This is the law when a man dies in a tent (ohel) (Num. 19:14)
Symbolically, the tent is the "tent of Torah study"; the "dying" symbolic of the devotion of the Torah scholar, who "kills" himself with the effort. Unfortunately, it often happens that the Torah is only valued when it is still in the ark, and the Torah scholar isn't appreciated until after he is lying in his grave (another meaning of the word "ohel"), as no one paid much attention to him during his lifetime... (Nachalei Devash)
When a Jew comes home from work at the end of the day utterly exhausted, burnt from the sun or frozen from the cold, yet he still maintains his regular time for Torah study, the holy Torah itself arouses G-d's mercies on his behalf and on behalf of his family members. (Likutei Diburim)
And he shall take hyssop (Num. 19:18)
The lowly hyssop plant is symbolic of humility. In the Torah, the musical cantillation above these two words, indicating how they are to be chanted, is called a "kadma ve'azla." How can a person achieve true humility? By remembering where he came from ("kadma" means "former" or "before") - "a putrid drop" - and where he is going (the literal meaning of "azla") - "to a place of dust, maggots and worms." (Peninim Yekarim)
Take the staff...and speak to the rock (Num. 20:8)
As brought down in the Midrash, G-d wanted Moses to stand by the rock and "repeat a chapter of Torah aloud." In the merit of his Torah study the rock would give forth water, and the Jews would see that all G-dly abundance and blessing come into the world in the Torah's merit. What happened? Because Moses was still mourning the death of his sister Miriam, and a mourner is not permitted to learn Torah, he deliberately held back and was silent. Said G-d, "My children are dying of thirst while you're sitting and mourning?" (In other words, the needs of the community come first, and you are allowed to learn Torah despite being a mourner.) (Melo HaOmer)
Reprinted from the Parashat Chukat 5761/2001 edition of L’Chaim
