Parashat Chukat
Numbers 19:1 – Numbers 22:1

Chapter 20
On the first of the new moon, the Israelites arrived at the wilderness of Zin; there Miriam died and was buried. The community found themselves without water and again they argued with Moses, saying that they would have been better off in Egypt. Moses and Aaron confronted God and He told them to take the staff and order the rock to yield its water. Moses took the staff, assembled the congregation and struck the rock twice with the staff. Out came copious water—the Waters of Meribah—so that the community and the animals could drink. Soon thereafter God appeared before Moses and Aaron and told them that because they did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity before the people, you shall not lead the Israelites into the land that I am giving to them.

Now the Israelites approached the land of Edom, and Moses sent messengers to request peaceful passage through the land. The king of Edom declined the offer, with threat of armed force, and would not permit Israel to pass through. So, the people went in another direction and camped at Mount Hor, where God instructed Aaron to be gathered to his kin because he did disobeyed God at Meribah. The Israelites mourned Aaron for thirty days.

Chapter 21
When the Canaanite king learned that Israel was approaching his land, he engaged them in battle and took some as captives. Israel, then, made a vow to the Lord that if He delivers them into the Promised Land, they would destroy their towns.  The Lord heeded their plea.
The Israelites again continued on their journey and again complained about lack of bread and water and disgust with the manna. In retaliation, the Lord sent serpents that bit the people and many of them died. Moses again mediated for the people so God instructed Moses to make a serpent figure of copper and mount it on a standard. If anyone, who was bitten, looks at the copper serpent, that person will recover.
Israel now sent a message to the king of the Amorites requesting safe passage through his country. The request was denied and the Amorites went into battle against Israel. Israel defeated the Amorites and took possession of their land. The Israelites marched on towards Bashan where Og, the king of Bashan engaged Israel in battle. With God’s aid, they defeated him and took possession of the land of Bashan. The Israelites then marched on and made camp in the grasslands of Moab, across the Jordan from Jericho.

Spiritual insights into Parashat Chukat                                return to top
Just to illustrate the deep concern for ritual purity, Parashat Chukat begins with the ritual for purification for someone who becomes unclean by coming in contact with a corpse, which kind of explains why we wash our hands after leaving a cemetery.  This particular sinful act, whether committed willingly or not, stands out among the kinds of defilement that we can come upon today. In this chapter, the remedy for defilement is the red ashes of the sacrificial red heifer whose remains is completely burnt and then mixed with water. What’s most interesting is that most of the conditions, by which a person becomes unclean, even today are acts involving contact with non-living substances, which includes animals that weren’t properly slaughtered, human bodily wastes and discharges and fish or insects which live close to earth.
Judaism has a keen about distancing oneself from objects too close to the earth and attaching ourselves in the direction of heavenly pursuits.
A Midrash tells us that Miriam, Moses and Aaron's sister is associated with the water element. In our Parashat, when the Israelites came upon a place called Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin, Miriam died. Immediately thereafter, the people again complained of a lack of potable water, the entire community was brought before a certain rock and Moses and Aaron were commanded to take a rod and order the rock to yield water. Moses struck to rock twice and it yielded water, but because Moses was not told to strike the rock, he and Aaron were denied entrance into the Promised Land. Because of this act of disobedience, the Israelites never grumbled again. Water, as we are taught, plays a large role in the purification of our people. It symbolically washes away sinful, unlawful and negative behaviors that we bring upon ourselves.

Key verses                              return to top
This page is not a commentary on the text, but a chance for you to express your own comments and feelings in order to gain deeper insight into your own life.

Numbers 19:6
And the priest shall take cedar wood, hyssop and crimson stuff, and throw them into the fire consuming the cow.
Food for thought:
1. How come all previous sacrifices were males of the herd or of the flock, but this one is a female?
2. What’s the significance of all the red—the cow, the cedar wood and the crimson stuff? What is the Torah trying to tell us?
3. How does this particular sacrifice differ from all those we’ve seen before?

Numbers 19:19
The clean person shall sprinkle it upon the unclean person on the third day and the seventh day, thus cleansing him by the seventh day. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe in water, and at nightfall he shall be clean.
Food for thought:
1. For a clean person to purify someone unclean, the clean person makes himself unclean by touching the water containing the ashes of the red cow. Does this make sense to you at all?
2. Is it supposed to make sense? Can you see any purpose to this ritual of purification?
3. This ritual is to be performed only on those who became unclean by being in contact with a corpse. What’s wrong with contact with the dead? Why should that make anyone unclean?

Numbers 20:11
And Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Out came copious water, and the community and their beasts drank.
Food for thought:
1. This was the deed that was so offensive that God denied Moses entrance into the Promised Land. What’s wrong with striking the rock twice?
2. Were there any orders to strike the rock only once?
3. How could a rock produce water? What do you think God has in mind by punishing Moses for this misdeed?

Numbers 20:18
But Edom answered him, “You shall not pass through us, else we will go out against you with the sword”.
Food for thought:
1. Why do you think the king of Edom would not let the Israelites pass through? Do you think God determined that, like he hardened Pharaoh’s heart?
2. What obstacles, like the king of Edom, do you face that’s trying to prevent you from reaching your Promised Land?
3. Who do you think this chapter is really about? The Israelites or the surrounding hostile nations?

Numbers 21:8
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a seraph figure and mount it on a standard. And if anyone is bitten looks at it, he shall recover”.
Food for thought:
1. Could this verse describe the original method of Jewish healing?
2. What comes to mind when you think of people recovering by simply looking at a representation of their illness?
3. Can you think of any modern symbols of a snake wrapped around something that looks like a flagpole?

Numbers 21:34
But the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I give him and all his people and his land into your hand. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites who dwelt in Heshbon.
Food for thought:
1. The Israelites marched on towards Og, king of Bashan. Do you think the Israelites are starting to feel confident in God’s words? Do they believe Him yet? Or are they still rebellious?
2. Who defeated the Amorites, God or the Israelites?
3. What do you think these hostile nations represent? Historical nations or our own personal negativity, our fears and hangups?

Additional questions to ponder:
1. What is it about the story, a verse, a word that seems to resonate with some aspect of your life?
2. Is there something about the story that rings a bell?
3. Can you recall experiences in your life when you have experienced something similar to this story?
4. How would you describe the characters in the story? Who do you know who's like them?
5. Can you personally identify with any one of the characters in the story? Which one?
6. Can you find a similarity between yourself and all the characters in the story?

Reflections:
The Rabbis of old would meditate on such questions, sometimes for weeks at a time, to help find deeper meaning in the verses. You may wish to contemplate just one or a few of these questions at a time, rather than tackling them all.
In what ways we any of your responses to the questions personally meaningful?

Suggestion:
Some of the questions here are of a personal nature which in some cases could be emotionally upsetting. If so, try relaxing your body as much as possible and takes long slow breaths of air. That usually helps to relieve anxiety.
 

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Creative Midrash on Parashat Chukat                              return to top
 Numbers 21:1
When the Canaanite, king of Arad, who dwelt in the Negeb, learned that Israel is coming by way of Atharim, he engaged Israel in battle and took some of them captive.

The Rabbis of old would create parables, stories and narrative connections around such selected verses. What do you see between the lines, the sentences and the letters. The following questions can provide a launch pad upon which to create your own meanings of the Torah.

Can you picture the scene: Israel marching through the wilderness and encountering the territories of occupant nations. Why would these nations deny Israel the right to pass through their territory? Who are these nations anyway? What is it that gives Israel the strength and courage to engage these nations in battle? Are the Israelites gaining physical strength or spiritual strength? Are these hostile nations physical enemies or spiritual enemies? What enemies reside in your wilderness (your unconscious mind) that denies you the right of conquest? How could you conquer your internal enemies? Would you do it through physical means or spiritual means? How is your relationship with God? Is it rebellious or trusting? Do you think your could overcome your own enemies by heeding God’s commands?