Illustration Credit: Noa Kelner

This year (5784), this Shabbat this week is called שַׁבַּת פָּרָה (Shabbat Parah, Shabbat of the cow). That’s because we read a מַפְטִיר (maftir, additional Torah section) about how the ashes of a פָּרָה אֲדֻמָּה (parah adumah, red cow) could be used by people who were טָמֵא (tamei, impure) to become טָהוֹר (tahor, pure) again (Bemidbar 19:1-22).

We read this maftir because Pesah is coming. In order to be able to give a קָרְבָּן פֶּסַח (korban pesah, Passover sacrifice), people who were tamei had to take the necessary steps to become tahor.

As your read our haftarah, can you find ideas that connect to impurity and purity? Look for words related to the שֹׁרֶשׁ (shoresh) ט.מ.א for impurity, and words related to the shoresh ט.ה.ר for purity.

Here’s one example:

In the maftir, impurity and purity are technical ideas. You become impure through contact with a dead body, and you become pure through the ashes of the parah adumah.

In the haftarah, impurity and purity seem to be more spiritual. For example, in the pesukim above, impurity is connected to idols, and to having a “heart of stone.” Purity has to do with having a “new heart” or a “heart of flesh.”