אִם־ר֤וּחַ הַמּוֹשֵׁל֙ תַּעֲלֶ֣ה עָלֶ֔יךָ מְקוֹמְךָ֖ אַל־תַּנַּ֑ח כִּ֣י מַרְפֵּ֔א יַנִּ֖יחַ חֲטָאִ֥ים גְּדוֹלִֽים׃
Kung ang galit ng pinuno ay sumiklab laban sa iyo, huwag mong iwan ang iyong kinalalagyan; sapagkat ang kahinahunan ay nagpapahupa ng malalaking pagkakasala.
Rabbeinu Bahya
You will need to appreciate that some Kabbalists are in doubt whether the fact that the procedure involving the red cow was carried out completely outside the confines of the Temple meant that it represented a higher degree of sanctity than that which pervaded the Sanctuary. In other words, everything connected with the red cow would have represented “holy of holies,” whereas only a small portion of the Sanctuary itself was designated as “holy of holies.” If so, the level of sanctity represented by the red cow as well as its remains would have been superior to that of the sacrificial animals offered on the Altar inside the precincts of the Temple so that there was really no comparison between the red cow and its counterparts inside the Holy Temple.
On the other hand, some Kabbalists think that the reason the procedure of the red cow was conducted outside holy precincts points to the fact that its sanctity was below that of even the lowest level of sanctity inside the holy precincts and that this is the reason that no part of it was processed inside those confines. These people then raised the following question: assuming that the red cow was of such a high level of sanctity that it surpassed the levels of sanctity in the Temple, how could it possibly confer impurity on its (uncontaminated) handlers? On the other hand, if it was of such inferior sanctity that it had to be slaughtered and its remains kept outside sacred ground, how was it capable of conferring purity on the previously impure?
Some Kabbalists answered these questions by saying that indeed the entire red cow was “holy of holies” and that the reason it conferred impurity on its handlers was that any pure person on earth will automatically become impure through contact with extra-terrestrial purity (which is of far higher degree). Seeing the red cow represented extra-terrestrial i.e. celestial purity (or sanctity) we do not have a problem. This concept is reflected in the Torah writing (Exodus 29,37) “anyone touching the Altar will become holy,” i.e. will be burnt (as had happened to the two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu). Total terrestrial sanctity is relegated when it confronts celestial sanctity. What applies to relative sanctity, i.e. terrestrial sanctity versus celestial sanctity, also applies to terrestrial purity as opposed to celestial purity. This may be the meaning of Yuma 21 that אש דוחה אש, אש אוכלת אש, “one category of fire displaces, relegates, another category of fire.” The “fire” of the Shechinah displaces or relegates terrestrial fire.
The Talmud there describes the penalty incurred by the angels who had opposed the creation of Adam by saying that he did not deserve G’d’s consideration. G’d is reported as having stretched out His finger at these angels and burning them. If differences in the quality of fire exist among the angels in the celestial regions it is easy to understand why terrestrial fire should be inferior to even the lowest of the celestial fires.
We are told in a Midrash that when Moses ascended Mount Sinai he reached a certain spot where the angel Matniel barred his way. This angel instructed Moses to proceed further and meet the angel Sandalfon. Moses answered that he was afraid to do so as that angel (angel of fire) would likely burn him. Thus far the Midrash. [Our author’s point in quoting this excerpt is simply to draw our attention to “fires” in celestial regions. Ed.]
According to some Kabbalists the red cow was entirely in the category of holy of holies. Personally, I feel that in some respects it was holy whereas in other respects it was totally secular in status. Seeing that the red cow transmits a spirit of ritual impurity it contains a purely secular element. Seeing, however, that the Torah refers to it as חטאת, i.e. acting as a means to expiate, it must also contain an element of holiness. Because of the fact that it is composed of two opposite elements the Torah applied stricter rules to it than apply to the animals which serve as sacrificial offerings on the Altar, seeing no one is in doubt about their status.
The reason that the Torah writes here about the rules of purification for people contaminated by impurity conferred by contact with the bodies of human beings who have died, is that the ash of the red cow is so crucial in the purification process of such people. The root cause of living creatures contracting spiritual impurity dates back to the original cause of death, the serpent in Gan Eden. This root cause is known as כח המושל, or הר הגדול, (Compare Kohelet 10,4 and Zecharyah 4,7 respectively). Nachmanides writes that the bodies of people whose death is due to נשיקה, a “kiss” by G’d, do not become ritually impure. The prophet Zecharyah in that verse describes the elimination of death, the angel of death, etc., in the future. He employs the simile of the “great mountain which will be flattened at that time” as the simile describing the overcoming of the greatest obstacle in our lives on this earth prior to the coming of the Messiah. This is what Maimonides had in mind when he stipulates that the red cow which will be burned by the Messiah will be the tenth and final one as with the absence of death there will be no need for further such means of purification.
On the other hand, some Kabbalists think that the reason the procedure of the red cow was conducted outside holy precincts points to the fact that its sanctity was below that of even the lowest level of sanctity inside the holy precincts and that this is the reason that no part of it was processed inside those confines. These people then raised the following question: assuming that the red cow was of such a high level of sanctity that it surpassed the levels of sanctity in the Temple, how could it possibly confer impurity on its (uncontaminated) handlers? On the other hand, if it was of such inferior sanctity that it had to be slaughtered and its remains kept outside sacred ground, how was it capable of conferring purity on the previously impure?
Some Kabbalists answered these questions by saying that indeed the entire red cow was “holy of holies” and that the reason it conferred impurity on its handlers was that any pure person on earth will automatically become impure through contact with extra-terrestrial purity (which is of far higher degree). Seeing the red cow represented extra-terrestrial i.e. celestial purity (or sanctity) we do not have a problem. This concept is reflected in the Torah writing (Exodus 29,37) “anyone touching the Altar will become holy,” i.e. will be burnt (as had happened to the two sons of Aaron, Nadav and Avihu). Total terrestrial sanctity is relegated when it confronts celestial sanctity. What applies to relative sanctity, i.e. terrestrial sanctity versus celestial sanctity, also applies to terrestrial purity as opposed to celestial purity. This may be the meaning of Yuma 21 that אש דוחה אש, אש אוכלת אש, “one category of fire displaces, relegates, another category of fire.” The “fire” of the Shechinah displaces or relegates terrestrial fire.
The Talmud there describes the penalty incurred by the angels who had opposed the creation of Adam by saying that he did not deserve G’d’s consideration. G’d is reported as having stretched out His finger at these angels and burning them. If differences in the quality of fire exist among the angels in the celestial regions it is easy to understand why terrestrial fire should be inferior to even the lowest of the celestial fires.
We are told in a Midrash that when Moses ascended Mount Sinai he reached a certain spot where the angel Matniel barred his way. This angel instructed Moses to proceed further and meet the angel Sandalfon. Moses answered that he was afraid to do so as that angel (angel of fire) would likely burn him. Thus far the Midrash. [Our author’s point in quoting this excerpt is simply to draw our attention to “fires” in celestial regions. Ed.]
According to some Kabbalists the red cow was entirely in the category of holy of holies. Personally, I feel that in some respects it was holy whereas in other respects it was totally secular in status. Seeing that the red cow transmits a spirit of ritual impurity it contains a purely secular element. Seeing, however, that the Torah refers to it as חטאת, i.e. acting as a means to expiate, it must also contain an element of holiness. Because of the fact that it is composed of two opposite elements the Torah applied stricter rules to it than apply to the animals which serve as sacrificial offerings on the Altar, seeing no one is in doubt about their status.
The reason that the Torah writes here about the rules of purification for people contaminated by impurity conferred by contact with the bodies of human beings who have died, is that the ash of the red cow is so crucial in the purification process of such people. The root cause of living creatures contracting spiritual impurity dates back to the original cause of death, the serpent in Gan Eden. This root cause is known as כח המושל, or הר הגדול, (Compare Kohelet 10,4 and Zecharyah 4,7 respectively). Nachmanides writes that the bodies of people whose death is due to נשיקה, a “kiss” by G’d, do not become ritually impure. The prophet Zecharyah in that verse describes the elimination of death, the angel of death, etc., in the future. He employs the simile of the “great mountain which will be flattened at that time” as the simile describing the overcoming of the greatest obstacle in our lives on this earth prior to the coming of the Messiah. This is what Maimonides had in mind when he stipulates that the red cow which will be burned by the Messiah will be the tenth and final one as with the absence of death there will be no need for further such means of purification.
Rabbeinu Bahya
ורם לבבך ושכחת את ה' אלו-היך, “and your heart will be arrogant and you will forget the Lord your G’d;” pride is the principal cause of forgetting essentials. Due to the abundance of affluence, peace, tranquillity, etc., a person’s heart becomes haughty, smug, and his evil urge finds it easy to provoke him to follow the dictates of his heart without restraint. When that happens, heaven’s concerns become marginal for him. This is why Solomon felt prompted to say (Kohelet 10,4) “if the spirit of a ruler flares up against you, do not leave your place, for deference appeases great offenses.” Solomon referred to the power of the planet Mars as a “ruler,” seeing it is the instigator of all the troubles and unpleasant occurrences on earth; the evil urge derives from that constellation. Solomon calls it רוח, spirit, seeing it personifies the spirit of impurity. The meaning of the whole verse is: “if this spirit of impurity wants to assert itself over you, do not prove agreeable, do not listen to it to put aside the concerns of the Lord in order to follow its call. Do not leave “your place,” seeing G’d is “the place” of the universe.”