Red Heifer is Taken to Jerusalem

This painting was inspired by the amazing work done by The Temple Institute. In general, this subject (פרה אדומה) is not very well known, mentioned in Numbers 19, but is nevertheless an important figure in the Jewish tradition. The cow must be completely red (there should not be a single white or black hair – only shades of red), without defects, completely “chaste” in the language of the people. it was bought with money from the Temple and sacrificed outside the camp, and the ashes were mixed with water to create a cleansing solution. It was NOT the priest (ordinary Israelite) who had to kill the Red Cow – that is, the whole nation was involved in this commandment, but only the kohen (priest) had to burn it. This part of the rite emphasized the role of the priesthood in sanctification and purification. The red cow was and still is interpreted in different ways, in particular as a symbol of the paradox of death and life. The ash that cleanses the impure comes from a being that is itself a living being. Rabbinic sources suggest that only nine red heifers were prepared from the time of Moses until the destruction of the Second Temple. The tenth is expected to be prepared by the Messiah (we know who and what we are talking about). The red cow is associated with the future rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple and worship in it.