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| My daughters painted red two toy cows so for Shabbath Para we had our Para Aduma |
This Shabbath is Shabbat Para, the 2nd of 4 special Shabbatot before Passover.
We read about the Para Aduma,
the rare red heifer, whose ashes were used in the bizarre and
mysterious purification rite of the ancient Temple.
The message for us
is that it’s time to begin planning to purify our homes and ourselves
for Passover.
But when we take a close look at the text of that
purification rite of the ancient Temple, we immediately ask, “It makes
no sense; how could this be?”
For
this rite, the ashes of the Red Heifer were sprinkled on those that had
become impure, usually because of contact with the dead, and they became
pure, while those who prepared the ashes became impure.
Even King
Solomon questioned the understanding of this rite when he said (Mishley
7:23): “I said I would be wise, but it is far from me.”
Perhaps it is
because, in the presence of death, there are no answers, only questions.
Shabbath Shalom!
