4/22/2017

Parashat 25 Portion 80 Tzav – Vayikra/Lev 6:8-7:38 Mal 3:4-12 Luke 6:39-49

Please note we have skipped Portion 79 as we discussed these issues in last week’s Torah Midrash.

Hebrew: Barukh attah Yahweh eloheinu melekh ha-olam, asher kideshanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu la'asok b'divrei Torah. V'ha'arev na Yahweh eloheinu et divrei toratekha befinu uvfi amekha beit Yisrael. V'niyeh anachnu v'tze'etze'einu v'tze'etza'ei amekha beit Yisrael kullanu yodei sh'mekha v'lomdei toratekha lishmah. Barukh attah Yahweh hamelamed Torah le'amo Yisrael. Barukh attah Yahweh Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, asher bachar banu mikol ha'amim venatan lanu et torato. Barukh attah Yahweh, noten haTorah.

English translation: Blessed art Thou, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set apart through His commandments and commanded us to actively study Torah. Please YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, Yahweh, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, Yahweh our Elohim, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah.

Lev 6:8  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 6:9  “Command Aharon and his sons, saying, ‘This is the Torah of the burnt offering: This is the burnt offering, because it is burned on the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar is kept burning on it.

ב  צַו אֶת-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת-בָּנָיו לֵאמֹר, זֹאת תּוֹרַת הָעֹלָה:  הִוא הָעֹלָה עַל מוֹקְדָה עַל-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כָּל-הַלַּיְלָה, עַד-הַבֹּקֶר, וְאֵשׁ הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, תּוּקַד בּוֹ.
2 Command Aaron and his sons, saying: This is the law of the burnt-offering: it is that which goeth up on its firewood upon the altar all night unto the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning thereby.


There is also a highlighted word in the above verse 9 – “This is the burnt offering, because it is burned on the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar is kept burning on it.”

Or this is the ascent offering on account of its glow (mokdah) on the altar all night until morning, the fire of the altar shall be kept glowing (tukad) upon it.

The words “mokdah” and “tukad” come from the root word “ yakad” which means to kindle.
The sages say that there were three kinds of flame on the altar used to consume the offering. The “mokdah” was possibly the burning coals that came from the logs (much like our charcoal used when we barbeque) It was from this “mokdah” that coals were taken for the golden altar of incense (this is also possibly why Aharons two sons were killed because they did not take coals from the brazen altar but rather took fire from elsewhere - strange fire)
This word “mokdah” is written in the Torah scroll with a diminished “mem”

“Mem” is the Hebrew letter that speaks of water or life. We believe that it is the Ruach of YHVH that brings and gives us life.

Luk 3:16  Yoḥanan answered, saying to them all, “I indeed immerse you in water, but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to loosen. He shall immerse you in the Set-apart Spirit and fire.

The outpouring of the Ruach on the day of Shavuot (Hebrew)/Pentecost (translation from Greek) is compared to fire.

Act 2:3  And there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and settled on each one of them.

The messengers of YHVH are also compared with fire.


The diminished “mem” could refer to the human vessels that YHVH chooses to fill with the burning treasure of His Ruach. This flame is continually kindled by the study and obedience of Torah.
The diminished “mem” could also refer to someone who allows these burning coals to continually purify them of all unclean things – because only when we are cleansed can we live in relationships that bring life.  One of the most important issues of offerings was to restore fractured relationships.

Isa 6:6  And one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
Isa 6:7  And he touched my mouth with it, and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your crookedness is taken away, and your sin is covered.”

Even though the temple has been destroyed Yahshua came to kindle this flame amongst those who would follow him. The Messiah will rebuild the temple and only those who have the same “mokdah” as Messiah will rule and reign with him.

Luk 12:49  “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!
Luk 12:50  “But I have an immersion to be immersed with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
Luk 12:51  “Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? I say to you, no, but rather division.

Lev 6:10  ‘And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and put his linen trousers on his body, and shall take up the ashes of the burnt offering which the fire has consumed on the altar, and shall put them beside the altar.
Lev 6:11  ‘And he shall take off his garments, and put on other garments, and shall bring the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
Lev 6:12  ‘And the fire on the altar is kept burning on it, it is not put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and arrange the burnt offering on it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings –
Lev 6:13  fire is continually kept burning on the altar, it is not put out.

The ashes of the burnt offering is the evidence of a total dedication and presentation of ourselves to YHVH. When we or the priest gather this evidence off the altar we are to do so in our “set apart garments” that we use when ministering to and before YHVH. When we transport these ashes to outside the camp we are to change our clothing to ordinary clothing. Perhaps this is so we don’t attract attention to ourselves or try and impress people with our set apartness. These ashes then become a witness to the nations of an interceding priesthood.

Shaul possibly is referring to this burnt offering when in Romans 12.

Rom 12:1  I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship.
Rom 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.
Rom 12:3  For I say, through the favour which has been given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he should think, but to think soberly, as Elohim has given to each a measure of belief.

When we offer ourselves in this way we will know the perfect will of the Father.

Lev 6:14  ‘And this is the Torah of the grain offering: The sons of Aharon shall bring it near before יהוה, in front of the altar,
Lev 6:15  and shall take from it with his hand from the fine flour of the grain offering, and from its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the grain offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a sweet fragrance, as its remembrance portion to יהוה.
Lev 6:16  ‘Then Aharon and his sons eat the rest of it. It is eaten with unleavened bread, in the set-apart place. They eat it in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
Lev 6:17  ‘It is not baked with leaven. I have given it to them as their portion of My offerings made by fire, it is most set-apart, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.
Lev 6:18  ‘All the males among the children of Aharon eat it – a law forever in your generations concerning the offerings made by fire to יהוה. All that touches them is to be set-apart.’ ”
Lev 6:19  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 6:20  “This is the offering of Aharon and his sons, which they bring near to יהוה, beginning on the day when he is anointed: one-tenth of an ĕphah of fine flour as a daily grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it at night.
Lev 6:21  “It is made on a griddle with oil. Bring it in mixed, bring the baked portions of the grain offering near, a sweet fragrance to יהוה.
Lev 6:22  “And the anointed priest from among his sons, who is in his place, prepares it – a law forever to יהוה. All of it has to be burned,
Lev 6:23  and every grain offering for the priest is completely burned, it is not eaten.”
Lev 6:24  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 6:25  “Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the Torah of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, the sin offering is slaughtered before יהוה, it is most set-apart.
Lev 6:26  ‘The priest who is making atonement eats it, in the set-apart place it is eaten, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
Lev 6:27  ‘All that touches its flesh is to be set-apart. And when its blood is sprinkled on any garment, you wash that on which it was sprinkled, in a set-apart place.
Lev 6:28  ‘But the earthen vessel in which it is cooked is to be broken. And if it is cooked in a bronze pot, then it is scoured and rinsed in water.
Lev 6:29  ‘Every male among the priests eats it, it is most set-apart.
Lev 6:30  ‘And no sin offering from which any of the blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting, to make atonement in the set-apart place, is eaten, it is burned with fire.
Lev 7:1  ‘And this is the Torah of the guilt offering – it is most set-apart.
Lev 7:2  ‘The guilt offering is slaughtered in the place where they slaughter the burnt offering, and its blood is sprinkled on the altar all around.
Lev 7:3  ‘Then he brings from it all its fat: the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails,
Lev 7:4  and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the loins, and the appendage on the liver, which he removes with the kidneys.
Lev 7:5  ‘And the priest shall burn them on the altar as an offering made by fire to יהוה. It is a guilt offering.
Lev 7:6  ‘Every male among the priests eats it. It is eaten in the set-apart place, it is most set-apart.
Lev 7:7  ‘The guilt offering is like the sin offering, there is one Torah for them both: the priest who makes atonement with it, it is his.
Lev 7:8  ‘And the priest who brings anyone’s burnt offering, the skin of the burnt offering which he has brought is the priest’s, it is his.
Lev 7:9  ‘And every grain offering that is baked in the oven and all that is prepared in the stewing-pot, or on a griddle, is the priest’s who brings it, it is his.
Lev 7:10  ‘And every grain offering mixed with oil, or dry, is for all the sons of Aharon, for all alike.

Why are the sin and guilt offering called most set apart of the fire offerings? (Lev 2:3 tells us that the grain offering is the most set apart of all the fire offerings)
The sin and guilt offering (also the burnt offering) were offered on the northern side of the altar (mizbeach). “North in Hebrew is “tzaphon” and speaks of that which is hidden or a mystery.

Lev 7:11  ‘And this is the Torah of the slaughtering of peace offerings which is brought to יהוה:
Lev 7:12  ‘If he brings it for a thanksgiving, then he shall bring with the slaughtering of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened thin cakes anointed with oil, or cakes of finely blended flour mixed with oil.
Lev 7:13  ‘Besides the cakes, he brings as his offering leavened bread together with the slaughtering of thanksgiving of his peace offering.
Lev 7:14  ‘And from it he shall bring one cake from each offering as a contribution to יהוה: to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offering, it is his.
Lev 7:15  ‘As for the flesh of the slaughtering of his peace offering for thanksgiving, it is eaten the same day it is offered, he does not leave any of it until morning.
Lev 7:16  ‘And if the offering he brings is a vow or a voluntary offering, it is eaten the same day that he brings his slaughtering, and what is left of it is eaten the next day,
Lev 7:17  but whatever is left of the flesh of the slaughtering on the third day is burned with fire.
Lev 7:18  ‘However, if any of the flesh of his peace offering is eaten at all on the third day, it is not accepted. It is not reckoned to him who brings it, it is unclean to him, and the being who eats of it bears his crookedness.
Lev 7:19  ‘And the flesh that touches that which is unclean is not eaten, it is burned with fire. And as for the clean flesh, all who are clean eat of it.
Lev 7:20  ‘But the being who eats the flesh of the peace offering that belongs to יהוה, while he is unclean, that being shall be cut off from his people.

In essence, tum’ah, “spiritual impurity,” is definable as the “absence of set apartness”
This is one of the reasons we submit to a mikvah (immersion) to acknowledge our impurity and receive cleansing from YHVH.

Lev 7:21  ‘And when a being who touches that which is unclean, of the uncleanness of man, or of the uncleanness of beast, or of any unclean swarming creature, and shall eat the flesh of the peace offering that belongs to יהוה, that being shall be cut off from his people.’

 That is why Shaul advises us before we take the Passover to examine ourselves that we are discerning the body of Messiah in the proper way. Remember the times of our ignorance He has winked at, in these coming days we will no longer get away with our ignorance and disobedience. (1 Cor 11:23-32;Acts 17:30)

Lev 7:22  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 7:23  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘Do not eat any fat, of bull or sheep or goat.
Lev 7:24  ‘And the fat of a dead body, and the fat of what is torn, is used for any purpose, but you do not eat it at all.
Lev 7:25  ‘For whoever eats the fat of the beast of which men bring as an offering made by fire to יהוה, even the being who eats it shall be cut off from his people.
Lev 7:26  ‘And do not eat any blood in any of your dwellings, of bird or of beast.
Lev 7:27  ‘Any being who eats any blood, even that being shall be cut off from his people.’ ”
Lev 7:28  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 7:29  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘He who brings his peace offering to יהוה brings his offering to יהוה from the slaughtering of his peace offering.
Lev 7:30  ‘With his own hands he bring the offerings made by fire to יהוה. He brings the fat with the breast, to be waved as a wave offering before יהוה.
Lev 7:31  ‘And the priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be Aharon’s and his sons.’
Lev 7:32  ‘And the right thigh you give to the priest as a contribution from your peace offerings.
Lev 7:33  ‘He among the sons of Aharon, who brings the blood of the peace offering, and the fat, the right thigh is his for a portion.
Lev 7:34  ‘For the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution I have taken from the children of Yisra’ĕl, from their peace offerings, and I give them to Aharon the priest and to his sons, as a law forever, from the children of Yisra’ĕl.’ ”
Lev 7:35  This is the anointed portion for Aharon and the anointed portion for his sons, from the offerings made by fire to יהוה, on the day when Mosheh presented them to serve as priests to יהוה,
Lev 7:36  which יהוה commanded to be given to them by the children of Yisra’ĕl, on the day that He anointed them, a law forever throughout their generations.
Lev 7:37  This is the Torah of the burnt offering, of the grain offering, and of the sin offering, and of the guilt offering, and of the ordinations, and of the peace offering,
Lev 7:38  which יהוה commanded Mosheh on Mount Sinai, on the day when He commanded the children of Yisra’ĕl to bring their offerings to יהוה, in the Wilderness of Sinai.