TORAH PORTION
Life Lessons
Shabbat Chukat:
Numbers 19:1-22:1;
Judges 11:1-33.
T
his week's Torah portion con- rative as literal historical fact or
tinues the saga of the 40-year interprets at least part of the Torah as
metaphor and allegory, the Torah is
sojourn of the Jewish people
understood to be God's divine revela-
in the wilderness.
tion to His human creatures.
It is clear that the narrative from
God has revealed these command-
Parshat Chukat until the end of the
ments and narratives to teach us how
Torah deals with the events that trans-
to live a meaningful, just and sancti-
pired during the last of these 40 years
fied life. Each event portrayed in the
(We know from Numbers 33:88 that
Torah must be seen within
Aaron's death, described here,
this context and understood
took place in the 40th year.)
to teach us something of
Previous to our portion,
value.
the Torah describes the
As Maimonides puts it
events of the first two of
(Commentary on Mishna,
these 40 years. The Talmud
Sanhedren Ch. 10):
tells us, "the Torah is not
Every work of Torah con-
necessarily in chronological
tains wisdom and wonders
order"; this same principle
Rabbi
to one who understands it
is clear from the explicit
Eliezer
Cohen
and one can't fathom the
dating and the historical
Special to the
extent of its wisdom. "The
logic of many events in the
Jewish News
meaning thereof is larger
Torah. Nevertheless, the only
than the earth and wider
real question that remains
than the sea" (Job 11:9). And a per-
about the chronology of the events in
son must follow the example of King
the wilderness is the placement of the
David ... who prayed (Psalm 119):
rebellion of Korach and his co-con-
spirators, and the events related to this "Unveil my eyes that I may see the
wonders of your Torah!"
episode (Numbers 16-17).
The questions that must be in our
Thus, whereas most people are
minds continually as we learn Torah
aware that the Torah from the Exodus
must be: "Why is God telling me this?"
onward deals with the travels, tri-
"What can I learn from this?" I I
umphs and travails of the Jewish peo-
ple and their leader Moses during the
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or
40 years in the wilderness — in fact,
Chadash in Oak Park.
the events recorded took place exclu-
sively either during the first two years
or the last year of the 40. Regarding
Shul Times ... Now Online
the events — whatever they were
Beginning next week, the JN list-
— that transpired during the "missing
ing of all Michigan and Windsor
37 years:' the Torah is silent.
synagogue services and minyans
This fact brings to the fore the obvi-
will be updated each Wednesday
ous question that we should always
and will appear only on the JN's
ask when we try to understand the
Web site.
Torah: "Why is this event recorded?"
To see the listing, simply
Surely there must have occurred
access: JNonline.us/synagogues.
significant events during those years
The enhanced Synagogue
— but the Torah does not relate them.
Listings will include a new direc-
Certainly throughout the timeframe
tory of synagogue dinners open
of the thousands of years of Genesis,
to the community under the
important events took place that are
heading "Shul Food."
not recorded in the Torah. Thus, the
Synagogues should continue
events that are described in the Torah
to e-mail listings to Editorial
must be there to teach us crucial
Assistant Sy Manello at
information and lessons.
smanello@thejewishnews.com ;
There are a whole range of possible
or fax him at (248) 304-8885;
ways to interpret and understand the
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June 21 2007
37