Vayiqra/Lev 9:1 – 11:47
We serve an awesome wonderful and mighty Heavenly Father. He created the stars with His fingers and He brings to life a priestly nation and then His own son who is the crown of His esteem reveals the perfect way into His perfect presence on the EIGHTH DAY.
Tehillim/Psa 8:1 O יהוה, our Master, how excellent is Your Name in all the earth, You who set Your splendour above the heavens!
Psa 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and infants You have founded strength, Because of Your adversaries, To put an end to enemy and avenger.
Psa 8:3 For I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have established.
Psa 8:4 What is man that You remember him? And the son of man that You visit him?
Psa 8:5 Yet You have made him a little less than Elohim, And have crowned him with esteem and splendour.
Psa 8:6 You made him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all under his feet,
Psa 8:7 All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field,
Psa 8:8 The birds of the heavens, And the fish of the sea, Passing through the paths of the seas.
Psa 8:9 O יהוה, our Master, How excellent is Your Name in all the earth!
HEART OF THE TORAH:
What seems to confirm the importance of this eighth day reality is the fact that the very middle letter and word of the Torah are found in this portion, the sages thus call this portion the “heart of the Torah.”
There are 304805 letters in the Torah, the middle letter of Torah is the “vav” of Gachon (belly) Lev 11:42 –
The middle words of the Torah is in Lev 10:16 – “Drosh drash” and means “ in searching you must search.” (which mean you must truly search for the truth)
The middle verse is found in the previous parasha ( 5845 verses in the Torah) Vayiqra/Lev 8:8 and put the breastplate on him, and put the Urim and the Tummim in the breastplate. (Light and perfections refers to Moshiach)
The sages teach that we can see from this middle letter, word and verse that the first has to do with the body then then the next with the soul and finally our spirit. The heart or central instruction of the Torah has to do with the whole man
1Th 5:23 And the Elohim of peace Himself set you completely apart, and your entire spirit, and being, and body - be preserved blameless at the coming of our Master יהושע Messiah!
1Th 5:24 He who calls you is trustworthy, who also shall do it.
The number 26 is of course also the gematria of the name of YHVH.
Blessing of 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:
- 9:1-16
- 9:17-23
- 9:24 – 10:11
- 10:12-15
- 10:16-20
- 11:1-32
- 11:33-44
- Maftir: 11:45-47
Haftarah: 2 Samuel 6:1 – 7:17 (A); 6:1-19 (S)
Aliyah Rishon 9:1-16
Lev 9:1 And on the eighth (shemeni) day it came to be that Mosheh called Aharon and his sons and the elders of Yisra’ĕl.
That day was as joyous to YHVH as the day on which heaven and earth were created. (Talmud, Megillah 10b)
This eighth day was the first day of the first month (Rosh Chodesh) . The first month is called the month of the Aviv (Also Nisan since Babylonian captivity). On this day the tabernacle and priesthood was dedicated and established by YHVH to be His eternal pattern of provision for our return back into His presence
The sages tell us that there were many significant new beginnings introduced in this parasha:
- First day of the week – (or eighth day) The book of Leviticus introduces this concept more than any other book in scripture – (nine references). Yahshua rose from the dead on the 8 th day (which is also the First day) of the week - sealed the promise of the New Covenant for ever - now it could never change - He established the surety of a new beginning for all humanity.
- Here we see the first day the princes of Israel bring special gifts. The tribe of Judah was the first in dedicating gifts to the altar.
- On this eighth day Aaron’s sons become priests serving Israel, performing priestly service
- Eighth day fire descended on the altar –that came from Elohim.
- Eighth day was the first “tamid” ie continual offering morning and afternoon.
- First offerings eaten or totally consumed –
- First evidence of the “shechina” or presence of YHVH entered into the tabernacle
- First day the Aaronic blessing was spoken.
- First time new instruction given about altars. No other altars where priestly duties carried out were to be erected - no one could just go and erect an altar and bring an offering to YHVH.
- First time “rosh chodesh” – new moon ceremony conducted.
Lev 9:2 And he said to Aharon, “Take for yourself a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, a perfect one, and bring them before יהוה.
Lev 9:3 “And speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘Take a male goat as a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, perfect ones, as a burnt offering,
Lev 9:4 and a bull and a ram as peace offerings, to slaughter before יהוה, and a grain offering mixed with oil. For today יהוה shall appear to you.’ ” Note it starts with an appointed priesthood who know and realize how serious sin is. This seriousness of sin can only come about when a set apart priesthood recognizes the seriousness of sin in their own lives; hence we see that a bull is offered for their sin but only a male goat offering for the sin of the people.
We see in these offerings the pathway of the restoration of all things (tikkun olam).
First a priesthood who recognize the seriousness of sin in their own lives knows how to intercede and understand the brokenness in the lives of those they are ministering to.
This kind of identification helps lead YHVH’S people to progress in their set apartness (holiness) as indicated by the progression and significance of their offerings, from a ram for a sin offering to a bull for a fellowship or burnt offering. When a people live in victory over sin and enter into a set apart intimacy with the Father they enjoy the blessing of deeper inner renewal and transformation.
Note the words “For today יהוה shall appear to you.” These words are written in the perfect tense, the implication is that when a righteous priesthood exists it will be just as good as if a people have already seen YHVH.
Lev 9:5 And they took what Mosheh commanded before the Tent of Meeting, and all the congregation drew near and stood before יהוה.
Lev 9:6 And Mosheh said, “This is the word which יהוה commanded you to do, so that the esteem of יהוה appears to you.”
Lev 9:7 And Mosheh said to Aharon, “Go to the altar, and prepare your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. And make the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as יהוה has commanded.”
Lev 9:8 So Aharon came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
Lev 9:9 And the sons of Aharon brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured the blood at the base of the altar.
Lev 9:10 And the fat, and the kidneys, and the appendage on the liver of the sin offering he burned on the altar, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh.
Lev 9:11 And the flesh and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.
Lev 9:12 And he slaughtered the burnt offering, and the sons of Aharon presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled on the altar all around.
Lev 9:13 And they presented the burnt offering to him, with its pieces and head, and he burned them on the altar.
Lev 9:14 And he washed the entrails and the legs, and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar.
Lev 9:15 And he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slaughtered it and made it a sin offering, like the first one.
Lev 9:16 And he brought the burnt offering and made it, according to the right-ruling.
Aliyah Sheni 9:17 - 23
Lev 9:17 He also brought the grain offering, and filled his hand with it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning.
Lev 9:18 And he slaughtered the bull and the ram as peace offerings, which were for the people. And Aharon’s sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled on the altar all around,
Lev 9:19 and the fat from the bull and the ram, the fat tail, and the covering, and the kidneys, and the appendage on the liver,
Lev 9:20 and they placed the fat on the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar.
Lev 9:21 But the breasts and the right thigh Aharon waved as a wave offering before יהוה, as Mosheh had commanded.
Lev 9:22 Aharon then lifted up his hand toward the people and blessed them, and came down from making the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings.
Lev 9:23 And Mosheh and Aharon went into the Tent of Meeting, and came out and blessed the people. And the esteem of יהוה appeared to all the people,
Note the order of these offerings – first was the sin offering which emphasizes that without purification there can be no communication or fellowship with the Father. The burnt offering came next which brings a desire in us to completely surrender to YHVH. The grain offering follows in which we enjoy a covenantal meal with YHVH, we” break bread” together enjoying fellowship with one another. Finally the peace offering is the blessing we enjoy of knowing that it is well between YHVH and us as well as our fellowman and ourselves.
People who see the implications of what the Torah is teaching in these offerings enjoy a special kind of intimacy with the Father.
In Yahshua we begin to enjoy an intimacy with YHVH through his atoning death for our sin, out of deep gratitude for this atonement we seek to surrender ourselves completely to YHVH. This causes us to seek fellowship with Yahshua and with those who have come to share in this wonderful redemptive kindness of the Father. This brings the shalom of YHVH that passes all understanding.
If our relationship with Yahshua is not ‘packaged’ in the history and context of the Living Torah, then we will not know the Messiah as he is meant to be known.
Aliyah Shlishi 9:24-10:11
Lev 9:24 and fire came out from before יהוה and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. And all the people saw and cried aloud and fell on their faces.
Lev 10:1 And Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aharon, each took his fire holder and put fire in it, and put incense on it, and brought strange fire before יהוה, which He had not commanded them.
Lev 10:2 And fire came out from יהוה and consumed them, and they died before יהוה.
It is probable that Adav and Avihu were not aware of the seriousness of their actions; they were most probably deeply moved at witnessing the mighty presence of YHVH descend on the offerings and completely consume them.
Shaul may have addressed a similar condition in Romans 10.
Rom 10:1 Truly brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to Elohim for Yisra’ĕl is for deliverance.
Rom 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have an ardour for Elohim, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3 For not knowing the righteousness of Elohim, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they did not subject themselves to1 the righteousness of Elohim. Footnote: 1Or did not obey.
Rom 10:4 For Messiah is the goal1 of the ‘Torah unto righteousness’ to everyone who believes. Footnote: 1Or end purpose; not termination.
This strange fire was most probably not taken from the brazen altar which is a symbol and type of the execution of Messiah. The incense Adav and Avihu were offering did not carry the fragrance of Messiah’s life offered up willingly for mankind.
This should cause us as believers in Yahshua to fear and ask ourselves whether our service and worship of YHVH carry the fragrance of Messiah or the fragrance of manmade doctrines or someone’s ministry or personality.
It is deeply disturbing that many believers associate the birth of a pagan deity with the birth of our Messiah (Christmas). Is this not offering a kind of strange fire? There are many such practices in the church.
The church has presented YHVH’s plan of redemption in the cloak of Christian theology and not Torah. We have thus removed YHVH’S redemptive plan from its original context. WE HAVE OFFERED STRANGE FIRE BEFORE YHVH.
Lev 10:3 Then Mosheh said to Aharon, “This is what יהוה spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me let Me be set-apart! And before all the people let Me be esteemed!’ ” And Aharon was silent.
Aharon must have known deep in his spirit that a great violation of YHVH’S set apartness had taken place.
In youth, one learns to talk; in maturity, one learns to be silent. This is man's problem: that he learns to talk before he learns to be silent (Rabbi Nachman of Breslav)
Said Rav Papa: The merit of attending a house of mourning lies in the silence observed (Talmud, Berachot 6b)
Lev 10:4 And Mosheh called to Misha’ĕl and to Eltsaphan, the sons of Uzzi’ĕl the uncle of Aharon, and said to them, “Come near, take your brothers from before the set-apart place out of the camp.
Lev 10:5 So they came near and took them by their long shirts out of the camp, as Mosheh had said.
Lev 10:6 And Mosheh said to Aharon, and to El’azar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Do not unbind your heads nor tear your garments, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people. But let your brothers, all the house of Yisra’ĕl, bewail the burning which יהוה has kindled.
Lev 10:7 “And do not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of יהוה is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Mosheh.
Lev 10:8 And יהוה spoke to Aharon, saying,
Lev 10:9 “Do not drink wine or strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of Meeting, lest you die – a law forever throughout your generations,
Lev 10:10 so as to make a distinction between the set-apart and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean,
Lev 10:11 and to teach the children of Yisra’ĕl all the laws which יהוה has spoken to them by the hand of Mosheh.”
An appointed priesthood will be empowered to show the true followers of YHVH how to discern that which defiles and that which purifies.
Aliyah Reviee 10:12-15
Lev 10:12 And Mosheh spoke to Aharon, and to El’azar and Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the grain offering that is left over from the offerings made by fire to יהוה, and eat it without leaven beside the altar, for it is most set-apart.
Lev 10:13 “And you shall eat it in a set-apart place, because it is yours by law and your sons’ by law, of the offerings made by fire to יהוה, for so I have been commanded.
Lev 10:14 “And the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution you eat in a clean place, you, and your sons, and your daughters with you. For they are yours by law and your sons’ by law, which are given from the slaughterings of peace offerings of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Lev 10:15 “The thigh of the contribution and the breast of the wave offering they bring with the offerings of fat made by fire, to bring as a wave offering before יהוה. And it shall be yours and your sons’ with you, by a law forever, as יהוה has commanded.”
Aliyah Chamishi 10:16-20
Lev 10:16 And Mosheh diligently looked for the goat of the sin offering and saw it was burned up. And he was wroth with El’azar and Ithamar, the sons of Aharon who were left, saying,
Lev 10:17 “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in a set-apart place, since it is most set-apart, and Elohim has given it to you to bear the crookedness of the congregation, to make atonement for them before יהוה?
Lev 10:18 “See, its blood was not brought inside the set-apart place. You should have eaten it without fail in a set-apart place, as I have commanded.”
Lev 10:19 And Aharon said to Mosheh, “See, today they have brought their sin offering and their burnt offering before יהוה, and matters like these have come to me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been right in the eyes of יהוה?”
Lev 10:20 And when Mosheh heard that, it was good in his eyes.
Moshe was deeply concerned over the consequences of any form of disobedience from the priests and feared additional calamity as a result of this departure of Aarons when they did not eat from the sin offering as they were meant to. Aaron sensed that this departure would be a once off event that YHVH had prompted him to follow. Moshe was satisfied with his answer because he knew and understood that it seemed to have come by YHVH’S leading. Why? Once again I believe we need to seek for answers in the life and ministry of our Messiah, he was an offering that no man could be part of. This can be compared by this once off exception that Aaron made in regards to the sin offering.
Once again we see that it is impossible to understand the Torah without seeing the fulfillment and manifestation of our Messiah in its pages.
Aliyah Shishi 11:1-32
There is a thorough treatise of kosher dietary laws. This once again reminds us that YHVH seeks to share a special fellowship with us during our mealtimes. In these days the Ruach (Spirit) of YHVH wants to restore a special revelation of the importance and significance of sharing our meals with one another.
This chapter defines which animals are edible and which are forbidden for the children of Yisrael. The children of Yisrael have been set apart from the other nations in order to be different. Therefore these laws apply to all those who belong to the people of Yisrael, both through birth and those who have been grafted in through their acceptance of Yeshua the Messiah – those who chose to put away their pagan ways and influences and who made a commitment to follow the Elohim of Yisrael, the only true Elohim full out.