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The Meaning of a “Chok”

By: SFW Students & Alumna
Sarah Jacob (SFW ’08) and Malkie Ziegler (SFW ’08)

The first mitzvah discussed in parshat Chukat is the Parah Adumah. In the beginning of the parsha, Rashi asks why this specific mitzvah is mentioned as a chok. He answers that the satan and nations of the world wanted to know the meaning behind this mitzvah so therefore Hashem called the mitzvah of Parah Adumah a chok so no one would question Hashem’s reasoning. But why would the satan and the nations of the world want to know the reason behind this mitzvah specifically?

Rav Natan Feitel Reinitz zt”l explains this through the story in the Gemara in Avodah Zara about Dama Ben Natina. Dama, a non Jew, was rewarded for his Kibbud Av with having a Parah Adumah born into his flock. The satan started to prosecute Bnei Yisrael by criticizing their lack of kibbud av v'aim in comparison to Dama’s who wasn’t commanded in this mitzvah. Therefore, Hashem changed the situation for the good of Bnei Yisrael. Bnei Yisrael paid Dama enough money to receive the Parah Adumah and compensate him for any loss he received from keeping Kibbud Av.

We see from the fact that Dama was rewarded so greatly for doing something that seemed logical to him, kal vachomer Bnei Yisrael were rewarded even greater for a mitzvah that they didn’t even know the reason behind it. This explains why the mitzvah of Parah Adumah is a chok. Now, the satan and nations of the world have no basis to hold themselves higher than Bnei Yisrael for keeping Hashem’s word. (Adapted from Bikurei Eliezer)