Burning Perfection
Burning PerfectionThe Torah eloquently expresses the existential peril of perfection. We read: “…Speak to the Children of Israel and have them bring you a red cow, without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid.” (Numbers 19:2)
What does the Temple priest do with this rare cow? He slaughters it, burns it, and keeps its ashes. With the Ashes the priest concocts a purifying potion. He then uses the potion to purify a person who has become ritually impure. Interestingly, the same priest who burns the cow and gathers its ashes becomes himself impure. That despite the ashes having purifying powers.
By Nature Incomplete
Why must the cow be “without blemish”? Rabbi Yisrael Friedman of Rozhin (the Rozhiner Rebbe, 1796–1850, Poland) explained. “The fact that the ashes purify the impure but render the pure impure, teaches us something about the the ways of the Holy One Blessed Be. People who come to prayer with humility and contrition… those are the ones whom God blesses. But those who come in arrogance and with feelings of superiority, those are denied blessing”.
This is the meaning of a cow “without blemish.” The term Cow reminds us of the sin of the Golden Calf. The term “Without blemish” reminds us that perfection does not belong to this world. Perfection belongs in the “World to Come”. The burnt red cow shatters illusions of grandeur and reminds us that this world is made for incomplete beings. That explains why, in Jewish tradition, arrogance and delusions of greatness are akin to worshiping idols.
This lesson applies to the challenging social and political upheaval in Israel and around the world. Achieving perfect social or political aims are an exercise in futility regardless of your political or ideological views. This is the lesson we learn from the story of the red cow without blemish.
Faith, Hope, and Good Doing
In the brilliant film Conclave, based on Robert Harris’s 2016 novel, the Catholic Church is faced with the task of electing the next Pope. In the film we witness a struggle between the “perfect” conservative candidate and the “perfect” progressive candidate. The Conclave’s election manager, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, gives a stirring speech to the assembly. In it he says: “Do not choose the perfect candidate. Perfection negates the need for faith. Choose the one with doubts and hesitation, who can admit his mistakes. Elect the one who can sincerely atone for mistakes. Vote for the one who regardless of his shortcomings continues to faithfully serve God and humanity.”
Let us too pause for a moment and acknowledge our weakness in the face of difficult current events. We do not control the course of history, and we are unlikely to attain the perfection we hope for. But we can burn our expectations. We can continue to serve God. And primarily, we can continue to serve our neighbors, our friends, and our loved ones in faithfulness and love. Our strength and peace of mind do not lie in the perfect fulfillment of our hopes, but in our faith and in Good Doing, despite it all.
