Acharei Mot/Kedoshim - Day #1

ACHAREI MOT/KEDOSHIM  

Torah Portion: Leviticus 16:1-20:27

Leviticus 16:1-24

16:1 Hashem spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they came near before Hashem, and died; 2 and Hashem said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.

3 “Aaron shall come into the sanctuary with a young bull for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen tunic. He shall have the linen trousers on his body, and shall put on the linen sash, and he shall be clothed with the linen turban. They are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water, and put them on. 5 He shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

6 “Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 He shall take the two goats, and set them before Hashem at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 8 Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for Hashem, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for Hashem, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat on which the lot fell for the scapegoat shall be presented alive before Hashem, to make atonement for him, to send him away as the scapegoat into the wilderness.

11 “Aaron shall present the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull of the sin offering which is for himself. 12 He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before Hashem, and two handfuls of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the veil. 13 He shall put the incense on the fire before Hashem, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the covenant, so that he will not die. 14 He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east; and before the mercy seat, he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

15 “Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with his blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. 16 He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions, even all their sins; and so he shall do for the Tent of Meeting that dwells with them in the middle of their uncleanness. 17 No one shall be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, and has made atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.

18 “He shall go out to the altar that is before Hashem and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the bull’s blood, and some of the goat’s blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar. 19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and make it holy from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

20 “When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he shall present the live goat. 21 Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is ready. 22 The goat shall carry all their iniquities on himself to a solitary land, and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.

23 “Aaron shall come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. 24 Then he shall bathe himself in water in a holy place, put on his garments, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people.

Today’s Meditation:

Aaron is making atonement for himself, his family, and his people. That’s a lot of atonement and sacrifices. As I read this, I thought about the responsibility Aaron must have felt, being so sad after his sons were lost, and then having to make special sacrifices and atone for the Tabernacle and all. In verse 17, Hashem says you can not enter the Holy Place until this atonement is made. So Hashem wants everyone and everything surrounding Him to be clean and atoned for. Why? Because He is perfect. He must not want any contamination, sin, uncleanliness, or unrighteousness in the area of His presence. What does this say about today? Has anything changed? No. He requests us to be clean. Let’s work on this. We want to be as close to Him as we can, even without a Temple.

Today’s Challenge:

Here is a thought. Is Aaron grieving the loss of his sons? But, he must make atonement for this incident. He must clean house for Hashem. Can you think of something that has happened to you or your family that you need to make some restitution for? Something that went wrong. And now you have to make it right? Or maybe you haven’t made it right yet? Repent to the Father and make it right. Prepare your home once again so that you can be in Hashem’s remarkable presence during prayer, worship, mitzvah, Scripture study, and all that you do during the day. You will want to do this now.

Tazria/Metzora - Day #7

Tazria-Metzora  

She will conceive/Leper — תַזְרִיעַ־מְּצֹרָע

Torah Portion: Leviticus 12:1 - 15:33

Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24

 

Shabbat: Leviticus 15:16-33 

15:16 “‘If any man has an emission of semen, then he shall bathe all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the evening. 17 Every garment and every skin which the semen is on shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening. 18 If a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the evening.

19 “‘If a woman has a discharge, and her discharge in her flesh is blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days. Whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening.

20 “‘Everything that she lies on in her impurity shall be unclean. Everything also that she sits on shall be unclean. 21 Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 22 Whoever touches anything that she sits on shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 23 If it is on the bed, or on anything she sits on, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until the evening.

24 “‘If any man lies with her, and her monthly flow is on him, he shall be unclean seven days; and every bed he lies on shall be unclean.

25 “‘If a woman has a discharge of her blood many days not in the time of her period, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her period, all the days of the discharge of her uncleanness shall be as in the days of her period. She is unclean. 26 Every bed she lies on all the days of her discharge shall be to her as the bed of her period. Everything she sits on shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her period. 27 Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

28 “‘But if she is cleansed of her discharge, then she shall count to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29 On the eighth day, she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and bring them to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting. 30 The priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before Hashem for the uncleanness of her discharge.

31 “‘Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, so they will not die in their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle that is among them.’”

32 This is the law of him who has a discharge, and of him who has an emission of semen, so that he is unclean by it; 33 and of her who has her period, and of a man or woman who has a discharge, and of him who lies with her who is unclean.

Today’s Meditation:

It’s all about not defiling the Tabernacle (verse 31) and separating from uncleanliness. Isn’t that what holiness is all about? We may not have a Tabernacle (Temple) yet, but we will someday. And all these laws will make sense to us. When we see the Holy One sitting on the Throne and His Shekinah glory emanating from the Temple, we will see every knee bow before the King, and we will want to be holy. I believe that every sin and every piece of dirt we carry will be exposed, and it will make us sad about what we have done. We will repent with all our hearts, immerse in a mikvah, and prepare to present ourselves to Hashem. Perhaps we should practice today and get ready for everything. It is time to begin separating ourselves from every unclean thing/issue in our lives.

Today’s Challenge:

I want to challenge you today to start making a change. Me too. As I write this, it makes me think of one continual sin in my life. No matter how I pray or try hard, it is challenging to overcome this sin. I really hope and pray that Hashem sees my heart and that I am trying. That is what you must do. Keep trying. When I quit smoking several years ago, it took me about 3 years to entirely stop. And it seemed like when I got the most desperate and ready to give up, that is when Hashem took away my desire for nicotine. He knows our hearts, and I believe He wants to help us to separate ourselves from uncleanliness. We all must persevere in cleaning up our lives. Ask Him to help. Ask others to help you or to make you accountable.

This Week’s Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24

66:1 Hashem says, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.
    What kind of house will you build to me?
    Where will I rest? 2 For My hand has made all these things,
    and so all these things came to be,” says Hashem:
“but I will look to this man,
    even to he who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
    and who trembles at My word. 3 He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man;
    he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck;
    he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood;
    he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol.
Yes, they have chosen their own ways,
    and their soul delights in their abominations: 4 I also will choose their delusions,
    and will bring their fears on them;
because when I called, no one answered;
    when I spoke, they didn’t listen;
but they did that which was evil in My eyes,
    and chose that in which I didn’t delight. 5 "Hear Hashem’s word, you who tremble at His word:

“Your brothers who hate you,
    who cast you out for My name’s sake, have said,
‘Let Hashem be glorified,
    that we may see your joy;’
    but it is those who shall be disappointed. 6 A voice of tumult from the city,
    a voice from the temple,
    a voice of Hashem that repays his enemies what they deserve. 7 “Before she travailed, she gave birth.
    Before her pain came, she delivered a son. 8 Who has heard of such a thing?
    Who has seen such things?
Shall a land be born in one day?
    Shall a nation be born at once?
For as soon as Zion travailed,
    she gave birth to her children. 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says Hashem.
    “Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your Elohim. 

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her; 11 that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts;
    that you may drink deeply,
    and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.” 12 For Hashem says, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
    and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
    and you will nurse.
You will be carried on her side
    and will be dandled on her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforts,
    so I will comfort you.
    You will be comforted in Jerusalem. 14 "You will see it, and your heart shall rejoice,
    and your bones will flourish like the tender grass.
Hashem’s hand will be known among his servants, and he will have indignation against his enemies. 15 For, behold, Hashem will come with fire, and his chariots will be like the whirlwind;
to render his anger with fierceness,
    and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For Hashem will execute judgment by fire and by his sword on all flesh;
    and those slain by Hashem will be many.

17 “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, behind one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says Hashem.

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts. The time comes that I will gather all nations and languages, and they will come, and will see My glory.

19 “I will set a sign among them, and I will send those who escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to far-away islands, who have not heard My fame, nor have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the nations. 20 They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to Hashem, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem, says Hashem, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into Hashem’s house. 21 Of them I will also select priests and Levites,” says Hashem.

22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me,” says Hashem, “so your offspring and your name shall remain. 23 It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before Me,” says Hashem. 24 “They will go out, and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against Me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

Here in Isaiah, we read about Hashem's desire to have a dwelling place on earth. Verse 1 says, “What kind of house will you build to Me?” I believe throughout Scripture we read that Hashem loves us and wants to be with us. But maybe He is waiting for us to welcome Him. Think of it. There has not been a holy Temple, a dwelling place, for Hashem in Jerusalem for over 2,000 years. The enemy has occupied this sacred mountain for all those years. Have we fought to get it back? Have we prayed to get it back? Are we supporting groups in Israel to rebuild the Temple? We should be giving money and offering prayers for the Temple's rebuilding. What could be more important? If you are not doing this, please consider doing so.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

There is an organization called the Temple Institute in Jerusalem. They have been preparing all the instruments and necessary artifacts for the Temple and the priests. I have visited their Institute many times, and it is incredible. But they need help and prayer to fulfill their mission. Please go to their website and consider supporting them today.

Tazria/Metzora - Day #6

Tazria-Metzora  

She will conceive/Leper — תַזְרִיעַ־מְּצֹרָע

Torah Portion: Leviticus 12:1 - 15:33

Leviticus 14:33-15:15 

14:33 Hashem spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 34 “When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in the land of your possession, 35 then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘There seems to me to be some sort of plague in the house.’ 36 The priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes in to examine the plague, that all that is in the house not be made unclean. Afterward, the priest shall go in to inspect the house. 37 He shall examine the plague; and behold, if the plague is in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and it appears to be deeper than the wall, 38 then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. 39 The priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the plague has spread in the walls of the house, 40 then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the plague, and cast them into an unclean place outside of the city. 41 He shall cause the inside of the house to be scraped all over. They shall pour out the mortar that they scraped off outside of the city into an unclean place. 42 They shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.

43 “If the plague comes again, and breaks out in the house after he has taken out the stones, and after he has scraped the house, and after it was plastered, 44 then the priest shall come in and look; and behold, if the plague has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew in the house. It is unclean. 45 He shall break down the house, its stones, and its timber, and all the house’s mortar. He shall carry them out of the city into an unclean place.

46 “Moreover, he who goes into the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening. 47 He who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes; and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

48 “If the priest shall come in, and examine it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the house, after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. 49 To cleanse the house, he shall take two birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. 50 He shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. 51 He shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 He shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, with the living bird, with the cedar wood, with the hyssop, and with the scarlet; 53 but he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field. So shall he make atonement for the house; and it shall be clean.”

54 This is the law for any plague of leprosy, and for an itch, 55 and for the destructive mildew of a garment, and for a house, 56 and for a swelling, and for a scab, and for a bright spot; 57 to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean.

15:1 Hashem spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, because of his discharge he is unclean. 3 This shall be his uncleanness in his discharge: whether his body runs with his discharge, or his body has stopped from his discharge, it is his uncleanness.

4 “‘Every bed on which he who has the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything he sits on shall be unclean. 5 Whoever touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening. 6 He who sits on anything on which the man who has the discharge sat shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

7 “‘He who touches the body of him who has the discharge shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

8 “‘If he who has the discharge spits on him who is clean, then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

9 “‘Whatever saddle he who has the discharge rides on shall be unclean. 10 Whoever touches anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening. He who carries those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

11 “‘Whomever he who has the discharge touches, without having rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening.

12 “‘The earthen vessel, which he who has the discharge touches, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

13 “‘When he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes; and he shall bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

14 “‘On the eighth day, he shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before Hashem to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the priest. 15 The priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. The priest shall make atonement for him before Hashem for his discharge.

Today’s Challenge:

A sensitive, hard-to-discuss subject today. Most believe the discharge in today’s reading (Leviticus 15) relates to sexual activity. So, why all the rules? We know that reproduction is very important to Hashem, as evidenced by the commandment to “go and be fruitful and multiply.” It makes sense that there would be some cleanliness rules surrounding this commandment. Hashem wants all of our being to be clean before Him, inside and out. Because many humans do partake in sexual activity (meaningfully with a spouse), we are now given instructions on how to become clean when we go before Hashem. It all makes sense.

Today’s Challenge:

Here is an unusual challenge for today. Since today’s reading focuses on cleanliness rules after sexual activity, it may be a good time to review this area in your life. We live in a world that looks at sex as in a very different way than the one true Elohim. There is perversion, sex outside of marriage, multiple partners, and disregard for honoring the sacredness of marriage. This is a good opportunity to examine this aspect of your life. Are you giving honor to Hashem? Are you following His commandments? Review, repent, ask for forgiveness, and change. That is why we have Torah, to give us life. A life that is clean in all areas and close to Him.

Tazria/Metzora - Day #5

Tazria-Metzora  

She will conceive/Leper — תַזְרִיעַ־מְּצֹרָע

Torah Portion: Leviticus 12:1 - 15:33

·  

Leviticus 14:21-32 

14:21 “If he is poor, and can’t afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering, and a log of oil; 22 and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

23 “On the eighth day, he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, before Hashem. 24 The priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Hashem. 25 He shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering. The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 The priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand; 27 and the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Hashem. 28 Then the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering. 29 The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before Hashem. 30 He shall offer one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, which ever he is able to afford, 31 of the kind he is able to afford, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal offering. The priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before Hashem.” 32 This is the law for him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to afford the sacrifice for his cleansing.

Today’s Meditation:

Interesting that the blood the priest is placing on the individual healed of leprosy/infections is the same procedure Moses used to sanctify the Tabernacle for Aaron and the priests. We have talked about this before. The symbolism of these blood placements could mean the following. The blood on the right ear is to ensure that what you are listening to is not unholy. The blood on the right thumb is making sure that what you put your hands to (work, deeds) is also to be holy, not unholy. And applying blood to the right toe could mean you should be walking the path of holiness at all times, right alongside Hashem. Once again, Hashem is telling us that in all our ways, we should honor Him, obey Him, worship Him, and be holy as He is holy.

Today’s Challenge:

I challenge you today to reflect on the things you do in your life that are holy and those that are unholy. What kind of media/entertainment are you listening to? What kind of deeds are you putting your hands to? Where are the places that you walk to and through? Do you give honor and glory to Hashem for all these things? Or do you hide from Him when you know you are doing wrong? Today, try to start making things right in His sight. Try to walk, listen, and do as He would want you to.