The Temple Institute

CHUKAT: GATHERING THE PURE WATERS FOR THE ASHES OF THE RED HEIFER

"Some of the ashes from the fire of purgation shall be taken for the impure person, and fresh water shall be added to them in a vessel. Then someone who is pure shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle on the tent and on all the vessels and people who were there, or on the one who touched the bones or the person who was killed or died naturally or the grave." (Numbers 19:17-18)

Extraordinary measures were taken to ensure that the pure waters of the Shiloach spring in the City of David were gathered by children raised in an environment ensuring no possible contact, directly or indirectly, with a co**se.

The children were born and raised in protected courtyards. When they became of age, oxen were brought, and boards were placed across the oxen. The children rode out of the courtyards atop these oxen, sitting on the boards and carrying stone vessels to hold the water they would gather. The space below the boards protected the young riders from the possibility of any exposure from impurity emanating up from within the depths that may cross their paths, while en route to the Shiloach spring.

Arriving at the spring, they dismounted at its banks and filled the vessels with its water. Here, they could stand on the ground with no suspicion of impurity rising from below, since people are not accustomed to bury their dead under water (actually, one opinion maintains that they were so exceedingly cautious, they did not dismount but remained upon the oxen and lowered the vessels down into the spring by a cord).

For a more detailed description: https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer-the-order-of-burning-the-red-heifer/

THE NEW MOON OF TAMMUZ IN THE SKIES OVER ISRAEL!

The new moon of Tammuz was sighted and photographed in the skies over Israel earlier this week. These three photos were taken by Gadi Eidelheit of the Israeli New Moon Society. https://moonsocil.blogspot.com/

PARASHAT CHUKAT: THE DEATH OF AHARON

"Setting out from Kadesh, the Israelites arrived in a body at Mount Hor. At Mount Hor, on the boundary of the land of Edom, HaShem said to Moshe and Aharon, “Let Aharon be gathered to his kin: he is not to enter the land that I have assigned to the Israelite people, because you disobeyed My command about the waters of Merivah. Take Aharon and his son Eleazar and bring them up on Mount Hor. Strip Aharon of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar. There Aharon shall be gathered unto the dead.” Moshe did as HaShem had commanded. They ascended Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. Moshe stripped Aharon of his vestments and put them on his son Eleazar, and Aharon died there on the summit of the mountain. When Moshe and Eleazar came down from the mountain, the whole community knew that Aharon had breathed his last. All the house of Israel bewailed Aharon thirty days." (Numbers 20:22-20)

Rashi explains:

"Take Aharon - with words of consolation. Say to him: 'Fortunate are you that you see your crown given over to your son, something that I will not myself merit.'”

"His garments - i.e., dress him in the garments of the high priesthood, and then remove them from him in order to put them on his son in his presence. Moses said to Aharon, 'Enter the cave,' and he entered. He saw a bed that was made and a lit candle. He said to him, 'Go up onto the bed,' and he went up; 'stretch out your hands,' and he stretched them out; 'close your mouth,' and he closed it; 'close your eyes,' and he closed them. Moshe immediately desired this gradual and serene death, and that is the meaning of what was said to him: “as your brother Aharon died,” 3 i.e., in the form of death that you desired."

"Moshe did. Although the matter was hard for him, he did not hesitate."

"The entire community saw… When they saw Moshe and Eleazar descending, but that Aharon did not descend with them, they asked, 'Where is Aharon?' Moshe answered them, 'He has died.' They asked him, 'Is it possible that he who stood up to the Angel of Death and halted the plague can himself fall under the control of the Angel of Death?' Immediately Moshe prayed for mercy, and the ministering angels showed them an image of Aharon lying on the bed; once they saw this, they believed."