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Orchard of Delights Chukat

for the daughters of Zelophehad, giving them the courage to also resort to drastic measures to mask their pain that are sometimes even
step forward and plead their case. more dangerous to them physically and mentally than the original
cause of the suffering. Modern psychology has developed various
Indeed, the notion that the daughters of Zelophehad took
courage from Pinchas’ actions makes sense because there are several ways of bringing people back to the “scene of the crime” so that they
similarities between the two stories. In both cases, no one else knew can once and for all be freed from the ongoing effects of the trauma.
what to do and an injustice seemed to be taking place. Furthermore, This same strategy of curing “like” with “like” is familiar to all of us
both Pinchas and the daughters had the courage to approach Moses from the folk wisdom that if you fall off a horse or a bike, you should
with their plans so that a difficult problem could be resolved. Finally, immediately get back on again before the fear of doing so sets in.
like these women, Pinchas was an “outsider,” an individual who In a portion full of paradoxes it is no surprise that a constant
would not have received his paternal inheritance had he not taken underlying theme is life and death, from the red heifer’s purifying
action. ashes to the copper snake’s healing powers, both of which save the
Jews from the impurity and finality of death. For the ultimate
The large nun at the end of the word “mishpatan” may also allude
to the five daughters of Zelophehad because only five Hebrew letters paradox is the mystery of life and death itself, as Pirkei Avot (4:29)
have a different form than usual whenever they appear at the end states, “for against your will you were created; against your will you
of a word and the nun is one of them. Furthermore, these five final were born; against your will you live; against your will you die, and
letters – mem, nun, tzaddi, peh and kaf – are associated in Kabbalah against your will you are destined to give an account before the King
with five forces of judgment. According to the Arizal, this is the Who rules over kings, the Holy One, Blessed is He.” In between
sod, the mystical reason, for why there were five daughters who these two bookends people strive to unravel the existential questions
exhibited strength in bringing their case for judgment before Moses. of who they are, what their purposes are, and how their lives and
Indeed, the daughters’ intrinsic association with judgment is further deaths fit into the bigger picture.
supported by the structure of the sefirot, wherein feminine energy That Miriam and Aaron’s deaths are recorded in this portion is
manifests on the left-hand side which is associated with judgment especially significant as they did live rich and full lives as leaders of
and contraction. the Jewish people. Aaron’s death is particularly significant as the
Sages taught that he died by way of “the kiss of God.” According
Parenthetically, although judgment is often associated with
harshness, as pure energy it is not negative at all. It perfectly to tradition, Moses and Miriam also died in this fashion. This phrase
complements the right-hand side of the sefirot, which is primarily flies in the face of our initial assumption that death is a jarring or
associated with loving-kindness and giving. Either energy when not abrupt passage between worlds. Although death can certainly be
properly balanced by its complement may manifest in a negative unexpected and at times even violent, here we are given a glimpse of a
manner. different type of death, one which promises a smooth and comforting
transition from life to death. From a Jewish perspective, this type of
The numerical value of the letter nun is fifty. In our case, this peaceful death is reassuring, since it confirms that death is merely a
may allude to what Kabbalah refers to as “the fifty gates of Binah portal to life lived in a different dimension.
(Understanding),” fifty distinct, ascending levels of consciousness.
Binah is the highest sefirah on the left-hand side which is primarily Birth and death, and in fact every moment in between, are charged
related to feminine energy (Zohar 2:115a; 3:216a). In fact, the with paradox and mystery. Some people find that uncertainty
Talmud states that an extra measure of understanding was given to and the inexplicable questions that arise when they attempt to
women (Niddah 45b). The five daughters of Zelophehad represent understand life’s complexities cause them discomfort and stress.

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