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Torah and Jewish Idea => Torah and Jewish Idea => Topic started by: muman613 on June 27, 2012, 09:08:04 PM
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Here is a list of good discussions of this weeks Parasha, Parasha Chukat. This is the portion which discusses the mysterious ritual involving the Red Cow. The Red Cow commandments are some of the most obvious Chukim {Laws for which we have no rational explanation}. Even King Solomon was not able to understand the dichotomy posed by the purification ritual.
The parasha also contains the stories of both Miriam and Aarons deaths. Upon Miriams death the well of Miriam dries up and Moses is commanded to SPEAK TO THE ROCK and instead ends up HITTING THE ROCK which makes Hashem angry at Moshe. Moshe is then told he will not be permitted to enter the land... When Aaron dies the CLOUDS OF GLORY leave the Israelite camp...
Parasha in a Nutshell
Moses is taught the laws of the red heifer, whose ashes purify a person who has been contaminated by contact with a dead body.
After forty years of journeying through the desert, the people of Israel arrive in the wilderness of Zin. Miriam dies, and the people thirst for water. G‑d tells Moses to speak to a rock and command it to give water. Moses gets angry at the rebellious Israelites and strikes the stone. Water issues forth, but Moses is told by G‑d that neither he nor Aaron will enter the Promised Land.
Aaron dies at Hor Hahar and is succeeded in the high priesthood by his son Elazar. Venomous snakes attack the Israelite camp after yet another eruption of discontent in which the people “speak against G‑d and Moses”; G‑d tells Moses to place a brass serpent upon a high pole, and all who will gaze heavenward will be healed. The people sing a song in honor of the miraculous well that provided them water in the desert.
Moses leads the people in battles against the Emorite kings Sichon and Og (who seek to prevent Israel’s passage through their territory) and conquers their lands, which lie east of the Jordan.
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2959/jewish/Chukat-in-a-Nutshell.htm
Here is a guy reading Rabbi Binyamin Kahanes thoughts on this Parasha.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwr8NS686M0
http://www.ravkooktorah.org/CHUKAT63.htm
Chukat: Beyond Human Logic
Even King Solomon, renown for his great wisdom, failed to understand it. "I thought I would attain wisdom," he admitted, "but it is distant from me" (Ecclesiates 7:23).
What was it that eluded his powerful intellect? The Talmud in Nidah 9a explains that Solomon was referring to the Parah Adumah, the red heifer whose ashes were used for ritual purification. The inner meaning of this ritual is uniquely profound, beyond the grasp of the human intellect.
Why is this mitzvah so intellectually challenging?
Here is the G-dcast animated presentation of the Parasha concerning the episode of the snakes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yT7I5H6u1w
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Rabbi Ginsburg offers some Chassidic insights into the Jewish wisdom concerning vows..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXRjcfZ74Cg
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And here are some clips from Naalehs lectures on Chukat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=731MDAdE7cE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNqEW9fPWps
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Rabbi Richman of the Temple Institute discusses the Parah Aduma (Red Cow)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaDL5bTiSus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN1QpQrMFQ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK0mRMN1d80
Here is the one Rabbi Richman just posted this week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTyV2L6cs6A
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Rabbi Chaim Miller gives the Chassidic insight to the Parasha.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDaW46KwCu8
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Rabbi Mizrachi gives one of his typical 40minute lectures on the Parasha..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF0mlkwN0qI
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Rabbi Odze covers the Torah portion this week...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivvPtWmwNK4
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Interesting story about a tragedy which is remembered this week...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f38u3VjBsXk
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A talk about the Haftorah of Chukat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Corl7jeaV4Y
Judges 11:1-33.
This week's haftorah describes how the people of Israel were attacked by the nation of Ammon. The Israelites engaged Jephtah to lead them in battle against this military threat. Jephtah first sent a missive to Ammon, declaring his peaceful intentions. In his message, he also discussed the Israelites' conquest of the lands of Sichon and Og, victories which are related in this week's Torah reading.
Jephtah the Gileadite was the son of a harlot. He was sent away from his home by his half-siblings, and settled in the land of Tob where he became a great warrior. When the nation of Ammon attacked the people of Israel, Jephtah was called upon to lead the Israelites in battle. Jephtah agreed, on one condition: "If you bring me back to fight with the children of Ammon, and G-d delivers them before me, I will become your head." The Israelites accepted his terms.
Jepthah tried to bring a peaceful resolution to the conflict by sending messengers to reason with the king of Ammon; but the latter remained inflexible. Jephtah then successfully led his countrymen in battle, and they trounced and eliminated the Ammonite threat.
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Rabbi Shlomo Katz's latest Torah thoughts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBQrUxP21bk
Rabbi Nagens Dvar Torah for this week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1iqQP_8Xic
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A talk about the death of Aaron:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSBCLZjVLuQ
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Looking at the Parasha story about Moshe hitting the rock:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg1Jcwwv-gs
And Rabbi Glick giving some insights....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbazB_3OQvo
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Rabbi Trugmans mystic insights into Chukat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jdWFw4bDe8
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Halachas learned from Parasha Chukat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u1mrboaSbA
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Just found the venerable Rabbi Pinchas Winstons video on this awesome Parasha:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROf7uA3hFio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P3DsFixmCk