ISREAL 365 NEWS, https://israel365news.com/author/adam_berkowitz/

RABBI ARIEL: “At this moment, we do not have a red heifer suited for the ceremony”

Rabbi Azariah Ariel, the head of the Temple Institute’s Red Heifer Project, recently gave a Hebrew language interview, answering many of the questions concerning the project’s recent developments. “At this moment, we don’t have in our possession in Israel a red heifer that is verifiably kosher and suited for the ceremony. About two years ago, five excellent red calves were brought to Israel. They had been checked and certified in America as perfectly red but several months after they arrived, they began to grow white hairs. There is an ongoing discussion in the Temple Institute regarding their suitability about whether the proximity of the hairs to each other disqualifies the cows or not.”

A red heifer is an entirely red female cow with no more than one non-red hair on its entire body. In the language of the Bible, red is not exclusively what we know today as red. It also includes brown and other similar shades of red. This excludes black. All of the hairs on its body must be the same color. The animal must also be two years and one month old. There can be no blemish, no holes in the ear, and it may never have carried a burden.

While all the cows were once entirely red and later grew non-white hairs, they are occasionally inspected to determine whether the non-white hairs remain.

“The question now is how to proceed. There are several essential questions that must be addressed regarding the cows themselves and other issues surrounding the issue of the Temple and the Temple service,” Rabbi Ariel said. “We are speaking with a wide range of rabbis and professionals about these issues we haven’t dealt with in over 2,000 years.”

Rabbi Ariel noted that Temple consciousness is strengthening in the public, and signs of this can be seen in the names of children named after places and individuals associated with the Temple and in the public discourse surrounding this issue. 

“Awareness of the Temple is even rising among Israel’s enemies. Soldiers returning from Gaza spoke of pictures of the Dome of the Rock in their homes, and many expressed a desire to hang pictures of the Temple in their homes. This awakening indicates a strong desire on the part of the public to connect with the holy place.”

Rabbi Ariel noted that Temple consciousness is strengthening in the public, and signs of this can be seen in children being named after places and individuals associated with the Temple, as well as in the public discourse surrounding this issue. Soldiers who returned from Gaza spoke of pictures of the Dome of the Rock in their homes, and many expressed a desire to hang pictures of the Temple in their homes. This awakening indicates a strong desire on the part of the public to connect with the holy place.

He noted that much of this interest is focused on the red heifer and the Temple.

“The American Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, went to the Temple Mount and stated that it is time for us to move forward and build the Temple. This interest is seen on the internet on sites like Wikipedia where there are spikes in views on the articles about the red heifer,” Rabbi Ariel noted. “This is on articles in English and even Arabic, as well as other languages. But there is not such an interest in red heifer articles in Hebrew.”

The rabbi noted that articles and videos concerning the red heifer were seen on Arabic media. 

“The Christians in America are waking up to their role, and they are happy. The Muslims are as well, but they are less happy about it.”

“It is taking us a bit longer to internalize what we are required to do at this time,” Rabbi Ariel said. 

Rabbi Ariel emphasized that the return of the Temple service would be a positive development for the entire world.

“There will be no religious coercion, not on the individual and not on groups,” Rabbi Ariel said. “99% of the global public will want this and happily participate in the House of Prayer for all nations.”

Rabbi Ariel noted a correlation between the rising Temple consciousness and a strengthening connection to hityashvut (settling) in Judea and Samaria. This was manifested in a sharp rise in Jews ascending the Temple Mount in purity, a practice especially strong among young people from Judea and Samaria.