We Need Everyone to take Part

Parshat Parah is read every year before Rosh Chodesh Nissan. It describes an important facet of the preparations for Pesach during the times when the Korban Pesach was offered: purification. Those who were ritually impure due to contact with the dead were disqualified from partaking in the Paschal lamb. Since the process of purification takes a week to complete, it was important for people to be reminded of these laws weeks in advance of Pesach. Today not only do we commemorate what once was (and what will be once again speedily in our days) but we also absorb the lessons contained within this mysterious ritual: the red heifer.

The pasuk states (19:2)

דַּבֵּ֣ר | אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֣וּ אֵלֶ֩יךָ֩ פָרָ֨ה אֲדֻמָּ֜ה תְּמִימָ֗ה

Speak to the children of Israel and have them take for you a perfectly red unblemished cow

The Midrash teaches that from the phrase “have them take” we learn that the red cow must belong to the nation; ie it must be purchased with communal funds that had been collected from the entire congregation for upkeep of the Temple. Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin (in Emek Netziv) notes that a donated red cow would be problematic. He wonders why this should be the case, and he suggests that the Torah is teaching an important lesson about community building. In order for the Parah Adumah ritual to have the full spiritual impact that it can, the campaign must be something that the entire nation is proactively engaged in. A donated red cow would seem to functionally suffice. However it is not valid because it does not include nor engage all of the people, as represented by communal funds.

This lesson from the Parah Adumah is an important one for us. In order to fully realize the potential innate within our community, and in order to fully benefit from the sense of purpose and belonging that comes with community- we must be proactive. We must be invested. We all must participate, attend and contribute- in our unique ways, according to our unique abilities.

Our shul’s annual Journal Gala will take place next Sunday March 19. I urge you to participate in this important fundraising event that celebrates our community and recognizes those who have contributed their unique abilities to the vibrancy of our shul. Please join Rebecca and me by registering to attend the dinner and placing an ad in the journal. (www.yih.org/gala )We look forward to celebrating with you.