Shabbat Parah ("Sabbath [of the] red heifer" שבת פרה) takes place on the Shabbat before Shabbat HaChodesh, in preparation for Passover. Numbers 19:1-22 describes the parah adumah ("red heifer") in the Jewish temple as part of the manner in which the kohanim and the Jewish people purified themselves so that they would be ready ("pure") to sacrifice the korban Pesach.
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List of Dates
Shabbat Parah begins in the Diaspora on:- Fri, 25 March 2011 at sundown (20th of Adar II, 5771)
- Fri, 16 March 2012 at sundown (23rd of Adar, 5772)
- Fri, 01 March 2013 at sundown (20th of Adar, 5773)
- Fri, 21 March 2014 at sundown (20th of Adar II, 5774)
- Fri, 13 March 2015 at sundown (23rd of Adar, 5775)
- Fri, 01 April 2016 at sundown (23rd of Adar II, 5776)
Torah Portion: Numbers 19:1 - 19:22 (special maftir)
maf: Numbers 19:1-22
(22 p'sukim)
Haftarah: Ezekiel 36:16 - 36:38
References
- The Jewish Holidays: A Guide & Commentary
- Rabbi Michael Strassfeld
- Hebrew - English Bible
- Mechon Mamre
- Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures
- Jewish Publication Society
- "Special Shabbat" in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia
- Wikimedia Foundation Inc.