זֹ֚את חֻקַּ֣ת הַתּוֹרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר דַּבֵּ֣ר ׀ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֣וּ אֵלֶ֩יךָ֩ פָרָ֨ה אֲדֻמָּ֜ה תְּמִימָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵֽין־בָּהּ֙ מ֔וּם אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־עָלָ֥ה עָלֶ֖יהָ עֹֽל׃
This is the ritual law (Chok) that יהוה has commanded: Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid.
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 (יומא ס"ז):
וזאת חקת התורה THIS IS THE ORDINANCE OF THE LAW — Because Satan and the nations of the world taunt Israel, saying, “What is this command and what reason is there for it”, on this account it (Scripture) writes (uses) the term חקה about it, implying: It is an enactment from before Me; you have no right to criticize it (Yoma 67b; cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 7).
...גוי אחד שאל את רבן יוחנן בן זכיי א' ליה אילין מיליא דאתון עבדין נראין כמן כשפים מביאין פרה ושוחטין אותה ושורפין אותה וכותשין אותה ונוטלין את אפרה ואחד מכם מטמא למת ומזין עליו שתים שלש טיפים ואומרין לו טהרתה!
א' לו: לא נכנסה רוח תזזית באותו האיש מימיו? א' לו לאו. אמ' לו: ולא ראיתה אחר שנכנסה בו רוח תזזית? א' לו: הין. א' לו: ומה אתם עושין? א' לו: מביאין עיקרין ומעשנין תחתיו ומרבצים עליה מים והיא בורחת. א' לו: ולא ישמעו אזניך מה שפיך מדבר?! כך הרוח הזה רוח טומאה היא דכת' "וגם את הנביאים ואת רוח הטומאה וג'" (זכריה יג ב).
וכיון שיצא, אמרו לו תלמידיו: ר', לזה דחיתה בקנה, לנו מה אתה משיב? א' להם: חייכם, לא המת מטמא ולא המים מטהרים אלא גזירתו של הקב"ה הוא. א' הקב"ה: חוקה חקקתי, גזירה גזרתי, ואין אתה רשאי לעבור על גזירתי זאת חוקת התורה (במדבר יט ב)
A non-Jew asked Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai: "These things that you do look like a kind of sorcery. You bring a (red) cow and slaughter it and burn it and grind it and take its ashes and one of you becomes impure by contact with a corpse and you sprinkle two or three drops on him and say to him, 'you are purified.'
...
After he left, our rabbi's students said, "You pushed him off with a reed (you gave him a silly response), what will you say to us?" Rabban Yochanan said to his students: By your lives, a corpse does not make impure and water does not purify. Rather, this is the decree of the Holy One, Blessed be He. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, "I have set it down as a statute (chok), I have made it a decree, and you are not at liberty to transgress My decree." "This is the statute of the Torah" (Numbers 19:2)
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסַכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר, אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים יֵצֶר הָרַע מֵשִׁיב עֲלֵיהֶם, וּכְתִיב בָּהֶן חֻקָּה. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, אֵשֶׁת אָח, וְכִלְאַיִם, שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ, וּפָרָה אֲדֻמָּה. אֵשֶׁת אָח, דִּכְתִיב: עֶרְוַת אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ וְגוֹ' (ויקרא יא, טז). מֵת בְּלֹא בָּנִים, יְבָמָה יָבֹא עָלֶיהָ (דברים כה, ה). וּכְתִיב בָּעֲרָיוֹת, וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת חֻקּוֹתַי וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי (ויקרא יח, ה). וְכִלְאַיִם, דִּכְתִיב: לֹא תִּלְבַּשׁ שַׁעַטְנֵז (דברים כב, יא). סָדִין בַּצִּיצִית, מֻתָּר. וּכְתִיב בָּהּ חֻקָּה, אֶת חֻקֹּתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ בְּהֶמְתְּךָ לֹא תַּרְבִּיעַ כִּלְאַיִם וְגוֹ' (ויקרא יט, יט). שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ, דִּכְתִיב: וְהַמְּשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת הַשָּׂעִיר לַעֲזָאזֵל יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו (ויקרא טז, כו), וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ מְכַפֵּר עַל אֲחֵרִים. וּכְתִיב בָּהּ, וְהָיְתָה זֹאת לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם (שם פסוק לד). פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה מִנַּיִן. דִּתְנַן, כָּל הָעוֹסְקִין בַּפָּרָה מִתְּחִלָּה וְעַד סוֹף, מְטַמְּאִין בְּגָדִים, וְהִיא גּוּפָהּ מְטַהֶרֶת בְּגָדִים, וּכְתִיב בָּהּ חֻקָּה, זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה.
“There are four things that the evil inclination would dismiss as irrational, and for each of them is written as a "huqqah". Now these concern the following: (1) the nakedness of a brother's wife, (2) diverse kinds, (3) the scapegoat, and (4) the red heifer.”
In regard to the nakedness of a brother's wife, it is written (in Lev. 18:16), “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife”; [yet if the brother] dies without children [it is written] (in Deut. 25:5), “her brother-in-law shall have sexual intercourse with her [and take her for a wife].” And it is written about the sexual prohibitions (in Lev. 18:5), “And you shall keep [all] My unquestioned statutes [...].”
In regard to diverse kinds, it is written (in Deut. 22:11), “You shall not wear interwoven stuff, [wool and flax together]”; yet a linen cloak with [wool] tassels is permitted. And for [this commandment also] it is written, [that it is] an unquestioned statute. [Thus it is written (in Lev. 19:19),] “You shall keep My unquestioned statute. You shall not mate your cattle with a different kind…, [nor shall you wear a garment with diverse kinds of interwoven stuff].”
In regard to the scapegoat, it is written (in Lev. 16:26), “And the one who sets the azazel-goat free shall wash his clothes”; yet it is [the goat] itself that atones for others. And for [this commandment also] it is written (in Lev. 16:34), “And this shall be to you an unquestioned statute forever.”
In regard to the red heifer, where is it shown? Since we are taught (in Parah 4:4), “All engaged with the ritual of the red heifer from beginning to end render their garments unclean”; yet it is the heifer itself that purifies the unclean. And for [this commandment also] it is written, [that it is] an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Numb. 19:2), “This is an unquestioned statute of the Torah.”
Four Special Shabbatot - Temple Reyim of Newton
During the month between Purim and Passover, there are four Shabbatot with special maftir readings. They are called Shabbat Shekalim, Shabbat Zachor, Shabbat Parah, and Shabbat Hachodesh.
Shabbat Shekalim takes place during the Shabbat prior to Rosh Chodesh Adar, or in a leap year, Adar II. The maftir reading describes a census requiring every Israelite person to contribute a half shekel (a coin used in ancient times) to support the community. Every member of the community’s participation is very important: “the rich shall not pay more, and the poor shall not pay less than half a shekel." The money collected was used throughout the year to purchase the communal sacrifice offered in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Shabbat Zakhor occurs on the Shabbat before Purim. The maftir reading directs us to remember Amalek, the nation that surprised the Israelites wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt with a rear attack. This commandment is fulfilled each year by publicly reading this passage on the Shabbat before Purim, as Haman was a descendant of Agag, King of the Amalekites.
Shabbat Parah, the Sabbath of the Red Heifer, occurs on the Shabbat prior to Shabbat in which we announce the month of Nisan. The maftir reading deals with the red heifer whose ashes were combined with water to ritually purify anyone who had been in contact with a dead person. Because only people who were pure could eat from the Passover sacrifice, a public announcement right before Nisan reminded anyone who had become impure to purify themselves before making the Passover pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Shabbat HaChodesh occurs either on the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nisan or on Rosh Chodesh itself. The maftir reading details eating the Passover sacrifice, with "your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand"; eating bitter herbs and unleavened bread; and putting blood on the doorposts; and it lists the Passover laws.
Shabbat Hagadol
The Shabbat before Pesach is called Shabbat Hagadol, the Great Sabbath. As the Israelites were preparing to leave Egypt, God commanded them to select a lamb that would serve as the Passover sacrifice. This mitzvah, or commandment, required the Israelites to actively participate in the redemption from Egypt.
The Shabbat before Pesach is called Shabbat Hagadol, the Great Sabbath. As the Israelites were preparing to leave Egypt, God commanded them to select a lamb that would serve as the Passover sacrifice. This mitzvah, or commandment, required the Israelites to actively participate in the redemption from Egypt.
The Ba'al Shem Tov
If we were to walk in the woods and a spring appeared just when we became thirsty, we would call it a miracle. And if on a second walk, if we became thirsty at just that point again, and again the spring appeared, we would remark on the coincidence. But if that spring were there always, we would take it for granted and cease to notice it. Yet is that not more miraculous still?