There is a Possuk at the Beginning of the Parsha that states: "זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה גּוֹ׳" — "This is the statute of the Torah". The Alter Rebbe explains in Likkutei Torah in this week's Chassidishe Parsha that the Word חֻקַּת comes from the word חֲקִיקָה meaning engraved.
So זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה is a level in Torah which is categorised by 'Engraved letters', and this level surpasses תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב — 'The written Torah' and תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה — 'The Oral Torah'.
On the one hand regarding the written word the ink and the paper are two separate entities and therefore it is possible to separate them, whereas on the [other hand] regarding the engraved word one cannot separate the letters from the stone upon which they are hewn. The engraving is from it and a part of it. In other words; the engraving is within the stone itself as well as from the stone itself.
Similarly, [this concept applies] in a person's Avodah. The connection and association of each individual to Torah and Mitzvos must not be like the written word whereby the individual and the Torah and Mitzvos that he is performing remain as two separate entities, rather the connection needs to be in a way in which the Torah and Mitzvos become 'engraved' within the person himself. Also [this connection] must be 'hewn' from the person himself.
It can be said that the empowerment for this Avodah of חֲקִיקָה comes from the 'Luchos'. This is so because the letters on the 'Luchos' are engraved letters, and the 'Aseres Hadibros' on the 'Luchos' had an effect throughout the whole world. As our sages of blessed memory have said: "At the time the ten commandments were said the voice came out and was heard from all four sides of the world".
In other words, the חֲקִיקָה also has an effect on the entire world. From this the 'Koach' is also extended into the Avodah of a person so that his Avodah in Torah and in Mitzvos shall also be in a manner of חֲקִיקָה.
And even though this Avodah is a big Avodah as the Rambam writes that serving Hashem with joy is a 'big Avodah', nevertheless, it is not beyond his reach because he has the 'Koach' for this as previously mentioned.
Particularly, in the year that this Maamor was said (5748 - 1988) which was a year of Hakhel in which there is a greater emphasis on the concept of חֲקִיקָה. This is so because then all people are gathered - men, women and children, and the King reads before them specific sections from the Torah. Hearing these portions from the King's mouth is akin to hearing them straight from Hashem. (It can be said that this is the reason why the unity of Yisroel at the Hakhel gatherings was absolutely perfect is because besides the fact that: "הַנָּשִׂיא הוּא הַכֹּל" — "The leader is everything", there was an absolute unity uniting them.) This concept is the true meaning of חֲקִיקָה.
It is explained in Likkutei Torah that the reason why the Torah says זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה and not זֹאת חֻקַּת הַפָּרָה is because the פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה is the חֻקַּת of the whole Torah. There, the Alter Rebbe explains that Mitzvos generally are a means for a person to attain a level of רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב — Advancing and Retreat in the way it is explained in Likkutei Torah.
It can be said that this is also the reason why 'Mitzvos' are generally split into the two categories of 'Mitzvos Aseh' and 'Mitzvos Loh Saseh' which stem from the first two of the 'Aseres Hadibros' 'Onochi Hashem' and 'Loh Yihiyeh Lecho'.
This is because the first commandment 'Onochi Hashem' includes all of the two hundred and forty-eight positive 'Mitzvos' and the second of the 'Aseres Hadibros' 'Lo Yihiyeh Lecho' includes all of the three hundred and sixty-five negative Mitzvos (Prohibitions). The prohibitions fall within the category of רָצוֹא — advancing and separating and distancing from the world. Positive Mitzvos (which are about connecting to Hashem) fall within the category of שׁוֹב — return by drawing G-dliness down into the world.
For this reason, the laws of the פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה are referred to as the חֻקַּת of the whole תּוֹרָה (As is explained in Likkutei Torah). This is because in the practical rituals and laws of the פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה there are both aspects of רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב — of advancing and of retreat in a revealed way. The רָצוֹא is the burning of the heifer and the שׁוֹב is as the Possuk writes "it shall be placed in a vessel filled with spring water".
However, there is a deeper concept of רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב within the Mitzvah of פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה besides the burning of the heifer and placing it in the water, but within the burning itself there are also these two aspects of רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב. One aspect is that the heifer gets burnt which is an ascent from below to above akin to רָצוֹא for two reasons: Firstly, it is being burned using 'fire' and the nature of fire is to ascend upwards from below to above and secondly the heifer becomes consumed by the fire which is akin to the expiration from below to above another aspect of רָצוֹא.
The second aspect relates to the ashes which remain in existence and are not consumed by the fire. These can be viewed as שׁוֹב a return and a 'Hamshocha' into the world. This is also why the ashes of a burnt heifer can be used to purify someone who is impure with 'Tumas Mes'. Furthermore not only can the ashes act to purify someone from 'Tumas Mes' but additionally, they can also act to nullify death in general. This is because the ashes of the פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה are [in] a state of שׁוֹב and a 'Hamshocha' to the very lowest places of this world.
This concept of purification will become a complete reality when Moshiach comes and then the whole aspect of death will be annulled. The only remnants of death in the world (because Hashem did not create anything in His world for nothing) will be the good and the ascent.
It can be said that this is in line with that which is explained elsewhere regarding the ascent from the lower 'Gan-Eden' to the upper 'Gan-Eden' and that there needs to be a separation between them. And as it is explained in the introduction to 'Shaar Hayichud Veho'emunah' regarding the Possuk in Tehilim "A Tzaddik can fall seven times and rise".
Now, in this separation there are two matters: there is a river of fire called 'Nehar-diNur' in which the 'Neshomos' are immersed on their ascent from the lower 'Gan-Eden' to the upper 'Gan-Eden'. And then there is a column between the lower 'Gan-Eden' and the upper 'Gan-Eden' through which the 'Neshomos' ascend to the upper 'Gan-Eden'.
The difference between them is that the Nehar-diNur is the nullification of its previous 'Mahus' which is why it is done through a fire and a river. Whereas [by contrast] the column is just an ascent where the Neshomoh becomes incorporated within the level above which is why it is done through a column.
Similarly, in our situation. In the future there will be no death but only the good and the ascent will remain. "So, it shall be for us". Speedily in our days Mamosh!