Mar 7, 2025
The quest for the perfect Red Heifer has hit a pause, according to the Temple Institute. Rabbi Azariah Ariel, head of the Temple Institute’s Red Heifer project, announced “At this moment, we do not have a red heifer suited for the ceremony.” Two years ago, prophecy students around the world were amazed as five red calves arrived in Israel from Texas. Now rabbis are deliberating if those hairs definitively bar the heifers or if any might still be kosher. For now, “we don’t have in our possession a red heifer that is verifiably kosher,” the rabbi lamented – meaning the wait for this prophetic puzzle piece continues.
In Numbers 19, God’s law requires a red heifer with no defect and no yoke, whose ashes purify people for temple worship. The strict criteria (no more than one off-color hair, never burdened, at least two years old) make such an animal exceedingly rare. Temple Institute scholars are now seeking guidance on how to proceed, tackling questions not faced in 2,000 years. READ MORE
Stay Awake. Keep Watch.
Commentary by Joe Hawkins