Metzora - Reading #6

Metzora מְּצֹרָע - Infected One
Leviticus 14:1-15:33

Reading #6 - Leviticus 15:16–28

My Thoughts:

Another reading on cleanliness after sexual activity. They sound like such strict rules, but they are for a reason. All of Hashem’s laws regarding cleanliness are ultimately for entering the Tabernacle area for sacrifices and all. He is looking for excellence and holiness. So, He gives us instructions. Let’s follow them to the best we are able. That’s about all I can say today with this delicate subject.

Challenge:

It is interesting that a woman’s most fertile time is in the middle of the month. Torah Law says she is to be “unclean” for 7 days after her period, which brings her to the “middle” of the month. Since Hashem’s desire is for us to be fruitful and multiply, it makes perfect sense that after this waiting period she then becomes clean and also fertile. A good time to conceive. My challenge to you today is to think about having children. Are you restricting getting pregnant in your relationship with your spouse? Or are you following Hashem’s instructions, waiting until the middle of the month and being “fruitful”. Nowhere does He tell us to have child after child, so there is something called “natural family planning” when you remain abstinent during a woman’s fertile time of the month. Just some things to think about. If you are beyond having children or single, this is information you can share with family and friends -- so that they can get on Hashem’s “page” for a family!

Reading #6 - Leviticus 15:16–28

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.

Metzora - Reading #5

Metzora מְּצֹרָע - Infected One

Leviticus 14:1-15:33

Reading #5 - Leviticus 14:54–15:15

My Thoughts:

A sensitive, hard to discuss subject today. Most believe the discharge in today’s reading relates to sexual activity. So, why all the rules? We know that reproduction is very important to Hashem, even a 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) then we are now given instructions on how to become “clean” when we go before Hashem. It all makes sense. Just a delicate subject.

Challenge:

So, here is an odd challenge for today. Because in today’s reading we are discussing 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 then 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 time to take a look at this area in 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.

Reading #5 - Leviticus 14:54–15:15

14:54 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.

This is the law of leprosy.

15 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.

Metzora - Reading #4

Metzora מְּצֹרָע - Infected One

Leviticus 14:1-15:33

Reading #4 - Leviticus 14:33–53

My Thoughts:

Hashem not only cares about us physically but He also cares that the place we live is clean. It is important that there is not mildew or mold in our homes. It might be wise to go through our homes once or twice a year and do a deep cleaning. Especially in our bathrooms. I know that bleach is a good way to get rid of any mold or mildew. Keep up on it, and keep your house clean! Hashem has us do these things for special reasons. To keep us healthy and clean.

Challenge:

A few years ago we had a roof that leaked into our kitchen. It took awhile for us to fix the roof, but finally we did. But then we had a mold issue in the walls in the kitchen. I was surprised at what clean up and repair looked like. We called our insurance company and workers came in with masks and put plastic up to protect other rooms. Drywall had to be cut out, just like the stones were removed in our reading today. It was quite an ordeal. We really should have taken care of it sooner. So, here is my challenge. If you have some walls or ceilings that need repair, take care of it today! Call your insurance company or do the work yourself. Just take care of it now! Or it will spread and might make you unhealthy!

Reading #4 - Leviticus 14:33–53

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.”

Metzora - Reading #3

Metzora מְּצֹרָע - Infected One

Leviticus 14:1-15:33

Reading #3 -  Leviticus 14:21–32

My Thoughts:

Hashem makes a way for the poor. Worship of Him is not just for those who have careers and money, but for those who have been more unfortunate. That is how kind and just Elohim is. You see this throughout the Torah. He will make sure you leave food in your fields for the poor, that you take care of the poor and now that the poor can bring special sacrifices for atonement -- whatever they can afford. I really believe that Hashem looks at our hearts when He is considering us. Not what we wear or where we live or what we have. Those things are just temporary and of the world. He wants deeper things from us. He wants us to love those around us, more than we do ourselves!

Challenge:

If you think about it, if we are following Torah, then the poor around us should just be temporary. If we are really watching out for our neighbors, then if they have trouble we should be there to help. We can help train, and take people under our wings. Just think if each one of us helped just one person who was down and out -- the whole earth could be transformed. Poverty could be erased. See who Adonai is putting in your life today to help out. And then take action.

Reading #3 -  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.

Metzora - Reading #2

Metzora מְּצֹרָע - Infected One

Leviticus 14:1-15:33

Reading #2 - Leviticus 14:13–20

My Thoughts:

When the offering is slaughtered and goes on the altar it becomes holy. Up to this point it was not. Think of that. In verse 14:13 it says “It is most holy.” What makes it holy? My thought is that the altar and the priest are in close proximity to the Holy of Holies. Where the ark and the presence of Elohim dwell. Objects have been anointed and the priests themselves have been sanctified. This changes the status of the offering/animal. It goes from being unholy to holy. By being in the presence of Hashem. I believe that this is what He wants for us. He does want us to “be holy as He is holy”. We may attempt to do this by repenting, worshiping, praying and entering the “presence” of Hashem. This is really important to think about.

Challenge:

We studied this before how the right ear, right thumb and right big toe are anointed. They may represent what we choose to hear, what we do in action and where we go. I challenge you today to review these things in your life. Are you listening to music that Hashem would approve of? Do your actions reflect your following the Torah? Do you go places that are appropriate in your walk with Adonai? Do a real check on these things today and make sure you are honoring the most Holy One -- in all areas of your life.

Reading #2 - Leviticus 14:13–20

14:13 He shall kill the male lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the place of the sanctuary; for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering. It is most holy. 14 The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall 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. 15 The priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand. 16 The priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before Hashem. 17 The priest shall put some of the rest 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, upon the blood of the trespass offering. 18 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, and the priest shall make atonement for him before Hashem.

19 “The priest shall offer the sin offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness. Afterward he shall kill the burnt offering; 20 then the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meal offering on the altar. The priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

Metzora - Reading #1

Metzora מְּצֹרָע - Infected One

Leviticus 14:1-15:33

Reading #1 - Leviticus 14:1–12

My Thoughts:

This is the most interesting reading on the cleansing of a leper. After doing some brief studying it seems like you could think about the symbolism this way. When the bird is killed it may represent the “death” that the leprosy could have caused or the death/extinction of the leprosy. When the living bird is dipped into the blood of the dead bird, you could look at that as a “cleansing” from the leprosy. And when the bird is let go to fly away, you could think of that as the healed person now is experiencing freedom and new life! These are some interesting things to think about.

Challenge:

Do you need to be cleansed and set free from something you are enslaved to? You could go to Hashem and ask Him to “wash” or immerse you in forgiveness. And you could pray that He would set you free from the unsettling issue. It is sometimes surprising that when you talk to Hashem, that He will direct your path toward freedom.

Reading #1 - Leviticus 14:1–12

14:1 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest shall go out of the camp. The priest shall examine him. Behold, if the plague of leprosy is healed in the leper, 4 then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. 5 The priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. 6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood, the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. 7 He shall sprinkle on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird go into the open field.

8 “He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days. 9 It shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows. He shall shave off all his hair. He shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his body in water. Then he shall be clean.

10 “On the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without defect, one ewe lamb a year old without defect, three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, and one log of oil. 11 The priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed, and those things, before Hashem, at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

12 “The priest shall take one of the male lambs, and offer him for a trespass offering, with the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before Hashem.

Metzora - Week #9

Metzora מְּצֹרָע - Infected One

Leviticus 14:1-15:33

Haftarah: II Kings 7:3-20

Apostolic Reading: LUKE 2:22-35; MARK 1:35-45

1.1 First reading — Leviticus 14:1–12

1.2 Second reading — Leviticus 14:13–20

1.3 Third reading — Leviticus 14:21–32

1.4 Fourth reading — Leviticus 14:33–53

1.5 Fifth reading — Leviticus 14:54–15:15

1.6 Sixth reading — Leviticus 15:16–28

1.7 Seventh reading — Leviticus 15:29–33