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Chukat MMMIIITTTZZZVVVOOOTTT that's 86.46% of mitzvot. About a third Chukat of the sedras have no mitzvot; about a third have more than 85% of Taryag; a 39th of 54 sedras; little more than a third have less than 6th of 10 in Bamidbar 15% of the Torah's mitzvot. Written on 159.2 lines; rank: 39 10 Parshiyot; 6 open, 4 closed Aliya-by-Aliya 87 p'sukim; rank: 43rd Sedra Summary 1245 words; rank: 40th [P>] and [S>] indicate start of a parsha p'tucha or s'tuma. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the 4670 letters; rank 41st beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha. Smallest sedra in Bamidbar in lines, p'sukim, words, letters Numbers in [square brackets] are the Mitzva-count of Sefer HaChinuch AND Fewer p'sukim than Sh'mini, more Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot. A=ASEI; L=LAV (prohibition). X:Y is the perek & pasuk from words, same number of letters. which the mitzva comes. Chukat is a bit longer. Kohen - First Aliya MMMIIITTTZZZVVVOOOTTT 17 p'sukim 19:1-17 3 mitzvot of 613; all positive [P> 19:1 (22)] This whole Aliya plus the PhiloTorah Stats Dept here - skip the following 5 p'sukim deal with the topic following if you don't like stats. of the PARA ADUMA. (The 22 p'sukim of ch.19 constitute the Maftir for Shabbat Only 6 sedras have only positive Parshat Para.) mitzvot: B'reishit and Lech Lecha with 1 The mitzva involves taking a cow with each, Metzora with 11, Chukat with 3, reddish hair (even two black or white Pinchas with 6, Vayeilech with 2. hairs invalidate it), that is blemish-free Again, to show the very uneven (i.e. fit for the Altar even though the distribution of mitzvot in the Torah: Para Aduma is NOT a korban; it is Chukat has 3 (so do two other sedras). prepared away from the Mikdash and 26 sedras have more than Chukat; 25 Har HaBayit, across the valley, on Har sedras have fewer mitzvot. 3 is way HaZeitim) and that has not worn a below average (which is 11.4 mitzvot per yoke or carried a burden for people. (If sedra), but it is the median number of it carried upon its back something for mitzvot in a sedra. 17 sedras have no its own benefit e.g. a blanket to keep mitzvot. The top 17 have 530 of the 613 - flies away, it is still acceptable.) Elazar b. Aharon was in charge of the if it had some non-red hairs. Not so, preparation of this first Para Aduma. because of ADUMA T'MIMA. SDT: "And G-d spoke to Moshe and As opposed to all korbanot in the Aharon saying... DABEIR (you Moshe, Mikdash which had to be brought not both of you, not DAB'RU) to the "inside" (the Beit HaMikdash area), the children of Israel... Only Moshe could tell Red Cow is slaughtered and prepared the people about the PARA ADUMA, "outside" (not even on Har HaBayit - which is an atonement for the Sin of the across the valley on Har HaZeitim). It Golden Calf. Aharon was too involved in the Golden Calf episode. He didn't tell this mitzva to the people and he didn't prepare the PARA ADUMA; his son did. Yet the pasuk tells us that G-d spoke to both Moshe and Aharon. Perhaps this mF¬Ia© E iW²¦ il¦ X§ d© mFI¯A© Faº Î`H¨ g© z§ i¦ `Ed´ contains a private rebuke by G-d to ...x®d¨ h§ i¦ ir­¦ ia¦ X§ d© Aharon... And perhaps a bit of the When reading this pasuk (Bamidbar opposite as well, since Aharon IS 19:12), one has to be careful not to included in the command to prepare the pause after the word HASH'LISHI Para Aduma. (which will happen if the BK runs out of breath because of the trop), but SDT: Rashi says that the mitzva is for rather continue with UVAYOM the assistant Kohen Gadol to tend to the HASH'VI'I - then pause - then read YIT- Para Aduma, although any kohen HOR. The problem is that the pasuk qualifies. Commentaries see a symbol- should not sound like - "He shall purify ism in the son of Aharon doing it: just as himself with it (to Para Aduma potion) the cow atones (so to speak) for her on the third day, and on the seventh calf, so too the son atones for his father day he will be Tahor. Not so. A T'mei who was somewhat involved. Meit needs the application of the potion on the third and on the seventh "Take a PARA ADUMA T'MIMA" day, in order to become Tahor after the T'MIMA usually means blemish-free, fit seven days. for the Altar. However, here the word T'MIMA is followed by the phrase "that There are English translations out has no MUM (blemish)", making the there, which render the pasuk adjective T'MIMA superfluous. There- incorrectly. fore, we are taught that T'MIMA in this The correct translations read like this: context is describing ADUMA, indica- ting that COMPLETE reddish hair is "He shall cleanse himself with it on the third day and on the seventh day, and required. Without T'MIMA, a cow that then be clean;" (or words to that effect) was a "gingi" would be acceptable even is not a korban, but it does have relatives for whom he sits shiva), even korban-like features (e.g. blemish-free, though he is already "tamei". This is atonement). both for "practice" as well as not to After the cow is slaughtered, it is "add" to his state of TUM'A. burnt whole (some of its blood having [Note: The seven relatives for whom a been sprinkled towards the Mikdash person sits shiva and the seven relatives first). for whom a kohein may become tamei The complete process of the Para are almost - but not quite - matched. Aduma (including what is thrown into Father, mother, brother, sister, son, the fire, how the ashes are collected daughter, spouse. A kohein (and all and how the potion is made) is a Jews) sit shiva for those relatives, and a positive mitzva [397, A113 19:2] that kohein can become tamei to all of those has been fulfilled nine times, so far. relatives, but not a sister who is The next (tenth) time will be in the married. In other words, a kohein sits time of the Moshiach. shiva today for his sister, but if she his married, the restriction against being A person who comes in contact with a m'tamei still applies.] dead body is rendered ritually impure for a seven-day period [398, A107 [2] We are not permitted to go onto Har 19:4]. The "Para Aduma Potion" is to HaBayit in those areas where the Beit be sprinkled on the defiled person on HaMikdash and its courtyard stood (or the third and seventh day. might have stood). Without this procedure, the state of [3] Some gifts of the Kohen (such as ritual impurity remains forever. t'ruma, t'rumat maaser, challa) are not It is most important to avoid entering given to a kohen, but are "disposed of" the Mikdash (and eating of sacred according to alternate halachic pro- foods) while one is defiled. Intentional cedures, because of TUM'A of both the violation is a (Divinely imposed) potential Kohen-recipient, as well as the capital offense. giver, and the gift itself. Note that there are gifts to the kohen that pose no TAMEI problems; these are given today MMMIIITTTZZZVVVAAAnotes (e.g. Pidyon HaBen). Today, (temporarily) without a Beit HaMikdash, the are (at least) three Levi - Second Aliya ramifications of the rules of ritual 11 p'sukim 19:18-20:6 impurity to the dead. The Torah summarizes the Para [1] A kohen must still avoid contact with Aduma procedures. Note that the a dead body (except those of his close cedar branch and hyssop are added to sequence: "...and Miriam died ...and the potion as well as to the burning of there was no water..." the Para Aduma. Commentaries see Commentaries point out a connec- special significance in the fact that the tion between Para Aduma and the cedar is a lofty tree and the hyssop is a death of the righteous Miriam. Both lowly shrub. are “instruments” of atonement. The dual nature of the Para Aduma potion (that it purifies the defiled and - Third Aliya defiles the ritually pure) is counted as Shlishi a mitzva of its own [399, A108 19:19]. 7 p'sukim 20:7-13 And, it is this feature of the Para [P> 20:7 (5)] In response (to the Aduma that is considered most complaint of no water), G-d tells mystifying and enigmatic. Moshe to take the Staff, gather the Ponder this... As an analogy - and only People, and that he (Moshe) and an analogy - there are certain Aharon should SPEAK to the rock in medications for certain diseases, that the presence of the People, so that the when taken by a person with the rock shall give forth its water for the disease, they are beneficial. Yet if a People and their flocks. healthy person takes the same medica- Moshe gathers the People and tion, he can get sick from it. admonishes them to witness another [P> 20:1 (6)] The next topic the Torah of G-d's miracles. He lifts the Staff and deals with is the death of Miriam in strikes the rock twice; water flows the Tzin Wilderness in Nissan (on the from it in abundance.
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