Parsha Chukat

This week, Rabbi Miriam is joined by her chevruta, Rabba Wendy Amsellem to share a 90-second video sermon on Parashat Chukat.

Come along for a condensed yet deep mini chevruta (chavrutette?)

Rabba Wendy Amsellem, teacher extraordinaire, showed me a pretty challenging midrash on a verse from this week's parasha, Chukat. On a seemingly obscure verse about "the law of a person (Torat Adam) who dies within a tent" the midrash brings us the voice of the first ever Adam. His challenge to God is that human sin and death was clearly always part of the Torah's plan. So why pretend it was down to him personally eating the fruit? Why can't God be upfront? Why do humans take such blame?

What an echo, then, with how the parasha continues, with Moshe striking the rock and being "punished" with not entering the promised land. It seems too harsh to be for real. What if this too was a cover story for something that was just always part of the plan?

Grateful to have teachers who don't hold back on the challenging parts of Torah.

Watch in full below: