The Ikar Is Where You Are Aiming Towards
Why do we use a Parah (mother cow) and not a Par (male)? A mother cow produces milk, and Chazal say that milk originates from blood, which turns into milk. When Klal Yisroel were attacked by the Pelishtim, they approached Shmuel HaNavi and begged him to daven to Hashem to save them. Shmuel took a: טְּ לֽׁ הַ חָ לָ ב nursing sheep, and brought it for a Korban, as an Olah. Immediately, they had a victory and were saved from the Pelishtim. Chazal say that although an Olah is usually a male, this Olah was a female. And it was nursing, i.e., from its mother’s milk. Why do we mention milk? **
Shmuel was inspiring Klal Yisroel to do Teshuva, and red ugly blood turning into creamy rich white milk is a symbol of Teshuva, like it says: אִּ םַיִּהְּ יוַּחֲ טָ אֽׁ יכ םַכ שָ נִּ יםַכ ש ל גַי לְּ בִּ ינוַַּישעיהַאַַיח If your sins are (red) like “Shani”, they will turn white as snow! ***
We can suggest that Parah Aduma was Davka a mother (milk), to serve as a symbol of Teshuva. It was not brought inside the Bais Hamikdash like all the Korbanos, but rather outside the Bais Hamikdash, on Har HaMishcha (which is Har HaZeisim). After being shechted, the Cohen would throw the blood of the Parah, and aim towards the Bais Hamikdash.
Why is it called Har HaMishcha, and not by its name, Har HaZeisim? ****
The Avoda of Parah Aduma is very similar to the Avoda of Yom HaKippurim. Both require 1. פְּּ רִּ יש תַ שִּ בְּ עָ ה that the Cohen seclude himself for seven days prior. 2. In both, the Cohen wears the four: בִּ גְּ דֽׁ יַלָ בָ ןַ white clothes (as opposed to the 8 Begadim of the Cohen Gadol all year), and 3. both have: ש ב עַה זָאוֹת the blood is thrown seven times. Yet, the Avoda of Yom Kippur is done in the Kodesh HaKodoshim, the holiest place, and the Parah Aduma is done outside, while aiming towards that place. *****
The Avoda of Parah Aduma teaches us that the Ikar is where you are aiming towards, even if you are still standing outside. And that’s why it’s called Har HaMishcha, which means anointed. A king is anointed with oil, since oil symbolizes being elevated, like oil which rises to the top. And even though he isn’t holy yet, and he hasn’t even entered (he is still standing outside), but since he wants to be holy, and desires to improve himself through learning Mussar, and he constantly davens to become a Tzaddik and a Gadol, he is already considered a great and elevated and superior person because of his striving (see Divrei Chaim).
