General Overview: This week's Torah Parsha, Chukat, begins with a
discussion regarding the laws of the red heifer. Miriam and Aaron die.
When the Jews are in need of water, Moshe strikes a rock – despite being
commanded to talk to it. Waters stream forth, but Moshe is banned from
entering Israel. Amalek battles the Israelites and is defeated. Edom
and Moav refuse the Israelites passageway to Israel. The Israelites
battle Sichon and Og, and are victorious.
The most
severe of all ritual impurities is tum'at met, the impurity contracted
through contact with a human corpse. This Aliya details the
purification process for an individual or object which has contracted
this form of impurity. A red heifer is slaughtered and is burned
together with a few added ingredients. Water from a stream is added to
the ashes. On the third and seventh day after contracting tum'at met,
this mixture is sprinkled upon the individual or object. After
immersion in a mikvah (ritual pool), the person or object is freed of
this impurity.
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