פרשת פרה

This Shabbat is פרשת פרה. It is read before the month of Nissan because everyone needed to be in a state of purity in order to offer the קרבן פסח. The likelihood was that people had come into contact with the dead. The ashes of the Red Heifer were needed for purification.

The Haftarah for פרשת פרה is from יחזקאל, and it is probably the most Zionistic and prophetic Haftarah of the entire year.

Just as the Torah reading speaks of a certain renewal that comes about through the process of the פרה אדומה, Yechezkel speaks of the spiritual renewal that will take place when the Jewish people return to Eretz Yisrael for the final redemption.

The prophet speaks of the pouring of מים טהורים, waters of purification in order to remove our hearts of stone. These hearts will be replaced by hearts of flesh. It will come to pass that Hashem will finally say, “You will be my people and I will be your G-d.”

All of this will come about when Hashem will decide once and for all, that it is time to put an end to the desecration of His holy name. More tomorrow, בע״ה.