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 Parah Adumah, 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.
