The Or HaChaim asks, Why does it say "Zos Chukas HaTorah" It should say "Zos Chukas HaTumah" or "Zos Chukas HaTaharah". So why does it say "haTorah"? He answers: If a person is willing to do a Mitzvah that he doesnt understand, a mitzvah that makes no sense. It is as if he did all the Mitzvos because if he does something that goes against logic and what he doesnt understand, kal V'Chomer he will do something that logic dictates. Why is the Parsha of the death of Miriam next to the Parah Adumah? Rashi says just like Korbanos are an atonement so to is the death of Tzaddikim. The question is asked, If all Korbanos are an atonment, so why is the death of Miriam next to Parah Adumah. Put it next to a Peace offering or a burnt offering. There are so many other Korbanos. Whats Pshat in the Parah Aduma and Miriam? Maybe one could say just like Parah Adumah is a Chok so is death. The hardest thing to understand about life, is death. The greatest mystery of life is death. The Gemmorah says (Moed Katan 28a) there were 2 Sages, Raba and Rav Chisda. Both of them were Tzaddikim and Tzaddik means (according to this Gemmorah) if the Jewish people needed rain, you would e- mail them and it would rain. One lived till 92 and Raba lived till 40. Rav Chisda that lived to 92 was very wealthy and also lived to see 60 weddings from his offspring. Raba on the other hand was poor and sadly saw the funerals of 60 members of his Family. Why? Only Hashem knows. Everybody gets a differnet deck of cards to play with but a good poker player can win with nothing in his hand. If one were to study the life of the Tribes, One could ask some very simple questions. Why did Benjamin not see his Mother? Why was Joseph hated by his Brothers'. Why did Yehuda lose a wife and children? Why were Dan, NAftali, Gad and Asher maid servants children? The slander that Joseph told his Father, was that Leah's children were making fun of Bilha and Zilpa's children. A simple example of this would be. Reuven, Shimon, Levi, Yehuda, Yissacher and Zevulan were sitting at the front of the bus and the Maidservant's children got on and they sent them to the back of the bus. Thats all Joseph told his Father, but the Maidservants children had an inferiority complex, Shimon and Levi on the other hand are brothers' to Dinah but are not such good brothers to Joseph. They stood up for Dinah's honor but not for Joseph's (to say the least). Reuven, did one thing wrong and lost his inheritence to the Bechor, kingdom and priesthood. The only Jew that struck out on one pitch! He did one wrong act and he changed the course of History. From here we see the importance of a single act. To us it may not seem significant but in the eyes of Hashem, it is very important. Yissacher and Zevulan are never mentioned except when they can blessed by Yaacov and later on by Moshe and also by Korbanos and Flags. Why each one has the tests he has is a Chok. No explanation. Psychology has an excuse why every person didnt make it. The oldest- Too much responsiblity. The Middle child is always neglected. the baby is always pampered. Thats good for emptying out your pocket on someones couch. But in Torah it's only an excuse. Just like if a person wears glasses, he may want the other person's frames (especially if they are designers) but he doesnt want the other guys lenses because he know he wont be able to see with them. So it is with all HAshem gives us. We dont know why we are the first, second, Middle, last or whatever child we are but we have to make our best with what we have been given. This is Pshat in Zos Chukas HaTorah. Each person has to write the Torah with his own Chukim. I know that this week is Parshas Korach in USA, so I guess we have to start again one more time. Parshas Korach ends off with the gifts that you give the Tribe of Levi. Parshas Chukas starts off with Zos Chukas HaTorah. Whats the connection? Just like the Tribe of Levi doesnt know how it'll get by, but somehow some way, Hashem instituted that they get gifts to sustain them. As the Rambam says at the end of Shmitta V'Yovel. Not only the tribe of Levi but anyone who makes up his mind to dedicate his life to Torah, Hashem will provide for him. That is Pshat in Zos Chukas Hatorah, becasue how a Ben Torah gets by is a Chok. So HaKodesh Boruch Hu put the 2 parsios together. Just like Levi doesnt know how he'll get by, but he does. Same thing with a Ben Torah. Korach is one of the hardest people in the Good Book to understand. The Sages ask, Korach who was a wise man, what did he see in it to do this Stupidity? They answer this by saying: He saw greatness coming from his prodginy in the form of Shmuel HaNavi. He didnt realise that his children would repent. We see from this, that Korach could see future generations, but he couldn't see tommorrow. When a person has a negiah (bias), even if he has Ruach HaKodesh (Divine inspiration) he is blind. To say even more, Korach carried the Aron. Not really true, the Aron carried him. So with all the greatness that Korach had, he was still blinded as the Torah says "HaShoychad YeAver Eynay Tzaddikim". Bribery (or bias for that matter) blinds even a Tzaddik. May Hashem give us the opening of eyes to see his greatness in all there is. Torah Blessings, Y. Bertram bertram@ohr.israel.net