Regret is painful. Sometimes it’s about small issues and sometimes it’s about major catastrophes. I once heard a mentor explain that when someone wonders “how could I have done that that?” the honest response is to “get to know yourself.”
This is not an indictment of humanity, rather an embrace of our inherent imperfection and our ability to fix what we broke.
Approaching Passover it is customary to read two Torah portions during Shabbat synagogue services in addition to the standard weekly Torah portion. This week, after reading Parshat Shemini we will read a portion from the Book of Numbers about the laws of the Red Heifer (Parshat Parah) and next week, after reading Parshat Tazria, we will read a portion from the Book of Exodus about the Jewish calendar and the first Paschal Lamb (Parshat Hachodesh).
The purpose for these extra readings during the Holy Temple era was to remind the nation that Passover was approaching and the Paschal Lamb - the most important element of the Seder at the time - needed to be prepared accordingly. Since the Paschal Lamb was only offered in the Holy Temple, and one must be ritually pure before entering, we read about the Red Heifer - the centerpiece of the ritual purification process - a week beforehand.
Why was the reading of ritual purification standardized for the entire nation? Was it assumed that most Jews were ritually impure in the lead up to Passover?
Although the specific need for purification varied, the availability of the Red Heifer ashes for the purification process is considered a Jewish national treasure. Why? Because everyone is susceptible to ritual impurity and everyone must know that - there is a way to correct the problem and then participate in the celebration of our redemption on Passover.
Today, in the absence of the Holy Temple, when ritual purity through the Red Heifer and the offering of the Paschal Lamb is not physically possible, we continue this annual pre Passover tradition, and the joint message of these two readings highlights the key to self perfection and global redemption.
Metaphorically speaking, ritual impurity can be compared to sin and the ritual purification process can be compared to repentance. It is possible for a human being to live a sinless life and never need to do Teshuva (repentance), just as someone can live a life of ritual purity and never need the ritual purification process of the Red Heifer. Nevertheless, Teshuvah is a gift for everyone.
Imperfection is not a liability - it is the first step to perfection. The imperfect are empowered to perfect a profoundly imperfect world and usher in an era of global redemption for us all.
Everyone can do it.
