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"LET AHARON BE GATHERED TO HIS KIN" (Numbers 20:24)

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"Let Aharon be gathered to his kin." (Numbers 20:24) So begins one of the Torah's most poignant descriptions:the final moments of Aharon's life on earth. He is brought up to Mount Hor by Moshe and Elazar, his son. HaShem tells Moshe, "Strip Aharon of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar. There Aharon shall be gathered unto the dead. Moshe did as HaShem had commanded. They ascended Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. Moshe stripped Aharon of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar, and Aharon died there on the summit of the mountain. When Moshe and Eleazar came down from the mountain, the whole community knew that Aharon had breathed his last. All the house of Israel bewailed Aharon thirty days." (ibid 20:26-29)

Aharon's death is not the first of the deaths of the three siblings who led Israel out of Egypt. Miriam's death is recorded earlier in the parasha, albeit the description of her passing was quite succinct: "The children of Israel arrived in a body at the wilderness of Tzin on the first new moon, and the people stayed at Kadesh. Miriam died there and was buried there." (ibid 20:1) The announcement of Miriam's death comes as a shock. The brevity of the Torah's announcement of her demise reflects the brevity of life itself. We are here today, and, literally, gone tomorrow. The lesson imparted in the account of Aharon's death teaches us a more comforting lesson. Aharon dies, but his legacy lives on in his children. Elazar inherits Aharon's garments and replaces Aharon as the Kohen Gadol. Want to live forever? Have children. Teach them well.

While Miriam's death comes as a shock, the same cannot be said about the death of Aharon and Moshe. Although Moshe's death will not be described by the Torah until the conclusion of the book of Deuteronomy, both he and Aharon received their death sentence at the precise same moment:

"But HaShem said to Moshe and Aharon, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.” (ibid 20:12) While it is true that we have been forewarned about the deaths of Moshe and Aharon, the reason for HaShem's thunderously swift decision to end their time on earth does come as a shock. Yes, Moshe erred, striking the rock when he was instructed to talk to it. Yes, Moshe was wrong to so severely castigate the children of Israel, calling them "rebels." (ibid 20:10) But after all that Moshe has done for Israel, how can HaShem, who called Moshe "My servant Moshe; most trusted throughout My household," (ibid12:7) so summarily call it a day for Moshe? And Aharon? How was he implicated in Moshe's misstep?

Our sages have struggled with all these questions and every attempted explanation, while insightful and meaningful, ultimately come up short. We mortals simply can't see things as HaShem sees things. And as troubling as that might be at times, ultimately, it is a comfort. We live our lives, we do our best and we accept our fates.

Perhaps the greatest comfort is what we are taught at the beginning of this week's parasha, Chukat: the commandment of the red heifer, whose ashes remove the impurity of death from the living. Every bit as incomprehensible as death itself, and quite possibly intentionally so, the carefully prepared ashes of the red heifer guarantee, not only purity for the living, but also transmit the message that death itself is not an end. There is life after death. And though we do not know what awaits us in the world to come, and we are even forbidden, Maimonides teaches us, to speculate on what might await us, we nevertheless are allowed a glimmer of that divine promise through the ashes of a simple, uncomprehending cow, whose hairs happen to be red, (edom, in Hebrew), like the earth, (adamah) of which we are formed.

If it all seems bewildering, perhaps it is meant to. Death, as is life, is G-d's decision. He decides at what moment we enter the world and He decides what moment we exit. What is up to us, and this is the most important thing in G-d's eyes, is how we live our lives, to what purpose do we dedicate our days on earth.

By the merit of Miriam Israel was provided with fresh water all throughout her desert sojournings. When she died the well disappeared, but tradition holds that Miriam's well's final resting place is beneath the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret), where it continues to provide life for Israel. When Aharon died, we are told that the clouds of glory which hovered over Israel and protected Israel from harm, also vanished. But those clouds of glory are most certainly found today in the skies over Israel, guarding over HaShem's children. And Aharon's children, to this day bless every morning the children of Israel with the priestly blessing first uttered by Aharon, as they anxiously await the moment they will be called once again to serve haShem in the Holy Temple. And every aspect of our lives, indeed, of our civilization, is imbued with the teachings of Moshe, who died with his one greatest wish, to enter into the land promised by G-d, the land to whose border he led Israel, unfulfilled. Take comfort, Moshe. We are here today by your merit.

Life, like the red heifer, is full of contradictions, of puzzles, of unanswered questions. We are told that King Solomon,the wisest man on earth, sought to understand the statute of the red heifer and threw himself into its study, only to come up empty handed. But at the end of his search Solomon did come up with this sage advice: "The end of the matter, everything having been heard, fear G-d and keep His commandments, for this is the entire man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13) And that, truly, is the answer to all our questions.

SHABBAT SHALOM!שבת שלום

(This post was scheduled before the entry of Shabbat in Israel.)

PROMISE OF THE RED HEIFER!

Learn how a perfectly red heifer can change the course of history and fulfill biblical prophecy in our day! See the Temple Institute's in-depth and fully illustrated explanation of the red heifer, its history, its significance and its promise of a better future for mankind!

PROMISE OF THE RED HEIFER! How a red heifer can change history

PARASHAT CHUKAT חקת

Sometimes giving up is the only option. Sometimes it is absolutely forbidden. Were Moshe and Aharon denied entry into Israel because they gave up on something when they shouldn't have?

Chukat (Numbers 19:1–22:1)
Parashat Chukat is read on Shabbat:
Tammuz 5, 5786/June 20, 2026

Israel is currently one parashah ahead of the diaspora, (where parashat Chukat is being read this Shabbat). The discrepancy, caused by the two day Shavuot holiday in the diaspora, will be reconciled in next week's reading of parashat Balak.

SHABBAT SHALOM!שבת שלום

Weekly Torah Study: Chukat חקת Sometimes giving up is the only option. Sometimes it is absolutely ...

TEMPLE TALK: A RED HEIFER IS BORN!
https://youtu.be/J_0g9VpnWmI

THE RED HEIFER: A JOINT PROJECT OF MAN, G-D AND NATURE!

MOSHE: STUCK BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE!

A red heifer candidate was recently born in Israel. Its birth was announced this week as we read parashat Chukat - all about the red heifer! Does this perfect time bear promise that we may soon achieve the longed for purifying ashes of the red heifer. G-d will give the green light to the red heifer in His perfect time.

HAFTARAH FOR SHABBAT PARASHAT CHUKAT

Judges 11:1-33

"Now Yiftach the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a woman harlot, and Gilead begot Yiftach. And Gilead's wife bore him sons; and his wife's sons grew up and drove Yiftach out, and they said to him, "You shall not inherit in our father's house for you are the son of another woman." And Yiftach fled from his brothers and he dwelt in the land of Tov; and idle men were gathered to Yiftach, and they went out with him. And it was after many days, and the children of Ammon made war with Israel. And it was, when the children of Ammon fought with Israel; and the elders of Gilead went to take Yiftach from the land of Tov. And they said to Yiftach, "Come and become our chief, and we will fight with the children of Ammon." And Yiftach said to the elders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me, and drive me from my father's house? So why have you come to me now when you are in distress?" And the elders of Gilead said to Yiftach, "Therefore we returned to you now, and you shall go with us, and you will fight with the children of Ammon, and you shall become our head, over all the inhabitants of Gilead." And Yiftach said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me back to fight with the children of Ammon, and HaShem delivers them before me, I will become your head." And the elders of Gilead said to Yiftach, "HaShem shall hear between us, if not according to your word so will we do." And Yiftach went with the elders of Gilead, and the people appointed him a head and chief over them; and Yiftach spoke all his words before HaShem in Mitzpah. And Yiftach sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, "What is (between) me and you, that you have come to me to fight in my land?" And the king of the children of Ammon said to the messengers of Yiftach, "Because Israel took away my land, when they came out of Egypt, from Arnon and up to the Yabbok, and up to the Jordan; and now restore them peacefully." And Yiftach continued, and sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon. And he said to him, "So said Yiftach, Israel did not take the land of Moav and the land of the children of Ammon. Because when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness up to the Red Sea, and they came to Kadesh. And Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom saying, 'Let me pass now through your land,' and the king of Edom did not listen, and also to the king of Moav he sent, and he was unwilling; and Israel abode in Kadesh. And they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom and the land of Moav, and they came to the east of the land of Moav, and they encamped on the other side of the Arnon, and they did not come within the border of Moav, for (the) Arnon (was) the border of Moav. And Israel sent messengers to Sichon, king of the Amorites, the king of Heshvon; and Israel said to him, 'Please let us pass through your land up to my place.' And Sichon did not trust Israel to pass through his border, and Sichon gathered all his people, and they encamped in Yachaz, and he fought with Israel. And HaShem, the G-d of Israel, delivered Sichon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them; and Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that land. And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon up to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness up to the Jordan. And now HaShem, the G-d of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, and you want to possess it? Is it not that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess, that you may possess; and all that which HaShem our G-d has driven out from before us, that we shall possess. And now, are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moav? Did he ever strive with Israel, (or) did he ever fight against them? When Israel dwelt in Heshvon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along Arnon, three hundred years; why did you not recover them at that time? And I have not sinned against you, and you do wrong with me by fighting against me; may HaShem, the Judge, decide this day between the children of Israel and between the children of Ammon." And the king of the children of Ammon did not listen to the words of Yiftach which he had sent him. And a spirit of HaShem was upon Yiftach, and he passed over Gilead and Menasheh, and he passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over (to) the children of Ammon. And Yiftach vowed a vow to HaShem, and said, "If You will indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand, And it will be, whatever comes forth, that shall come forth from the doors of my house towards me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall be to HaShem, and I will offer him up for a burnt-offering." And Yiftach passed over to the children of Ammon to fight against them; and HaShem delivered them into his hand. And he struck them from Aroer until you come to Minnit, twenty cities, and up to Avel Cheramim, a very great slaughter. And the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel."

CHUKAT: ATTAINING PURITY

"The pure person shall sprinkle it upon the impure person on the third day and on the seventh day, thus cleansing that person by the seventh day. [The latter] shall then wash their clothes and bathe in water — and at nightfall shall be pure." (Numbers 19:19)

Learn more about the red heifer: https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer-the-order-of-burning-the-red-heifer/

https://templeinstitute.org/para-aduma-the-red-heifer/

CHUKAT: GATHERING THE PURE WATERS FOR THE ASHES OF THE RED HEIFER

"Some of the ashes from the fire of purgation shall be taken for the impure person, and fresh water shall be added to them in a vessel. Then someone who is pure shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle on the tent and on all the vessels and people who were there, or on the one who touched the bones or the person who was killed or died naturally or the grave." (Numbers 19:17-18)

Extraordinary measures were taken to ensure that the pure waters of the Shiloach spring in the City of David were gathered by children raised in an environment ensuring no possible contact, directly or indirectly, with a co**se.

The children were born and raised in protected courtyards. When they became of age, oxen were brought, and boards were placed across the oxen. The children rode out of the courtyards atop these oxen, sitting on the boards and carrying stone vessels to hold the water they would gather. The space below the boards protected the young riders from the possibility of any exposure from impurity emanating up from within the depths that may cross their paths, while en route to the Shiloach spring.

Arriving at the spring, they dismounted at its banks and filled the vessels with its water. Here, they could stand on the ground with no suspicion of impurity rising from below, since people are not accustomed to bury their dead under water (actually, one opinion maintains that they were so exceedingly cautious, they did not dismount but remained upon the oxen and lowered the vessels down into the spring by a cord).

For a more detailed description: https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer-the-order-of-burning-the-red-heifer/

WEEKLY TORAH STUDY: CHUKAT

Sometimes giving up is the only option. Sometimes it is absolutely forbidden. Were Moshe and Aharon denied entry into Israel because they gave up on something when they shouldn't have?

Chukat (Numbers 19:1–22:1)
Parashat Chukat is read on Shabbat:
Tammuz 5, 5786/June 20, 2026

Israel is currently one parashah ahead of the diaspora, (where parashat Korach is being read this Shabbat). The discrepancy, caused by the two day Shavuot holiday in the diaspora, will be reconciled in next week's reading of parashat Balak.

Weekly Torah Study: Chukat חקת Sometimes giving up is the only option. Sometimes it is absolutely ...

THE NEW MOON OF TAMMUZ IN THE SKIES OVER ISRAEL!

The new moon of Tammuz was sighted and photographed in the skies over Israel earlier this week. These three photos were taken by Gadi Eidelheit of the Israeli New Moon Society. https://moonsocil.blogspot.com/

PARASHAT CHUKAT: THE DEATH OF AHARON

"Setting out from Kadesh, the Israelites arrived in a body at Mount Hor. At Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom, HaShem said to Moshe and Aharon, “Let Aharon be gathered to his kin: he is not to enter the land that I have assigned to the Israelite people, because you disobeyed My command about the waters of Merivah. Take Aharon and his son Eleazar and bring them up on Mount Hor. Strip Aharon of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar. There Aharon shall be gathered unto the dead.” Moshe did as HaShem had commanded. They ascended Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. Moshe stripped Aharon of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar, and Aharon died there on the summit of the mountain. When Moshe and Eleazar came down from the mountain, the whole community knew that Aharon had breathed his last. All the house of Israel bewailed Aharon thirty days." (Numbers 20:22-20)

Rashi explains:

"Take Aharon - with words of consolation. Say to him: 'Fortunate are you that you see your crown given over to your son, something that I will not myself merit.'”

"His garments - i.e., dress him in the garments of the high priesthood, and then remove them from him in order to put them on his son in his presence. Moses said to Aharon, 'Enter the cave,' and he entered. He saw a bed that was made and a lit candle. He said to him, 'Go up onto the bed,' and he went up; 'stretch out your hands,' and he stretched them out; 'close your mouth,' and he closed it; 'close your eyes,' and he closed them. Moshe immediately desired this gradual and serene death, and that is the meaning of what was said to him: “as your brother Aharon died,” 3 i.e., in the form of death that you desired."

"Moshe did. Although the matter was hard for him, he did not hesitate."

"The entire community saw… When they saw Moshe and Eleazar descending, but that Aharon did not descend with them, they asked, 'Where is Aharon?' Moshe answered them, 'He has died.' They asked him, 'Is it possible that he who stood up to the Angel of Death and halted the plague can himself fall under the control of the Angel of Death?' Immediately Moshe prayed for mercy, and the ministering angels showed them an image of Aharon lying on the bed; once they saw this, they believed."