intended to increase the knowledge, interest,and anticipation of the reader, thereby hasteningthe realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash. More on PARA ADUMA The Parah Adumah had to be "completely red." "Red" meant that the cow had to have a decided reddish-brown cast; it did not mean that it was supposed be red like a ripe tomato. Two black or white hairs dis- qualified the animal. Chazal had a tradition that hair was to be considered "according to the root." So if the cow had a red hair ('a red root') with a black or white tip, the tip could be trimmed. The horns and hooves, which were not red, were removed. If the cow "was dwarflike, it was still valid." A red cow born by caesarian section was not acceptable. If the Parah Adumah had been 'mounted' by a bull she became invalid. The cow must never have been used to do any type of work. If she bore a yoke or "if someone had ridden her, leaned on her, hung on her tail, doubled the lead rope (on her back) or if someone used the cow to help him cross a river, the cow was invalidated… This is the general rule, if something was done for the benefit of the cow, the cow remained valid; if something was done for another's sake (the owner of the cow for example) the cow was rendered invalid." If he placed a wet sheet on the cow on a hot day to cool the cow and relieve its discomfort, or "spread his garment on her because of the flies," the cow would not be invalidated as a Parah Adumah. The Parah Adumah should preferably be in its third or forth year. An older cow might be valid but "they did not wait until then because of the possibility that she might grow black hairs and become invalid." An older cow also had more of a possibility of being misused in other ways and thereby becoming disqualified. It was also not considered 'respectful' if the animal used was too old and "past its prime." The Parah Adumah had to be acquired when it was an adult. The Mikdash authorities could not simply purchase a red calf and raise it themselves it until it reached the proper age. The Parah Adumah could be purchased from non-Jews and could even be imported from outside of the Land of Israel. The Sage R. Eliezer Hagadol (though his opinion was not accepted) ruled that the Parah Adumah could not be purchased from non-Jews. He believed that non-Jews could not be trusted to refrain from the temptation to secretly treat the animal in such a manner as to disqualify it for its ordained role - putting a yoke on it, etc. He suspected that non-Jews might try to undermine the validity of the Parah Adumah rite and of the purity laws which were dependent on it. The Midrashic work Pesikta Rabbati (14:1), preserves a fabulous narration of such an attempt. The Beit Hamikdash needed a Parah Adumah and there was none to be found. Finally one was located among the herds of a certain non-Jew. A delegation came to him offering a large quantity of gold for his Parah Adumah. After consider- ably jacking up the price, he agreed to sell. Realizing why the Jews wanted a Parah Adumah (and knowing that placing a yoke on her would disqualify her for her ordained role), he boasted that he was going to extort a huge amount of money and deceive them at the same time. That night, he placed a yoke on his Parah Adumah and in the morning led her out to the delegation for inspection. Gold in hand, they carefully scrutinized the cow and found two bent hairs. Upon seeing these particular bent hairs, they realized what the non-Jew had done. Though they must have been dis- appointed, they would not accept the "spoiled" Parah Adumah. When the cheat realized that his deceit had cost him an enormous amount of gold, "the mouth that said, 'I will mock them at their expense'" said, "'Blessed be He who chose His people Israel." The Midrash concludes, "He went home and hung himself." But there is another narration. The Sages had great need of important merchandise owned by Dama ben Netinah, a righteous gentile who lived in Ashkelon and they approached him. (According to the variant in Avodah Zarah 24a, Dama owned jewels which were needed for the Choshen of the Kohein Gadol.) When they came to him to complete the transaction, Dama found that the key to the safe lay under his sleeping father's pillow. He piously refrained from waking his father up to take the key and the Chachamim took their business elsewhere. "The next year, the Holy One Blessed be He rewarded him and a Parah Adumah was born in his herd." When the "Chachmei Yisrael" approached him, he said, "'I know that if I would ask you for all the money in the world, you would pay me. Nevertheless, I will only ask the amount I lost by honoring my father.'" (Kiddushin 31a) Truly a righteous gentile! All blemishes which disqualified sacrifices also invalidated the Parah Adumah. The money used to purchase a Parah Adumah could not come from dubious sources such as "the hire of a harlot or the price of a dog" (as was the case with other sacrifices). R. Eliezer maintained that this passage did not apply in this case because the Parah Adumah was not actually sacrificed in the Beit Hamikdash. Technically he was correct, nevertheless his literalistic view was not accepted. The Parot Adumot were paid for by the half shekels contributed yearly by all Israel. If the Halachot of the Parah Adumah are complicated, the laws of its burning and preparation of the Mei Niddah are no less so. Catriel Sugarman gives illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. He can be reached at (02) 652-7531 or by email: acatriel@netvision.net.il. Catriel is in the process of writing a book entitled: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim's Perspective: A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service. [The
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