Ruste Taurus: A Qoton Qlassic

Since this week the Torah portion of Chukat is read, I thought it would be appropriate to modify my classic essay on the topic of the Red Heifer, entitled Ruste Taurus, which is latin for "Red Cow." Here is a sample of the new additions to the essay:

The Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Fatiyah (1859-1942) offers a simple answer to the
famous question as to why he upon whom the waters of the Red Heifer are
sprinkled becomes pure, while the one who sprinkles the water becomes impure.
The degree of impurity of the sprinkler is such that he is merely required to
immerse into the Mikveh and wait for nightfall to become cleansed of his ritual
impurity. According to the Talmud, one who was ritually impure by coming in
contact with a dead corpse, must be sprinkled twice over the span of a week with
the water and ashes of the ruste Taurus, in order to become pure. After that
week of sprinklings, he need only immerse in the Mikvah in order to achieve
purity. Thus, the sprinkler and the sprinkled upon have the same degree of
ritual impurity at the end of the ceremony. The explanation is that the ashes
and water of the red heifer have a supernatural ability to transform anyone from
whatever status of impurity he is currently in to the status of a person who
requires immersion in the mikveh and nightfall (like the status of any Ba'al
Keri who experiences a seminal emission). Therefore, one who was so impure that
he had a seven-day impurity called Tamei Meis, lowers his level of impurity and
becomes a normal Tevol Yom, who only requires immersion and nightfall. On the
other hand, one who is pure raises his level of impurity to become like a normal
Tevol Yom, who requires immersion and nightfall. The ashes of the red heifer are
like a balance to equalize the equation between the pure and the impure. Rabbi
Fatiyah compares this idea to certain medicines, which if ingested by someone
healthy can sicken the person, but if ingested by the ill can heal them.

Continue Reading Ruste Taurus...

Almonds and Priests

In order to quell the complaints about Aaron the High Priest being undeserving for the High Priesthood, HaShem commanded Moses[1] to tell each of the princes of the twelve tribes to inscribe their name on a staff and leave it in the Tent of Meeting, along with Aaron's stick. The next morning, Aaron's stick sprouted flowers and almonds. It was thus clear that HaShem had selected Aaron to be His emissary to the Nation of Israel in the capacity of Kohen Gadol[2]. However, the reason as to why Aaron required a new appointment to his already-previously held position of Kohen Gadol requires explication. Rabbi Meir Don Plotzky of Ostrova explains[3] that when Korah gathered supporters to dispute Aaron's claim to the Kehuna Gedolah, Rashi says that he gathered two-hundred and fifty judges from the Sanhedrin court[4]. Accordingly, Rabbi Plotsky says, since the Kohen Gadol is verbally appointed and removed from his position by the Sanhedrin, when Korah's "court" ruled that Aaron was unfit for service, Aaron actually lost his halachik status as the Kohen Gadol. Therefore, it was required that Aaron should specifically be chosen again as the Kohen Gadol by means of his staff which budded almonds and flowers.

Nonetheless, this explanation is only true according to the understanding of Maimonides[5] who ruled according to the Tosefta[6] that the Sanhedrin has the right to appoint and impeach the Kohen Gadol; however, Tosafos[7] understand that the king and fellow Kohanim possess that capability. Perhaps one can explain that since Moses was the King of the Jewish People[8], Aaron could not be appointed Kohen Gadol by the king because the king has a vested interest in his appointment since they were brothers. Therefore, perhaps even Tosafos would agree that when the king is disqualified from making an appointment to the Kehuna Gedolah, then the Sanhedrin holds the power to make such an appointment.

[1] Numbers 17:16-26
[2] See Yoma 19a which concludes that the Kohen Gadol is agent of G-d, not of the people.
[3] Kli Chemda to Deuteronomy 1:17
[4] See Rashi to Parshas Korach, especially to Numbers 16:1
[5] Laws of the Vessels of the Sanctuary 4:15
[6] Tractate Sanhedrin, Chapter 3
[7] To Yoma 12b
[8] See Zevachim 102b

Adding a Yud

The Torah says that when Moses sent the spies into the Land of Canaan, "he called Hosea the son on Nun, 'Joshua'.[1]" Essentially, Moses added the letter yud to the pre-existing name of "Hosea" to become "Joshua." Many commentaries explain[2] that he did so in order for Joshua's name to essential convert Joshua's ordinary name in a theophoric name so that he will be Divinely assisted in carrying out his mission. However, the Targum of Rabbi Jonathan ben Uziel explains, "Moses saw that Joshua was humble and do he changed his name from Hosea to Joshua.[3]" The correlation between humility and the addition of the letter yud to one's name requires further explanation.

When Moses descended from Mount Sinai, the Torah says[4] that his face was shining with rays of light[5]. These "rays of splendor" radiated from Moses' face in such a glowing
fashion that Moses was forced to wear mask so that his people could look at him. The Midrash explains[6] that Moses merited such an honor from Above because when Moses completed writing the Torah, a drop of ink remained in the container, so G-d Himself smeared the remaining droplet on Moses' forehead. This drop of holy ink was the source of Moses' "rays of splendor." However, the Midrash never actually explained what Moses did to merit such a gift from G-d. Furthermore, if the bottle of ink was divinely prepared, then HaShem would have prepared the exact amount of ink needed for the writing of a Torah Scroll, so why would there be extra ink? Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar (1696-1743) explains[7] that really G-d prepared the precise amount of ink required, yet a morsel remained because Moses was so humble that he did not want to write the verse, "And the man Moses was the most humble…[8]." Instead, Moses wrote the word "humble" without the yud with which it is normally spelled. Therefore, the extra droplet of ink was a result of Moses' humility in not spelling out the word "humble" completely. This extra droplet of ink was the source of Moses' "rays of splendor." Based on this, Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta (1755-1825) explains[9] that in deciding on Joshua as Moses' successor, G-d commands Moses, "And you shall put from your own splendor upon him.[10]" Since the source of Moses' own splendor was the extra yud in the word "humble", he added an extra yud to the name of Hosea—making his name Joshua—after he saw that his successor also possessed the trait humility.

The Apta Rov, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, also explains[11] that the resurrection of the dead will occur in alphabetical order. Thus, those whose first name begins with Aleph will revive before those whose names begin with Beis; and Beis, before Gimmel; etc… Accordingly, when Moses contemplated added an extra Yud to the beginning of Hosea's name, he realized that Hosea could complain that with his new name he would arise from the dead later than with his old name, for yud is five letters after hey—the first letter in Hosea. However, once Moses saw that Joshua was a humble person and worldly matters, such as the order of who will arise from the dead in the future, did not concern him. Consequently, Moses felt that it was appropriate to add an extra yud to the beginning of Joshua's name, for Joshua would not complain due to his unassuming nature of humbleness.

[1] Numbers 13:16
[2] Rashi et al to Numbers 13:16.
[3] Targum Yonason ben Uziel to Numbers 13:16
[4] Exodus 34:29
[5] Some Christians have misunderstood the word Karnei in this verse to mean "horns" instead of "rays"; this error accounts for the medieval artistic depictions of Jews as having horns, an unfortunate misunderstanding which continues to be mistakenly perpetuated.
[6] Exodus Rabbah §47
[7] Ohr HaChaim to Exodus 34:29
[8] Numbers 12:3
[9] See Ohev Yisroel to Parshas Ki See-saw, Exodus 34:29
[10] Numbers 27:20
[11] As quoted by Rabbi Yitzchok Zilberstein in Aleinu L'Shabaech to Numbers 13:16 in the name of Ohev Yisroel-Likutim.