Community Magazine July 2016

16 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE Dedicated in memory of the pure neshamot of the Sassoon children “Because I said so!” Many a parent has shouted these words many a time in response to a child’s questioning his or her instruction. As parents, we find it necessary – rightfully so – to establish our authority and demand that we be obeyed unquestioningly. The fact that we told a child to do something or to stop doing something should, ideally, be enough of a reason for the child to comply. And while we at times explain ourselves, there are other times when we realize the child is incapable of understanding our demands, and we therefore expect compliance without any explanation. The Red Heifer We are Gd’s children, and so this is true as well of His laws and His authority. Thismonth, we read about themysterious mitzvah of parah adumah – the red cow that was burned into ash, which was then mixed with water. The Torah requires that this water be sprinkled upon people and objects that have come in contact with a human corpse in order for them to regain their status of purity. The sprinkling is done twice – on the third and seventh days after the person or utensil became impure. Until the sprinkling process is complete, they are considered impure. A person in an impure state may not enter the Bet Hamikdash or partake of sacrificial food, and an impure utensil may not be used with sacrificial food. Our tradition has, for good reason, always viewed this law as the quintessential hok – law whose reasoning eludes human comprehension. So many aspects of the parah adumah are impossible to explain, at least satisfactorily. Why should it matter if the cow is red or some other color? How does a person become pure just because this water was sprinkled on him? Why is the sprinkling done specifically on the third and seventh days? Moreover, the Torah (Bamidbar 19:21) writes that the one who sprinkles the parah adumah waters on an impure person becomes impure. This means that the waters are effective in removing an impure person’s status of impurity, but they cause a pure person to become impure. How does this make sense? Of course, we believe that it must make sense, because these are Gd’s commands, and we know with absolute certainty that His will is just and represents the ultimate Words of Rabbi Eli J. Mansour If we observe the Torah’s laws purely out of blind faith, our observance will be listless; if we try to understand their reasons, our loyalty might be compromised when we don’t understand. How do we solve this dilemma? The Blind Faith Conundrum