Selfless Devotion

This week’s Sedra begins with the words “Zos Chukas HaTorah”, which is of course the introduction to the Parsha of Parah Aduma. Many Meforshim point out that the words “Chukas HaTorah” seem to be very general—we may have assumed that the Torah would have said “Zos Chukas HaParah.” The implication is that the Parsha of Parah Aduma is more impactful than the Mitzvah itself, that there is a lesson and a message that is more global, rendering the words “Chukas HaTorah” appropriate indeed. It is therefore up to us to seek out this lesson, to understand what we can take from the Parah Aduma and apply to our lives.

The first Rashi in the Parsha paraphrase the Medrash on these words: “Because the Satan and Umos HaOlam will mock Bnei Yisrael about this Mitzvah, saying ‘What is this Mitzvah, and what is its reason’ the Torah says “Chok” to tell us that this is a Gezeirah and we are not to wonder about it.”

The Medrash seems to say that in response to the pestering of the Sattan and the Umos HaOlam the Torah says: “Gezirah Hi Milfani, V’Ain Lecha Reshus L’Harer Achereha.” This would hardly seem to be an adequate defense, however. The Satan tries to distract us from fulfilling the Ratzon Hashem by pointing out that it is not a logical Mitzvah, how then will the fact that this Mitzvah is a Gezirah mitigate these claims? If anything, this response plays right into his hand: the fact that there is no Ta’am, no reason, only reinforces his argument. How are we to understand this Medrash, especially in light of the inclusive nature of this Passuk, as mentioned above?

It is also interesting to note that this is not the only place in the Parsha of Parah Aduma, where a seemingly global statement is made in the midst of a relatively specific discussion.

After the Torah details the Dinim of the Parah Aduma itself, and the process of the Avodah, the Torah interjects with a discussion of the Halachos of Tumas Mes, and repeats the Halachos of who requires Mei Chatas and some brief Halachos regarding the Haza’as Mei Chattas. This section begins with the words: “Zos HaTorah, Adam Ki Yamus B’Ohel.” The words “Zos HaTorah” are very general as well—we would usually expect the Passuk to read “Zos Toras Adam…” The term HaTorah is more inclusive and seems slightly out of place. It would seem that Chazal were sensitive to this: the Gemarah in Brachos makes a Drasha: We learn from the words “Zos HaTorah, Adam Ki Yamus B’Ohel” that “Ain Divrei Torah Miskayem Ela L’Mi Shemamis Atzmo Aleah.”

There are many explanations of the term “L’Mi Shemamis Atzmo Aleah,” seeking to determine to what extent the Torah wishes us to risk our lives. After all the Torah also tells us “V’Chai Bahem,” indicating that the Torah is not meant to be superior to life itself. This being the case, we must understand what Chazal mean when they say that one is required to give his life for Torah if the Torah is to endure. Whichever of the various approaches one takes to the Gemarah (we will explore one possibility shortly) this Drasha is indeed a very general statement, as befits the term “Zos HaTorah.” This is not a lesson that applies only to the matter at hand—Tumah and Tahara, and the Parah Aduma—but to the Torah itself. In some way this Passuk teaches us the key to Kiyum HaTorah, the cornerstone of our very existence.

We must, however, ask ourselves why the Torah chose to deliver this message specifically in the Parsha of Para Aduma. Certainly this is a vital instruction—the Derech to Kiyum HaTorah—but how does it relate to this Parsha. Why doe we learn this lesson at this point?

Perhaps if we better understand the universal message of the Parah Aduma, the “Chukas HaTorah” aspect, we can better understand the “Zos HaTorah” aspect as well. As we know, the section of this week’s Parsha that speaks about Parah Aduma is not only Leined when it comes up in the regular cycle of Parshas Chukas, but also as Parshas Parah—the third of the Arba Parshios between Rosh Chodesh Adar and Pesach. The Gemarah Yerushalmi asks: why is Parshas Parah read before Parshas HaChodesh? This order seems to be chronologically inaccurate: the Hakamas HaMishkan was on Rosh Chodesh Nissan and the Mitzvah of Parah Aduma was given on the second day of Nissan—it would therefore be more appropriate to read Parshas HaChodesh first, and Parshas Parah the next week. The Gemarah answers that Parshas Parah comes first because it is “Taharasan Shel Kol Yisroel.”

R’ Tzadok HaCohen, in Pri Tzaddik (Parshas Parah), cites this Gemarah and asks the glaring question: clearly Parshas Parah is related to Tahara—the Parah Aduma is the ultimate Metaher Temeim—but why is reading the Parsha called “Taharasan Shel Yisroel?” It seems that there is more than just the subject matter of Tahara that compels us to read this Parsha first.

R’ Tzadok answers that Parshas Parah is itself a way to cleanse ourselves of the effects of the Yetzer Harah. When one learns the Parsha of Parah Aduma, he experiences a Tahara from the Tummah of the Yetzer Harah—not only does this Parsha discuss Tharah, but it actually eliminates Tummah directly. Thus the Yerushalmi is saying that we read Parshas Parah first, although the order should be reversed, because we wish to expedite the Tahara that will come about through the actual reading of Parshas Parah. This is not merely symbolic—that we wish to read Parah first because of the Tahara it represents—rather it is practical, we are rushing to access the Tahara this Parsha brings.

We still must understand, though, how this is possible. How does a mere reading of the Parsha bring about Tahara, such that we would read the Parshios out of order so that this Tahara comes sooner?

R’ Yerucham Levovitz, in Da’as Torah, explains that all Mitzvos have reasons behind them, but some are revealed to us and some are hidden. In the case of Mishpatim, we can readily understand the reason behind the Mitzvah, while the Ta’am for Chukim are beyond our comprehension. R’ Yerucham asks: Why did Hashem choose to hide the reasons for these Mitzvos from us. If a reason for Parah Aduma exists, what was the purpose of the Torah not explaining it to us?

R’ Yerucham therefore explains that if one wishes to be an effective teacher, he must explain to his students the rational behind some of his lessons, and leave out these details in others. This allows him to form a closer and longer lasting relationship with his students because there exists an implicit trust.

Hakadosh Baruch Hu is the ultimate Rebbi—he wishes to convey his Torah and Mitzvos to us in a way that will create an everlasting connection between Rebbi and Talmid. If all Mitzvos would have their reasons revealed, that connection would not be as strong, therefore Chukim exist in order to help forge that connection between us and our Rebbi.

To a certain extent this is a very understandable idea. If we only do Mitzvos because they are logical, because we understand their rational, we may no longer doing Mitzvos because they are the Ratzon Hashem. Rather, we would be performing acts that make sense to our human intellect. If, however, we do Mitzvos even when we do not understand the reasoning behind them, as in the case of Chukim, we train ourselves to act as the Ratzon Hashem dictates, regardless of our appreciation for any Ta’am behind it.

If we are willing and able to do Mitzvos in this manner it will affect the way we carry out those Mitzvos whose Ta’amim are revealed to us. Our performance of these Mitzvos will not merely be due to our own rational, but because we seek to fulfill the Ratzon HaBorei. When we reach this level, we can indeed enjoy a very close relationship with Hashem, as R’ Yerucham says: “Ain Lanu Ela Retzono Yisbarach.”

Perhaps using this idea from R’ Yerucham we can understand how just learning the Parsha of Parah creates Taharah for Klal Yisroel. When we learn the Parsha of Parah Aduma, we are reminded that our job is to be Machniah our own logic to the Ratzon Haborei. The Mitzvah of Parah Aduma, with its apparent lack of logical understanding, is the ultimate way for us to show that we do Mitzvos because they are the Ratzon Hashem, not because of any conclusion we have reached as to their rational. Thus, when we lein Parshas Parah, our role on this world is reinforced and our commitment to the Ratzon HaBorei renewed, which creates an effect of Tahara from the Yetzer Harah. This is the reason that we switch the order of the Arba Parshios, reading Parshas Parah first: we are eager to experience the effects of this Parsha.

This can also help us understand the Medrash that Rashi brings at the beginning of the Parsha. When we are confronted by the Satan and the Umos HaOlam mocking our observance of the Mitzvah of Parah Aduma, our answer is: “Gezirah Hi Milfani, V’Ain Lecha Reshus L’Harer Achereha.” We do Mitzvos because they are the Ratzon Hashem, not because we understand them. Our answer to the Satan is: “I don’t need to understand how this Mitzvah works, or how it makes sense. I do Mitzvos because they are the will of Hashem.”

The inclusion of the words “Zos HaTorah, Adam Ki Yamus B’Ohel” are now understandable as well. As we mentioned earlier, there are a number of ways to understand the rubric of “L’Mi Shemamis Atzmo Aleah” and to what extent one must sacrifice himself in order for Torah to be Mekuyam.

R’ Yaakov Galinsky, in his inimitable style, explains that the key is the word “Atzmo.” One must be willing to sacrifice his “self”, his opinions, his Da’as, in order to be Zoche to Kiyum HaTorah. Only if we can be totally subservient to the Ratzon HaBorei can we achieve the level of “Ain Divrei Torah Miskayem Ela L’Mi Shemamis Atzmo Aleah.” This is an especially appropriate idea if we consider the first half of this Memra. The Gemarah speaks of Kiyum HaTorah, the endurance of Torah, and not Havanas HaTorah or Kabalas HaTorah. Perhaps the intent of Chazal was to tell us that while one may be able to learn Torah and perhaps even reach certain levels in Ruchinas, if he cannot be Mivatel his Da’as to Da’as Kono this Torah will not endure. If one holds his own intellect in too high a regard, he will be unable to keep Mitzvos that he decides do not “make sense” or perhaps no longer apply for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, in this day and age examples of such individuals are not hard to find: there are many who are not willing to look past their own intellect when it comes to Kiyum HaMitzvos and their level of observance suffers. Such people may even be learned, but they clearly have not yet achieved a level of “Divrei Torah Miskayem” because they cannot sacrifice their own “self.”

This too fits well with the concept we have discussed above. The Mitzvah of Parah is the quintessential Chok, it is this Mitzvah that highlights the need to subjugate our human intellect to the Torah. Therefore it is most fitting that the concept of “Ain Divrei Torah Miskayem Ela L’Mi Shemamis Atzmo Aleah” is introduced in this Parsha, for it is with these words of Chazal that we understand the reward for keeping Chukim and for selfless devotion to the Ratzon HaBorei. If we can aswer the claims of the Satan and Umos HaOlam with a resounding cry of Gezirah Hi Milfani, V’Ain Lecha Reshus L’Harer Achereha” and reach a level of “Adam Ki Yamus B’Ohel” we can then be Zoche to the Tahara of Parah Aduma even in these days, and reach our own level of Kiyum HaTorah.