The Red Heifer

The Red Heifer

The Torah describes the mysterious laws of the Red Heifer, a rite which purifies those who have come in contact, directly or indirectly, with the dead. A completely red calf which has never been used for work must be taken outside the camp, slaughtered and burned. A...

Moses and the Rock

Miriam dies and is buried in the Wilderness of Zin. There, the people run out of water and begin to complain. Not only have Moses and Aaron not led them to a fertile land as promised, but there isn’t even any water to drink! They bemoan the fact that they did not die...

Journeys through the Desert

What follows is a series of incidents that occur as the Israelites travel through the desert. First, Moses requests permission from the king of Edom to pass through his land but is refused and the people are forced to go the long way around.   Aaron’s death...