Parshat Chukat
The Red Heifer (parah adumah), the subject of the beginning of this week’s Parshah, was a sacrifice of remarkable holiness, which was subsequently burned to ashes. While its ashes were but remnants of this sacred offering, they retained a significant degree of holiness. When combined with the mayim chayim, the “living water,” these ashes had the power to purify the impure (from tumas hameis, the highest level of impurity imparted from a corpse), allowing them to enter the Beis Hamikdash once more.
The lesson here is profound: Although we may feel distant from holiness, introspection reveals that we are descendants of great and holy ancestors. We need only access the mayim chayim, the living water of the Torah, 1 through which we can enliven our dry, lifeless ashes, and transform them into a potent purifier. Today, without a Beis Hamikdash, the laws of purity and impurity may seem to have limited practical application. However, we are taught that laziness, apathy, and lack of enthusiasm are subtle forms of death. Many of us struggle to live passionately, feeling devoid of energy and excitement in our relationship with Hashem. We perform mitzvos in a lackluster manner, living but not truly alive—like lifeless ashes.
Yet, the Torah teaches us that these ashes—and we—originate from a holy, vibrant source. All we must do is “sprinkle” some Torah into our lives for us to be rejuvenated and purified.
Consider the episode related later in this Parshah regarding Moshe Rabbeinu, who was denied entry into Eretz Yisroel because he hit the rock to produce water instead of speaking to it. Some, however, interpret Moshe’s true mistake as his harsh reaction to the people’s constant complaints, calling them “rebellious.”
In truth though, both explanations stem from the same source. A leader can guide followers either through harsh criticism or uplifting words. He can rebuke harshly and try to squash their negative traits and sins—or he can uplift their souls by pointing out to each their positive qualities and reminding them that they are indeed sourced in holiness, and capable of greatness. Moshe’s act of striking the rock suggested that the Jewish people needed to be coerced into following the Torah, implying they did not naturally desire to do Hashem’s will and were inherently rebellious.
Thus, both explanations are really just different facets of the same flaw: He did not show enough faith in his people. As a leader, he should have believed that their innate holiness could be brought out through encouragement.
Much like the seemingly lifeless ashes of the Red Heifer—because of its innate holiness—can be rejuvenated with a little bit of mayim Chayim because of its innate holiness, so too the Jewish people, despite their failings, could be revitalized through the waters of Torah, becoming a powerful purifying force in the world and a light unto the nations.
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Teitelbaum
1 Maharsha to Berachos 56b, who writes that it is only Torah that we find is compared to both water and life.
Parshat Korach 2025
After Korach approaches Moshe and complains to him that he too deserves to be in a leadership position—and not only Moshe—Moshe responds to Korach and his group with the following: “המעט מכם כי הבדיל אלקי ישראל אתכם מעדת ישראל להקריב אתכם אליו… ובקשתם גם כהונה?!” Is it not enough for you that the G-d of Bnei Yisroel separated you from the assembly of Yisroel to draw you near to Himself… and now you seek priesthood as well?!
The simple understanding of this response is that Moshe is rebuking them for not being satisfied with their own lot of serving as Leviim, but instead looking to take what is not theirs. But there is a deeper message here as well.
The verses in Devarim (Ch. 7) state as follows: For you are a holy people to Hashem, your G-d; Hashem, your G-d, has chosen you to be for Him a treasured people above all the peoples that are on the face of the earth. Not because you are more numerous than all the peoples did Hashem desire you and choose you, for you are the fewest (המעט) of all the peoples.
However, some interpret “המעט” to mean “little,” or “small.” In other words, Moshe was telling Bnei Yisroel that the reason they were chosen to be Hashem’s people is because they were “מעט”—their humility. Just as Har Sinai was chosen as the place for the Torah to be given because of its humility, and Moshe was chosen as the leader for all Bnei Yisroel for his humility, so too Bnei Yisroel as a whole was chosen because they carried themselves as “מעט.”
Accordingly, Moshe responds to Korach and his group: “המעט מכם כי הבדיל אלקי ישראל אתכם מעדת ישראל!” Hashem chose you in the first place because you were humble—and now you request Kehunah?! Leadership and special stature do not come by forcing your way there; it comes by humbling yourself—and then Hashem chooses you and elevates you; you cannot force your way to the top.
One of the paragons of humility of the last generation was the Chofetz Chaim, who did not view himself any differently than anyone else. He used to say:
“Does anyone view themselves as greater than others for eating and drinking that day? Of course not, because a person eats and drinks for their own good. So why should Torah and Mitzvos be any different? Those, too, are for our own good—so how can a person view themselves as greater because of his Torah and Mitzvos?”
A Gut Shabbos!
Rabbi Teitelbaum
Shavuos Message 5775
The Gemara (Shabbos 3b) relates that Rav once asked Rebbe a difficult question regarding the laws of carrying on Shabbos, to which Rebbe responded and answered his question. R’ Chiya, Rav’s uncle, then rebuked Rav and said, “Bar Pachti (son of nobles), did I not tell you that when Rebbe is studying one tractate, do not ask him a question from another tractate? If not for the fact that Rebbe is a great man, you would have embarrassed him by causing him to answer incorrectly!”
The simple reading of this Gemara suggests that the inability to correctly answer a question from a different tractate is reflective of a weakness on the part of the one being asked—and therefore R’ Chiya rebuked him for having done so.
Rav Yitzchak Hutner ztz”l, however, explains that in fact, it is just the opposite—it reveals a deep strength in Rebbe’s Torah learning.
We are taught that Matan Torah, the Giving of the Torah at Sinai, was not just a historical event. Rather, it was the blueprint for how Torah is to be learned in every generation. This is reflected in the concept that Chazal teach us that Torah must be learned “k’nisinasah—as it was given.” Based on this principle, the Gemara (Berachos 22a) derives that Torah must be learned in a state of “eimah, yirah, reses, v’zeiah— with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling,” since that was the way it was given at Sinai. Therefore, someone who is impure and cannot achieve this level of awe and trembling, is forbidden from learning while they are impure.
Let us now turn to another Gemara. The Gemara (Shabbos 88b) teaches us that each word spoken by Hashem during the Ten Commandments filled up the entire world. The Gemara asks that if the first commandment filled up the entire world, how was there any room for the second commandment? The Gemara answers that Hashem took a wind from his storehouse and removed them one by one.
Rav Hutner explains that our Sages are revealing to us a profound insight about the nature and beauty of Torah. Each word, each idea of Torah is infinite and endless—so much so that it does not even allow room for other words of Torah! Hashem therefore had to “remove” the first word, to allow space for the next one!
According to the above formula that Har Sinai is the model for how Torah is to be learned, it follows that regarding our own Torah learning, as well—each word, each topic of Torah, is an entire world unto itself! When one learns properly—like it was given at Har Sinai—their mind becomes completely absorbed and enveloped in that topic, to the point that they are unable to think about anything else!
This, explains Rav Hutner, is the deeper meaning behind the words of the Gemara: “When Rebbe is studying one tractate, do not ask him from another tractate.” Not because Rebbe was lacking in any way, but precisely the opposite: R’ Chiya was telling him that our Rebbe is so enraptured in his Torah study that he cannot even contemplate anything else!
The Shelah HaKadosh reveals to us that Shavuos is the Day of Judgment for a person’s Torah study that year. May we all merit this year to recognize and appreciate the infinite beauty and depth of our Torah, and to accept and learn the Torah just as it was given at Sinai!
Chag Sameach!
Rabbi Teitelbaum
Parshat Acharei-Kedoshim 2025
In this week’s Parshah, we are charged with “Kedoshim Tehiyu—You shall be holy.” The Ramban famously teaches us that this directive of “Kedoshim Tehiyu” commands us to go above the letter of the law, and hold ourselves back even from things that we are permitted in, lest we become a “naval b’reshus haTorah”—a lowlife who technically does not violate any Torah prohibitions, yet spends his entire day chasing earthly pleasures.
Rashi, based on the Toras Kohanim, teaches us that this commandment was said when the entire Klal Yisroel was gathered together. What is the Torah trying to teach us by stressing this point?
One idea may be as follows. It would be very easy, or convenient, for us to measure ourselves relative to the entire world. For example, we could say to ourselves: Well, I’m not engaged in whatever crazy and immoral thing the entire world is doing right now—I must be holy! If we were to lower the bar based on the actions and morality of the world around us, we would be in pretty good shape, without any serious effort on our part. To this end, the Torah stresses that we were all gathered together before hearing this commandment. Hashem is telling us: You, the Jewish People, are a separate entity from the rest of the world. Kedoshim Tehiyu—you are to be held by your own standard, and not relative to the rest of the world. It is all too easy to fall back on this and fool ourselves into thinking that we have achieved what we are commanded to do, simply by comparing ourselves to (fill in the blank). We must always remember that we are a cut (or two) above, and accordingly must hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Another idea may be as follows. There are some religions which believe that only select members of the religion are capable of attaining (their notion of) holiness; the rest of the people—not so much. Everyone else is entitled to go about their lives, doing as they wish, because they can count on those few courageous and holy people to put in the work and sacrifice for them. Once again, the Torah teaches us that this is not the case. Every single Jew was gathered together and commanded: Be holy! Holiness is not for the select few; it is something that each and Jew is commanded in and must strive for. We cannot allow ourselves to think, Well, there are some very holy and pious Jews in Bnei Brak or Yerushalayim putting in the work for me—I can continue going about my own life.
Our Parshah teaches us that each and every one of us are commanded—and capable—of achieving holiness.
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Teitelbaum
