Chuckat / חֻקַּת Weekly Torah Portion

This short article was created with the help of AI tools and has been reviewed by a translator.

This week, 3 Tammuz – 9 Tammuz 5785 (June 29 – July 5, 2025) the people of Israel read the weekly Torah portion: 39. Chukat – Bemidbar (Numbers) 19:1-22:1

Here are some key themes and events included in Parashat Chukat:

1. The Red Heifer (Parah Adumah): The parashah begins with the commandment regarding the red heifer, which is to be used to create a purifying water for those who have become ritually impure through contact with the dead. This idea of purification and the specific requirements for the heifer is significant in Jewish ritual.
2. Miriam’s Death: The parashah also recounts the death of Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron. Her death is noted as a significant event, highlighting her role in the Exodus and the subsequent mourning of the Israelites.
3. The Water from the Rock: Following Miriam’s death, the people complain about the lack of water. God instructs Moses to speak to a rock to bring forth water. However, Moses strikes the rock instead of speaking to it, which leads to a punishment — that he and Aaron will not enter the Promised Land.
4. Edom Denies Israel passage: When the Israelites requested passage through Edom’s territory during their journey to the Promised Land, Edom refused firmly, threatening military attack if they tried to pass, despite Israel’s assurances that they would stay on the main road, pay for any water consumed, and only travel on foot; as a result, Israel was forced to detour around Edom, highlighting the longstanding hostility between the descendants of Esau (Edom) and Jacob (Israel) and testing Israel’s reliance on God’s guidance.
5. The Death of Aaron: Israel’s first high priest and brother of Moses, died peacefully at the age of 123 on Mount Hor in the fortieth year after the Exodus, on the first day of the fifth month, after Moses transferred the high priestly garments to Aaron’s son Eleazar, marking the succession of the priesthood; the Israelites mourned his death for thirty days.
6. The War Against the Canaanites: The Israelites engage in battles against several kings, including the king of Arad and Sihon, the king of the Amorites, and Og, the king of Bashan. These battles are framed as part of their journey towards the Promised Land.
7. The Bronze Serpent: The bronze serpent was a symbol created by Moses under God’s instruction to heal the Israelites bitten by poisonous snakes during their wilderness journey; those who looked at the serpent on the pole were miraculously saved, representing an act of faith and God’s provision of salvation.
8. The Song of the Well: The parashah includes the Song of the Well, celebrating the miraculous waters that sustained the Israelites during their wanderings.

Parashat Chukat encompasses themes of life and death, the importance of obedience to God’s commands, and the challenges faced by the Israelites as they journey through the wilderness. Its lessons are reflective of the broader narrative of the Israelites’ struggles and faith during their desert wanderings.