The Temple Institute announced on Tuesday that the remaining red heifers that had been brought from Texas by Boneh Israel to perform the Biblically mandated purification ceremony are not suited for the ceremony.

“The three weeks of intensified focus and adoption of customs of mourning over the destruction of the two Holy Temples in Jerusalem have ended,” the announcement read. “But our recap of all the work the Temple Institute is involved with, the one aim of rebuilding the Holy Temple and renewing the Divine service is far from exhausted.”

The Temple Institute described its more than two decades of efforts to find a suitable red heifer. A red heifer is an entirely red female cow with no more than one non-red hair on its entire body. In the language of the Bible, red is not exclusively what we know today as red. It also includes brown and other similar shades of red. This excludes black. All of the hairs on its body must be the same color. The animal must also be two years and one month old. There can be no blemish, no holes in the ear, and it may never have carried a burden.

In September 2022, Boneh Israel, a cooperative effort of Jews and Christians together, found five suitable candidates in Texas and transported them to Israel. 

“We have forged deep connections with cattle growers in the United States, both professionally and personally,” the statement by the Temple Institute continued. “We have worked with cattle growers in Israel. We have raised red heifer candidates here in Israel and flown over red heifer candidates from Texas. The halachot concerning the eligibility of a potential red heifer are very strict, and unfortunately, all our efforts so far have been frustrated by the appearance of more than one non-red hair on all our potential candidates. Nevertheless, our efforts continue.”

“Attaining a suitable red heifer, however, is only one aspect of the work of achieving the longed-for purifying ashes. Once a viable red heifer has been achieved, it needs to be slaughtered and burned into ashes. Simply creating a fire that will burn at a temperature capable of converting the heifer into ashes is a task that has required much research and experimentation.

“Kohanim who are free of the impurity of tamei met (proximity to a dead body) must be located, for only kohanim enjoying such a status can be involved in creating the ashes. This requires kohanim who were home-birthed and have never stepped inside a hospital or cemetery, where the impurity of tamei met is a given. The Institute has successfully located and brought on board eligible kohanim.

“Pure waters from the Shiloach spring located at the foot of the City of David must be collected, and cedar wood, hyssop, and wool dyed red with the tola’at shani insect must also be acquired and added to the ashes. Fortunately, all these elements are readily attainable.

“The actual burning of the heifer must take place on the Mount of Olives at a vantage point from which the kohen performing the ceremony can see into the great entrance of the Temple Sanctuary, (or, at least, where it stood).

“All throughout the Institute’s continuing efforts, tremendous research has formed the basis for every step forward we have taken. Rabbi Azariah Ariel of the Temple Institute has devoted years of his life researching and overseeing all these aspects.”

The announcement described a practice burning that was carried out recently using one of the Texas red heifers that had been deemed unsuitable.

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