Rewarded for Faith

The Mitzva of the פרה אדומה, the Red Heifer, is considered the most difficult commandment of the Torah. It is in the category of a “Chok,” which means that we are not meant to understand it.

Other examples of Chukim, would be the prohibition of mixing milk and meat. And the restrictions against forbidden mixtures, such as wool and linen, also falls under the category of “Chok.”

The message here is that our commitment to religious observance is not based on our understanding why exactly we observe each Mitzva. It is based on our faith that everything in the Torah is true, and expresses the will of G-d.

We are taught that our reward is far greater when we not only do not understand why we do what we do. But it is even greater when according to our own intellect and values, what we are asked to do, doesn’t seem right to us.

Nevertheless, we surrender our will for the sake of Hashem’s will. We are mere human beings composed of flesh and blood. How could we possibly think that we are on a level to disagree with the Eternal G-d, who created us?

When we come to sections of the Torah, like Para Aduma, it is a reminder of our own smallness, and the greatness of the King of the Universe,