רפואה מן התורה
Healing from the Torah
Parashat Chukkat/Balak
Numbers 19:1-25:9
By Rabbi Adam Ruditsky
Recalling the Music of Miriam's Heart
Last week we read about the tragic end to Korach of
the Kohathite Levitical clan and the 250 families that followed him because of
a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. The
Korach rebellion followed on the heels of the spies debacle that was proceeded
by the people who wanted to turn on Moses because they wanted meat instead of
manna. In part of this reading, Parashat
Chukkat, we come to the symbolic end of the wilderness generation with the
deaths of Miriam and Aaron, but also the news that Moses will not make it out
of the wilderness. Yet, in the middle of
this narrative that began in the previous parshiyot the Torah relays the
funky ritual of the Red Heifer, the parah adumah (פרה אדומה).
The Rabbis taught that this is a “chukkat,” a Law without an
obvious reason, just like Kosher laws regarding milk and meet, shaatnez
(mixing wool and linen) or kilayim (mixing two types of grain).
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes that on the outside the law of the parah adumah belongs in the book of Leviticus where the laws of purity are discussed in length. But calling on Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, a dead body never defiled a person and water never purified a person until the law said so, R’Sacks further saying that this law “created a new reality” for Israel in the wilderness that teaches something about death itself. In this case, Israel is about to meet the death of their leaders head on, and the parah adumah becomes something much bigger than a cow who is burned and its ashes are put in water to be sprinkled on a person contaminated by some kind of contact with a dead person/animal (cf. Rashi), as if it were some magical healing formula (Num. 19:12). On the contrary it is not about magical ashes but about the continuation of life itself, thus “we die, but life goes on,” R’Sacks writes. In the end, R’Sacks says that the parah adumah is a reminder that there is “continuity” in death between “the dead, the living and those yet not born,” the reminder being that “the dead live on is us” (the living). Does this ring true; the symbolic nature of the parah adumah serves the purpose to tell us that life is a continuous cycle between the living, the dead, and those not yet born?
Regarding the deaths of Miriam and Aaron that followed this ritual of the parah adumah there are two things that stand out. First, the death of Miriam receives no attention or ritual, although her death caused further contention for the people (Num. 20:1-13). And second, whereas Aaron’s death is ritualized for 30 days, nothing else is mentioned (Num. 20:24-29). In the case of Aaron the High Priest, his son Elazar takes his place, but when Miriam dies her “well” that provided nourishment for the people in the wilderness dried up (BT Shabbat 35a). In the text, the people contented with Moses and Aaron because there was no more water, so Moses hit’s the rock with his staff (instead of speaking to it) and water comes forth. Just like the chukkat itself, a momentary outburst of frustration costs Moses a lifetime of hard work and effort to enter the land of their journey, a decree by God that is not obviously clear, and debated by many. We read in the Talmud that there were, “three great leaders … Moses, Aaron and Miriam. In their merit they received three great gifts: the Well [Miriam], the Clouds of Glory [Aaron] and the Manna [Moses]” (BT Taanit 9a), yet here we can conclude that Miriam was the most prominent among the people.
Miriam was one of the midwives according to tradition that made sure that little Jewish baby boys did not die in Exodus, and she made sure her brother Moses would be saved from Pharaoh’s decree. After Israel and the mixed-multitude crossed the sea it was Miriam, the prophetess, that lead the women in a song of thanksgiving to God, and at the end of her life, her absence made the biggest impact on the people. In short, Miriam was the heart of the three, even her words that spoke out regarding Moses’ wife reflected the passion that drove her, something that was an unspoken gift to the people. Although difficult for Judaism to swallow, Miriam’s death was looked at as an atonement of sorts which is why the story of the parah adumah proceeded her loss. So why the parah adumah provided atonement for the Golden Calf, Miriam’s death also has merit in the same way (see BT Mo’ed katan 28a). It was the 13th century Rabbi, Menachem ben Meiri, who taught that the atonement provided is not one to forgive sin but to inspire people toward introspection and self-assessment of wrongdoing. In other words, Miriam’s life provided “living waters” of moral melodies that when gone caused the people to seek what was lost. Family values were the work of Miriam according to the Midrash, her legacy was in the lives of the people as opposed to Elazar who took over for Aaron regarding Priestly concerns and Joshua who would take over for Moses as the leader of the community. Yeah, Elazer and Joshua had important roles, but Miriam left a void in the lives of the people like no other. Still each had a role, and in their lives “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it” (Perkei Avot 2:21).
How does Miriam’s work continue on although she dies before it was completed? You have to wonder, if Miriam’s’ life were ritualized and celebrated maybe Moses would have been able to mourn his sister instead of being frustrated leading him to hit the rock, or the community would have not been out-spoken against the leaders yet again? The generation was ending, the journey was coming to a close, and the heart of the people just died, but they had to go on in the right way by finding a new heart; maybe even their own now that it was their turn to take up the work itself. The parah adumah for R’Sacks taught, “we die, but life goes on,” thus for the community as they enter their new land the heart of Miriam was their gift. During turbulent and uncertain times we must recall the hearts of those who went before us to give us what we have today, yet even if still in process, we must find our heart along the way as we continue our work. Death and life are circular, but it is what happens in-between, and how we handle it, that defines us.
Shabbat Shalom.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes that on the outside the law of the parah adumah belongs in the book of Leviticus where the laws of purity are discussed in length. But calling on Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, a dead body never defiled a person and water never purified a person until the law said so, R’Sacks further saying that this law “created a new reality” for Israel in the wilderness that teaches something about death itself. In this case, Israel is about to meet the death of their leaders head on, and the parah adumah becomes something much bigger than a cow who is burned and its ashes are put in water to be sprinkled on a person contaminated by some kind of contact with a dead person/animal (cf. Rashi), as if it were some magical healing formula (Num. 19:12). On the contrary it is not about magical ashes but about the continuation of life itself, thus “we die, but life goes on,” R’Sacks writes. In the end, R’Sacks says that the parah adumah is a reminder that there is “continuity” in death between “the dead, the living and those yet not born,” the reminder being that “the dead live on is us” (the living). Does this ring true; the symbolic nature of the parah adumah serves the purpose to tell us that life is a continuous cycle between the living, the dead, and those not yet born?
Regarding the deaths of Miriam and Aaron that followed this ritual of the parah adumah there are two things that stand out. First, the death of Miriam receives no attention or ritual, although her death caused further contention for the people (Num. 20:1-13). And second, whereas Aaron’s death is ritualized for 30 days, nothing else is mentioned (Num. 20:24-29). In the case of Aaron the High Priest, his son Elazar takes his place, but when Miriam dies her “well” that provided nourishment for the people in the wilderness dried up (BT Shabbat 35a). In the text, the people contented with Moses and Aaron because there was no more water, so Moses hit’s the rock with his staff (instead of speaking to it) and water comes forth. Just like the chukkat itself, a momentary outburst of frustration costs Moses a lifetime of hard work and effort to enter the land of their journey, a decree by God that is not obviously clear, and debated by many. We read in the Talmud that there were, “three great leaders … Moses, Aaron and Miriam. In their merit they received three great gifts: the Well [Miriam], the Clouds of Glory [Aaron] and the Manna [Moses]” (BT Taanit 9a), yet here we can conclude that Miriam was the most prominent among the people.
Miriam was one of the midwives according to tradition that made sure that little Jewish baby boys did not die in Exodus, and she made sure her brother Moses would be saved from Pharaoh’s decree. After Israel and the mixed-multitude crossed the sea it was Miriam, the prophetess, that lead the women in a song of thanksgiving to God, and at the end of her life, her absence made the biggest impact on the people. In short, Miriam was the heart of the three, even her words that spoke out regarding Moses’ wife reflected the passion that drove her, something that was an unspoken gift to the people. Although difficult for Judaism to swallow, Miriam’s death was looked at as an atonement of sorts which is why the story of the parah adumah proceeded her loss. So why the parah adumah provided atonement for the Golden Calf, Miriam’s death also has merit in the same way (see BT Mo’ed katan 28a). It was the 13th century Rabbi, Menachem ben Meiri, who taught that the atonement provided is not one to forgive sin but to inspire people toward introspection and self-assessment of wrongdoing. In other words, Miriam’s life provided “living waters” of moral melodies that when gone caused the people to seek what was lost. Family values were the work of Miriam according to the Midrash, her legacy was in the lives of the people as opposed to Elazar who took over for Aaron regarding Priestly concerns and Joshua who would take over for Moses as the leader of the community. Yeah, Elazer and Joshua had important roles, but Miriam left a void in the lives of the people like no other. Still each had a role, and in their lives “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it” (Perkei Avot 2:21).
How does Miriam’s work continue on although she dies before it was completed? You have to wonder, if Miriam’s’ life were ritualized and celebrated maybe Moses would have been able to mourn his sister instead of being frustrated leading him to hit the rock, or the community would have not been out-spoken against the leaders yet again? The generation was ending, the journey was coming to a close, and the heart of the people just died, but they had to go on in the right way by finding a new heart; maybe even their own now that it was their turn to take up the work itself. The parah adumah for R’Sacks taught, “we die, but life goes on,” thus for the community as they enter their new land the heart of Miriam was their gift. During turbulent and uncertain times we must recall the hearts of those who went before us to give us what we have today, yet even if still in process, we must find our heart along the way as we continue our work. Death and life are circular, but it is what happens in-between, and how we handle it, that defines us.
Shabbat Shalom.
No comments:
Post a Comment