Shabbat Parah falls in the second half of the month of Adar, preceding Passover, and is dedicated to reviewing the laws of ritual purity necessary for bringing the Passover offering. The Torah portion dealing with the Red Heifer (Parah Adumah) is read on this Shabbat. The Red Heifer, outlined in Numbers 19, is a unique commandment involving specific conditions for a red cow without blemish to be sacrificed and its ashes used for purification rituals.