ACHAREI MOT/KEDOSHIM
Combined readings
Leviticus 16:1-20:27
Reading #4 - Leviticus 18:22-19:14
My Thoughts:
Verses 23 and 24 are specific to women and men and who or what they have sexual relations with. If you believe in Hashem and His perfect Torah, then you can not dispute or change what He is commanding. He makes it clear. Not to have sex with the same gender and not with animals. In fact, He calls it detestable, perversion and an abomination. Like any other sin we have -- we can work on changing our behavior. We can repent and turn around. It is possible. In life we make choices. Hashem directs us to make the right ones.
Challenge:
Interesting in verse 19:3 that Hashem first tells us to respect our parents, and in the same thought He tells us to keep the Sabbath. The reason is because He is Elohim! It seems these two commands are very important to Him. When He created our parents, He gave them the seed to create us. They then love us and raise us. And they hopefully teach us Torah and how to keep Sabbath. Honoring the creation He gave us (parents) and keeping Sabbath go hand in hand. Summarized, it is all about obedience. Review your life today and make sure you are honoring both your parents and the Sabbath. Make necessary corrections. Amen.
Reading #4 - Leviticus 18:22-19:14
18:22 “‘You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable.
23 “‘You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion.
24 “‘Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled. 25 The land was defiled. Therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants. 26 You therefore shall keep my statutes and my ordinances, and shall not do any of these abominations; neither the native-born, nor the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you 27 (for the men of the land that were before you had done all these abominations, and the land became defiled), 28 that the land not vomit you out also, when you defile it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.
29 “‘For whoever shall do any of these abominations, even the souls that do them shall be cut off from among their people. 30 Therefore you shall keep my requirements, that you do not practice any of these abominable customs which were practiced before you, and that you do not defile yourselves with them. I am Adonai your Elohim.’”
19 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I, Hashem your Elohim, am holy.
3 “‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Sabbaths. I am Hashem your Elohim.
4 “‘Don’t turn to idols, nor make molten gods for yourselves. I am Hashem your Elohim.
5 “‘When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to Hashem, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. 6 It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. If anything remains until the third day, it shall be burned with fire. 7 If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be accepted; 8 but everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of Hashem, and that soul shall be cut off from his people.
9 “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 You shall not glean your vineyard, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am Hashem your Elohim.
11 “‘You shall not steal.
“‘You shall not lie.
“‘You shall not deceive one another.
12 “‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of your Elohim. I am Hashem.
13 “‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him.
“‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
14 “‘You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your Elohim. I am Hashem.
