Rav Kupietzky spoke enthusiastically of the utility and commercial value of these animals in Israel today, even before the restoration of the Beit HaMikdash. For example, when our Kohanim are no longer tamei, they can receive the priestly portion of terumah (at present, hundreds of thousands of litres of Israeli wine are poured away because there are no Kohanim tahorim to whom it may given). Challah too must be disposed of in the absence of appropriately purified Kohanim.
An animal can only be considered a Red Heifer if its hair is reddish brown and possesses no more than two hairs of a different colour, in addition to other halachic requirements. Since such animals are exceedingly rare, it was with some considerable excitement that five Red Heifers were found on a farm in Texas. These beasts belong to a breed of cow known as the Red Angus, whose meat is particularly tender.
These five animals have been transported to Israel and are now being carefully raised on a farm in Shiloh, with the anticipation that one of them may become the tenth Parah Adumah in Temple service, whose ashes will be required for purification once our Third and final Beit HaMikdash is built in our beautiful and holy city of Yerushalayim.
We can actually go to Shiloh and see these animals for ourselves (this seems like a good suggestion for a Beit Knesset HaNassi outing!) The presence of these designated Porot Adumot in Eretz Yisrael is yet another sign that we are getting even closer to our ge’ulah – may it happen very soon.
This report is based on a note by our member Jackie Sharman. Thanks, Jackie, for your help.
