Parashas Chukas: The Reason for Parah Adumah
Parashas Chukas begins with the mysterious mitzvah of the parah adumah (red heifer). We are commanded to sacrifice and burn a parah adumah so that its ash should be available for anyone who needs to be purified from tumas meis (halachic impurity resulting from coming in contact with a corpse). This parah must meet a highly specific list of requirements in order to be eligible for the mitzvah. For example: it must be completely red; it must be tamim (“perfect”) without any physical blemishes; it must be purchased using communal funds – not the general "Sanctuary maintenance" funds; and it must never have borne a yoke on its neck or performed any labor. [1] The aim of this short dvar Torah is to explain one of the basic reasons for the parah adumah.
To this one might object: “How is that even possible? I was taught that nobody knows the reason for the parah adumah – not even Shlomo ha’Melech!” This is partially correct, but not entirely. It is true that Shlomo ha’Melech understood the reasons for all 613 mitzvos except for the parah adumah, as was taught in the Midrash Tanchumah. [2] However, that very same midrash teaches: “The Holy One, blessed is He, told Moshe: ‘To you I will reveal the reason for the parah, but not to others.’” [3] Upon reflection, this makes sense: Moshe Rabbeinu was on the highest level of knowledge, and was taught the entire Torah by Hashem. Of course he understood the reasons for all of the mitzvos!
Not only that, but the same midrash goes on to state that the hidden reasons for all of the mitzvos, including parah adumah, were understood by R’ Akiva and his colleagues. Although the midrash appears to contradict itself, one thing is clear: the reason for the parah adumah may be difficult to grasp, but it can be understood, and has been, by a number of chachamim.
But wait – there’s more! Rashi, himself, provides an explanation for parah adumah in his Chumash commentary, and that is what we will focus on here. Rashi begins by explaining why this korban must be a female, whereas all other communal korbanos are male:
This can be compared to the son of a maidservant who soiled the king’s palace. They said, “Let this mother come and clean up the mess!” Similarly, let the parah come and atone for the [Golden] Calf. [4]
This is the crux of Rashi’s approach: the parah adumah was designed as a kaparah (atonement) for the Cheit ha’Eigel (Sin of the Golden Calf). Rashi then goes on to explain each requirement of the parah adumah in accordance with this theory.
The color red represents sin, as it is stated, “If [your sins] have become as red as crimson, they will become [white] as wool.” [5] The physical perfection of the parah is an allusion to Bnei Yisrael, who were “perfect” until they became “blemished” by the Cheit ha’Eigel. The requirement to purchase the parah from communal funds parallels the fact that Bnei Yisrael donated their own jewelry to make the Eigel. The requirement that the parah must never have borne a yoke alludes to the fact that Bnei Yisrael cast off the Ole Shamayim (Yoke of Heaven) when they worshiped the Eigel. Rashi goes on to explain all of the other requirements of the parah adumah in this manner.
We have only scratched the surface of understanding the reasons behind parah adumah according to Rashi’s theory. However, what is (perhaps) more important than Rashi’s particular ideas is his overall approach to chukim. In spite of our tradition that only a few individuals throughout history understood the reason for parah adumah, Rashi nevertheless analyzed the subject with his own mind. By analyzing the major structural components of the mitzvah as taught in Torah she’baal Peh (the Oral Torah), and drawing upon his knowledge of clues in Torah she’bi’Chsav (the Written Torah), Rashi was able to arrive at his own theory about the intended purpose of this enigmatic mitzvah.
Rashi’s approach to the parah adumah may serve as a model for how we approach all chukim. The Rambam writes: “Even though all of the chukim of the Torah are decrees … it is proper to think into them and to provide reasons for them wherever you are able to do so.” [6] If we seek to understand the chukim of our Torah, we must analyze them with our own minds through the lenses of Torah she’bi’Chsav and Torah she’baal Peh, guided by the Talmudic traditions of Chazal – just as Rashi, Rebbi Akiva, and Shlomo ha’Melech did.
[1] Sefer Bamidbar 19:1-22
[2] Tanchumah: Chukas 6; Bamidbar Rabbah 19:3; Koheles Rabbah 7:23; Psikta d’Rav Kahana 4.
[3] Tanchumah: Chukas 8; Bamidbar Rabbah 19:6; Psikta d’Rav Kahanah ibid.
[4] Rabbeinu Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi), Commentary on Sefer Bamidbar 19:22; the midrashim which are the basis for Rashi’s explanation can be found in the Midrash Aggadah and Tanchuma 8, as well as in Bamidbar Rabbah 19:8.
[5] Sefer Yeshayahu 1:18
[6] Rabbeinu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides), Mishneh Torah: Sefer ha’Korbanos, Hilchot Temurah 4:14
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