Red Heifer

“Accepting the Inscrutable”

There appears to be an intriguing connection between parashat Chukat and the burning of the Talmud in Paris in 1242 by King Louis IX.

“The Inscrutable Statutes”

The rules and rituals of the Red Heifer represent a model of a “chok,” a Divine statute that seems to have no rhyme or reason. It teaches an important lesson for a person of true faith.

"It is a Decree Before Me–-You Have No Right to Question It!"

The Parah Adumah, the Red Heifer, is one of the most enigmatic laws of the Torah. Rashi declares that the law of the Red Heifer is a decree that mortals have no right to question. Rashi then proceeds to try to explain the enigma.

"The Highest Mitzvah of All!"

In parashat Emor, our sages derive from the laws governing the prohibition of the priest from defiling himself to the dead, the special commandment of "Met Mitzvah," the requirement to bury an abandoned body for which there is no one else to care. It is considered by many to be the foremost mitzvah, over which no other mitzvah takes precedence.

"The Excesses of Rationality"

Parashat Chukat, which features the obtuse law of the Red Heifer, comes hard on the heels of Parashat Korach, the rebellion of Korach and his cohorts. The Midrash portrays at least part of Korach's rebellion as being due to his demand that everything be understood and completely rational. Chukat comes to teach that it is not the opinion of the people that determines the truth of Judaism, but rather the opinion of G-d, Torah and Moses--even though it may not be rational, such as the Red Heifer.

"The Sanctity of Human Life"

The laws of the Red Heifer recorded in parashat Chukat seem archaic and antiquated. But, in truth, the ritual of the Red Heifer is an extraordinarily important ritual that drives home the invaluable life lesson regarding the principle of the sanctity of human life and the major role that this principle plays in every aspect of Jewish life and practice.