Chukat - חוקת : “Statute”
Torah : Numbers 19:1–22:1
Haftarah : Judges 11:1–33
Gospel : John 11, 12

Thought for the Week:

Yeshua took on human life and human death, with all of its ritual contamination. But does the Master then remain in a state of ritual impurity? Does our uncleanness and iniquity cling to Him yet? Surely not. Yeshua stepped forth from the tomb like Adam in the garden, clothed in perfect purity. The unclean grave clothes, tainted with the contamination of death, He left behind Him.

Commentary:

In the Torah, human death is regarded as ritually contaminating. Numbers 19 relates the complex laws of the red heifer sacrifice—a purification ceremony meant for cleansing from death. The color red is common to purification rituals. It is associated with blood, the means to purification: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

The sacrifice and burning of the red heifer was to take place outside of the camp. Ordinarily, it is forbidden to sacrifice outside of the Tabernacle/Te...