Tafsiran Bilangan 19:2: Mei HaShiloach, Rashi, Kitzur Ba'al HaTurim & Kli Yakar

As it says in the Midrash that "the nations of the world nominate the Israelites etc." The idea here is that King Solomon, may he rest in peace, glorified the life of the Isrealites against that of the nations. As it says (Song of songs, 5:9): "What is your beloved more than another beloved...my beloved is white and red, etc." Thus the Lord Blessed be He, behaves with the Isrealites unlike how He behaves with the nations, in that there is no evil that reaches the depth of the Isrealite's life. In areas of lack and death there is no finality for them. The death of an Isrealite is unlike the death of one from the nations because death of one from the nations is a "broken tool" and does not have any further ability to correct (tikkun), but the death of an Isrealite is not just a tool for a broken physical body (lit. dismanted spine). And thus in the time of the galut ("exile), the Isrealites boast to the nations that they are not burdened even a little because they understand that everything comes from the hands of the G-d, Blessed be He. And further in their wisdom and glory, the nations have no national conception and knowledge of G-d as does the Israelites. And therefore the nations appoint the Israelites for three tasks on which no different in hue creates separation between them, as on this they were commanded to take upon themselves, meaning to the level of Moses, that can be found in every Isrealite. Because Moses is the root source of wisdom of the Isrealites and to Moses was made clear the reason for using the red heifer; since a heifer is a hint to having clarity in life. And the red color is a metaphor for "cycles." Cycles refer to "cycles of redness" which refer to not being weakened at all from cycles that exist in life. And the idea that the red heifer must not be blemished refers to the lack of blemish in the wisdom of the Isrealites; there is no lack within it and rather only clear thought (lit. wisdom). The fact that a yoke was never placed on the red heifer refers to the fact that the Isrealites were never under control of any force other than the Lord Blessed be He who rules over them alone. As it says (Zecharia 10:6): "They shall be as though I had not forsaken them." And this is made clear through the parable of Joseph and his brothers. Even though the brothers first experienced pain and then Joseph made known that he was their brother and he made clear that no harm would ever come to them. Rather they only had pain for only a moment. The Lord Blessed be He in the future will make clear that any pain is only for a moment and there will be no real pain for the soul's of the Isrealites. As it says (Kohelet 7:23): "I will become wise but it was far from me." All understanding was clear to [King Solomon], he nevertheless says he will become wise which refers to becoming wise regarding knowing this understanding of the future thus saying "it was far from me." Of Moses it says (Midrash Tanchuma 8): "And to you I will reveal." Moses' wisdom was only to know and not to become wiser to His ways. This was the knowledge that King Solomon also knew but was not in his currently within in conception, therefore he said it was still far from him, meaning it was outside the borders of his mind. This is why the section on the red heifer is placed before the section of the death of the three shepherds. Such that the Isrealites should know this and not become distressed. The heifer purifies sin which hints to the future where everything will return to its perfected state.

וזאת חקת התורה THIS IS THE ORDINANCE OF THE LAW — Because Satan and the nations of the world taunt Israel, saying, “What is this command and what reason is there for it”, on this account it (Scripture) writes (uses) the term חקה about it, implying: It is an enactment from before Me; you have no right to criticize it (Yoma 67b; cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Chukat 7).

זאת חקת התורה "This is the law of the Torah": According to the constitution of the Torah, you should drink the milk from it, a hint that the Torah was not given except to those who ate the manna, a second one to those who ate a terumah, and another hint that those who hold the Torah of God have portions that do not give terumah (a donation to serve, as priestly dues from produce; contribution to be set apart for priests) as priests with the land: