Parashat
Chukat ("Decree of") Numbers
19:1-22:1
The
Red Heifer (Parah Adumah)
I
found it interesting that the Talmud states that of all the 613 commandments,
this is the only one that King Solomon could not fathom, since this sacrifice
is the most paradoxical of all the sacrifices found in the Torah. Even modern day scholars have not been able
to fathom the depth of this mitzvot. I
can see attempts by some Messianics to ascribe this particular sacrifice as a
forshadow of Yeshua, but I am not yet satisfied in their reasoning.
The
parah adumah had to be a perfect specimen that was completely red,
"without blemish, in which there is no defect ." It had to be absolutely perfect without any
discolouration or abnormality. This is
the only sacrifice in the Torah where the colour of the animal is explicitly
required. Some point out that the red
symbolises the blood that covered Yeshua during his ordeal. Eitherway, the parah adumah was never to have
had a yoke upon it, meaning that it must never have been used for any profane
purposes.
Unlike
all other sacrifices offered at the altar at the Mishkan, the parah adumah was
taken outside the camp, slaughtered before the priest who then took some of its
blood and sprinkled it seven times before the Mishkan. Hyssop,
scarlet yarn, and a cedar stick would be thrown upon the burning parah adumah,
which were the same items used to cleanse from tzara'at (skin disease). Unlike
other offerings, all of the blood of the sacrifice was to be burned in the
fire. It was a complete offering.
The
ashes of the sacrifice, which were then gathered and mixed with water to create
what was called the "waters of separation" (i.e., mei niddah: מֵי נִדָּה). Anyone
(or anything) that came into contact with a corpse (the embodiment of sin and
death) was required to be purified using the mei niddah. Interestingly the word “niddah” refers to menstrual
impurity and is used in the prophecy found in Zechariah 13:1: "On that day
there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and from niddah."
The
purification procedure took a full seven days.
On the third day stalks of hyssop are dipped into the water / ash
mixture and shaken over the ritually defiled person. This occurs again on the seventh day. After the second sprinkling, the defiled
person was immersed in a mikvah and would be declared clean on the following
evening.
Maimonides
wrote, "Nine Parot Adumot were prepared from the time the Commandment was
given until the destruction of the Second Temple. Moses our Teacher prepared
one, Ezra prepared one and seven more were prepared until the Destruction of
the Temple. The tenth will prepared by the Mashiach."
It
was the only sacrifice that ritually contaminated the priest who offered it,
but made the one who was sprinkled by it clean.
This paradox can also be found in Numbers 21:8, “And the LORD said unto
Moses, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to
pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live.” The abomination of the serpent will bring
life?
It
was the only sacrifice where the ashes were preserved and used (other
sacrifices required the ashes be disposed outside of the camp). It is a
tradition amongst members of the Temple Mount Institute that they know where a
vial of the previous ashes can be found.
Whilst
there is enough disagreement within the Messianic community as to the identity and
purpose of the Parah Adumah, I do see how one can come to the conclusion about
Yeshua.
1. He was completely without sin or defect (2 Cor
5:21; John 8:46);
2. He was sacrificed outside the camp (Heb
13:13);
3. He
made Himself sin / a sin offering for us (2 Cor 5:21);
4. Claimed
to be as the snake upon the pole (John 3:14-15).
5. His
sprinkling makes us clean (1 Pet 1:2; Heb 12:24);
6. The
"water of separation" that His sacrifice created is the means by
which we are made clean from the impurity of sin (Eph 5:25-6; Heb 10:22).
Either
way, the mystery of the Parah Adumah is yet to be understood. I do
find it interesting that we live in a time that the long forgotten red heifer
is making a come back. Additionally
interesting is that right now is only the second time in history that an ark
has been built. Signs? Maybe.
Shalom
Jon
Eaton
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