Bemidbar 19A – Intro to the Symbolic Meaning of פרה אדומה and all the Laws of טומאה וטהרה

The Torah describes the whole concept of פרה אדומה which entails all the parts of the mitzvah as חטאת. חטאת, a clearing away of sin, is a concept that belongs to the sphere of morality. This mitzvah is חוקת התורה – it is the fundamental institution of the whole teaching of טומאה. When looking for a message in the laws of טומאה וטהרה we must look for a message regarding morality, especially when studying the mitzvah of פרה אדומה, the place in the Torah where this is taught to offer insight to all the other mitzvos regarding טומאה וטהרה.

Moral freedom is the first and indispensable condition for the whole sanctification of life which the Torah obligates us to strive for.

When man comes into contact with death this truth is threatened. The corpse shows the power of death. Someone who comes into contact with death may mistakenly come to think that death and all forces of nature dominate everything, including man. If that was true there could be no room for free will or the Torah’s demand that we dedicate out lives to the fulfilling the will of God. Man wouldn’t have the ability to overcome the forces of nature ie. his own animal nature. The laws of טומאה וטהרה throughout the book of Vayikra come to negate this mistaken idea.

The preparation of the Parah Aduma is done publicly, through the nation’s Kohen representative, in view of the Bais Hamikdah, to proclaim as the moral basis of the whole life of the people, that man can be free of sin, can clear himself of sin, and can remain free of sin. Man is endowed with moral willpower.

However, the Torah recognizes the duality of man’s existence. Man lives in a physical world and is subject to physical forces. The Torah doesn’t teach man to ignore his physical side or make believe it doesn’t exist. Rather, it shows man the contrast of his nature. Both elements exist and both in view of the Bais Hamikdash (which houses the Torah and whose service represents elevating life to the Torah). This חטאת elevates man with his whole nature, both physical and eternal moral powers, and directs him into the free eternal sphere of the One God (Who has absolute free Will).

The Torah teaches us here not to be misled by contact with death. Become free and immortal, not despite, but along with all those aspects of your existence that are physical. Choose to become the immortal master of your mortal body. In the midst of טומאה, preserve your טהרה!

See next post for a detailed explanation of the symbolism of the פרה אדומה.