BackLiving with Mystery
By: Rabbi Dr. Abraham Unger
Each day we wake up we presume a certain predictability to our lives. All seems rational and we understand why. We turn on the lights because there is electricity. We ride in our cars because the engine runs. But underneath all of these assumptions there is a fundamental mystery.
This week’s Torah reading prompts this reflection on recognizing that life is ultimately inexplicable. It details an ancient ceremony that baffles our wisest scholars. In short, the opening of this Shabbat’s parsha recounts a ritual in which a Cohen, a priestly officiant, makes a concoction that purifies someone who has come into contact with the dead. However, the Cohen is himself then rendered impure.
Rashi writes that “The nations of the world taunt Israel, saying, “What is this commandment’s meaning?, and our reply must be that it is simply a divine decree.” Rashi goes even further and argues we have no permission to try to understand it.
Of course, Judaism is about asking questions. But in this unique case, we are told to perceive that, as human beings who typically believe we are in control, certain fundamental aspects of our existence are still beyond our understanding. Not everything is within our grasp, no matter how far civilization has progressed.
Can we co-exist with mystery? Can we learn to live with unanswered questions? This is as much a challenge of finding meaning in life as any other dimension of our days.