“They shall take for you a red heifer, perfect.” (19:2)

Included in “perfect” is also the requirement that also the color should be perfect without any hairs of a different color. Here we see the possibility of understanding this mystifying procedure of the purification by the Parah Adumah. This heifer, with a beautiful coat of red hair without a blemish even in the perfection of its color, was therefore a rarity, and it was so expensive that its owner became wealthy when he sold it to the public use. (Kiddushin 31A)

Yet despite its striking beauty, this enormously costly creature could accomplish nothing of the purification procedure while it was still in a state of its beauty. Only after slaughtering it and then burning it into ashes could it achieve the purpose of purifying the unclean person or object.

This symbolizes a vastly important parallel: The Israelite is to Hashem the most precious object in the world. Even one Israelite is more valuable to Hashem than the entire Universe (”For my sake the world was created” – Sanhedrin 37A). Yet throughout his life he is susceptible to sin or even to entire self-ruination, no matter how perfect he is. The most beautifully righteous man becomes truly purified only when he dies and is interred and his body turns to ashes, exactly like the Parah Adumah.

“Greater are the righteous after their death, more than in their lifetime” (Hullin 7B0 and the procedure of the Parah Adumah comes to emphasize the importance of the Afterlife as the culmination of all men’s efforts to gain true excellence in the eyes of Hashem. The righteous, that bask in the splendor of Hashem’s favor, perceive that their death and destruction of their bodies constituted the final purification.

The Israelite individual is the most precious object in the entire Universe while he is alive. Yet his ultimate and most sublime excellence is achieved when he becomes ashes in the earth.

Quoted from “Journey Into Greatness” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT’L

Shabbat Shalom

“And Bilam said to the Angel of Hashem; I have sinned, for I did not know that You stood against me in the way.” (22:34)

If Bilam did not know, that should be a reason to mitigate the sin. But it seems that the failure to know was the sin itself. This is actually what Bilam said: I should have understood that the reluctance of my steed to proceed was not due to intransigence, as the ass had reproached Bilam, “Was I ever wont to do so unto you?” (22:30)

The sin was that he attributed the behavior of the beast to the misbehavior of stubbornness instead of considering that perhaps Hashem was indicating His disapproval of Bilam’s intentions.

“When a man sees adversity come upon him, let him examine his deeds” (Berachot 5A) instead of blaming his steed or blaming the circumstances. Bilam declares here that when a man fails to utilize the message which Hashem sends in the form of hardship or even inconvenience, he thereby commits a sin. “I have sinned, for I did not know.”

But despite his understanding that he now gained, Bilam still failed to heed Hashem’s message. Now that he was aware that the messenger of Hashem stood in his way, he should have turned back; or he should have requested permission to turn back.

Quoted from “Journey Into Greatness” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

Shabbat Shalom

“The speech of him that hears the words of G-d and knows the knowledge of the Most High.” (24:16)

The expression “Most High” (Elyon) means that Bileam was sent to reveal that which other prophets did not reveal, and
even Moshe was unwilling to reveal. The extraordinary virtue of the holy people was not preached by the prophets who
desired to urge Israel to return to their perfection which they had attained at Sinai, when Hashem had said “Would that
they should have such a heart as this, always to fear me.” (Devarim 5:26)

Although their reproof was beneficial, yet there was still a higher truth which Hashem does not so lavishly reveal.
This higher truth was now inserted in the Torah by means of Bileam, who revealed his knowledge of the ‘Most High.’

The truest friends of Israel, in the days of old, refrained from praising the people and instead constantly rebuked them.
But the Torah needed some revelation of Israel’s superb nature, and for this higher truth Bileam was sent.

Thus, when the status of Song of Songs (Shir Hashirim) was under discussion, Rabbi Akiba spoke up with emotion and he declared: “All of the (holy) Books are holy, but Shir Hashirim is the holy of holies.” (Yadayim 3:5) It is not the Book itself, but the theme of this Book which is devoted to Hashem’s love of Israel, which is the holiest of themes Not Bileam himself, but this theme of Hashem’s love of Israel, is the highest truth of Knowledge of Hashem.

Quoted from “Journey Into Greatness” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

Shabbat Shalom