Vayikra (Leviticus) 21:1-24:23
This
Torah portion once again sets out for us how a Set apart priesthood brings
creation into harmony with its Creator. This is accomplished by a dedicated
priesthood who prepare YHVH’s people for His “moedim/moadim” Appointments- “moed” -
Appointment (what is also called at other times “chaggim”-feasts. “Chag” – feast
except Yom haKippurim which is not a time of feast but of fasting and praying).
Yahshua
our High Priest who is sitting at the right hand of YHVH will soon return to
establish a righteous set apart priesthood and a Temple in Yerushalayim according
to the instructions of the Torah so that he can lead a righteous set apart
people into the presence of YHVH.
Blessing for the Torah:
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher
bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn
ha-Torah. Ameyn.”
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,
(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe,
you have selected us from among all the peoples, and
have given us your Torah.
Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)
Torah Readings:
1.
21:1-15
2.
21:16 – 22:16
3.
22:17-33
4.
23:1-22
5.
23:23-32
6.
23:33-44
7.
24:1-20
8.
Maftir: 24:21-23
Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31- describes
the on -going ministry of the Levitical priests (Kohanim) during the
millennium.
Eze 44:15 “But the priests, the
Lĕwites, the sons of Tsaḏoq, who guarded the
duty of My set-apart place when the children of Yisra’ĕl went astray from Me,
they shall draw near to Me to serve Me, and shall stand before Me to bring to
Me the fat and the blood,” declares the Master יהוה.
Eze 44:16 “They
shall enter My set-apart place, and they shall draw near to My table to serve
Me, and they shall guard My charge. (These priests would prepare the offerings
for all the feasts of YHVH’s appointed times (Vayikra 23).
In verses 10-14 Ezekiel tells us that certain priest will
not allowed to minister to YHVH during this time (millennium) because they went
astray and led others astray.
Eze 44:12
“Because they attended to them before their idols and became a
stumbling-block of crookedness to the house of Yisra’ĕl, therefore I have
lifted My hand in an oath (Heb –declare an oracle, from root word to whisper)
against them,” declares the Master יהוה, “that they shall bear their crookedness,
Then some further instructions from verse 20:
Eze 44:20 “And
their heads they shall not shave, nor shall they let their hair grow long –
they shall keep their hair well trimmed.
Eze 44:21 “And no
priest is to drink wine when he comes into the inner court.
Eze 44:22 “And
they do not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take maidens of the
seed of the house of Yisra’ĕl, or widows of priests.
Eze 44:23 “And
they are to teach My people the difference between the set-apart and the
profane, and make them know what is unclean and clean.
Eze 44:24 “And
they are to stand as judges in a dispute, and judge it according to My
right-rulings. And they are to guard My Torot and My laws in all My appointed
festivals, and set apart My Sabbaths.
Eze 44:25 “And
they are not to defile themselves by coming near a dead man. Only for a father
or mother, for a son or daughter, for a brother or unmarried sister they defile
themselves.
Eze 44:26 “And
after his cleansing, they count seven days for him,
Eze 44:27 and on
the day that he comes into the inner court of the set-apart place to attend in
the set-apart place, he brings his sin offering,” declares the Master יהוה.
Eze 44:28 “And it
shall be to them for an inheritance, I am their inheritance. And you give them
no possession in Yisra’ĕl – I am their possession.
Eze 44:29 “The
grain offering, and the sin offering, and the guilt offering they are to eat,
and all that is dedicated in Yisra’ĕl is theirs.
Aliyah Rishon 21:1-15
Lev 21:1 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Speak to the
priests, the sons of Aharon, and say to them: ‘No one is to be defiled for the
dead among his people,
Lev
21:2 except for his relatives who are
nearest to him: for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for
his daughter, and for his brother;
Lev
21:3 and for his maiden sister who is
near to him, who has had no husband – for her he is defiled.
Lev
21:4 ‘A leader does not defile himself
among his people, to profane himself;
Lev
21:5 they do not make any bald place on
their heads, and they do not shave the corner of their beard, and they do not
make a cutting in their flesh.
The pagan priests especially the sun worshippers who
worshipped the sun god “ra” had round
bald patches on their heads (much like some of the monks of the RCC) During the
Greek and Roman times men would often shave off all their body hair as this was
done among many practicing homosexuals of the time.
Lev
21:6 ‘They are set-apart to their Elohim
and do not profane the Name of their Elohim, for they bring the offerings of יהוה made by fire, and the bread of their Elohim, and shall be
set-apart.
The use of the word “emor” (say) instead of “diber” or
“speak” possibly refers to the nature of YHVH’s relationship with the priests.
These were a very special group of people who represented YHVH to the nation of
Yisrael and enjoyed a special intimacy with Him.
YHVH warns the priesthood not to be caught up with a
culture of death but to embrace life. Religious people are often in danger of
becoming too engrossed in matters relating to death – “what is going to happen
to you when you die?” should rather be “what is going to happen to you when you
live?” Death is just a transition to the “olam ha ba” the coming age. This
Torah portion speaks of the preparation we need in order to be worthy of the
coming age.
Stones Chumash comments on vs 1 “among his people”
(beamaiv) to mean that other Hebrews were to assume responsibility for the
burial of dead people so that it would not be necessary for the priests to do
so. However when the corpse is isolated with no one to care for it (met
mitzeva) then even the High priest was to stop everything in order to bury such
a deceased one.
Yahshua establishes this principle when he says:
Mat 8:21 And another of His taught ones said to Him,
“Master, first let me go and bury my father.”
Mat 8:22 But יהושע said to
him, “Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
It is possible that we have become deeply affected by a
culture of death. Today many seem infatuated by demonology and a theology of
death. It seems that the Ruach of YHVH still “whispers” to a remnant priesthood, “let the dead bury the dead.”
This of course does not mean that we in any way
disrespect our parents and not attend their funerals, it refers to a larger
issue that is associated with death.
Lev
21:7 ‘They do not take a woman who is a
whore or a defiled woman, and they do not take a woman put away from her
husband, for he is set-apart to his Elohim.
Lev
21:8 ‘And you shall set him apart, for
he brings the bread of your Elohim, he is set-apart to you. For I, יהוה, setting you apart, am set-apart.
Lev
21:9 ‘And when the daughter of any
priest profanes herself by whoring, she profanes her father. She is burned with
fire.
Lev
21:10 ‘And the high priest among his brothers,
on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is ordained to wear the
garments, does not unbind his head nor tear his garments,
Lev
21:11 nor come near any dead body, nor
defile himself for his father or his mother,
Lev
21:12 nor go out of the set-apart place,
nor profane the set-apart place of his Elohim, for the sign of dedication of
the anointing oil of his Elohim is upon him. I am יהוה.
What does Moshiach mean? ‘Anointed one’. This verse clearly is linked to the King of Israel of who the Torah also shares the phrase “among…brothers” in describing him.
Why does the High Priest not attend to the dead (exception of met mitzeva)? I believe it is because the Messiah is about the Father’s business and the Father’s business is about LIFE and not death. In the case of the “met mitzeva” it may be about cleansing the land from innocent blood.
Lev
21:13 ‘And let him take a wife in her
maidenhood.
Lev
21:14 ‘A widow or one put away or a
defiled woman or a whore – these he does not take. But a maiden of his own
people he does take as a wife.
Lev
21:15 ‘And he does not profane his
offspring among his people, for I am יהוה, who sets him apart.’ ”
YHVH will appoint additional priests from the gentiles to
join these Levitical priests during the millennium.
Yeshayahu/Isa
66:21 “And from them (gentiles -see vs
20) too I shall take for priests – for Lĕwites,” declares יהוה.
Isa 66:22 “For as
the new heavens and the new earth that I make stand before Me,” declares יהוה, “so your seed and your name shall
stand.
Isa 66:23 “And it
shall be that from New Moon to New Moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh
shall come to worship before Me,” declares יהוה.
Isa 66:24 “And
they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed
against Me1. For their worm shall not die, and their fire not be
quenched. And they shall be repulsive to all flesh!” Footnote: 1See
24:6, 34:2-3, Ps. 110:6, Jer. 25:33.
The Second Writings (what we called New Testament) also
speak of this future priesthood:
Rev 20:6 Blessed and set-apart is the one having part in the
first resurrection. The second death possesses no authority over these, but they shall be priests of Elohim and of
Messiah, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
We get a small glimpse into the life during the millennium from the
prophet Yeshayahu/Is:
Isa 65:20 “No more is an infant from there going to
live but a few days, nor an old man who does not complete his days, for the
youth dies one hundred years old, but the sinner being one hundred years old
shall be lightly esteemed.
Aliyah
Sheni 21:16-22:16
Lev 21:16 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Lev 21:17 “Speak
to Aharon, saying, ‘No man of your offspring throughout their generations, who
has any defect, is to draw near to bring the bread of his Elohim.
Lev 21:18 ‘For any
man who has a defect is not to draw near: a man blind or one lame or disfigured
or deformed,
Lev 21:19 a man
who has a broken foot or broken hand,
Lev 21:20 or is a
hunchback or a dwarf, or a man who has a defect in his eye, or eczema or scab,
or is a eunuch.
Lev 21:21 ‘No man
among the offspring of Aharon the priest, who has a defect, is to come near to
bring the offerings made by fire to יהוה – he has a defect, he does not come near to bring the bread of
his Elohim.
Heb word for “defect” is “moom” and implies having any
moral stain. Note these are the instructions regarding the High priest which is
a shadow and type of our High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for
us.
Ivrim/Heb 7:25 Therefore He is
also able to save completely those who draw near to Elohim through Him, ever
living to make intercession for them.
Heb 7:26 For it was fitting that
we should have such a High Priest – kind, innocent, undefiled, having been
separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens,
Heb 7:27 who does not need, as
those high priests, to offer up slaughter offerings day by day, first
for His own sins and then for those of the people, for this He did once for all
when He offered up Himself.
Heb 7:28 For
the Torah appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the
oath which came after the Torah, appoints the Son having been perfected
forever.
Lev 21:22 ‘He does
eat the bread of his Elohim, both the most set-apart and the set-apart,
Lev 21:23 only, he
does not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a defect, lest
he profanes My set-apart places. For I am יהוה, who sets them apart.’ ”
Lev 21:24 Thus
Mosheh spoke to Aharon and his sons, and to all the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Lev 22:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Lev 22:2 “Speak to
Aharon and his sons, that they separate themselves from the set-apart offerings
of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and that they do not profane My set-apart Name in
what they set apart to Me. I am יהוה.
Lev 22:3 “Say to
them, ‘Any man of all your offspring throughout your generations who draws near
the set-apart offerings which the children of Yisra’ĕl set apart to יהוה, while he has uncleanness upon him,
that being shall be cut off from before Me. I am יהוה.
Lev 22:4 ‘Any man
of the offspring of Aharon, who is a leper or has a discharge, does not eat the
set-apart offerings until he is clean. And whoever touches what is
rendered unclean by a corpse, or a man who has had an emission of semen,
Lev 22:5 or a man
who touches any creeping creature by which he would be made unclean, or any
being by whom he would become unclean, even any of his uncleanness;
Lev 22:6 the being
who has touched it shall be unclean until evening, and does not eat the
set-apart offerings, but shall bathe his body in water.
Lev 22:7 ‘And when
the sun goes down he shall be clean, and afterward eat the set-apart offerings,
because it is his food.
Lev 22:8 ‘He does
not eat that which dies or is torn by beasts, becoming unclean by it. I
am יהוה.
Lev 22:9 ‘And they
shall guard My Charge, lest they bear sin for it and die thereby, when they
profane it. I יהוה set them
apart.
Lev 22:10 ‘And no
stranger eats the set-apart offering. A sojourner with the priest, or a hired
servant, does not eat the set-apart offering.
Lev 22:11 ‘But
when the priest buys a being with his money, he does eat of it. And one who is
born in his house does eat his food.
Lev 22:12 ‘And
when a priest’s daughter is married to a stranger, she does not eat of the
set-apart offerings.
Lev 22:13 ‘But
when a priest’s daughter is a widow or put away, and has no child, and has
returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she does eat her father’s food,
but no stranger eats of it.
Lev 22:14 ‘And
when a man eats the set-apart offering by mistake, then he shall give a
set-apart offering to the priest, and add one-fifth to it.
Lev 22:15 ‘And let
the priests not profane the set-apart offerings of the children of
Yisra’ĕl, which they lift up to יהוה,
Lev 22:16 or allow
them to bear the crookedness of trespass when they eat their set-apart
offerings. For I am יהוה, who
sets them apart.’ ”
Aliyah Shlishi 22:17-33
Lev 22:17 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Lev 22:18 “Speak
to Aharon and his sons, and to all the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them,
‘Any man of the house of Yisra’ĕl, or of the strangers in Yisra’ĕl, who brings
his offering for any of his vows or for any of his voluntary offerings, which
they bring to יהוה as a
burnt offering,
Lev 22:19 for your
acceptance, is a male, a perfect one from the cattle, from the sheep, or from
the goats.
Lev 22:20
‘Whatever has a defect, you do not bring, for it is not acceptable for
you.
Lev 22:21 ‘And
when a man brings a peace offering to יהוה, to complete a vow, or a voluntary
offering from the cattle or the sheep, it is to be perfect to be accepted, let
there be no defect in it.
Lev 22:22 ‘Those
blind or broken or having a cut, or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs, you do
not bring to יהוה, nor
make an offering by fire of them on the altar to יהוה.
Lev 22:23 ‘As for
a bull or a lamb that has any limb deformed or dwarfed you do prepare as a
voluntary offering, but for a vow it is not accepted.
Lev 22:24 ‘Do not
bring to יהוה what is bruised or crushed, or torn
or cut, nor do it in your land.
Lev 22:25 ‘And
from a son of a stranger’s hand you do not bring any of these as the bread of
your Elohim, for their corruption is in them, and defects are in them, they are
not acceptable for you.’ ”
Lev 22:26 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 22:27 “When a
bull or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall be seven days with its mother. And
from the eighth day and thereafter it is acceptable as an offering made by fire
to יהוה.
Lev 22:28 “But do
not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.
Lev 22:29 “And
when you bring a slaughtering of thanksgiving to יהוה, bring it for your acceptance.