Num. 19:1 - 22:1
Précis: The parasha begins with a discussion of the Red Heifer, used for ritual purification after one comes into contact with a dead body. The story then shifts to the death of Miriam, and the mourning by the entire people for her. With her death, the well of water which had accompanied their travels disappears, and Moses strikes a rock to provide water to the People. Soon thereafter, Aaron also dies, and the Israelites engage in a series of battles which conclude the parasha.
Num.19:2 “This is the statute of law which Adonai commanded….”
We are faced with the riddle of the Red Heifer. It is paradoxical. God states that those who prepare the ashes of the Red Heifer become impure. Nevertheless, the ashes are used to purify others. How can we reconcile this seeming contradiction?
Perhaps we can find a hint: by using something impure, we acknowledge that we have something which must be remedied.
To be more specific, we all engage in actions we wished we did not do. For some, such actions are self-destructive and life-threatening. Those with knowledge or experience of addiction know that behaviors can really change only when the sufferer hits the bottom and sees that fact. Knowing that one is helpless to rectify an addiction, but also knowing that there is a “Higher Power” which can help one change, is at the heart of 12 step programs. Truly negative behavior, in this light, is seen as a way to stimulate change.
The ashes of the red heifer ashes are impure, but give us a way to return to ritual purity. Our self-destructive actions, once we admit to them, can be a “first step” to a restoration of a life worth living.
No comments:
Post a Comment