12/17/2020

Parashat 31 Portion 93 Vayikra 24:1-23 Hosh 14:1-9 Jakov 3:8-18

Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set apart through Your 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 Yisrael. May we and our offspring, and the offspring of Your people, the House of Yisrael, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Yisrael. Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, Who chose us from all the nations and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah.


Lev 24:1
  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

      Lev 24:2  “Command the children of Yisra’ĕl that they bring to you clear oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.

 

    “shemen zait zach kativ” means crushed pure olive oil.

 An olive tree never dies. Neither does it ever cease giving fruit. When some branches become old and stop giving fruit, they are cut off so that new shoots can come up that will give fruit. The olive tree needs approximately 10 years in order to begin giving fruit, but the most fruitful time does not begin until 40 years have passed. The leaves are always green. It does not need a lot of water and can manage well in a warm and dry climate. The olives have three important ingredients, oil, water, and alpechin (olive mill wastes are known as alpechin). Olive oil is very healthy for the body. It is used for cooking, among other things. It can be mixed with flour to bake cakes. It can be used on salads or directly on bread and can also be used as fuel for oil lamps, as in this case in the tabernacle.

 

“Kativ” means pounded or crushed. Typically, the olives were crushed in three crushings – the first crushing produced the purest oil used for the lamps that provided light for the menorah.

 

Isa 53:5  But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our crookednesses. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

 

Yahshua was declared to be the light of the world.

 

Joh 8:12 Therefore יהושע spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall by no means walk in darkness but possess the light of life.”1 Footnote: 1 See 11:9-10.

 

Following Yahshua means that our lives will know crushing and sorrow. We will also experience times of deep joy and peace. However, to be a ‘’light’’ comes at a cost.  Oil was used to produce light.

Believers are called upon to be the light of the world – Matt 5:14

 

The Bride of Messiah is called to pay the price so that this light may be kept burning and show a lost world the way back to the Torah.

Psa 119:105  Nun Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 

 

Rabbinic legend has it that the all the oil burned out during the night except for the western most lamp. This lamp was the first to be lit and by some miracle kept on burning until the following day. This burning wick was once again used to light the other lamps once refilled with new olive oil.

According to the Talmud – Yoma 39a – after the death of the last legitimate high priest (second temple) Shimon Ha Tzadik the western most wick would go out with the others.

Did the western most wick symbolize a faithful remnant?  The Ebionites and later the Amish and Mennonites and today a small remnant of Hebrew roots believers?

Today there does not appear to be a unified group of ‘’light bearers’’

 

Isa 27:12  And in that day it shall be that יהוה threshes, from the channel of the River to the wadi of Mitsrayim. And you shall be gathered one by one,[a] O children of Yisra’ěl. Footnote: a Jer_3:14-15.

Jer 3:14  “Return, O backsliding children,” declares יהוה, “for I shall rule over you, and shall take you, one from a city and two from a clan,[a] and shall bring you to Tsiyon. Footnote: aSee Isa_27:12

Jer 3:15  “And I shall give you shepherds according to My heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

 

Mat 25:1  “Then the reign of the heavens shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:2  “And five of them were wise, and five foolish.

Mat 25:3  “Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, took no oil with them,

Mat 25:4  but the wise took oil in their containers with their lamps.


We get oil from an oil press. Gethsemane- Hebrew: גת שמנים‎‎, Gat Shmanim; lit. "oil press"

 

What about the remnant called- out priests? Maybe they needed that oil to spend all night in the presence of YHVH interceding for the set apart ones.

 

Lev 24:3  “Outside the veil of the Witness, in the Tent of Meeting, Aharon is to arrange it from evening until morning before יהוה continually – a law forever throughout your generations.

Lev 24:4  “He is to arrange the lamps on the clean gold lampstand before יהוה continually.

Lev 24:5  “And you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes(Heb – challot – or pierced breads) with it, two-tenths of an ĕphah in each cake.

Parashat 31 Portion 92 Vayikra/ Lev 22:1-23:44 Zech 14:1-19 Col 2:16-17

Blessed are You, 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, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH 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.


This parashah is divided according to the chapters. Chapter 22 instructs us about the set apartness of the offering we bring to YHVH and the severe consequences of punishment if we do not.

Chapter 23 has to do with the appointments and in the case of Yom Ha Kippurim, failure to honour this appointment will cause one to be cut off from Yisrael.

In the scriptures we are given the status and road map required for us to enter the fulness of the kingdom. Yahshua our High priest perfectly demonstrated to us these requirements while he was on earth.

We firstly need to be set apart and then we need to follow the path YHVH has given is to reach our final destiny.

Jer 6:16  Thus said יהוה, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and find rest for yourselves. But they said, ‘We do not walk in it.’ 

Jer 6:17  “And I raised up watchmen over you, and said, ‘Listen to a voice of a shophar!’ But they said, ‘We do not listen.’ 

Jer 6:18  “Therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation, what is upon them! 

Jer 6:19  “Hear, O earth! See, I am bringing evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to My words, nor My Torah – and they rejected it. 

All Spirit guided ministry will guide us back to these ancient paths.

1Pe 1:16  because it has been written, “Be set-apart, for I am set-apart.” Lev_11:44, Lev_19:2

1Pe 1:17  And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear, (Heb 11:13 – aliens and strangers on earth)

1Pe 1:18  knowing that you were redeemed from your futile behaviour inherited from your fathers, not with what is corruptible, silver or gold, 

1Pe 1:19  but with the precious blood of Messiah, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, 

1Pe 1:20  foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for your sakes, 

1Pe 1:21  who through Him believe in Elohim who raised Him from the dead and gave Him esteem, so that your belief and expectation are in Elohim. 

1Pe 1:22  Now that you have cleansed your lives in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned brotherly love, love one another fervently with a clean heart, 

1Pe 1:23  having been born again – not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible – through the living Word of Elohim, which remains forever,

Psa 23:1  יהוה is my shepherd; I do not lack. 

Psa 23:2  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. 

Psa 23:3  He turns back a my being; He leads me in paths (Heb ‘’ma agal’’ or cycles) of righteousness For His Name’s sake. Footnote: aOr He converts.

Each Hebrew new year is the beginning of a new cycle (if the One Year cycle is followed).

Hb 1:1  Elohim, having of old spoken in many portions (Gk ‘’polumeros’’ portions like the parashiot) and many ways to the fathers by the prophets, 

Heb 1:2  has in these last days spoken to us by the Son, whom He has appointed heir of all, through whom also He made the ages,a Footnote: aSee Joh_1:3.

The appointments themselves reveal the very nature and mission of the Messiah – to bring us into harmony with Messiah and to bring us back into the presence of His and our Father.

We must sadly assume that because of a defiled and absent priesthood, there is no Temple and there is no longer a functioning Levitical priesthood because they have been disobedient YHVH. There remain however promises that the priesthood will one day be restored again – Jer 33:18

Joh 2:13  And the Pěsaḥ of the Yehuḏim was near, and יהושע went up to Yerushalayim. 

Joh 2:14  And He found in the Set-apart Place those selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers sitting. 

Joh 2:15  And having made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the Set-apart Place, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the moneychangers’ coins and overturned the tables. 

Joh 2:16  And He said to those selling doves, “Take these away! Do not make the house of My Father a house of merchandise!” 

Mat 21:13  And He said to them, “It has been written, ‘My House shall be called a house of prayer,’ Isa_56:7 but you have made it a ‘den of robbers.’ ” Jer_7:11Jn 2:13-16

CLV -Hosea 3:4,5 For many days shall the sons of Israel dwell without king and without chief, and without sacrifice and without altar, and without priesthood or thummim."  Afterward are the sons of Israel returning, and they seek YHVH their Elohim, and David their king, and they come in awe to YHVH and to His goodness, in the latter days."

 

Eze 20:34  “And I shall bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. 

Eze 20:35  “And I shall bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and shall enter into judgment with you face to face there. 

Eze 20:36  “As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Mitsrayim, so I shall enter into judgment with you,” declares the Master יהוה

Eze 20:37  “And I shall make you pass under the rod, and shall bring you into the bond of the covenant, 

Eze 20:38  and purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me. From the land where they sojourn I bring them out, but they shall not come into the land of Yisra’ěl. And you shall know that I am יהוה

 

Lev 22:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 22:2  “Speak to Aharon and his sons, that they separate(Heb – yi nazru – niphyl fut. tense verb – to dedicate, consecrate or separate) themselves from(Heb – for) 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 (Heb - every 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 (Heb ‘’tamei’’) 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, (Heb ‘’tamei’’) even any of his uncleanness; (tamei)

Lev 22:6  the being who has touched it shall be unclean (tamei) 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 (tamei) 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 (nefesh – fem noun – can be male or female) 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 (Heb ‘’avon’’ iniquity – intentional sin) of trespass when they eat their set-apart offerings. For I am יהוה, who sets them apart.’ ” (maybe someone who wants to be  priest but has not been set apart to be a priest)

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.

 

“Castrated animals were not to be sacrificed, nor in fact to be kept in the land at all. The castration of animals is a mutilation of YHVH's creation, and the prohibition of it was based upon the same principle as that of mixing heterogeneous things in Lev_19:19”

 

Lev 22:25  ‘And from a son of a stranger’s (Heb – ‘’nechar’’ stranger or alien) 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.

Lev 22:30  “It is eaten that same day, leave none of it till morning. I am יהוה.

Lev 22:31  “And you shall guard My commands and do them. I am יהוה.

Lev 22:32  “And do not profane My set-apart Name, and I shall be set-apart among the children of Yisra’ĕl. I am יהוה, who sets you apart,

Lev 22:33  who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, to be your Elohim. I am יהוה.”

 

Lev 23:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 23:2  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘The appointed times of יהוה, which you are to proclaim as set-apart gatherings, My appointed times, are these:

Lev 23:3  ‘Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to יהוה in all your dwellings.

Lev 23:4  ‘These are the appointed times of יהוה, set-apart gatherings which you are to proclaim at their appointed times.

Lev 23:5  ‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between the evenings, is the Passover to יהוה. (Exodus 12:2)

Lev 23:6  ‘And on the fifteenth day of this month is the Festival of Unleavened Bread to יהוה – seven days you eat unleavened bread.  (Mat 16:6 – leaven and false doctrines – 1 Cor 5:6 – little leaven …..)

Lev 23:7  ‘On the first day you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.

Lev 23:8  ‘And you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה for seven days. On the seventh day is a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.’ ”

Lev 23:9  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 23:10  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest.

Lev 23:11  ‘And he shall wave the sheaf before יהוה, for your acceptance. On the morrow after the Sabbath the priest waves it.

Lev 23:12  ‘And on that day when you wave the sheaf, you shall prepare a male lamb a year old, a perfect one, as a burnt offering to יהוה,

Lev 23:13  and its grain offering: two-tenths of an ĕphah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to יהוה, a sweet fragrance, and its drink offering: one-fourth of a hin of wine.

Lev 23:14  ‘And you do not eat bread or roasted grain or fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your Elohim – a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Lev 23:15  ‘And from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, you shall count for yourselves: seven completed Sabbaths.

Lev 23:16  ‘Until the morrow after the seventh Sabbath you count fifty days, then you shall bring a new grain offering to יהוה.

Lev 23:17  ‘Bring from your dwellings for a wave offering two loaves of bread, of two-tenths of an ĕphah of fine flour they are, baked with leaven, first-fruits to יהוה.

Lev 23:18  ‘And besides the bread, you shall bring seven lambs a year old, perfect ones, and one young bull and two rams. They are a burnt offering to יהוה, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet fragrance to יהוה.

Lev 23:19  ‘And you shall offer one male goat as a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old, as a peace offering.

Lev 23:20  ‘And the priest shall wave them, besides the bread of the first-fruits, as a wave offering before יהוה, besides the two lambs. They are set-apart to יהוה for the priest.

Lev 23:21  ‘And on this same day you shall proclaim a set-apart gathering for yourselves, you do no servile work on it – a law forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

Lev 23:22  ‘And when you reap the harvest of your land do not completely reap the corners of your field when you reap, and do not gather any gleaning from your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am יהוה your Elohim.’ ”

Lev 23:23  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 23:24  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you have a rest, a remembrance of blowing of trumpets, a set-apart gathering.

Lev 23:25  ‘You do no servile work, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.’ ”

Lev 23:26  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 23:27  “On the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a set-apart gathering for you. And you shall afflict your beings, and shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה.

Lev 23:28  “And you do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before יהוה your Elohim.

Lev 23:29  “For any being who is not afflicted on that same day, he shall be cut off from his people.

Lev 23:30  “And any being who does any work on that same day, that being I shall destroy from the midst of his people.

Lev 23:31  “You do no work – a law forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

Lev 23:32  ‘It is a Sabbath of rest to you, and you shall afflict your beings. On the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you observe your Sabbath.”

Lev 23:33  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,

Lev 23:34  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the Festival of Booths for seven days to יהוה.

Lev 23:35  ‘On the first day is a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.

Lev 23:36  ‘For seven days you bring an offering made by fire to יהוה. On the eighth day there shall be a set-apart gathering for you, and you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה. It is a closing festival, you do no servile work.

Lev 23:37  ‘These are the appointed times of יהוה which you proclaim as set-apart gatherings, to bring an offering made by fire to יהוה, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a slaughtering and drink offerings, as commanded for every day –

Lev 23:38  besides the Sabbaths of יהוה, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your voluntary offerings which you give to יהוה.

Lev 23:39  ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you gather in the fruit of the land, observe the festival of יהוה for seven days. On the first day is a rest, and on the eighth day a rest.

Lev 23:40  ‘And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of good trees, branches of palm trees, twigs of leafy trees, and willows of the stream, and shall rejoice before יהוה your Elohim for seven days.

Lev 23:41  ‘And you shall observe it as a festival to יהוה for seven days in the year – a law forever in your generations. Observe it in the seventh month.

Lev 23:42  ‘Dwell in booths for seven days; all who are native Yisra’ĕlites dwell in booths,

Lev 23:43  so that your generations know that I made the children of Yisra’ĕl dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Mitsrayim. I am יהוה your Elohim.’ ”

Lev 23:44  Thus did Mosheh speak of the appointed times of יהוה to the children of Yisra’ĕl.

 

Deu 4:26  “I shall call the heavens and earth to witness against you on that day, that you soon completely perish from the land which you pass over the Yarděn to possess – you do not prolong your days in it but are completely destroyed. 

Deu 4:27  “And יהוה shall scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations where יהוה drives you. 

Deu 4:28  “And there you shall serve mighty ones, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. 

Deu 4:29  “But from there you shall seek יהוה your Elohim, and shall find, when you search for Him with all your heartb and with all your being. Footnote: b Jer_29:13

Deu 4:30  “In your distress, when all these words shall come upon you in the latter days, then you shall return to יהוה your Elohim and shall obey His voice. 

Deu 4:31  “For יהוה your Elohim is a compassionate Ěl, He does not forsake you, nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them. 

 

Deu 4:32  “For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that Elohim created man on the earth, and ask from one end of the heavens to the other end of the heavens, whether there has been a Word as great as this, or has been heard like it. 

Deu 4:33  “Has a people heard the voice of Elohim speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? 

Deu 4:34  “Or has Elohim tried to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of a nation by trials, and by signs, and by wonders, and by battle, and by a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and by great fearsome deeds, according to all that יהוה your Elohim did for you in Mitsrayim before your eyes? 

Deu 4:35  “You have been shown it, to know that יהוה Himself is Elohim; there is no one beside Him. 

Deu 4:36  “From the heavens He let you hear His voice, to instruct you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire. 

Deu 4:37  “And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their seed after them, and brought you out of Mitsrayim with His Presence, with His great power, 

Deu 4:38  to drive out from before you nations greater and stronger than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is today. 

Deu 4:39  “And you shall know today, and shall recall to your heart that יהוה Himself is Elohim in the heavens above and on the earth beneath; there is none else. 

Deu 4:40  “And you shall guard His laws and His commands which I command you today, so that it is well with you and with your children after you, and so that you prolong your days on the soil which יהוה your Elohim is giving you for all time.” 

 

When will the Messiah return?

 

Act 3:19  “Repent therefore and turn back, for the blotting out of your sins, in order that times of refreshing might come from the presence of the Master, 

Act 3:20  and that He sends יהושע Messiah, pre-appointed for you, (Gk – ‘’to purpose for a people in advance’’)

Act 3:21  whom heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters, of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of old. 

Act 3:22  “For Mosheh truly said to the fathers, יהוה your Elohim shall raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brothers. Him you shall hear according to all matters, whatever He says to you. 

Act 3:23  ‘And it shall be that every being who does not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ Deu_18:15-19

 

Does this ‘’Prophet’’ say anything different from Moshe?

 

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn

 

Parashat 31 Portion 91 Emor – Vayikra/Lev21:1-24 Ezek 44:25-31 Luke 11:30-44

Blessed are You, 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, YHVH, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH 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.


The previous Torah portion addresses all of Yisael, this Torah portion addresses the Levitical priests or ‘’kohanim’’

Lev 21:1  And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aharon, and say(share My heart) to them: ‘No one is to be defiled for the dead among his people,

א  וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, אֱמֹר אֶל-הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן; וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם, לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא-יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו.     1 And YHVH said unto Moshe: Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them: There shall none defile himself for the soul (nefesh)  among his people;

We assume that this applies to dead people, however the word death (Heb. “Mut”) is not used. We may thus assume this implies that we must not allow ourselves to be contaminated by others.

Rom 5:12  For this reason, even as through one man sin did enter into the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned – (sin defiles, sin brings death)

How is the ‘’nefesh’’ of a ‘’Cohen’’ defiled? When he comes into contact with anyone who undermines or hinders him from carrying out his calling and duties as a priest before YHVH – Mat 10:36

Rev 3:1  “And to the messenger of the assembly in Sardis write, ‘He who has the seven Spirits of Elohim and the seven stars, says this, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

Rev 3:2  “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before Elohim.

 2Jn 1:10  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house nor greet him,

2Jn 1:11  for he who greets him shares in his wicked works.

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. (Heb ‘’yitama’’)

Lev 21:4  ‘A leader does not defile himself among his people, to profane himself; (Heb ‘’chalal’’)

Man was not created to die. All sin defiles and is causing this present world to spiral out of control until it is destroyed.

Col 1:24  who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in Messiah’s afflictions, for the sake of His Body, which is the assembly,

While there is no priesthood and temple we are called to bear the sin of others.

2Co 4:12  so that death indeed is working in us, but the life in you.

Rom 3:20  Therefore by works of Torah no flesh shall be declared right before Him, Psa_143:2 for by the Torah is the knowledge of sin.b Footnote: b Exo_20:20, Rom_4:15, Rom_7:7.

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 – see also 19:28 – Lev 19:28  ‘And do not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor put tattoo marks on you. I am יהוה.

http://www.cogwriter.com/tattoos-and-the-bible.htm

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.

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 (Heb – ‘’mishcha’’) oil was poured and who is ordained to wear the garments, does not unbind his head nor tear his garments, (Mark 14: 63)

Lev 21:11  nor come near any dead body,(Heb ‘’nefshot met’’) 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(‘’mishchah’’) oil of his Elohim is upon him. I am יהוה.

In the book of Baruch, chapter 6:31, the priests of Babylon are represented sitting in their temples, with their clothes rent, and their heads and beards shaven, and having nothing upon their heads.” (Clarke)

This may be the reason Muslims have made a grave yard outside the eastern gate of the old city of Yerushalayim.)

Lev 21:13  ‘And let him take a wife in her maidenhood. (High priest)

Lev 21:14  ‘A widow or one put away or a defiled woman or a whore – these he does not take. But a maiden(Heb ‘’betulah’’)  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.’ ”

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.

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. 

Midrash: 

Isa 66:21  “And from them too I shall take for priests (kohanim)– for Lĕwites,” declares יהוה.

What did Yahshua mean when he said - Luk 9:59  And He said to another, “Follow Me,” but he said, “Master, let me first go and bury my father.”

Luk 9:60  And יהושע said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and announce the reign of Elohim.” ?

We should also consider that the instructions regarding the role of the Levites will continue until the end of the millennium.

1. Yahshua said that not a jot or a tittle will pass from the Torah until heaven and earth pass away and all is accomplished (Matthew 5:17-19). According to Revelation 21:1-4, heaven and earth won’t pass away until there is no more crying, mourning, pain, and death. Since we still have crying, mourning, pain, and death, it follows logically that nothing from the Torah has passed away. Indeed, Yahshua lived and taught the Torah throughout His ministry. Yahshua even instructed people to give offerings at the Temple (Mark 1:40-45). And Paul participated in the Temple services when he took a Nazarite vow, which requires an offering (Acts 21:20-16).

2. In addition to the references in the New Testament indicating a continuation of the Temple services and sacrifices, most believers acknowledge the reality that a future earthly priesthood, Temple, Levites, and animal sacrifices will be reinstituted in the millennial kingdom (Ezekiel 40-48; Zechariah 14:20-21). Indeed, YHVH declared that His covenant with the Levitical priesthood can never be broken, just as His covenant that says David will always have a son—that is Yahshua, the son of David (Matthew 15:22; Mark 10:47)—to reign on his throne:

Jer 33:17  “For thus said יהוה, ‘For Dawiḏ there is not to cease a man to sit on the throne of the house of Yisra’ěl.

Jer 33:18  And for the priests, the Lěwites, there is not to cease a man to offer ascending offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to slaughter continually.’ ”

Jer 33:19  And the word of יהוה came to Yirmeyahu, saying,

Jer 33:20  “Thus said יהוה, ‘If you could break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there be not day and night in their season,

Jer 33:21  then My covenant could also be broken with Dawiḏ My servant – so that he shall not have a son to reign upon his throne – and with the Lěwites, the priests, My attendants.

Jer 33:22  As the host of the heavens is not counted, nor the sand of the sea measured, so I increase the descendants of Dawiḏ My servant and the Lěwites who attend upon Me.’ ”

Yahshua is our High Priest in the heavenly realm (Hebrews 7:15-17). And it is impossible for animal sacrifices to take away our sins (Hebrews 10:4). Our eternal atonement is found only in the Messiah, not anything else. But these facts are not in conflict with the validity of the earthly priesthood and animal sacrifices.

One might ask, “But wouldn’t the reinstitution of animal sacrifices in the millennium take away from the value of the Messiah’s sacrifice?”

It’s important to note that although we affirm the validity of the Torah—including the earthly priesthood and animal sacrifices—we must also acknowledge that many aspects of the Torah cannot be kept today due to the fact that the elements required to scriptually observe them do not exist right now. When it comes to commandments concerning the earthly priesthood and animal sacrifices, they cannot be applied because there is no physical temple in Jerusalem at which to make sacrifices. This doesn’t take away from the validity of these parts of the Torah; it’s merely an acknowledgement of the reality that some commandments are impossible to keep right now in our current context.”

3. When Messiah returns he will build the Temple – Offerings are required for such a dedication and continuation of the Temple service.

Zec 6:12  and shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, saying, “See, the Man whose name is the Branch!a And from His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the Hěḵal of יהוה. Footnote: aSee Zec_3:8.

Zec 6:13  “It is He who is going to build the Hěḵal of יהוה. It is He who is going to bear the splendour. And He shall sit and rule on His throne, and shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between Them both,” ’

Zec 6:14  while the crown is for a remembrance in the Hěḵal of יהוה to Ḥělem, and to Toḇiyah, and to Yeḏayah, and to Ḥěn son of Tsephanyah.

Zec 6:15  “And those who are far away shall come and build the Hěḵal of יהוה. And you shall know that יהוה of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall be, if you diligently obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim.”

Psa 132:13  For יהוה has chosen Tsiyon, He has desired it for His dwelling:

Psa 132:14  “This is My place of rest forever; Here I dwell, for I have desired it.

Psa 132:15  “I greatly bless her provision, I satisfy her poor with bread. 

Joe 3:17  “Then you shall know that I am יהוה your Elohim, dwelling in Tsiyon, My set-apart mountain.a And Yerushalayim shall be set-apart, and foreigners shall not pass through her again. Footnote: aSee Joe_3:21 and footnote at Isa_24:23.

Joe 3:20  “But Yehuḏah shall dwell forever, and Yerushalayim to all generations.

Joe 3:21  “And I shall avenge their blood, which I have not avenged. And יהוה shall be dwelling in Tsiyon!”

Isa 24:23  And the moon shall blush, and the sun shall be ashamed, for יהוה of hosts shall reign on Mount Tsiyon, and in Yerushalayim,d and before His elders, in esteem! Footnote: d Isa_12:6, Isa_16:5, Isa_46:13, Isa_52:8, Isa_59:20, Psa_102:16, Eze_43:7-9, Joe_3:17 and Joe_3:21, Mic_4:7-8, Zep_3:14-17, Zec_1:16-17, Zec_2:10, Zec_8:3-8, Zec_14:1-11, Act_1:6-7, Rev_21:1-27.

Eze 43:4  And the esteem of יהוה came into the House by way of the gate facing east.

Eze 43:5  And the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner courtyard. And see, the esteem of יהוה filled the House.

Eze 43:6  And I heard someone speaking to me from the House, while a man stood beside me.

Eze 43:7  And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, when I dwell in the midst of the children of Yisra’ěl forever, and the house of Yisra’ěl shall no longer defile My set-apart Name, they nor their sovereigns, by their whoring and by the corpses of their sovereigns on their high places. 

Zec 1:16  Therefore thus said יהוה, “I shall return to Yerushalayim with compassion. My house shall be built in it,” declares יהוה of hosts, “and a surveyor’s line be stretched out over Yerushalayim.” ’

Zec 1:17  “Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, “Again My cities shall overflow with goodness. And יהוה shall again comfort Tsiyon, and shall again choosea Yerushalayim.” ’ ” Footnote: aSee Zec_2:12, and footnote at Isa_14:1.

Zec 8:2  “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘I shall be jealous for Tsiyon with great jealousy, with great wrath I shall be jealous for her.’

Zec 8:3  “Thus said יהוה, ‘I shall return to Tsiyon, and I shall dwell in the midst of Yerushalayim. And Yerushalayim shall be called: City of the Truth, and the Mountain of יהוה of hosts, the Set-apart Mountain.’

Zec 8:4  “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘Again old men and old women shall dwell in the streets of Yerushalayim, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age,

Zec 8:5  and the streets of the city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.’

Zec 8:6  “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘If it is marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in My eyes?’ declares יהוה of hosts.

Zec 8:7  “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘See, I am saving My people from the land of the sunrise and from the land of the sunset.

Zec 8:8  And I shall bring them back, and they shall dwell in the midst of Yerushalayim. And they shall be My people, and I shall be their Elohim, in truth and in righteousness.’

Zec 8:9  “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘Let your hands be strong, you who are listening in these days to these words, from the mouth of the prophets, of the day the foundation was laid for the House of יהוה of hosts, the Hěḵal that was to be rebuilt.

Zec 14:2  And I shall gather all the nations to battle against Yerushalayim.a And the city shall be taken, the houses plundered, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into exile, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Footnote: a Joe_3:2, Zep_3:8, Rev_16:14.

Zec 14:3  And יהוה shall go forth, and He shall fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.

Zec 14:4  And in that day His feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives, which faces Yerushalayim on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, a very great valley, and half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south.

Midrash – Heb chapters 8 and 9 and Ezekiel chapters 40 - 48

Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-‘Olam, asher natan lanu Toraht-emet, v’chay-yeh o’lam nata-b’tochenu. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Ameyn