Shabbat Shalom, and welcome to Shabbat Parah.
Like Shabbat Zachor last week, Shabbat Parah is neither a feast day nor a Jewish holiday. But instead, it may be viewed as somewhat of a themed Sabbath, if you will. And the theme of this Sabbath is brought forth through an additional Torah and Haftorah reading to the regular reading established for the week. The parashah is found in Numbers/Bemidbar 19:1-22 and Ezekiel 36:16-38.
The Timing and Theme of Shabbat Parah
This year, Shabbat Parah is 3-1/2 weeks before the start of Pesach/Passover (presuming the observational elements of the calendar are met). The concept of Shabbat Parah is founded upon the essential premise that God’s people are required to be in a state of ritual purity for Pesach. This concern over being in a state of ritual purity, especially in anticipation of the upcoming Spring Feasts, exists in great part because one could not partake of the Pesach at the Tabernacle or Temple unless they were in a state of ritual purity or cleanliness (Numbers 9:6-10). So, the so-called Jewish sages determined that there was no better Torah passage to address the critical issue of ritual cleanliness/purity in anticipation of Pesach/Passover than the Mitzvah of the Red Heifer/Parah.
The Mitzvah of the Red Heifer
Yehovah gave us the mitzvah of the Red Heifer/Parah as a remedy if we, for some reason or another, became ritually impure, as would be the case if we came into contact with human remains. The “waters of purification,” which consisted primarily of the ashes of a Red Heifer/Parah, were meant to purify the impure soul. (chabad.org)
Our reading contains Father’s instructions for preparing “the waters of purification” (Numbers/Bemidbar 19:1-22). Back in the day when the Torah was the law of the land, the religious leaders would remind the people that it was their responsibility to ensure that they were in an acceptable state of ritual cleanliness before making the Pesach pilgrimage (myjewishlearning.com). If this idea of the Hebrew religious leaders reminding the people in advance of Pesach to purify themselves is true, Shabbat Parah makes sense, for it serves as a call to Yehovah’s people to prepare themselves to receive Pesach–Mashiyach, which the Prophet Ezekiel addresses in the assigned Shabbat Parah Haftorah reading.
Let’s explore this parshah and see if we can uncover the incredible spiritual shadow pictures contained therein.
Numbers 19 Survey
(19:2) The requirement that the “parah” (aka red heifer) be red in color seems to be connected/associated with “the importance of blood in the purification ritual that follows” (Robert Alter; The Five Books of Moses; pg. 778). In his Torah and Haftorah, J.H. Hertz comments that the “redness of the heifer” may have been symbolic of sin, as suggested in Isaiah/Yeshayahu 1:18.
The term “parah” in Hebrew may denote either a “cow” or “heifer.” Hebrew tradition has firmly settled on the “parah” in our reading being a red heifer.
The parah was to be (1) “perfect” (i.e., tamiym or complete), “without blemish” (i.e., m’uwm; that which renders a thing as useless or without value), and (2) not to have had a yoke (‘owl or ‘ol) put upon it at any time during its life (i.e., the animal should not have been used for any mundane or profane purposes during its short life).
(19:3) The animal having these traits was to be taken outside the camp by a Levitical Priest, and his attendants would slaughter and burn the animal (vs. 19:8). The priest was not to be in direct contact with the creature during this process.
(19:4) As the parah was being slaughtered, the priest was to collect some of the animal’s blood, dip his finger in the collected blood, and sprinkle it toward the front of the Tent of Meeting 7 times. This blood, according to Alter, served as a “spiritual detergent” (Alter; pg. 778).
(19:5-6) In overseeing the slaughter and the complete incineration of the animal, the priest was to toss cedarwood, hyssop, and crimson onto the pyre. These 3-items were typically used by Levitical Priests in the purification ritual of lepers as recorded in Leviticus/Vayiqra 14:1-4.
(19:7-8) After this ceremony, the priest was required to mikveh himself (i.e., ceremonially wash) in living water and wash his garments. Only then would he be permitted to re-enter the camp. But he would be ritually unclean until evening.
(19:9) A man whom the passage describes only as being “clean” would be tasked with collecting the ashes of the incinerated “parah” and storing them “outside the camp in a clean place.” These ashes were to be kept as a medium for purification: “riddance water,” an offense offering (Alter; pg. 779); “water of sprinkling” (LXX); “water of purification;” as purification for sin (NET); “water of cleansing,” a purification from sin (NIV); mayim of separation, purification from sin (RSTNE).
These ashes were suspended in water and functioned as Yah’s sanctioned medium for expunging contaminants or impurities from an individual when applied in conjunction with the required washings (19:17).
These ashes were not only associated with expunging physical impurities, such as that associated with encountering human remains, but also with purification from sin.
As with the officiating priest, the “clean man” to gather and store the ashes was required to mikveh himself and wash his clothes before returning to camp. He, too, would remain ritually impure till sundown (19:10).
The Targum Pseudo Johnathan on the Pentateuch describes the processing of the ashes in some detail:
And a man, a clean priest, shall gather up the ashes of the heifer in an earthenware receptacle, its opening covered roundabout with clay; and shall divide the ashes into three portions, of which one shall be placed within the wall (of Jerusalem), another in the Mount of Olives, and the third portion be in the custody of the Levites; and it shall be for the congregation of Israel, for the Water of Sprinkling: it is the heifer (immolated) for the remission of sins (19:9; PJE Targum Pseudo Jonathan on the Pentateuch).
(19:11-13) Any individual who would make contact with human remains was ritually impure for seven days. During these seven days–the 3rd day–they would be required to have the waters of purification sprinkled upon them. This one would not be permitted access to the Tabernacle until they completed the purification process. Any who violated this instruction was to be cut off from Israel.
(19:14-22) Given the rather sizeable population of our nation at that time, deaths would have been a common daily occurrence. This being the case, Abba Yah set instructions for us to follow if a family member was to die in our tent or we happened upon human remains in a field. In every case, by our contact with the remains, we would be ritually unclean for 7-days. And we would need for the waters of purification–made from the ashes of the incinerated red heifer—to be sprinkled upon us on the 3rd and 7th day of our uncleanness. Then on the final, 7th day of our uncleanness, we would be required to mikveh ourselves and our clothes. We would remain unclean till sundown on the 7th day. Consequently, throughout this 7th-day period, our uncleanness precluded us from worshiping at the Tabernacle/Temple.
The Spirit and Truth of the Mitzvah of the Red Heifer
The shadow picture that the mitzvah of the red heifer paints for us cannot be overstated. If we always remember Apostle Paul’s brilliant perspective as it relates to the applicability of spiritual principles that may be derived from God-ordained natural events (1 Corinthians 15:46).
Yah knew well in advance that there would come a time when the Tabernacle/Temple would no longer be in operation, and perfect red heifers would be hard, if not impossible, to come by. In that case, did Yah’s requirement that His chosen ones be clean whenever they come before Him lessen or change? No, Yah still requires that we go before Him in a clean state. But the way His chosen ones are purified today has changed. The mitzvah of the red heifer foreshadowed the renewed covenant provisions for physical and spiritual uncleanness through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua Messiah. We are made clean from all unrighteousness and physical uncleanness through the shed blood of Yahoshua and the confession of our sins to Yehovah (Isaiah 1:16; Ezekiel 36:35; 1 John 1:7, 9; Revelation 1:5).
No, the red heifer was not a foreshadowing of Yeshua HaMashiyach but of Yeshua’s role in Yehovah’s grand plan of salvation, redemption, and restoration; atonement of sin; and the cleansing of any who would be His child from all unrighteousness.
The mitzvah of the red heifer has the attention of millions of Jews and denominationalists these days due to news that 5-rabbinically approved red heifers were handed over to Israeli religious leaders late last year. Many of these faithful ones believe that these five red heifers are precursors to the building of a 3rd Temple and the advent of the Great Tribulation. As fascinating as this story is, however, I’m afraid it is beyond the scope of this discussion.
The Call for God’s People to Get Clean
The Haftorah of Shabbat Parah amplifies the concern of God’s chosen ones being found in a state of uncleanness whenever they come before Yehovah. But instead of our uncleanness being due to physical contact with human remains, the prophet focuses on the unclean state that sin brings to Yah’s chosen ones (Ezekiel 36:16-38).
Yah has never tolerated physical or spiritual uncleanness in His human creation simply because He is supremely holy. Unfortunately, we, flawed humans, are prone to physical and spiritual uncleanness from time to time. This naturally puts us at odds with Yah. Fortunately, Yah has made provisions to rectify this situation, for it is through the Person and Ministries of Yeshua HaMashiyach that we are made whole and clean.
The Apostle John/Yochanan wrote:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9; Peshitta).
Regarding his perceived uncleanness before Yehovah, the Psalmist wrote:
“I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Yehovah; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin” (32:5; KJV).
All uncleanness, whether physical or spiritual, has, as its origin, sin. And Yah requires that all sin be expunged from the lives of His chosen ones.
Haftorah of Ezekiel 36:16-38 Survey (LXX)
(36:17) Abba Yah recalls for the prophet a time when the House of Yisra’el dwelt in the Land of Promise. The people defiled the land by virtue of them going about their lives according to their own ways, which included them practicing idolatry and all sorts of ungodly things (cf., Jeremiah/Yermayahu 2:7). This sad state of uncleanness repulsed Abba, who likened the nation’s uncleanness to that of niddah.
House of Israel’s refusal to repent from her evil ways and teshuvah to a state of cleanness before Yehovah ultimately led to Yah pouring out His wrath upon them (36:18). Earlier in this prophet’s writings; Yah describes His wrath accordingly:
“Mine eye shall not spare, nor will I have any mercy: for I will recompense thy way upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that I am Yehovah” (Ezekiel/Yechezkel 7:8; LXX).
His wrath and judgment were manifested in great part by His scattering us among the nations (36:19). He said that His judgment was carried out in accordance with our way and in response to our sin (36:19b).
Abba Yah told our forebearers who were about to conquer and take possession of the Land of Promise that this scattering would indeed happen:
“And Yehovah thy Elohim shall scatter thee among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other; and thou shalt there serve other gods, wood, and stone, which thou hast not known, nor thy fathers” (Deuteronomy/Devarim 28:64; LXX; cf. Ezekiel/Yechezkel 22:15).
And we profaned our Elohim’s Name by virtue as a byproduct of our being scattered and incorporated into the nation peoples of the world (36:20). And how did we profane Yah’s name among the nations? Through our failed witness of Him. Our continued breaking of the covenant with Yehovah led to Him scattering us among the nations, which spoke poorly of Yehovah to the nations we were scattered among. For there was a time when Yehovah was known by many of the people and nations of the world by virtue of our continued presence in the Land and Yah’s continued provision and protection of us while we dwelt in the Land. At one point in our history, we were a beacon of light to a dark world. But when we fell from Yah’s grace by virtue of our breaking covenant with Him, we lost that witness, and our light was essentially extinguished.
One of our many purposes as Yah’s set-apart, covenant people is to be a light to the world by virtue of us being a holy kingdom of priests unto Yehovah (19:6). Abba told us that we were to be above all nations, glorious and holy unto Him as He has purposed (Deuteronomy/Devarim 26:19). We were to be called priests and ministers of Yehovah and eat of the strength of nations and be admired because of our wealth (Isaiah/Yermayahu 61:6). We were to be a peculiar people beyond all nations on the face of the earth (Deuteronomy/Devarim 7:6). And so much more.
But when we fell from Yah’s grace because of our disobedience, all those glorious national and individual qualities fell with us. No longer would the world look admirably and fearfully upon us as a people of Yehovah. Yah’s glory–His reputation before the nation peoples of the world, because of our failure, was diminished in their minds. And if there’s one thing that upsets Yah just as much as idolatry and disobedience, it’s when we profane His Name before the unbelieving nations of the world.
From when Abba Yah first gave us His Torah, His standards of righteousness, and His expectations that we would walk in, those standards never changed. Yet, our stiffnecked ways caused us to perpetually break covenant with Yehovah. In so doing, we were ripe to incur Yah’s judgment and wrath.
Despite our having fallen from grace by breaking covenant with Yah, His love for us never ceased (36:21). Yet His holy Name–His righteous, just, and faithful manner—brought about our survival as a people even after being dispersed among the nations (36:22). Many of us today are descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, and we don’t even know it.
Yah then set about to restore His Name among the nation peoples of the world, despite the damage we did to it (36:23). And His holy Name would be restored among the nations, in great part, once we get around to us sanctifying Him before their eyes; when we finally teshuvah and call upon His holy Name.
And when our Jewish brethren finally do repent and teshuvah, Yah will gather us from the nations of the world and return us to the Land of Promise (36:24; cf. Isaiah/Yermayahu 43:5). Then Yah will sprinkle us with clean water (i.e., the spiritual waters of purification) that will purge us from all our uncleanness (36:25). This water of purification, that will consist of the blood of Yeshua’s atoning sacrifice, His Ruach HaKodesh, and His Word, was foreshadowed in the mitzvah of the red heifer (Numbers 19).
And Yah’s purifying will bring about the implanting of a new heart and new spirit within those that will be His (36:26). In other words, by virtue of this national and individual purification, under the auspices of the renewed covenant, we will become new creatures in Yeshua HaMashiyach (Ephesians 4:24; Colossian 3:10). Many of us have already received an earnest of this promise. But there’s coming a day when all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26).
Furthermore, Yah will dwell within His beloved (36:27). His presence within His beloved will cause them to want to walk in His Ways–according to His Torah: Yeshua-focused Torah Living. So, when Yah finally does dwell within us, we can safely say and know that we are indeed clean. Doesn’t mean that we won’t sully our spiritual garments from time to time. But if we have His Spirit, we quickly return to our previous clean state through prayer, repentance, teshuvah, and obedience.
And we will once again dwell peacefully in the Land of Promise with Yehovah as our Elohim (36:28). And all of the curses that we incurred upon ourselves by virtue of our uncleanness–our sinful ways—our breaking covenant—our disobedience, will be reversed and we will once again be abundantly blessed of Yehovah through an unbreakable fellowship (36:29-30, 33-36).
The change that Yah will affect in each of us will profound. We will never forget what we did to cause us to fall out of Yah’s favor. Yet we will also remember all that Yah has done for us. And that which Yah has done for us, such as fulfilling all His covenant promises, was not because of anything we have done to deserve His grace. But rather, His Holy and Righteous Name will be the thing that brings about this salvation (36:31-32).
These Shabbat Parah promises, as foretold to us by the Prophet Ezekiel/Yechezkel, will be a future miraculous fulfillment of Yah’s Word. Certainly, one may reasonably argue that Yah began restoring His people unto Himself when national Yisra’el returned to the Land of Promise in 1948. However, one may also reasonably put forth the argument that the purification of our Jewish brethren has not yet taken place, but except for a remnant of souls that have come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and who have come to a restored covenant relationship with Yehovah our Elohim. But most of our Jewish cousins remain in a state of uncleanness, and thus the Land also remains unclean.
We, who some say are descendants of scattered Ephraim and Manasseh, have already begun to reap the benefits of the renewed covenant. We are the Firstfruits of the Spirit, who are being purified by Yah through the Person and Ministry of Yeshua Messiah under the auspices of the renewed covenant. The atoning blood of His Son/Messiah has cleansed us from all unrighteousness, and He has begun circumcising our stony hearts by the work of His Ruach HaKodesh within our beings.
So, beloved, as we approach a New Calendar Year and the wonderful Spring Holy Days, let us be ever so mindful of the waters of purification that Heavenly Father has sprinkled upon us through the Person of His Son Yeshua HaMashiyach. And thus, may we walk circumspectly before Him and usher in the Spring Feasts as a holy and righteous people who are Kingdom bound.
May you have a powerfully blessed Shabbat Parah beloved.
Faithfully,
Rod, The Messianic Torah Observer.