Search for a Kosher Red Heifer Rekindles an Old Halakhic Debate
A red calf was recently found on a farm in northern Israel, renewing interest in the biblical commandment to find a completely red heifer for Temple rites. The animal was discovered by Shai Gevion, a farmer and Angus cattle importer from the U.S. who works with the National Institute for the Study of the Red Heifer. He said the calf was born with red hair, a basic requirement for eligibility.
The excitement was short-lived. According to the report, a farm worker placed an ear tag on the calf, which created a blemish and rendered it disqualified. Gevion had previously seen a similar case about 15 years ago in his own herd, but that calf also lost its status when black hairs appeared on its body, ears, and tail. A red calf brought to Israel about five years ago faced a comparable problem and is now in Shiloh.
The article says true red calves are not rare in Canada, where there are hundreds of thousands of Red Angus cattle. The difficult part is keeping the animal free of white hairs until age two, which is the halakhically required age. The ear-tag law makes the process even harder, since a calf must meet all religious criteria and also avoid being officially tagged.
The institute, headed by Rabbi Azariah Ariel, is part of a broader effort by Jews who believe preparations should be made for rebuilding the Temple. The group says it has already ensured that a priest was born at home and never entered a cemetery or hospital. Its members argue that, even without a Sanhedrin, the mitzvah of the red heifer should still be observed, though they want broad rabbinic backing before declaring it revived.
The main legal question now is whether a blemished red heifer can become fit again if the blemish is medically cured. The article cites sources including Maharit Algazi, Minchat Chinuch, the Chazon Ish, and Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, who are presented as supporting, or at least discussing, the idea that a healed blemish can restore sacrificial fitness.
