The upcoming, auspicious Shabbas Kodesh is known as Shabbas Parah. This indicates that in addition to reading the parshas hashavua, parshas Vayakheil, we will add the passage about the mitzvah of the Parah Adumah as the Maftir. This is based on the teaching in the Mishnah (Megillah 29a): "ראש חודש אדר שחל להיות בשבת קורין בפרשת שקלים... בשניה זכור, בשלישית פרה אדומה, ברביעית החודש הזה לכם". If Rosh Chodesh Adar falls on Shabbas, we read parshas Shekalim on that Shabbas . . . On the second Shabbas (of Adar), we read Zachor; on the third, the passage of the Parah Adumah; on the fourth, “hachodesh hazeh lachem.”
Rashi explains that we read about the “parah adumah” to encourage Yisrael to purify themselves, so that the korban Pesach will be prepared and consumed in a state of purity—“taharah.” Then, on the fourth Shabbas, we read “hachodesh hazeh lachem,” which is the passage related to the korban Pesach. Rashi adds in the name of the Yerushalmi (Megillah 3, 5): Rabbi Chama states that to be chronologically correct, we should actually read the passage of HaChodesh prior to the passage concerning the Parah, since the Mishkan was erected on the first day of Nissan, while the “Parah Adumah” was burnt on the second day of Nissan. So why do we read the parsha of the Parah first? Because it describes the process by which all of Yisrael were purified.
In truth, the answer of the Yerushalmi requires clarification. Undoubtedly, the purification of Yisrael in preparation for offering the korban Pesach is more relevant to the month of Nissan. So, it is still unclear why Chazal placed parshas Parah ahead of parshas HaChodesh. Furthermore, if the purification of Yisrael is such a priority, why don’t we read parshas Parah as the first of the four parshiyos?
Additionally, it behooves us to examine a unique aspect of the mitzvah of the Parah Adumah that we do not find with regards to any other mitzvah in the Torah. It states in parshas Chukas (Bamidbar 19, 2): "זאת חוקת התורה אשר צוה ה' לאמר, דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו אליך פרה אדומה תמימה". This is the “chukah” (statute) of the Torah, which Hashem has commanded, saying: Speak to Bnei Yisrael, and they shall take to you a completely red cow, which is without blemish. Our sages expounded in the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 19, 6): Rabbi Yossi the son of Rabbi Chanina said: HKB”H said to Moshe, “I am revealing the rationale for the Parah to you, but to all others, it is a “chukah” (an incomprehensible statute without an obvious rationale). These issues deserve further explanation. What is so unique about this mitzvah that HKB”H only revealed its secret to Moshe Rabeinu?
Yisrael Required Purification from the Filth that Stuck to Them as a Result of the Skirmish with Amalek
We will begin to shed some light on the subject by introducing a teaching from the esteemed Rabbi of Apta, zy”a, the author of the Ohev Yisrael. He explains why Chazal instituted parshas Parah immediately after Purim. His explanation if brought down by the esteemed Rabbi Leibel Eiger of Lublin, zy”a, in Toras emes (Purim 5632):
"איתא מהרב הקדוש איש אלקים ממעז'יבעז' [הרה"ק מאפטא], שלאחר מחיית עמלק נצרך הטהרה, כי מזה שנתאבק עם ההיפוך, הגם שמנצחו ומכניעו עם כל זה נדבק איזה שמץ, ולזה צריכין להיטהר בפרשת פרה אחר הפורים". He asserts that after eradicating Amalek, purification is necessary. For, when Yisrael fights its diametric opposite, even though we defeat and subdue them, nevertheless, the interaction sullies and tarnishes us to some degree. Hence, we must purify ourselves with parshas Parah after Purim.
It is apparent that the esteemed Rabbi of Apta, zy”a, is teaching us a valuable, fundamental principle regarding the service of Hashem. This is relevant to any Jew assisting someone who has gone astray to perform teshuvah. Aside from taking great care to avoid any negative influence or spiritual corruption from the interaction, one must also purify oneself afterwards. For, even the broom used to sweep away dirt becomes dirty. This principle is based on a holy tradition going all the way back to the holy Ba’al Shem Tov, zy”a, and is presented in the Ma’or V’Shemesh (Shemini). He says that he heard it from Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk, ztz”l, who repeated it in the name of the Maggid of Mezritsch, who heard it from the Ba’al Shem Tov.
In other words, the Apter Rav is teaching us that just as HKB”H performed miracles to help our ancestors defeat Haman and his cohorts who descended from Amalek; in similar fashion, HKB”H assists us annually on Purim to defeat Amalek and its guardian angel, the yetzer hara, who combats us all year long. Therefore, after dealing with this enemy on Purim, we require the purification of the Parah to cleanse us and cure us of the poison the yetzer hara has exposed us to.
In fact, we learn this same lesson from the mitzvah of the Parah Adumah itself. On the one hand, it purifies the impure; on the other hand, it contaminates those who participate in the process. As it is written (ibid. 19, 21): "ומזה מי הנידה יכבס בגדיו והנוגע במי הנידה יטמא עד הערב"—and the one who sprinkles the water of the sprinkling shall immerse his clothing, and one who touches water of sprinkling shall be impure until evening. This is precisely what we have learned in the Mishnah (Parah 4, 4): "כל העסוקין בפרה מתחלה ועד סוף מטמאין בגדים"—all those involved in the process of the Parah, from beginning to end, render clothing ritually impure.
The take-home message is that anyone who cleanses others of their tumah must cleanse himself afterwards of the tarnish of the tumah that might have clung to them. This concurs fantastically with the explanation of the Apter Rav presented above—that Chazal juxtaposed parshas Parah to Purim, since the mitzvah of the Parah Adumah possesses the unique capacity to cleanse us of the residual spiritual stench and dirt that the battle with Amalek on Purim exposed us to.
Amalek’s Ministering Angel Is the Yetzer HaRa It Exhausts Us with Its Incessant Forays
It gives me great pleasure to elaborate on this vital concept taught by the esteemed Rabbi of Apta, zy”a. To do so, we will introduce an illuminating insight from the impeccable teachings of the Sefas Emes (Purim 5646). He analyzes the fact that Mordechai along with the sages of the Sanhedrin in that generation agreed to establish the festival of Purim in unwalled settlements on the fourteenth of Adar and in walled settlements on the fifteenth of Adar. This is curious because the fighting with their enemies—Amalek—was actually over on those days; the Jews in those respective locations actually rested on those days. Here are the pertinent pesukim (Esther 9, 20):
"ויכתוב מרדכי את הדברים האלה וישלח ספרים אל כל היהודים אשר בכל מדינות המלך אחשורוש הקרובים והרחוקים, לקיים עליהם להיות עושים את יום ארבעה עשר לחודש אדר ואת יום חמשה עשר בו בכל שנה ושנה, כימים אשר נחו בהם היהודים מאויביהם והחודש אשר נהפך להם מיגון לשמחה ומאבל ליום טוב, לעשות אותם ימי משתה ושמחה ומשלוח מנות איש לרעהו ומתנות לאביונים".
Mordechai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Achashveirosh, the near ones and the distant ones, to accept upon themselves the annual observance of the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and its fifteenth day, as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and the month which had been turned about for them from one of sorrow to gladness, and from mourning to festival; to observe them as days of feasting and gladness, and sending delicacies to one another, and gifts to the poor.
At first glance, this is extremely surprising and incomprehensible. What prompted them to establish the celebration of Purim on two days on which no miracles occurred and the Jews had already rested from the battle? Shouldn’t Purim be celebrated on the two days that the Jews actually battled their enemies—namely, the thirteenth of Adar in the unwalled settlements and the fourteenth of Adar in the walled settlements? Those were the days on which HKB”H performed a miracle to help Yisrael decimate the descendants of Amalek.
To explain the matter, the Sefas Emes refers to a teaching in the Gemara (Succah 52a): "יצרו של אדם מתגבר עליו בכל יום, שנאמר רק רע כל היום"—a man’s yetzer overwhelms him every day, as it states (Bereishis 6, 5): “Was only for evil all day long.” Additionally, we are taught (ibid. 52b): "יצרו של אדם מתגבר עליו בכל יום ומבקש להמיתו, שנאמר צופה רשע לצדיק ומבקש להמיתו, ואלמלא הקב"ה שעוזר לו אינו יכול לו, שנאמר ה' לא יעזבנו בידו ולא ירשיענו בהישפטו." A man’s yetzer overwhelms him daily and attempts to kill him, as it states (Tehillim 37, 32): “The wicked one watches for the tzaddik and seeks to kill him.” And if not for HKB”H, Who aids him, he would be unable to withstand it, as it says (ibid. 33): “Hashem will not forsake him to his hand, nor let him be condemned when he is judged.”
Let us explain this based on a fundamental reality of war. The rest periods of soldiers engaged in war is inseparable from the war itself. For, even great heroes who fight like brave, mighty lions require periodic rest periods to replenish and renew their strength and energy to continue fighting. This is how HKB”H created man; man requires rest to replenish his strengths. Without rest, a soldier will become fatigued and will likely fall in the course of battle.
With this understanding, we can comprehend the strategy employed by the yetzer hara, who harasses us and overwhelms us on a daily basis with new challenges and conflicts. In the words of Rabbi Yitzchak: “A man’s yetzer overwhelms him every day.” Alternatively, according to the version that appears elsewhere in the Gemara (Kiddushin 30b): "יצרו של אדם מתחדש עליו בכל יום"—a man’s yetzer renews its efforts against him every day.” For, even if it sees that it failed to trap a person once or twice, i.e., the person remained steadfast and refused to be swayed; nevertheless, the yetzer is relentless, it continues to assail him daily with new ploys. It knows that if it continues to attack a person ceaselessly, eventually the person will become exhausted and will fall into its trap; after all, he is only human.
Draw the Yetzer into the Beis HaMidrash
This begs the question: Since Chazal attest to the fact that the yetzer hara tirelessly increases its efforts and rallies anew on a daily basis with new strategies to exhaust a Jew and trap him, what should someone do who is incapable of remaining vigilant and sustaining this constant battle against the yetzer?
It appears to me that Chazal themselves provide us with an explicit answer to this troublesome question. Above, we presented the statement of Chazal that “a man’s yetzer overwhelms him every day.” Immediately afterwards, they advise the following: "תנא דבי רבי ישמעאל, אם פגע בך מנוול זה משכהו לבית המדרש, אם אבן הוא נימוח, אם ברזל הוא מתפוצץ." A Baraisa was taught in the Academy of Rabbi Yishmael: If this despicable character engages you, draw him into the Beis Midrash. If he is like a stone, he will dissolve; if he is like iron, he will shatter.
It is evident from this explicit advice that the Academy of Rabbi Yishmael is informing us not only how to thwart the yetzer hara but also how a Jew can find refuge and respite from the constant struggle with the yetzer. This will enable him to replenish his strength and capacity to combat the yetzer hara even after leaving the Beis Midrash to pursue his mundane activities, such as earning a livelihood.
This explains why they depict the yetzer hara as a “despicable character.” It is because it is relentless in its efforts to cause a Jew to stumble; and even if it fails at first, because the Jew exhausts all of his energy to fight back and withstand its negative influence, the yetzer seeks new tricks and strategies to continues its assault against him. Ultimately, the Jew will tire and fail. Hence, the Academy of Rabbi Yishmael suggested the following wonderful advice: “Draw him into the Beis Midrash. If he is like a stone, he will dissolve; if he is like iron, he will shatter.” Due to the presence of Torah and the kedushah of the Beis Midrash, the yetzer hara becomes powerless and cannot continue its assault. Thus, the Jew is able to study Torah with peace of mind.
