Chukas תרל”ה
במדרש לך אני מגלה טעמי פרה ולאחרים חוקה. כי הטעמים הם למעלה מן הטבע. לכן נאמר במד’ כי אותם התינוקת שלא טעמו טעם חטא היו יודעין לדרוש מ”ט פנים טהור כו’. ומרע”ה שהי’ איש האלקים ממש והי’ דבוק בתורה שבכתב נגלה לו טעמי פרה ולמטה היא חוקה וכ’ ויקחו אליך ע”י שנתבטלו בנ”י אל הצדיק שהוא למעלה מן הטבע יכולין להשיג ג”כ בכלל הטעמים:
https://www.sefaria.org/Sefat_Emet,_Numbers,_Chukat_5.2
According to the Midrash Rabbah 19:6, HaShem told Moshe that He wanted to reveal the secrets of the Parah Adumah, the red heifer. However, for everyone else, this commandment is a ‘Chok,’ a decree that cannot be understood logically. The reason behind this is that the motivations for the mitzvot transcend the bounds of nature. The Midrash further explains that children who have not experienced sin were able to explore the Torah from 49 different perspectives of impurity and impurities, revealing the hidden secrets and meanings of the Torah. Moshe, being a man of Torah, intimately connected to the written Torah, was therefore granted the revelation of the secrets and rationale behind the Parah Adumah, while in this world, it remains a Chok, an enigma.
Therefore, we are commanded to bring forth our understanding to the tzadik, as the pasuk states (Bamidbar 19:2) “They shall bring forth to you” the tzadik who transcends nature. It is through our submission and nullification to the tzadik that Bnei Yisrael that we are able to grasp the underlying reasons behind the mitzvot.
לסיחון מלך האמורי כל”ח ולעוג מלך הבשן כל”ח. פי’ אא”ז מו”ר ז”ל שנקבעו לדורות שבחים אלו כי הם מתנגדים לבנ”י בעבודת הבורא וסיחון מלך חשבון הוא נגד תפילין ש”ר מקום המחשבה ועוג באדרעי תש”י הכח כו’ ודפח”ח. וכתיב עוד ונתן ארצם לנחלה כל”ח נחלה לישראל כו’ כל”ח. וקשה למה נחלק זה לב’ שבחים. אך זה עצמו מה שהמשיכו הקדושה לאותן הארצות הוא דבר גדול. כמ”ש מלך קשה ומדינה קשה כו’ פי’ שהמקומות עצמם היו מקום הסט”א ובנ”י המשיכום לנחלתם. וע”ז היו כל מסעות בנ”י להמשיך נחל נובע מקור הקדושה לכל המקומות. ובאמת ע”י שהם המשיכו הקדושה לאותן המקומות לכן נחלה לישראל וזכו המה להם. וכ”כ כח מעשיו הגיד כו’ לתת להם נחלת גוים כי הקב”ה בעבור זה ברא כל ההתנגדות. כדי שעי”ז שבנ”י בעבודתם יבררו הקדושה בכל המקומות (ויזכו) [*יזכו] להיות שלהם והבן:
https://www.sefaria.org/Sefat_Emet,_Numbers,_Chukat_5.3
The passage in Tehillim (136:19-20) declares: “To Sichon, the king of Emori, forever is your kindness (we praise HaShem for saving us from him), and to Og, the king of Bashan, forever is your kindness.”
The Chidushei Harim provided an explanation for the unique nature of these praises, which have been established in our prayers to be recited for generations. They represent the primary forces that oppose Bnei Yisrael in their service to HaShem. Sichon, the king of Cheshbon, symbolizes thoughts (machshava), and is countered by the Tefillin of the head. Og of Edrei represents one’s power (Edrei being connected to the Aramaic word for “arm”), and is countered by the Tefillin worn on one’s arm. Additionally, the words of the wise are beautiful.
Furthermore, the passage continues: “He gave their land as an inheritance, forever is His kindness, an inheritance to Yisrael, His nation, forever is His kindness.” Why is the inheritance of the land received divided into two distinct praises?
This can be understood by considering the role of Bnei Yisrael. Wherever they traveled, they infused holiness into the land. This achievement was significant, as those lands were challenging to conquer, with formidable kings and difficult conditions controlled by negative forces. Nonetheless, Bnei Yisrael inherited these lands because they established a connection, like a flowing river, from the source of holiness to those places. Consequently, through this process, they merited to inherit the land. Hence, the division into two separate praises.
This concept is also expressed in Tehillim 111:6: “The power of His creation He revealed to His children, to give them an inheritance of the nations of the world.” HaShem created the world and the opposing forces of unholiness for this purpose. Bnei Yisrael, by purifying the holiness present in all locations through their encounters with these forces, will ultimately deserve their eternal reward.
