Shabbat Shalom Hagesher!

This week’s parashah is Chukat

Candle Lighting: 8:14 PM
Havdallah: 9:22 PM

This week’s D’var was written by the amazing SATO, Becca Richman.

This week’s Torah portion, Chukat, begins with laws regarding the Parah Adumah, the red heifer. Then, in the last of 40 years, Miriam dies. As a result, her famous well dries up, and refuses to produce more water. After G-d speaks to Moses and tells his to gently ask a rock for the water necessary for the people to survive, Moses instead hits it, so Moses and Aaron were forbidden from entering Eretz Yisrael. After Aaron dies, and B’nei Yisrael mourns for 30 days, the people begin to complain about Moses, so G-d sends poisonous snakes against them, killing many people. 

The many different aspects of this parasha bring up an interesting subject: human nature, and the consequences of our actions. In the beginning of this parasha, we learn about the laws concerning the red heifer. The red heifer goes through a complicated process before finally being turned into ashes, mixed with water, and consumed by a person who is impure in order for him to become pure. This law is distinctly classified as one of the “chukot”, or the laws whose purpose is concealed from man. It is said that these types of laws are not meant to be understood, they are G-d’s way of testing the loyalty of the people. It’s not human nature to blindly do things that we do not understand. However, rabbis spanning back to (according to Midrash) King Solomon admitted that they could not find a way for the ashes of a red heifer to be purifying! Obeying this law defies human nature. 

A second example of the mysteries of human nature arises when Moses strikes the rock, as opposed to gently speaking to it, as G-d instructed. Though there are many examples of people doing this, defying G-d is probably not a wise thing to do, as demonstrated by His punishment. Why would Moses hit the rock when he G-d specifically ordered him to speak to it? Disobeying a higher authority, a way higher authority, when we know that there can be great consequences, once again defies human nature. 

These examples of people going against their natural inclination call for some purpose, some incentive to drive them to disregard their gut. From the time we are very young, we understand the concept of reward and punishment, a reason behind our actions. We learn that the consequences for obeying are good, the consequences for disobeying are bad. Good consequences would come from obeying G-d, presenting the perfect driving force behind the people’s actions for doing what they do not understand. As for Moses, it is believed that he struck the rock because he thought the good consequence would be water,, as it was in Shmot: Chapter 17.  

Hagesher, as your regional SA/TO, I want you to see the consequences behind your actions. True, it is not human nature to give what you earned to a stranger. And many people think it would be more beneficial to use your time making money than helping those who need your time. However, the consequences are enough to make you want to defy your nature. Seeing that you helped a family in need, or knowing that children with disabilities will be able to attend a summer camp because of you, or hearing a “thank you” from a child who just needed some help causes one of the greatest consequences of all time: it causes you to be proud of yourself and of your actions. I sincerely hope that each of you will remember these amazing consequences when faced with a decision, and choose to do something that helps another human being, because the consequences of your actions for the person you help may be far beyond your understanding. 

Shabbat Shalom.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!!!!!