Chassidut on the Torah

Chassidut Archives

Overview Chukas (Numbers 19:1-22:1) opens with G-d's command to slaughter a red heifer whose ashes purify those who had contact with the dead. The water the Jews had in the desert was in merit of Miriam the prophetess, Moshe's sister, whose passing is described. When the Jews complain about the subsequent lack of water, G-d tells Moshe to speak to a certain rock. When Moshe hits the rock to bring forth water, Moshe and Aharon are punished with a decree that they will not merit to enter the Land. Next, the Jews request to pass through the Land of Edom, but the Edomites refuse, and the Jews must go around. Following this, Aharon passes away on Mount Hahar. When the Cana'anite king of Arad hears that the Jews are nearing his land, he wages war with them. G-d fulfills the Jews' request to allow them to defeat the Cana'anites and conquer their land which they dedicate to G-d in return for their victory. The Jews complain to Moshe again, and G-d sends poisonous snakes to bite them. Moshe prays on the Jews' behalf and G-d tells him to make an image of a snake. Moshe makes a copper snake, places it on a pole, and gazing up at the copper snake cures those who were bitten. Next are details about some of the places where the Jews traveled and also the Song of the Well. The parsha concludes relating the Jews' defeat of Sichon and Og, two very powerful kings, and the conquest of their lands. Insights In this week's portion, we see that the Jews once again rebel against G-d and Moshe. In consequence, G-d sent poisonous snakes as a punishment (to bite the people). The people begged Moshe to pray on their behalf "we sinned...pray to G-d that He remove the snake from us" (21/7), which Moshe promptly did. Rashi explains from this that when someone is asked to forgive, he or she should not be cruel, and (should) forgive. How can we apply this to our own lives? The Rebbe explains that there are three levels of forgiveness: 1. Forgiveness that protects the offender from punishment: a person may pray for the person who harmed him or her, but only in order to prevent any punishment being meted out. 2. Forgiveness not only for the offending act, but for the person who caused the harm. In other words, no grudge is held. 3. The forgiveness is so heartfelt that the sin is totally uprooted leaving no taint, as if it never happened. In this case, the relationship is totally restored to its former positive state. In the matter of the snakes, Moshe prayed "for the sake of the people." Not only did Moshe pray for their lives-that the punishment of the snakes cease, he prayed for their sake, for the people. This is a demonstration of Moshe's complete love of the Jewish people. Their malevolence had no effect on Moshe. He continued to love his people in the same measure as before. He achieved the third and highest level of forgiveness. Even more, Moshe's manner of forgiving was not 'cruel', as Rashi writes, 'don't be cruel, and forgive' - don't forgive in a cruel way. He was not satisfied with just preventing fatalities, he also completely loved and wished well for those same people who rose up against him. The Midrash says that G-d, in His own way, performs all the deeds He commands of us. Just as we see every day that G-d forgives us with His unbounded mercy, He also expects us to completely forgive one another. Additionally, when we consider how great and kind G-d is in constantly restoring our relationship with Him-no matter how insensitively we act-we are inspired to reciprocate with a feeling of wanting to improve our relationship with Him, to do tshuva. This tremendously powerful tshuva goes against the natural trend of life, bend the limits of creation. This in turn will be an impetus for G-d to also defy the world's trend and bring Moshiach - may it be NOW! Rabbi Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld, the first chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, once had to rule regarding a certain family's feud during the month of Elul that preceeds the High Holidays. The losing party was very upset. They came to the Rabbi's house and spoke so angrily that they made the Rebbetzin cry. The Rabbi arose and proclaimed, "If we erred, so we ask that G-d forgive us. But if we were right," the Rabbi paused and raised his voice, "so I forgive you, and wish that you be written and sealed for good (new year)." Those people left Rabbi Zonnenfeld's house with lowered heads.

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