Chukkat
"Statute"
Numbers 19:1-22:1
Judges 11:1-11-33
Psalm 95
Hebrews 9:1-28; Revelation 13:11-15
Twice in the wilderness a rock is prompted to bring forth water to drink. In Chukkat, Moses and Aaron make a huge mistake that seems like a minor one. Instead of speaking to the Rock as instructed, they strike the Rock as they did the first time. This brings us to the Bible study tip of the week. Miracles ARE repeated, but they are not performed the same way twice. Miracles are not repeated exactly as the first time. They contain recognizable elements in order to connect the two miracles, but they are always somewhat different, such as the crossing of the Reed Sea and the Jordan, or Elisha cleansing the well of Jericho and Moses cleansing the bitter waters.
In another example, the image of the beast is the same, yet different for Israel and the nations. The “beast image” of Israel, the Golden Calf, was a kosher animal. The four beast kingdoms of the nations are wild animals: lion, bear, leopard, monster as viewed by Daniel and John. These four kingdoms are the seed of the dragon/serpent passed down through the successive land-based kingdoms. That clarifies for us how the beast comes up out of the sea, the domain of the serpent. The serpent must give his authority to the beast in order to rule effectively on land. The serpent’s domain is the Nile, i.e., the waters.
This is not really the thrust of the Torah study this week, but these examples demonstrate why the repetition of a miracle, action, or character in Scripture contains previous elements, yet is a “new” thing as well. In this week’s Torah portion, Chukkat, we find three examples of how the death of a righteous person can sanctify the Name of Adonai. Previously, the deaths of Nadav and Avihu were identified as sanctifying the Name because they were “close” to Him.
- Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the LORD spoke, saying, ‘I will be sanctified by those who are close to Me, and before all the people I will be honored.’ So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.” (Le 10:3)
Although grieving, Aaron could not have received better news at that point. The Holy One assured him that his two sons brought sanctity to the Name. Even though they died, it was the death of the righteous. Righteous people can make fewer errors than the average person. The general premise is that if the Holy One will allow or bring about the death of those who dedicate their lives to Him, then all should live lives of reverence and awe before Him, especially those who have not lived such lives of sacrifice. While it’s difficult to fathom exactly HOW the death of the righteous sanctifies the name in an error, such as Nadav, Avihu, Moses, and Aaron, it’s easy to see why it occurs in Chukkat.
A chok falls into the category of mitzvot (commandments) whose purposes or meaning are not necessarily understood by human intelligence. There are many chukim, but since they contain apparently contradictory elements, they are liable to be ridiculed by the rational thinker. These are the highest level of “faith” mitzvot. Anyone can understand a mishpat, or statute such as “Do not steal” or “Do not commit murder.” These ensure the safety and survival of every society. The “testimony,” or edut, is a little harder in the faith department, for these are commandments based on a historical event’s tie to some aspect of our faith.
Examples of mishpatim are a) the mitzvah to observe Shabbat, which is in remembrance of the Creation. It attests to our belief that the Almighty created the world in six days b) to observe the moedim because they commemorate the deliverance from Egypt.
It’s much harder to rationalize the chukkim, such as not mixing wool and linen in a garment, the levirate marriage, kosher eating, the scapegoat of Yom HaKippurim, or how the ashes of the red heifer purify from contaminants of death.
In Chukkat, there are three examples of the “sanctification of the Name” to eyewitnesses through the seemingly unnecessary or harsh death sentences of the righteous:
- The death decrees of Moses and Aaron.
The fact that they are the highest “level” of faith mitzvot does not mean we can’t study chukkim and find helpful contexts. In tradition, the sages connect the Red Heifer, or para adumah, with atonement for latent impurities of the Golden Calf. Because death had been removed from the Camp at Sinai, the many impurities associated with death also disappeared from Israel. These impurities could not be carried into the Promised Land if they were to experience its elevated realm.
With the sin of the Golden Calf, however, death impurities seeped once again into the Camp of Israel. Thus defiled, they were unable to experience the elevated realm of the Land of Israel. They would only be able to experience it at a slightly elevated level [Eshkol] and be subject to multiple purification requirements. The Red Heifer was needed for this purpose.
1. The Red Heifer had to be at least three years old (old enough to bear young).
2. Completely red, not even having two hairs of another color.
3. It could never have been harnessed to a yoke even if it did not perform labor.
Until the resurrection of the body, Yeshua’s blood cleanses us for service. Imagine how hard it would be for the Israelites to serve with the Golden Calf on their consciences. Imagine knowing you forfeited the elevated state of immortality. Every time an Israelite experienced a death that rendered him tamei and in need of the sprinkling of the Red Heifer’s ashes before he could enter the Temple to worship, he would be reminded of the forfeit.
They exchanged the living glory of the living Elohim for the image of a beast, a calf that only appeared to eat grass...
- They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a cast metal image. So they exchanged their glory for the image of an ox that eats grass. (Ps 106:19-20)
The glory of Edenic-like immortality was replaced by death masquerading as life. From Psalm 106 comes the belief that the Golden Calf appeared to come to life with the help of Yannes and Yambres, Egyptian magicians mentioned in 1 Timothy 3:8-9. The Calf was thought to appear to eat grass and makes noises. This explains the "duplicate" wicked miracle in Revelation, which like a holy miracle, contains similar, but not identical, elements:
- Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who live on it worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the presence of people. And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause all who do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. (Re 13:11-15)
So the Red Heifer is used to remind Israel in Chukkat of why she was needed.
By worshiping an image, the defects and blemishes of Israel returned. The Red Heifer was chosen because she was without blemish.
By sacrificing to a calf, the Israelites rebelled and cast off the yoke of Heaven. The Red Heifer was never to have been yoked [to another authority, an idol].
As the Golden Calf was burned in fire, so was the Red Heifer.
As the Golden Calf was crushed to dust and ashes, so the Red Heifer was reduced to dust and ashes.
As the Calf’s dust was mixed with water, so the cow’s dust and ashes were mixed with water.
Tradition says the Israelites who drank this water were exposed as idolators. This “trial” is repeated in Revelation.
The trial also exonerated the innocent who did not worship the Calf. So will the “virgins” be revealed in Revelation as a first fruits 144,000.
As 3,000 fell because of the Golden Calf, so three different species (cedar wood, hyssop, and red thread) burned in the fire of the Heifer.
As the Golden Calf defiled a pure people, so the Heifer defiled a pure person who touched it to purify many from death.
Since the men donated money for the Calf, all were required to contribute toward the purchase of the Heifer. It was purchased with the half-shekels in the treasury.
The righteous bring purification into the world through their obedience. While Moses and Aaron were in mourning for their righteous sister who brought and taught Torah values, purity, praise, and worship to the Israelites, especially the women, they did not discern how the cessation of water was a Divine testimony to Miriam's righteousness. If even she could die, then how much more should the congregation reverence the Name and hold it in awe?
- But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Since you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore, you will not bring this congregation to the land which I have given them.” They are the waters of strife, where the children of Israel contended with the LORD, and He was sanctified through them. (Nu 20:12-13 Artscroll)
All three siblings ostensibly died or received the death decree to sanctify the Name. If the waters were flowing because they pictured Miriam's ministry to the twelve tribes, then how much more should her brothers have had mercy upon a people quarreling because they were in mourning? How it would have sanctified their sister's memory and the Divine source of the water to speak gently to the Rock? This would have sanctified the Name. Similar miracle, different method.
The deaths of the righteous for what seem like slight or even unobservable errors contrast with the miracle of Yeshua’s death, which occurred to bring salvation and righteousness to many even though he was without any error.
The death of the righteous Yeshua was prophesied and pictured repeatedly in the TANAKH. One who came with the signs of manna, cloud, and water would be able to atone for more than a generation. Like the waters of the heifer remained perpetual (9 heifers), but now have disappeared, tradition says that the 10th Heifer will be offered by King Messiah.
And he will lead us into immortality in the Land, purified from death by his own water and blood.
