Sometimes we are commanded by God to do things that we don’t understand. Such as in the case of the Red Heifer. Just because we do not understand why we are commanded to do something does not make it invalid. It shows our limitations as humans.
Now for a quick devar Torah.
This week’s parashah, Parashat Chukat, presents one of the great mysteries of the Torah: the commandment of the Red Heifer.
The Torah tells us that a completely red cow, one that has never borne a yoke, is slaughtered and reduced to ashes. Those ashes are then used to purify a person who has become impure through contact with death. Yet there is a paradox. The person who is purified becomes pure, while the priest who administers the ritual becomes impure. The very process that removes impurity creates impurity in someone else.
Even King Solomon, renowned for his wisdom, is said to have declared that he could understand many things, but the mystery of the Red Heifer remained beyond him.
So what is the lesson?
The lesson may be that not everything in Judaism is meant to be understood. There are commandments whose reasons are apparent to us, and there are commandments whose reasons remain hidden. The Red Heifer belongs to that second category.
We often want to know “why.” Why do we keep kosher? Why do we observe certain mitzvot? Why does God require particular practices? Sometimes we can suggest explanations. We can discuss health benefits, social benefits, or spiritual benefits. But ultimately, those are not the reasons we perform the mitzvot.
A Jew keeps kosher because God commanded it. Even if someone were to prove that non-kosher food can be healthy, that would not change the obligation. We all know people who are strong, healthy, and eat foods that are not kosher. Health may be a benefit, but it is not the foundation of the mitzvah.
The Red Heifer teaches us humility. It reminds us that God is God and we are human beings. There are realities that exist on a level beyond our understanding. Just because we do not understand a commandment does not mean it lacks meaning. On the contrary, its meaning may be deeper than anything we can comprehend.
In an age when people often believe that they must understand everything before they can accept it, the Torah teaches a different lesson. Sometimes wisdom begins with recognizing the limits of our wisdom.
The Red Heifer reminds us that faith is not the absence of thought. It is the recognition that there are truths greater than ourselves. We do the right thing not only when we understand it, but also when we trust the One who commanded it.
Something to think about.
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