BackBeyond Understanding
By: Rabbi Barak Bar-Chaim
This week’s Torah portion is called Parshat Chukat and introduces the mitzvah of purification with the ashes of the red heifer for someone who has had contact with a corpse. It begins with the words “This is the statute (chukat) of the Torah…” Our sages explain that a chok is a law that is, by definition, beyond human comprehension.
The concept of a chok (law beyond human comprehension) is fundamentally important. It teaches us that human beings cannot fully understand God and His wisdom. As mere mortals we are to recognize the limits of our human intellects. The Talmud teaches us that Moses asked God for the ability to understand the suffering of righteous people, and according to one opinion in the Talmud, God answered that a human being cannot understand these matters.
In our world as Jews, how do we deal with personal and national suffering and challenges? We take a dual (and somewhat paradoxical) approach. On the one hand, we are commanded to introspect and look for areas where we are missing the mark, sinning, rebelling, treating others badly etc. We then repent, improve ourselves, and return to God. On the other hand, we are to understand that as human beings our minds are limited, and we may not understand the cause of our suffering and challenges.
Although we are unable to fully understand the suffering of righteous people, it is encouraging and joyous when we see good things happening to good people. This week we mourned the passing of Dan Abraham, our synagogue’s founder, a man who did so much for so many people (much of which we will never know). While we mourn his loss, we also celebrate his life. His life was about doing good and spreading kindness and joy. He was a good and generous person, and God blessed him with a good, full, and blessed life. His life is a wonderful example of good things happening to good people. Let us follow his example and be courageous, ethical, and generous in making our world a better place for all. May his soul be elevated in the Garden of Eden.