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Why do the nations mock Parah Adumah as illogical when other mysterious mitzvos only prompt questions? The shiur develops the insight that this mitzvah (מצוה) was given 'beneshika' - with a divine kiss - because it teaches ultimate intimacy: Hashem (ה׳) loves us even when performing His will renders us tamei, transcending all superficial spiritual barriers.
This shiur explores the profound meaning behind Parshas Chukas and the mitzvah (מצוה) of Parah Adumah (red heifer), addressing why the nations mock this seemingly illogical commandment. Rabbi Zweig begins by analyzing two different Rashi (רש"י) commentaries on the word 'chok' - one in Parshas Chukas and another in Parshas Eikev. In Chukas, Rashi describes how Satan and the nations 'monin es Yisroel' (denigrate the Jews), while in Eikev, they merely 'meshivin' (challenge or question). The distinction reveals two types of problematic mitzvos: those whose reasons we don't understand, versus those that appear to contradict logic entirely. Parah Adumah falls into the latter category - it's not just mysterious, but seemingly contradictory, as the same process that purifies the impure simultaneously renders the pure kohen impure. The shiur then introduces a beautiful insight from Tosafos (תוספות) citing Eliezer Kalir, who describes Parah Adumah as 'beneshika nitna' - given with a kiss, as a sign of divine affection. This seems puzzling given the apparent contradiction in the mitzvah. Rabbi Zweig explains this through a powerful analogy about human relationships: when people truly get close - like camping together for three days without washing - artificial barriers break down and genuine intimacy develops. We usually maintain distance through grooming, presentation, and social facades, but real closeness transcends these superficial elements.
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Parshas Chukas
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