvah can no longer be carried out since we no longer have a Temple and a Red Heifer is an extremely unusual finding.
The Rebbe goes on to explain that the Torah is called “the written Torah” because G-d spoke and Moses wrote down the instructions (the Law=Torah). The words of the commentators on the Torah are called the “Oral Torah” and these are the Rabbinic Laws found in the Talmud. Indeed, the term Decree of the Torah (חוקת תורה) is derived from the noun Chakikah (חקיקה).
Comment: Chakikah has two possible meanings relevant to our discussion. The first relates to rule, law or legislation. The second meaning is engraving as in engraving letters into a stone. As will soon become apparent, the Chassidic interpretation of this passage refers to engraving. In the engraving, the letters are part of the stone. In the written Torah (see below) the words are written in ink on parchment. They are separate and different than the letters engraved which are part of the stone.
The Elter Rebbe explains: The Written Torah has a higher spiritual level than the Oral Torah.
Comment: In a way, one can compare the written Torah to the US Constitution and the Oral Torah to Case Law based on interpretations of the Constitution (if it is valid to compare a Divinely dictated document with a document produced by humans).
The Elter Rebbe explains that the Source of the Torah (Chakikat HaTorah-חקיקת התורח ) is the engraved letters (as in engraved in stone) which is the highest spiritual level. The “Written Torah”, that is the Torah written in letters of ink on parchment is on a lower spiritual level. The ink letters are initially separate entities from the parchment upon which they are written, once they are in fact written on the parchment, they unite and form one entity—The Written Torah. In contrast, the “letters of the Chakikah” are one and the same with the stone, that is, they are part and parcel of the stone upon which they are engraved and these letters are closest to the Divine Source. The energy from letters of Chakikat HaTorah flows down to the letters of the Written Torah which are enveloped in the material world (Ink and parchment).
Comment: The letters of Chakikat HaTorah can be compared the Divine Soul which descends through the process of contraction (צמצום) to lower levels ultimately reaching our world to be invested in the material body, comparable to the Written Torah. This Divine Soul seeks to unwrap the layers of materialism enveloping it, transforming the material desires of the human to a higher purpose and ultimately re-ascend to its Source.
This is what is meant by “This is the decree (law) of the Torah”. That is to say that through the commandment of the Red Heifer which is at the Chakikah (engravement—the highest spiritual level) level, the letters of the Chakikah will be drawn down to the level of the letters in the written Torah and from the written Torah the spirituality will be revealed in the Oral Torah (the Talmud). Meaning that the Mitzvah of the Red Heifer which contains the entirety of the Torah (on the Chakikah—engravement—level). This is comparable to the G-dly Soul which descends from its place of honor in Gan Eden to be invested in the corporeal body in order to “do-make” the Torah.
Comment: Rabbi Potash commented that the above sentence is a critical part of Chassidic philosophy. The Torah at the Chakikah level, like the Divine Soul, must descend and undergo the process of Tsimtsum (contraction) to enter the corporeal world to perform the corporeal Mitzvot. It is not enough to be at the highest spiritual level. The Torah must be “done or made” in our own corporeal world. The word עשה in Hebrew means both to do and to make. So the Torah at the Chakikah (Divine) level must be brought down to the written Torah level and then expounded and put into practice at the Oral Torah (Talmud) level by performing the Mitzvot.
This is what is meant when G-d commands us to “do all of these laws” etc “and you shall do them” and it is written “and you shall observe My laws”, that man will observe them for man is the one who observes all the commandments and laws and draws them down from the level of Chakikah to the level of Written Torah (the scribe writes the Torah) and through this written Torah lives with them (the laws). This is the meaning of the descent of the souls into the body and the descent for the purpose of ascent and this action and drawing down from above is an awakening (of G-d) from above and as it is written “and you shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart …. And these words which I command you this day …..”
Comment: The quotations from the paragraph above are from the Sh’ma. The idea is that the Divine Energy descends to our corporeal world (the awakening from above) where it is hidden. Our job as Jews is to reveal it through the performance of Mitzvot thereby inducing an Awakening from below allowing the G-dly Energy to ascend. This is the meaning of “descent for the purpose of ascent”.
To understand how they (men) have the ability to draw down this Supernal Energy and how the entirety of the Torah belongs to the commandment of the Red Heifer—the entirety of the commandment is the flowing down to man from the level of the Chayot Hakodesh (one category of angels) and the angels of Ratzo vaShuv (running and returning).
Comment: The angels of Ratzo vaShuv are described in the vision of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:14). Ratzo vaShuv is usually translated as dashing back and forth. Rabbi Potash commented that in terms of Kabbalah, Ratzo is related to the t desire to connect with the Or Ein Sof (the Infinite Divine Light) and Shuv (meaning return) refers to the necessity in bringing this passionate desire back down to the real world and incorporating it into our daily activities. This is the message of the Shma which describes the commandment to follow all the laws of the Torah and by doing so, we ascend by revealing the concealed Divine. Descent leads to Ascent which leads to Descent etc: Ratzo vaShuv (dashing to and fro).
The Elter Rebbe now quotes Genesis 12:9 “Abram journeyed by stages toward the Negev”
Comment: Abram sojourned from the Hill Country of Judea and Samaria to the Negev and Egypt depending upon the pasture for his flocks and the availability of food. He descended and ascended.
Our discussion ended at this point.
