Said R. Abba to R. Eleazar: ‘But is not the heifer sacred and purifying? and how can this be?’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘Indeed, it is so. It has been expounded that it was an epitome of the four Kingdoms1v. Daniel VIII. Thus, the “heifer” is Israel, of whom it is written, “For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer” (Hos. 4, 16); “a red [heifer]” indicates the Kingdom of Babylonia, regarding which it says, “thou art the head of gold” (Dan. 2, 38); “faultless” points to the Kingdom of Media;1An allusion to Cyrus, the liberator of the Babylonian Jews. and “wherein is no blemish” indicates the Kingdom of Greece (who were near the true faith). “Upon which never came yoke” alludes to the Kingdom of Edom,1i.e. Rome. which was never under the yoke of any other power.
It is written: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one” (Job. 14, 4). The heifer is such a thing; for first it was an unclean thing,1i.e. a symbol of the evil power that was to be destroyed. but after judgement had been executed on her, after she had passed through the fire and was burned to ashes, she was transformed into a purifying agency.
Hence all those who busied themselves with it became defiled, and even after it turned into ashes, before these were gathered and removed, it defiled all who handled them, as we read: “And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean”, etc. (Num. 19, 10). But as soon as water was poured over the ashes they became clean-a clean thing out of an unclean.
After the clean had emerged out of the unclean, whatever was allied to the unclean spirit fled. So now the Holy Spirit obtained dominion, and the unclean spirit was subjugated utterly. The latter received its punishment without the camp in harmony with the precept,
תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּמִצְרַיִם, בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דִּלְהוֹן כְּתִיב, (שמות י״ב:ט׳) אַל תֹאכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ נָא וְגוֹ'. צְלִי אֵשׁ, בְּגִין דְּיִסְלַק רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף. רֹאשׁוֹ עַל כְּרָעָיו, לְתַּבְרָא לֵיהּ וּלְאַכְפְּיָיא לֵיהּ, וּכְדֵין כָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרֵיהּ לָא שַׁלְטֵי. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא (במדבר י״ט:ב׳) פָרָה אֲדוּמָּה תְּמִימָה וְגוֹ', בְּגִין לְאַכְפְּיָיא כָּל אִינּוּן סִטְרֵי מִסְאַבָא, דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן.
Similarly we read: “a red heifer, faultless”, etc. (Num. 19, 2). This had the same object, namely, to subdue all those sides of the unclean spirit.’
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי אַבָּא, וְהָא פָּרָה קַדִּישָׁא אִיהִי, דַּכְיָא אִיהִי, וַאֲמַאי. אָמַר לֵיהּ הָכִי הוּא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ, כְּלָלָא דְּאַרְבַּע מַלְכְּוָון הֲוַת. פָּרָה, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (הושע ד׳:ט״ז) כִּי כְּפָרָה סוֹרֵרָה סָרַר יִשְׂרָאֵל. אֲדוּמָּה, דָּא מַלְכוּת בָּבֶל, דִּכְתִּיב, (דניאל ב׳:ל״ח) אַנְתְּ הוּא רֵישָׁא דִּי דַּהֲבָא. תְּמִימָה, דָּא מַלְכוּת מָדַי. אֲשֶׁר אֵין בָּהּ מוּם, דָּא מַלְכוּת יָוָן. (דאינון קריבין לארחי מיהמנותא) אֲשֶׁר לא עָלָה עָלֶיהָ עוֹל, דָּא מַלְכוּת אֱדוֹם, דְּלָא סָלִיק עָלֵיהּ עוֹל. וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה דָּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּכַמָּה מִלִּין אִתְיְיהִיבוּ לְמִדְרָשׁ בַּקְּרָאֵי, כֻּלְּהוּ חַד.
Said R. Abba to R. Eleazar: ‘But is not the heifer sacred and purifying? and how can this be?’ R. Eleazar replied: ‘Indeed, it is so. It has been expounded that it was an epitome of the four Kingdoms1v. Daniel VIII. Thus, the “heifer” is Israel, of whom it is written, “For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer” (Hos. 4, 16); “a red [heifer]” indicates the Kingdom of Babylonia, regarding which it says, “thou art the head of gold” (Dan. 2, 38); “faultless” points to the Kingdom of Media;1An allusion to Cyrus, the liberator of the Babylonian Jews. and “wherein is no blemish” indicates the Kingdom of Greece (who were near the true faith). “Upon which never came yoke” alludes to the Kingdom of Edom,1i.e. Rome. which was never under the yoke of any other power.
הָא אִתְּמַר, דִּכְתִּיב, (איוב י״ד:ד׳) מִי יִתֵּן טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא לֹא אֶחָד. מִי יִתֵּן טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא, רָזָא דָּא, הָכִי הוּא, דְּדָא אִיהוּ טָהוֹר דְּנָפַק מִטָּמֵא. דְּהָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא טָמֵא, וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּאִתְעָבִיד בֵּיהּ דִּינָא, וְאִתְיְיהִיב לִיקֵידַת אֶשָּׁא בְּנוּרָא דְּדָלִיק, וְאִתְעָבִיד עָפָר, הַשְׁתָּא אִיהוּ טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא, טָהוֹר דְּנָפִיק מִטָּמֵא.
It is written: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one” (Job. 14, 4). The heifer is such a thing; for first it was an unclean thing,1i.e. a symbol of the evil power that was to be destroyed. but after judgement had been executed on her, after she had passed through the fire and was burned to ashes, she was transformed into a purifying agency.
וּבְגִין כַּךְ, כָּל אִינּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בָּהּ, כֻּלְּהוּ מִסְתַּאֲבֵי, דְּהָא הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְעָבִיד אֵפֶר, כְּדֵין עַד דְּיִתְכְּנִישׁ וְיִסְתָּלִיק מִתַּמָּן, מַסְאִיב לְכֻלְּהוּ, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וְכִבֶּס הָאוֹסֵף וְגוֹ' וְטָמֵא. אֵפֶר, מַאי טַעְמָא. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (מלאכי ג׳:כ״א) וְעַסּוֹתֶם רְשָׁעִים כִּי יִהְיוּ אֵפֶר תַּחַת כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵיכֶם. וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְיְיהִיב עַל הַהוּא אֵפֶר מַיִם, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא.
Hence all those who busied themselves with it became defiled, and even after it turned into ashes, before these were gathered and removed, it defiled all who handled them, as we read: “And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean”, etc. (Num. 19, 10). But as soon as water was poured over the ashes they became clean-a clean thing out of an unclean.
וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דִּכְתִּיב, (במדבר ח) מֵי חַטָּאת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (בראשית ד׳:ז׳) לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רוֹבֵץ. וּבְגִין דְּאִיהִי פֶּתַח חַטָּאת רוֹבֵץ וַדַּאי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב, וְהוֹצִיא אוֹתָהּ אֶל מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה. וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִתְיְיהִיבַת לַסְּגָן, וְלָא לְכַהֲנָא רַבָּא, וְדָא הוּא טָהוֹר מִטָּמֵא, בְּקַדְמִיתָא טָמֵא, וְהַשְׁתָּא טָהוֹר. וְכָל סְטָר רוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא דָּא, עָרַק, וְלָא יָתִיב בְּהַהוּא דּוּכְתָּא.
After the clean had emerged out of the unclean, whatever was allied to the unclean spirit fled. So now the Holy Spirit obtained dominion, and the unclean spirit was subjugated utterly. The latter received its punishment without the camp in harmony with the precept,
מֵי חַטָּאת וַדַּאי, מֵי נִדָּה, כֹּלָּא מְסַאֲבָא. וְעַל דָּא שַׁלְטָא רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא, וְרוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא אִתְכַּפְיָא, דְּלָא שַׁלְטָא כְּלַל. וְדָא הוּא דִּינָא דְּרוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא, מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה. בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי רוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (דברים כ״ג:ט״ו) וְהָיָה מַחֲנֶיךָ קָדוֹשׁ. אָתָא רִבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ.
“therefore shall thy camp be holy” (Deut. 23, 15).’ R. Abba then approached and kissed R. Eleazar.