Words From Rabbi White

Dear Chevra Shaas/Spanish

I am writing this on Tuesday, the third day of Tammuz, a day that is well known by every Lubavitcher as “gimmel Tammuz,” the yahrzeit of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. I am not a Lubavitcher, but like everyone, I stand in awe at all of his unparalleled accomplishments: his influence on thousands of people, from accomplished scholars, to ba`alei teshuva; his role in saving the yiddishkeit for the Jews of the Soviet Union and North Africa; his sending of representatives to live and spread Torah throughout the world, including the furthest corners, his thousands of speeches and letters, etc., etc.

In particular, this past year since October 7, we are reminded of his strong position opposed to the “disengagement” from Gaza under Sharon in 2005.The Israeli gov’t did not listen, preferring instead “peace.” Sadly, we have seen where this peace has led.

All this leads us to this week’s haftarah. This haftarah is not read every year. For example, last year, when there was a double parasha, the haftarah for Balak took precedence. Some years, Chukkat can be on Rosh Hodesh, so the Rosh Hodesh haftarah from Isaiah preempts the Chukkat one.

So. let’s pay particular attention this year, when we do read the Chukkas haftarah. It is taken from the Book of Shofetim (Judges) and describes the military victory of Yiftach over the Ammonites. We can infer from the verses that Ammon had infiltrated the Land of Israel and was waging war against us. Yiftach, who had been appointed general, contacted the King of Ammon that the Ammonites should stay in their land, “and we will stay in the land which HaShem has given us.” Yiftach, representing Israel, continued and said to the king of Ammon “I never sinned against you, but you are doing evil to wage war against me.” Ammon didn’t listen, forcing Yiftach to raise an army and go to war, which he eventually won.

The parallel to the current situation is clear. We certainly did not want a war in Gaza. They infiltrated the border, and actually attacked people who would identify as “peaceniks!”

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I regularly try to study via whatsap with my son. By coincidence, yesterday we came across a halacha in the Sefer Hayyei Adam that even though one is allowed to bake on Yom Tov (as opposed to Shabbat,) “‘asur lahqoq” i.e., it is forbidden “lahqoq,” that is, to make a picture via a mold on the cake you are baking.

This week’s parasha is chukkat (in more technical transcription, it should be spelled “huqqat.”)

We are all familiar with Rambam’s description of a “hoq” as a law that defies rational interpretation.  Nevertheless, etymologically it probably means something that is engraved, i.e., cannot be changed. So, the law of Parah adumah, which is a "hoq," remains in the Torah, even though we don’t yet have a Temple rebuilt. Yet it is not our responsibility to collect red cows in anticipation of the Temple’s reconstruction!

Shabbat shalom, shalom `al Yisrael

Rabbi Menahem White