Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

The holy CHIDA ob'm writes in his book "Ptach Eynaim" that here our Rabbis ob'm are hinting to what is written in the Midrash (Kohelet) "Shlomo said, all of these (mitzvahs) I understand but the portion of the Red Heifer I researched and asked and inquired and lo "it is far from me", in other words, I did not succeed in knowing the reason for the mitzvah of the Red Heifer."

And they shall take for the unfit person of the ashes of burnt expiation from sin offering… (19.17)

Reasons for the mitzvahs

Our Rabbis ob'm say in the gemara (Rosh Hashanah) that King Shlomo (Solomon) wanted to be like Moshe. A Heavenly voice came out and said, "It says the Words of Truth are straight." This is seemingly not understandable.What is the meaning of "the Words of Truth are straight"?

The CHIDA explained that King Solomon thought that the verse "And they shall take for the unfit person" "ולקחו ל טמא מ עפר ש רפת ה חטאת" alluded to the initials of his name שלמה, alluding to the fact that in the future Shlomo would know the reason for the Red Heifer. A Heavenly voice came out and said to King Shlomo, "It says the Words of Truth are straight". Indeed, Shlomo, you were right in noticing the initials but don't read them in the wrong order, read them "straight", and then you will see that the initials spell out To Moshe's למשה

ולקחו ל טמא מ עפר ש רפת ה חטאת  in order to teach us that Gd revealed the reason for this mitzvah only to Moshe and that is what the Torah means "It says the Words of Truth are straight"- you should read it straightly, for that is the truth.

Therefore Shlomo said "I said I would be clever but it was far from me" – the letters were far from alluding to my name because they were not in the right order.

SHABBAT SHALOM!