~ Red Heifer to be Shipped ~
~ To Israel ~

      Those of you who have been following the ‘red heifer stories are probably aware that Melody, the red heifer born in Israel in late 1996, has been disqualified for use in the Red Heifer Ceremony (see Numbers chapter 19).
      Now, however, the Messianic Times reports that Clyde Lott, a Mississippi cattle breeder, is planning to airlift 500 Red Angus cattle to Israel, 140 of them at a time. The purpose of these shipments is two fold; to improve the quality of beef cattle in Israel, and to possibly provide the stock necessary so that a qualified red heifer might be born in the land of Israel which could be used in the Red heifer ceremony.
      Lott is said to believe that between five and seven of the heifers that are included in these shipments might fit the Numbers 19 requirements for a totally red cow. It could be from a descendant of one of these heifers that the eventual red heifer sacrifice will be found.

~ The Holy Half Shekel ~

      "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.
      "‘This is what everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs). The half-shekel shall be an offering to the LORD.’"
(Ex. 39:11-13)

      During the days of the Temple in Jerusalem, a collection was taken each year from all the males in Israel for the upkeep of the Temple. It was in the amount of a silver half-shekel. Traditionally the collection was taken during the days of Purim, one month before the Passover season. This practice stopped when the Temple was destroyed in 70 CE.
      Now the half-shekel offering is again being taken up in Israel. A special coin has been minted, and those who have purchased them are urged to donate them "for the upkeep of Jerusalem." It is presumed that when construction is begun on the third temple, proceeds from the Holy Half Shekel collection will be used for that purpose.
      For more information on the Holy Half Shekel, including how to order and contribute it and its disposition for the upkeep of Jerusalem, write to:

Beged Ivri
P.O. Box 28052
Jerusalem, Israel
Tel. 972-2-625-8943
Fax: 972-2-625-5191
E-mail: reuven@marksman.co.il
Or you can visit their website at:
http://www.israelvisit.co.il/beged-ivri

      Reuven Prager, the man behind the Holy half Shekel, also makes Biblical Garments, Biblical Blue Fringe, plus many other items.

~ Reprints ~

      While waiting for our new printing equipment to arrive, we ran out of a couple of back issues of Hebrew Roots. They will soon be reprinted and we will be sending them on to those of you who have requested them but instead received a notice saying they were out of print.
      If, by chance, you ordered Issue 96-1 or 96-2 and have not yet received it, please drop us a note and we will get it out to you right away.

~ ~

~ Shalom ~

(Aleph-Tav)

The Beginning and the End

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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