Chukath: Succession

In Chukath, this week’s parsha, The new generation replaces the old. The old generation dies. That is what puts the suck in succession.

A little Whitman: [Chanting the Square Deific]

As the Earth, the Father, the brown old Kronos, with laws,
Aged beyond computation, yet never new, ever with those mighty laws rolling,
Relentless I forgive no man—whoever sins dies—I will have that man's life;
Therefore let none expect mercy—have the seasons, gravitation, the
appointed days, mercy? no more have I,
But as the seasons and gravitation, and as all the appointed days
that forgive not,
I dispense from this side judgments inexorable without the least remorse

The giants die. The good giants [Miriam and Aaron] and the bad giants [Sichon and Og]. They are not replaced by people of equal stature .

The new generation recognizes that the old is reduced to ashes. We celebrate death with both burial and cremation.

The cow is the symbol of accomplishment. Ordinarily, she pulls the plow [ not the parah adumah] . She is trained and produces and is slaughtered and becomes meat.

The story of the Nachah HaNachoshes, the copper image of the serpent made by Moshe to cure the complaining Israelites from snakebite [the Caduceus?] is also in the parsha.

The Daf Hayomi [Chulin 6B] says:

And he [Hezekiah] broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made; for unto those days the children of Israel did offer to it; and it was called Nehushtan. Now, is it at all likely that Asa did it destroy it? Or that Jehoshaphat did not destroy it? Surely Asa and Jehoshaphat destroyed every form of idolatry in the world!
Talmud - Mas. Chullin 7a
It must therefore be that his ancestors left something undone whereby he [Hezekiah] might
distinguish himself; so in my case, my ancestors left room for me to distinguish myself.

Make good use of your space!