Acharei Mot - After the death אַחֲרֵי מוֹת
Torah Portion: Leviticus 16:1-18:30
Reading #1 - Leviticus 16:1–17
My Thoughts:
Aaron is a high priest, one that Hashem has chosen. He is making sacrifices for atonement. And casting lots for a scapegoat. This is all done because of sin. His sin and the sin of the people. Hashem makes a way for people to be forgiven and set free. He even uses a live animal to be set free into the wilderness - carrying the burden of sin. The blessing is that Hashem provides a way for forgiveness. We read in the Psalms over and over how He forgives - when we repent. Look over your life today and ask Him for forgiveness for what you have done in disobedience. Then provide a sacrifice to Him – prayer, good deeds, giving and/or worship. We may not have a Temple right now or priests to carry out atonement, but we have Him!
Challenge:
Hashem provides a way to live for everyone. I believe He sent Yeshua to show us that life. He sent a manifestation of Himself to His people so that they could draw closer to Him. Yeshua always “pointed” to the Father. And He decidedly taught the heart of Torah. If you read the Gospels you will learn more about Hashem through Yeshua. Just as we do through the Prophets and the Writings. I challenge you to read or reread them in the days to come. You will draw closer to Hashem through doing this. Just as Hashem commanded animal sacrifices to teshuvah and "korban" (draw close) to Him – so has He provided a Son to show us His way. Study both Torah and Yeshua and your life will be complete.
Reading #1 - Leviticus 16:1–17
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.
