Recipe for a perfect red heifer (חוקת / יוני קירש)

I'd like to share a quick and easy recipe for a perfect red heifer.

The commandment of a Para Aduma (red heifer) is known as a "chok" ,which is a law whose logic is oftentimes not apparent to us. Even after the reasoning explained it is still hard to grasp. This does not, however, mean that it has no reason or logic.It is rather the logic of the Torah. Many sages offer different explanations for this mitzva.

 

Rashi explains how every detail corresponds to the "Chet Ha'egel" ( sin of the Golden Calf) .

I'll try and suggest how one is to understand this procedure: We'll do it in a 'recipe' format.

Here is the "Recipe":

1)Take 1 red heifer. It must be completely red,with no black hairs. (Preferably with a very strong 'mehadrin min hamehadrin' hashgachah) .The red color symbolizes sin. Yet red also symbolizes the color of the powers and freshness of life.

 

The heifer must be tamim (complete) with no defects whatsoever. Additionally, the heifer may have never in its life carried any weight or burden. The heifer is essentially free and doesn't accept rules (as the person who is to be sprinkled).

Some of these traits are seemingly negative. So…..why is the red heifer used? One reason is that these are traits often associated with the person upon whom the ashes will be sprinkled.

2) Slaughter it while looking and facing the ohel moed (the Mishkan or Tabernacle). This way you keep your connection to the holy atmosphere.

3) Burn it till it's ashes. But don't throw it away.

4) Take 500 Gr. of the ashes. The ashes symbolize the soil. A man comes from and returns to the earth. With these ashes, the man may hopefully return to his origins. It's like after one presses "restart" ,he may start over.

6 )Sprinkle for 2 minutes on the impure individual (who touched a dead body=known as 'Tamei Met'), as needed. (this is especially for those who participated in the sin of the 'egel') At this point, he should rise again without all the traits he previously misused.

7) Wait 4 minutes,(almost done).

Your pure individual is now ready, he has achieved personal revival, and beyond that- national atonement for the sin of the golden calf ('Chet Haegel').

 

8) Repeat on remaining impure individuals, as necessary.

Enjoy!

This is possibly the most Torah-based law of all of the 613 mitzvot in that when deconstructed and studied it represents much of the "ethical code" found in the Torah.

The Torah guides us on how to purify ourselves. We spiritually cleanse the people with impurity ('tumat met') and learn how to channel all of the aspects of life for good and not for sin. We get rid of what needs to be purged, and burn what needs to be burnt. Then we purify ourselves and bring new life to every area of our life.

 

One could say that this is "the whole Torah on one foot."

 

The parsha thus begins with "Zot Chukat Hatorah". This is the law of the Torah.