Parsha Facts

Concepts

• The Red Heifer
• Miriam’s passing and the resulting water crisis
• Attempt to pass through the land of Edom
• Aharon’s passing
• Second attack of Amalek
• The Jews complain and the snake attack
• Journeys and wars

People

• Moshe
• Aharon
• Miriam
• Eleazar
• King Sichon & King Og

Places

• Midbar, desert of Zin
• Har HaHar, “double” mountain
• Edom & Bashan
• Arnon
• Arvos Moav

Mitzvos: 3 positive mitzvos in the Parsha (Number 397-399 of 613 Mitzvos in the Torah)

1. The laws of the Parah Adumah.
2. The laws of ritual impurity caused by a corpse (dead body).
3. The laws of the sprinkling-water, which renders a ritually impure person tahor from the ritual impurity caused by a corpse.

Year from Creation Timeline

• 2487 Rosh Chodesh Nissan - the Jews depart Kadash Barnea.
• Tenth of Nissan - Miriam dies; water from the spring stops; incident with the Rock giving water.
• Tenth of Iyar – end of 30 days of mourning for Miriam; Moshe sent messengers to Edom to cross their land and they refuse.
• Rosh Chodesh Av – arrive at HaHar; Aharon dies; mourning for 30 days; Cananite nation assembles a large army to attack the Jews, since they thought G-d’s protection was removed. The Jews are afraid and retreated 7 encampments, and waited there for thirty days. B’nai Levi fight their fellow Jews, forcing them back to Har HaHar. There, they make a Neder that HaShem should give them victory. The battle in Nachlei Arnan takes 36 hours.
• Elul - Ammon refuses passage through their land and battles the Jews; the Jews are victorious defeating Sichon and then Og.

Sedra-Stats

• 39th of the 54 sedras; 6th of 10 in Sefer BaMidbar
• Written on 159.2 lines in a Sefer Torah; 39th of 54
• 10 parshios: 6 open, 4 closed
• Comparison to the other sedras:
  • 87 pesukim – 43th of 54 (10th of 10 in BeMidbar)
  • 1245 words – 40th of 54 (10th of 10 in BeMidbar)
  • 4670 letters– 41st of 54 (10th of 10 in BeMidbar)

Note: Many years this Parsha with read together with Parshas Balak
Some say that hearing Parshas Parah once a year fulfills a commandment