Should You 'Start With Why?'

A thought on Parashas Chukas

My father often tells the old story of the futuristic computer in which you could ask any question and it would spit out an answer. The smartest people from all over the world came and they were unable to stump the computer. Until, one fellow came and asked one question. Why? With this question, the computer disintegrated. 

The parashah is named Chukas. The word Chukas or its root Chok appears many times throughout the Torah. A Chok is a law that is unbendable. It is a law that can be misunderstood and many times is not understood, yet we still must abide by it. 

Rav Moshe Dovid Vali teaches us¹ that anything that is required for the continued existence of the world, is called a Chok. 

We find in Eishes Chayil² that Chok is also defined as sustenance, whether spiritual or physical.

ותקם בעוד לילה ותתן טרף לביתה וחק לנערתיה

Ralbag³ explains that this is referring to the sustenance needed to maintain the physical and emotional health of the household. 

We see further this idea of a Chok being th…