As the Israelites neared the end of their forty-year trek in the wilderness, they lost two great leaders, Miriam and Aaron. While a tremendous loss for the nation, their passing had a hidden spiritual benefit.
The Torah informs us of Miriam’s death immediately after enumerating the laws of the ParahAdumah, the red heifer whose ashes were used for purification. The Talmudic sages already wondered what connection there might be between Miriam’s death and the Parah Adumah :
“Why is the death of Miriam juxtaposed to the laws of the Parah Adumah? This teaches that just as the Parah Adumah brings atonement, so too, the death of the righteous brings atonement.” (Mo'ed Katan 28a)
While this connection between Miriam and the Parah Adumah is well-known, the continuation of the same Talmudic statement, concerning the death of Aaron, is less so.
“And why is the death of Aaron juxtaposed to [the mention of] the priestly clothes? This teaches that just as the priestly clothes bring atonement, so too, the death of the righteous brings atonement.”
In what way does the death of tzaddikim atone for the people? And why does the Talmud infer this lesson from both the Parah Adumah and the priestly clothes?
Larger Than Life
The principal benefit that comes from the death of tzaddikim is the spiritual and moral awakening that takes place after they pass away. When a tzaddik is alive, his acts of kindness and generosity are not always public knowledge. True tzaddikim do not promote themselves. On the contrary, they often take great pains to conceal their virtues and charitable deeds. It is not uncommon that we become aware of their true greatness and nobility of spirit only after they are no longer with us. Only then do we hear reports of their selfless deeds and extraordinary sensitivity, and we are inspired to emulate their ways. In this way, the positive impact of the righteous as inspiring role models increases after their death.
While stories of their fine traits and good deeds stir us to follow in their path, certain aspects of great tzaddikim — extraordinary erudition and scholarship, for example — are beyond the capabilities of most people to emulate. In such matters, the best we can do is to take upon ourselves to promote these qualities in our spiritual leadership, such as supporting the Torah study of young, promising scholars.
Two Forms of Emulation
In short, the death of tzaddikim inspires us to imitate their personal conduct — if possible, in our own actions, and if not, by ensuring that there will be others who will fill this spiritual void.
These two methods of emulation parallel the different forms of atonement through the Parah Adumah and the priestly clothes. Ritual purification using Parah Adumah ashes was only effective when they were sprinkled on the body of the impure person; no one else could be purified in his place. This is comparable to those aspects of the tzaddik that are accessible to, and incumbent upon, all to emulate.
The priestly garments, on the other hand, were only worn by the kohanim. It was through the service of these holy emissaries that the entire nation was forgiven. This is like those extraordinary traits of the tzaddik that are beyond the capabilities of most people. These qualities can be carried on only by a select few, with the support of the entire nation.
(Gold from the Land of Israel, pp. 263-265; adapted from Midbar Shur pp. 346-347)
..... י"ל ב' מיני כפרות, שמצינו מיתת צדיקים מכפרת כפרה אדומה, שדרשו מדנסמכה מיתת מרים לפרה אדומה לומר לך "מה פרה אדומה מכפרת אף מיתתן של צדיקים מכפרת", גם למדו מדנסמכה מיתת אהרון לבגדי כהונה, מה בגדי כהונה מכפרין אף מיתתן של צדיקים מכפרת"קא. ודאי עיקר הכפרה בא ע"י ההתעוררות להחזיק בדרכים הטובים שלהם. והנה בצדיקים ות"ח גדולים ישנם דברים שאפשר לכ"א מישראל ללכת בעקבותיהם כמו לענין מדות טובות וגמ"ח וכיו"ב, ויש דברים שהם פעלו בגודל נפשם כמו גדולת התורה וכיו"ב שאין באפשר לכ"א לעשות כמותם, והעצה לזה שיקבל עליו עול ההשתדלות להקים עדות דת ותורה.
והחילוק שבין פרה אדומה לבגדי כהונה מובן, כי פרה אדומה בטהרתה, ע"מ שנפלה עליו הזי' מטהרת, ונקראת ע"ש כך "חטאת", ומי שלא נפלה הזי' עליו אינו טהור ע"י נפילת הזי' על אחר, אבל בגדי כהונה הלובש הוא הכהן, והקהל כולו מתכפרים. ע"כ בענין המדות הטובות שהוא דבר השוה לכל נפש, נדמית מיתת צדיקים לכפרת פרה אדומה, ולענין התורה שא"א רק ע"י השתדלות ע"י אחרים למאן דלא אפשר לו ע"י עצמו, הענין דומה לכפרת בגדי כהונה ע"י אחרים, למען יחזקו בתורת ד'. וזהו "יש שכר לפעלתך" בעצמך, "ויש תקוה לאחריתך" מה שתגרום שאחרים יעשו ע"י פעולת הגרם שלך, זכות הרבים תלוי' בך.
