The laws of the red heifer in Parshat Chukat are notoriously difficult to explain. Why does the Torah require its ashes to be mixed with water? How does this water “purify” those who have come into contact with death? Is there anything we can still learn from this ancient ritual? And one more question: Is there a reason why the heifer needs to be red?

Join Rabbi Fohrman and Daniel Loewenstein in a fascinating exploration of the ideas behind the parah adumah. Their conversation takes us to a surprising place: out of the realm of laws and back to one of the Torah’s earliest stories. As they reflect on the first death in the Bible, we begin to understand what the red heifer can teach us about the meaning of being human… even today.

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