Chukkat Summary Kamens 1

TORAH-FAX CHUKAT SUMMARY

CHUKKAT
PARSHA SUMMARY
BY RABBI SYLVAN KAMENS
Anyone who had touched or been near a dead body was required to take part
in a purification ceremony at which an unblemished red heifer was used The
animal was slain before !lea"ar# the priest# and# ha$in% been burned# its ashes
were mi&ed with water from a runnin% stream and sprinkled on the unclean
person At the end of se$en days# that person could once a%ain participate in
sanctuary worship
After nearly forty years in the wilderness# durin% which most of the older
%eneration had died# the 'sraelites returned to Kadesh There# (iriam died
and was buried )nce a%ain# the people be%an to complain about the lack of
water and *od told (oses and Aaron to take their rods and speak to a rock
+that it shall %i$e forth its water+
'n an%er at the people,s mood# howe$er# (oses twice struck the rock# and
water +came forth abundantly+ -ecause they had not belie$ed and honored
*od# the Almi%hty told the brothers that they would not lead the people into
the .romised /and
'n preparation for that e$ent# the 'sraelites sou%ht to 0ourney eastward
throu%h the /and of !dom -ut its kin% refused them permission to cross his
land# barrin% their way with armed soldiers# and the Children of 'srael were
compelled to take a lon%er route At (ount Hor# Aaron died and was
succeeded as Hi%h .riest by !lea"ar
Chukkat Summary Kamens 1
Sihon# the Amorite kin%# refused to allow the 'sraelites passa%e throu%h his
land# but was o$errun in battle and lost his territory from the Arnon to the
2abbok ri$ers Similar resistance was o$ercome at !drei# where )%# kin% of
-ashan# was repulsed in battle
Ha$in% conquered the land to the east of the 3ordan# the 'sraelites encamped
in the plains of (oab at 3ericho