by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

The age of the “red cow” is in dispute. According to Rabbi Eliezer is was brought at the age of 2; according to the sages it was brought at the age of 3. The medrash tells us that when Moshe was taught the topic and was told of the dispute, he declared, “May it be Your will that Rabbi Eliezer who says such shall be a descendent of mine.” What was it about Rabbi Eliezer’s ruling that caused Moshe such excitement?

The “red cow” or Parah Adumah, was in some way an atonement on the event of the golden calf. Rashi tells us that symbolically, “The mother cow comes and cleans up the mess of the calf.” Yet the Mishna (Bechoros 19b) tells us that such an animal cannot give birth until the age of 3. Thus, the opinion that says the cow is only 2 years old is essentially saying that the cow is cleaning up after a mess that was not made by its own child. Since it cannot give birth yet, it is perforce cleaning up after someone else’s child.

When Moshe heard the ruling of Rabbi Eliezer that the cow used for Parah Adumah was only 2 years old, he was awed by the ruling. So often people are ready to clean up after their own children, or change their own kid’s diaper. But to go ahead and clean up after someone else who is unrelated is an act of enormous kindness.

In fact, altruistic acts of kindness are actually a hallmark of Moshe’s very name. Rav S. R. Hirsch comments on the name that Paroh’s daughter gave him when she drew him from the water: Moshe. Rav Hirsch asks, “Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to have called him ‘Moshuy’ which means ‘one who was drawn’? Why did she call him ‘Moshe’ which means ‘to draw’?”

Rav Hirsch answers that Paroh’s daughter wasn’t just naming him after the fact that he was drawn. Rather she was giving him a mission statement for life, “Just as you were saved by someone who didn’t know you, so you should go and help others throughout your life.” No wonder that Moshe was intrigued by the ruling which says that the Parah Adumah is not cleaning up after its own child’s mess, but rather after the mess of someone else’s.

Doing a random act of kindness is a powerful modern slogan. But the laws of Parah Adumah reveal much regarding the dynamics of such kindness. We are told that while the Parah Adumah will purify the recipient of the sprinkling,  it causes a degree of impurity to those who administer it. That is to say, you can and should help another person, but be aware that there will be a degree of inconvenience which you may endure  to do the kindness.

This morning as I drove my children to school, I switched lanes to get into the right lane. As I did, however, I noticed a car approaching behind me with his right blinker flashing. As we waited at a red light- I in front, and this other car behind me- it occurred to me that he might somehow feel that I cut him off. After all, he may have been eyeing that red light from half a block down, expecting to get to the light as the first car in line, and make a “right on red”. Although I had no intention of putting him out, I had unwittingly “cut him off”.

It happens that the right turn at that intersection leads to a road that is a bit curvy and bumpy, but does take us to where we want to go. I don’t usually take it, because while it feels like a shortcut, it isn’t really any shorter. But this morning, in deference to the car behind me, I flipped on my blinker, and made the right turn.

My children noticed immediately that I was off routine, and asked me why. When I explained, one child asked me the sweetest question: Do you ever think that you are too nice?

I shrugged my shoulders in response. Being considerate had barely inconvenienced me. Yet I thought about the question. And I wondered what our teacher  Moshe would say.

© 2014 by TEACH613