Mishnah Red heifer

1 mishnah

1.1 details of commandment
1.2 jewish tradition
1.3 temple institute

mishnah

the mishnah, central compilation of rabbinic oral law, contains tractate on red heifer, tractate parah ( cow ) in seder tohorot, explains procedures involved. tractate has no existing gemara, although commentary on key elements of procedure found in gemarah other tractates of talmud. according mishnah parah, presence of 2 black hairs invalidates red heifer, in addition usual requirements of unblemished animal sacrifice.

details of commandment

there various other requirements, such natural birth. water must living i.e. spring water. stronger requirement ritual bath. rainwater accumulated in cistern permitted mikveh, cannot used in red heifer ceremony.

the mishnah reports in days of temple in jerusalem, water ritual came pool of siloam. ceremony involved complex , detailed. ensure complete ritual purity of involved, enormous care taken ensure no-one involved in red heifer ceremony have had contact dead or form of tumah, , implements made of materials, such stone, in jewish law not act carriers ritual impurities. mishnah recounts children used draw , carry water ceremony, children born , reared in isolation specific purpose of ensuring never came contact corpse:

there courtyards in jerusalem built on [the virgin] rock , below them hollow [was made] lest there might grave in depths, , pregnant women brought , bore children there, , there reared them. , oxen brought, , on backs laid doors on top of sat children cups of stone in hands. when arrived in shiloah [the children] alighted, , filled [the cups water], , mounted, , again sat on doors

various other devices used, including causeway temple mount mount of olives heifer , accompanying priests not come in contact grave.

according mishnah, ceremony of burning of red heifer took place on mount of olives. ritually pure kohen slaughtered heifer, , sprinkled of blood in direction of temple 7 times. red heifer burnt on pyre, crimson dyed wool, hyssop, , cedar wood. in recent years, site of burning of red heifer on mount of olives has been tentatively located archaeologist yonatan adler.

jewish tradition

the existence of red heifer conforms of rigid requirements imposed halakha biological anomaly. animal must entirely of 1 color, , there series of tests listed rabbis ensure this; instance, hair of cow must absolutely straight (to ensure cow had not been yoked, disqualifier). according jewish tradition, 9 red heifers slaughtered in period extending moses destruction of second temple. mishnah parah recounts them, stating moses prepared first, ezra second, simon , yochanan high priest prepared 2 each, , elioenai ben haqayaph, hanameel egyptian, , yishmael ben pi avi prepared 1 each (mishna parah 3:5).

the absolute rarity of animal, combined detailed ritual in used, have given red heifer special status in jewish tradition. cited prime example of ḥok, or biblical law there no apparent logic. because state of ritual purity obtained through ashes of red heifer necessary prerequisite participating in temple service, efforts have been made in modern times jews wishing biblical ritual purity (see tumah , taharah) , in anticipation of building of third temple locate red heifer , recreate ritual. however, multiple candidates have been disqualified, late 2002. (see temple institute section below.)

temple institute

the temple institute, organization dedicated preparing reconstruction of third temple in jerusalem, has been attempting identify red heifer candidates consistent requirements of numbers 19:1–22 , mishnah tractate parah. in recent years, institute thought have identified 2 candidates, 1 in 1997 , in 2002. temple institute had declared both kosher, later found each unsuitable claim have third candidate. of late, institute has been raising funds in order use modern technology produce red heifer genetically based on red angus.