Parashah 29 & 30: Acharei Mot (After

death) & Kedoshim (Holy People)

Parashah 29: Acharei Mot (After death) Leviticus 16:1 through 18:30.
Haftarah (Writings and Prophets): Ezekiel 22:1-19.
B'rit Hadasha (New Testament): Romans 3:19-28, 9:30 - 10:13; 1 Corinthians
5:1-13; 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; Galatians 3:10-14; Hebrews 7:23 - 10:25.

Parashah 30: Kedoshim (Holy People) Leviticus 19:1 through 20:27.

Haftarah (Writings and Prophets): Amos 9:7-15.
B'rit Hadasha (New Testament): Matthew 5:33-37, 43-48, 15:1-11; 19:16-30,
22:33-40; Luke 10:25-37; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13-26; James 2:1-9; 1
Peter 1:13-21.

Summary & Overview

TORAH
o Leviticus 16:1 | The Day of Atonement
o Leviticus 17:1 | The Slaughtering of Animals
o Leviticus 17:10 | Eating Blood Prohibited

o Leviticus 18:1 | Sexual Relations

o Leviticus 19:1 | Ritual and Moral Holiness
o Leviticus 20:1 | Penalties for Violations of Holiness

Last week we discussed Leprosy, especially leprosy that

exist in the House of YHVH and how the removal of theses
leprous stones releases blessings. This week is a double
portion, and in the first part we will look at the Sanctuary,
how it was defiled and what YHVH had do to sanctify the
Sanctuary as well as the people. This first section starts with
the Appointed Time called Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement.
The name of the first portion is Acharei Mot tvm yrxa
and its letters (that represent numbers as well), adds up to a
total of 665. This equals the numeric value of the word
mitsnepheth tpnom, which is the turban or mitre worn
on the head of the High Priest.

Lev 16:4 He should put on the set-apart linen long shirt, with linen
trousers on his flesh, and gird himself with a linen girdle, and be dressed
with the linen turban they are set-apart garments. And he shall bathe
his body in water, and shall put them on.
This is what the High Priest wore when he prepared to facilitate the Yom Kippur
sacrifices and we note the following:

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 The High Priest (Kohen HaGadol) can only enter inside the veil, the Holy
of Holies, once a year, on the Appointed Time of Yom Kippur.
For him to minister before YHVH on this holy day, Aaron (High Priest)
had to be immersed (mikvah/ritual cleansing), before he could bring the
ketoret (incense offering) into the Holy of Holies.
He was dressed in simple, white linen clothing, representing his purity
and humility, which was appropriate for this sacred day, instead of his
resplendent golden garments symbolising his authority.
When he came into the Holy of Holies, part of his prescribed clothing was
this mitsnepheth or turban, that was a reminder of his sons
disobedience.
Spiritual Insight: Yshua is our High Priest who went John the Baptist was a
into the Holies of Holies on our behalf, presenting His descendent of Aaron from both
Blood as well as the incense offering before the his mother and his fathers side
Father. Yshua was immersed before He was and the last High Priest
appointed as the High Priest through John the according to the Aaronic order.
Baptist and the anointing of the Spirit (dove). His John was a Nazarite and did
clothing represents His humility, where He stripped not use any wine, this was a
Himself from His former royal attire, as the Son of commandment for the High
Elohim and gave Himself as a humble offering. Priest not to take any wine. The
We learned previously that the incense offering scene of Yshuas
represents our prayers and here we find the same mikvah/baptism was a
symbolism where Yshua went in before the Father to transition in priesthoods.
intercede for the sins of the world as well as to Ex. 40:12,13 And you shalt bring
present our prayers before the Father. The crown of Aaron and his sons unto the door
thorns on His head represents the humble turban of the tabernacle of the
that He wore as a reminder of humanities congregation, and wash them with
disobedience. After completion of His duties on Yom water. And you shalt put upon
Kippur, He was reinstated back to His former glory as Aaron the holy garments, and
King, after He visited Sheol and Hades to take back anoint him, and sanctify him; that
he may minister unto me in the
the authority over death.
priests office.

The Origins of Yom Kippur

Immediately following the deaths of two of
Aarons sons (Lev 10), YHVH instructed
Aaron that the task of the Priests is to
distinguish between the holy and the
profane, between impure and the pure and
between clean (tahor) and unclean (tame).
This explains why YHVH struck down Nadab
and Abihu with fire, because they violated
one of the areas of Holiness. (We will
discuss all these areas of Holiness later on
in more detail). By doing this, they defiled the Sanctuary; and by dying in the
Sanctuary, their corpses further polluted the Tabernacle. After the death
(Acharei Mot) sets the theme and directs the Priesthood in what has to happen
next; they had to purify the Sanctuary and amend the blemish of Nadab and
Abihu, where they crossed the boundaries of holiness, defiling YHVHs House
through disobedience and death (uncleanness).

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Chapter 16 give all the details of the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. The very
essence of this day is about the necessity for the shedding of innocent blood to
cover sin. The primary objective was to maintain a pure Sanctuary so that
YHVH would not withdraw His Presence from His people. The people also had
to be purified, the High Priest, the entire Priesthood and all of Israel.
Prophetic Insight: This event is a prophetic picture of believers in Messiah
Yshua who need to die to the old after being exposed to the fire of the
Holy Spirit of YHVH. This happens after you converted and entered the
Sanctuary (Body of Messiah). With you will come all your fleshiness, that
will cross the boundaries of holiness as well as your dead corpse (Rom
7:24) you need to be released from. Just by entering the Sanctuary, you
defile it with your actions and presence. Your dead corpse (old nature),
needs to be atoned for to maintain and uphold the Holiness of the Sanctuary.
When Yshua died, Him being the Scapegoat, ensured that these defilements
could be removed and taken away into the Wilderness (the realm of death)
where it is bound forever.
This Parasha prescribes the following sacrifices; a bull for a chattath or sin
offering, a ram for an olah or burnt offering and two goats. Each one of these
offerings had a specific purpose in the cleansing of the High Priest, the
Sanctuary and the people.
The Bull for a sin offering, a chatta-at. This offering was for the Priest and
his house. Remember the High Priests two sons died and he was
in contact with his dead sons that required an offering to sanctify
him so that he can enter the Sanctuary without defiling it. Bull is the
word par that comes from the root word parar that means, to
break up, cast off, cause to cease, make clean, defeat, disannul,
disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate,
bring to nought, utterly make void. Anything that came upon or
against the High Priest and his family was utterly destroyed and
made void so that they can be purified and cleansed for their task.
Yshua is our High Priest and nothing can be brought against Him,
no authority, power or principality. He is the ultimate Authority because of His
Sacrifice that broke and dissolve anything that came against His House and His
people.
Eph 1:15-22 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Master
Yshua and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for
you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the Elohim of our
Master Yshua the Messiah, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of
His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the
saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us
who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He
worked in Messiah when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at
His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and
power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only
in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put
all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the
Assembly, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

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The Ram was offered as a burnt offering (olah or ascension) for the
people. Ram is the word ayil that means, strength,
strong leader, a strong support, an oak or other strong
tree, mighty (man), lintel, post, righteous or upright.
The picture here is that all of us must come before YHVH
having laid down our strength so that He can strengthen
us and use our new strength to serve Him and live for His
purpose. This implies that only the upright and righteous
will ascend to YHVH, and our righteousness is only
because of this new life and strength we receive from Him.
The Two Goats are also selected for a purification offering. It is for
purification of the Sanctuary as well as for the people. This connects the people
and the Sanctuary, making them one, where the Sanctuary is now made up of
living stones. Lots were drawn randomly, with one of the goats designated as a
sacrifice for YHWH, its blood mixed with the bulls blood to perform the
purification offering presented in the Holy of Holies.
The other goat is called the Azazel. The term Azazel has long been the
subject of debate and discussion, both in traditional Judaism and in biblical
scholarship. What is clear is that Azazel, as the antithesis of the Sanctuary.
The goat represented tame ( - uncleanness) in contrast to the Sanctuarys
tahor ( - cleanness). Impurities dont go away but have to be transferred and
taken somewhere else. The scapegoat took the impurities or uncleanness
outside the place (space) of holiness.

Azazel lzazi means scapegoat. There is an Aleph a

(represents YHVH and strength) in the middle with two
zayins z (two tablets/two-edged sword) on either side. At
the beginning and the end of this word, you will see the
Ayin i (eye) and the lamed l (shepherd). Combining
the first and last letters, make the word al li, that means,
above, high, the highest (Elohim) and most High (YHVH). In the
previous weeks learned how the Aleph a changed to an Ayin i when man
sinned, changing the Glory ore rva that covered man, to expose their ore
rvi, skin or nakedness. When you change back the Ayin to an Aleph in the
word al li, it becomes the word el la, that is short for Elohim (God).
Spiritual Insight: The Scapegoat represents the Messiah Who is YHVH
(Aleph = 26 = YHVH), Who has the two-edged sword (zayin x2) proceeding
from His mouth, representing the two Tablets of the Ten Commandments.
The first Tablet lays the foundation for the restoration of relationship with
YHVH (zayin on the right), and the other Tablet, is for restoring the
relationships amongst man (zayin on the right). He is the Shepherd
(Lamed/Shepherds staff) Who seeks out (Ayin/eye) the lost sheep of Israel.
He is the Most High God (al), Who is Elohim (el); (Elohim = Messenger,
Judge and King).

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In v 10, Kippur (purgation) takes place via the Azazel goat, using the phrase
lekapper alayw, that means, to perform expiation upon it. This does not mean
that the goat itself is purged, but that the Sanctuary purgation is completed
when the goat, burdened with the impurities of the Sanctuary and the people, is
sent outside the borders of holiness. This implies that you will only be purged
by the work of Yshua (Scapegoat), if you are part of the Sanctuary made up
with living stones (Body of Messiah).
Psa 103:10-13 He has not done to us according to our sins, Nor
rewarded us according to our crookednesses. For as the heavens are high
above the earth, So great is His kindness toward those who fear Him; as
far as east is from west, So far has He removed our transgressions from
us. As a father has compassion for his children, So YHVH has compassion
for those who fear Him.

Definition of Holiness
The second part of this Torah Portion is named
Kedoshim that means those who are set-apart, that
focuses on what may be the most important attribute of
YHVH. His Holiness. Not only is He holy, but we as
His people, also are given the command to be holy.
Lev 20:7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and
be holy, for I am YHVH your Elohim.
Exo 25:8 And they shall make Me a Sanctuary, and I shall dwell in their
midst.
Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no
one will see YHVH.
Sanctuary is the word mikdash that comes from the root word
kadesh which means, set apart, to be holy. YHVH could only dwell in
the midst of holiness, therefore it is required that we need to be holy as well to
be able to dwell with Him.
Q What is the definition of Holiness and what does Holiness mean to you?
Holy is the word kadosh sdq that means, apartness, holiness, sacredness,
separateness. It is first used in Scripture in Exo 3:5 where Moses met YHVH in
the burning Thorn Bush and YHVH told him to take off his shoes because it is
Holy (kadosh) ground. Bush is the word senah hnc and was burning in the
fire that did not consume it. Fire is represented by the letter Shin s and Shin
also represents the Spirit of YHVH. Flame is the word labbah that comes
from the word lehavah that is used in Psa 29:7 that says; the voice
of YHVH divided the flames of fire.
Spiritual Insight: Holiness is associated with the burning thorn bush, Thorn
is associated with Mount Sinai (Mount Thorn) where the Voice of YHVH
spoke the Ten Commandments to Israel. This event is the appointed time
called Shavuot, that was fulfilled in the time after Yshua completed His First
Work, namely Pentecost.

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 On this Appointed Time YHVHs Voice divided the flames of fire (Psa 29),
symbolising the event where His people received His Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3),
making them a set apart or holy people. When Moses encountered the
Voice in the Burning Bush, he had to take off his shoes because it was holy
ground. Everywhere His Voice spoke, sanctified something; the ground
became Holy Ground or holy space, the time He spoke became a holy
time or Appointed Time, and the people He spoke to became holy
people. What we have in common is His Voice that makes the space
holy, time holy and the people holy. The Voice represents the Words or
Word of YHVH as well as His Authority and Command (as Commander).
Gen 3:8 talks about the Voice walking in the Garden (holy space) and is
none other than Yshua the Messiah interacting with His holy people, Adam
and Chavah (Eve). This implies that His walk or halechah is holy as well.
He walked with them in the cool of the day.
Cool is the word ruach that means, breath or Spirit of
YHVH, that means that their walk was made holy through
His Spirit (ruach). Without breath (Ruach) He will not be able
to speak through His Voice and without His Spirit you will not
be able to hear His Voice. This makes the Voice or Yshua
inseparable from YHVHs Spirit. This means that His Voice
(Word & Spirit) consecrated time, space, people and their
actions (halechah/walk).
Kadosh comes from the root word kadash sdq that means, to consecrate,
sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate.
This root word is first used in Gen 2:3 where YHVH blessed the Sabbath Day
and sanctified it. This confirms that YHVH restored time as well. These
Appointed Times and include the Sabbath and all the Festivals. The second
place kadash is used is in Ex 13:2 where YHVH said;sanctify unto Me all
the firstborn
Spiritual Insight: When you think about first-born and second-born, it can
relate to the physical and the spiritual. This implies that the first-born relates
to your natural birth, that is your nephesh or physical soul. The second-
born is related to when you were born gain, bringing your nashamah back
to life. The second-birth can only happen if your first-born (old self) is
sanctified or given to YHVH. This is linked to time, in this case the
Appointed time called the Sabbath, where your old-self will be sanctified if
you allow the time for YHVH to do His work in you. This is what it means to
be sanctified by time. On these Appointed Times, together with His
Voice (Word/Spirit), will the new-you be strengthened and the old-you be
sanctified.
Without His Spirit there will be no Voice, and without His Voice there will be no
Words. Without His Word(s) there will be no sanctification and no authority.
Without His Voice (Word/Spirit) there will be no holy places (spaces) and no
holy times (Appointed Times). His people need the holy spaces to gather on
the holy times to sit under His Voice to be sanctified. Everything He does if for
the benefit of man so that they can be sanctified and restored back into His
presence. Most importantly, all these restoration work is done by the Voice
Who is Yshua the Messiah, using His Word and the power of His Spirit.

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 Voice is the word qol that means voice, noise and sound, to
proclaim and to sing. Voice is first used in Gen 3:8 where they heard
(shema) the Voice of YHVH walking. Hear is the word shema
that means, to hear intelligently with attention, obedience, to call
(gather) together, consent, consider, discern, give ear, listen, (be)
obedient, obey, understand. We saw the same principle when we
discussed passive faith and active faith. In this context it is passive
hearing, to listen, understand, give ear, to discern, and active
hearing, to obey and be obedient. Passive hearing is when you
receive information about something, something to consider or just to be informed
so that you understand. Active hearing is when you act on the information you
received, specifically if it is in the form of a gesture or an instruction. Those who
only treat YHVHs Word as informative (passively listening), will find the
information interesting, but have no fruit and without works (active hearing/
obeying), their active faith is dead (only having passive faith).
James 2:18-24 But someone will say, You have faith, and I have
worked. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show
you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You
do well. Even the demons believeand tremble! 20 But do you want
to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not
Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son
on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his
works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture
was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of
God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by
faith only.

Three More Areas of Holiness

We just looked at the four areas that YHVH restores with His Voice to make it
possible for humanity to be made clean (tahor). The first two areas that needs
to be sanctified first are; holy spaces (places of assembly / fellowships) and
holy times (times when you assemble together). Then He will use those two to
deal with the third, holy people. Dealing with people includes the fourth area
that is holy walk or actions, and within this category, there are a further
breakdown into another three areas that needs to be sanctified. These are
found within three passages that creates the headings in the Book of
Leviticus, under these phrases; be holy for I am Holy or be holy for I
am YHVH your Elohim. These three phrases or headings reveal the three
areas that fall under the holy walk category. When you submit to His Voice,
you give Him authority and permission to work within these three areas in your
life that form the three main areas that covers all your actions, things that are
visable for other people to see. If you allow Him then He will change your walk
into a holy walk and you will becomelike Him and will be able to walk with Him
in the Cool of the day, walking in the Spirit. We will now look at the content of
the verses that follow these headings to find their context and why YHVH
wants to sanctify these areas.

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Food Sanctifies (Individual)
Lev 11:44 For I am YHVH your Elohim. You shall, therefore,
consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy.
Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that
creeps on the earth.
The first verse in Lev 11 where YHVH Commanded the individual to be
Holy and the context is about the dietary laws, defining what tahor or
clean food is. Eating has to do with sustaining your life, and YHVH placed
restrictions on food to show that He is the Owner of your life. Restrictions in
the Garden proves that He is the Owner of the Garden and everything within it.
You are currently outside the Garden, and the dietary laws are similar
restrictions He made inside the Garden, where the tree in the middle defined
His Ownership. Eve listened (shema) to the voice of the Serpent and caused
her to become unclean (tame). Adam listened, (shema) heard and obeyed the
voice of Eve (Chavah) and caused Him to become unclean (tame/unholy) as
well. To reverse the effect of tame (unclean/unholy), is to submit to the Voice
regarding eating and its restrictions, this will deal with the area of holiness that
is associated with your body (changing of covering), to consecrate it and make
it holy and ultimately clean again. This underlines the fact that you are what you
eat; eating unclean makes you unclean and eating clean, sanctifies you and
makes your body holy unto Him again. We are not to sanctify the food (decide
what is clean and unclean), that is YHVHs job, your job is to shama, hear and
obey His Voice, and allow His (Word/Spirit) to make you tahor again.

Appointed Times and Unity Sanctifies (Community)

Lev 19:2 Speak to all the congregation of the children
of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I YHVH
your Elohim am holy.
The second verse in Lev 19 is where YHVH commands the
congregation to be holy. This passage starts with the heading,
be holy for I am Holy, and gives more detail following this
phrase on how to be holy regarding your parents, the Sabbath
and then covers the rest of the Ten Commandments in a
practical way. The previous area was dealing with the individual body, this
area deals with the collective body (Israel), in our case made up of believers
in Messiah Yshua. This area of holiness deals with communal instructions on
how to live and interact with fellow believers within an Assembly. This coincides
with last weeks topic when we discussed the leprous stones that needed to
be dealt with so that the House of YHVH can be made tahor or clean again.
This area deals with the actions of people within a group set up, how they
should conduct themselves collectively to sanctify the space they meet, the
area of holiness that represents the House of YHVH. This area includes the
appointed times when they meet so that they can be sanctified as a collective
body, making them one (echad) and clean (tahor/holy) in the same time.

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Clean Relationships Sanctifies (Family)
Lev 20:7 Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am YHVH
your Elohim.
The third place in Lev 20 where YHVH instructed us to The word translated Mo-lech
be holy and is in the context relationships within the or Moloch (the spelling varies),
family. This passage is preceded and in the context of occurs eight times in the Bible,
warnings regarding offering your children to Molech as in Leviticus 18:21, 20:2, 3, 4, 5,
well as warnings not to consult with mediums and 1 Kings 11:7, 2 Kings 23:10,
familiar spirits. If you do this, YHVHs face will be Jeremiah 32:35. The
against you, and you will bring a major curse not only Ammonites, Carthaginians and
upon yourself but upon your entire family. at various times, some
This passage connects to a specific event in the time of Israelites offered and then
Saul, when he was king, consulted a medium regarding burned their first-born
the future battle against the Philistines. Molech is the children to this idol (see
Jeremiah 7:31 and Ezekiel 25 &
word malak ;lm that also means king, that connects 26).
king Saul to this passage here in Lev 20, where he Its name Molek is also
consulted with a medium for advice instead of YHVH. pronounced Melek or
Q What happened to Saul after his encounter with the King. It is speculated by the
sages that the reason for these
medium receiving a sance?
offerings of the first-born
King Saul of Israel sought counsel from a medium were a perversion of YHVHs
called the Witch of Endor. Endor is Torah regarding the first-born
made up of two words ayin of Bnei Yisrael, as mentioned
in Mikah 6:7; Shall I give my
that means, to see or eye, and dor
first-born for my transgression,
that means generations, the fruit of my body for the sin of
offspring (family). This is in context my being? This idol, usually
with Lev 20 where the family will be cast in brass, had the body of a
cursed when consulting a medium or man and the head of an ox.
fortune-teller to receive a sance. The Carthaginians called this
idol Saturn thats where the
1 Sam 28:8 So Saul disguised Greek name for the planet
himself and put on other clothes, Saturn came from.
and he went, and two men with
him; and they came to the woman
by night. And he said, Please conduct a sance for me,
and bring up for me the one I shall name to you.
Spiritists and Mediums were common among the pagan peoples of the Bible
lands. YHVH warned the children of Israel against becoming involved in these
practices just before their entry into the Promised Land of Canaan.
Deut 18:9-12 When you enter the land YHVH your Elohim is giving
you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter
in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens,
engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or
spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is
detestable to YHVH.

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When the spirit spoke to Saul and gave a prediction saying; "tomorrow you and
your sons will be with me. Shortly after his meeting with the medium, Sauls
sons were killed in battle, and he was wounded and took his own life rather than
being captured by the enemy. The fact that a medium reveals the truth does not
prove that we are to consult them because it will bring a curse, similar to what
happened to Saul, that came upon him and his family the very next day. If you
have consulted with mediums in the past, repent and see someone that can
pray with you to break this curse that came upon your family before it destroys
you and your offspring.
Conclusion: This passage is followed by stipulations regarding moral and
sexual purity and covers intimate relationships on a physical level that are within
the family unit, as well as intimate relationships on a spiritual level, that exist
within YHVHs family unit. We learned that clean, intimate relationships
(physical and spiritual) sanctify you and your family, but unclean intimate
relationships will only bring a curse upon the you as well as your family. Not
only that, it will defile the Sanctuary (Body of Messiah) as well as profane the
Name of YHVH if you are a believer who does these things or hasn't dealt with
these things if you have done it in your past.

Day of Atonement and Sexual Guidelines Connection

This is the second part of this combined Torah Portion called
Kedoshim that means Holy People, and is a result of the
work done in the preceding Portion, describing the acts of
atonement that made His Sanctuary, His leadership and His
people holy again. This section starts with the mentioning of
sexual immorality, connected to the story of the death of
Aarons two sons and the Commandments regarding the Day
of Atonement (Yom Kippur).
Q How is it that YHVH talks about the Day of Atonement in relation with
sexual immorality?
YHVH gives Commandments regarding sex and intimacy because Yom Kippur
describes man coming physically into intimacy with the Almighty and this is
similar to a man and a woman coming into physical intimacy with each other
after Marriage. This confirms our previous discussion on the blood on the sheet
that is the sign of the Covenant between man and his wife and the blood on the
Mercy Seat represents the sign of the Covenant between Messiah and His
Bride. YHVH gave specific Commandments regarding the Day of Atonement,
and if done differently to what He commanded, the person conducting this
ceremony will die, just like Nahab and Abednego. In the same way, YHVH gave
specific Commandments regarding marriage, morality and sexual intimacy, and
if done contrary to what He Commanded, will result in the death of the
relationship.
Spiritual Application: What we learn from this is that YHVH gave Marriage
as a beautiful commitment between man and woman and that the first love
should be preserved and kept pure. If we engage in any of these immoral
sexual sins mentioned in this Torah Portion, we will destroy that beautiful
relationship. These principles apply to our physical as well as intimate
spiritual relationships. These Commandments are given to protect these
Covenant relationships.

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From Rough Skin to Smooth Skin
Stepping off the topic of leprosy, connecting it to holiness
can be compared to having rough infected skin and going
through the sanctification processes mentioned in this Torah
Portions under the theme of holiness, can be transformed
into smooth skin.
Q- Where is the skin connection in this Portion?
Lev 17:1-7 And YHVH spoke to Moses, saying,
Any man from the house of Yisral who slaughters a
bull or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters it outside the
camp, and does not bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to bring an
offering to YHVH before the Dwelling Place of YHVH, blood-guilt is
reckoned to that man. And let them no longer slaughter their
slaughterings to demons, after whom they whored. This is a law forever
for them throughout their generations.
Up until this time the people had set up altars at various to make offerings to
YHVH and other gods. Here, the sacrifices and the blood are being consecrated
by bringing it to the holy space that is the Tent of Meeting. This is where the
offerings (qorbanot) were to be sanctified to draw near to YHVH. There are
specific instructions not to offer their sacrifices unto demons, that is associated
with the idol or foreign worship of the surrounding nations.
Devil is the word saiyr that means, he-goat, devil, goat, hairy, kid,
rough. Goat comes from the root word sa-ar
that means to tremble, to fear, storm,
whirlwind. This word is first used in Gen
27:11 where Jacob told his mother that Esau
has hairy skin and he has smooth skin.
Smooth skin is soft and pleasant that is the
word adan , the primitive root of Eden
(pleasure), the Garden that represents
YHVHs Dwelling Place. The Serpent or
Devils influence caused Adams skin to
change from being smooth to becoming rough, as he worked outside Eden
to sustain his life by the sweat of his brow. Sweat is the word za-ah that
comes from the root word zuah that means to fear, tremble, vex, to shake
violently. This is the result of hearing (shema) and obeying the words of the
Devil, that leads to fear (sa-ar) in your life (opposite of faith and Eden).
Believers with rough skin have unrefined souls who will be experienced as
abrasive and opinionated. Interacting with believers with smooth skin will be a
pleasant experience, leaving a good feeling after you interacted with them. This
is what we need to strive for, to presents a sweet smell and pleasant fragrance
when we interact with fellow believers in the Body of Messiah. YHVH is a
giver, and those who give will have this effect on people. Believers like Esau
are takers (immature) and leave you with a bad feeling, and you will be
physically and spiritually drained after interacting with them. Pray for them so
that YHVH can deal with them so that they can be released from the bondage of
the curses they still allow in their lives.

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Hairy (saiyr) can be translated as rough that is the opposite of smooth. The
skin is the covering that reveals the soul, and a smooth skin implies holy clean
actions where a rough skin reveals a soul that is still rough and reflect fleshly
actions that are unclean (leprous). This fits the story of Esau who was a man of
the field (world), but Jacob was a man who helped and see to it that the
Household is maintained and looked after. In relation to YHVHs House (Tent of
Meeting), Jacob represents believers who bring their offerings
(worship/service) to the House in honour of YHVH. Esau, on the other hand,
represents believers who are influenced by the doctrines of demons. that
result in sacrificing (worshipping) outside the Camp (Assembly), following their
own ways and understanding, influenced by ideas from surrounding nations,
religions. YHVH despises this kind of foreign worship.
Personal Application: Jacob and Esau describes what is happening inside
of you. Esau represents the old-self (nephesh) that is the stronger first-born
whom the blind father loves (father of this world). Then you get Jacob, the
younger soft spirited part of you that was born-second (born again). He was
bullied by his older stronger brother and had to flee, being set apart (made
holy) for twenty years. Then he returned after becoming strong, to face his
fleshly old self (Esau), this is where you deal with your past, facing the kiss
of Esau, that is trials and tribulations to sanctify the first-born.
Mixing destroys holiness because something unclean or profane is mixed in
with something that is clean and set apart for a specific purpose.
Lev 19:19 You shall keep My statutes. You shall not let your livestock
breed with another kind. You shall not sow your field with mixed seed.
Nor shall a garment of mixed linen and wool come upon you.

Mixing is the word kil-ayim that means mingled. It is

the plural form of the word kele that means,
confinement, restraint and imprisonment. This implies that
any mixing of things that should not be mixed brings bondage
and imprisonment. Mixtures profane YHVHs holiness. The Garden
of Eden was the original place where YHVH dwelt with man. As long as Adam
and Eve kept the commandment of not eating of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, YHVH was able to be in their midst. This tree was the only tree in
the garden with a mixture of fruit. In other words, the fruit was not pure and
holy. When Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit, they lost their holiness and
could no longer dwell in the presence of YHVH.
Spiritual Insight: This is a picture of believers Esau who do not want to
be part of a Congregation, who slaughter outside the camp," mixing in
and following their own ideas. The truth is divided and given to different
people like the pieces of a broken mirror. You will only find the whole
truth when everybody brings their piece of truth to challenge your
doctrine or understanding of the Word, and together we can search
together and reflect the whole truth, putting the broken pieces together.
A burning coal cannot survive on its own and needs to be united with
the rest of the fire so that it can produce life-sustaining warmth and light.

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Holiness and Righteousness
The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says; Righteousness refers to
an ethical, moral standard and of course that standard is the nature and the will
of Elohim.
Psa 145:17 YHVH is righteous in all His ways, and kind in all His works.
Therefore, the righteous person needs to find out what YHVHs righteousness
looks like before he/she can imitate Him according to His standard. Note that
YHVHs Righteousness is mentioned together with His kindness.
Kindness is the word chesed that means, merciful, good, Godly and
holy. Every standard He reveals to us through His Commandments are
motivated by His mercy and kindness toward humanity that will lead to their
sanctification or holiness.
Mal 3:18 Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous
and the wrong, between one who serves Elohim and one who does not
serve Him.
Righteousness implies relationship.
Gen 15:6 And he (Abraham) believed (aman) in YHVH, and He reckoned
it to him for righteousness.
Believed is the word aman that means, to build up, support; to foster as a
parent, to nurse; be firm, faithful, trust, believe, true, certain, assurance, be
faithful, steadfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified, trust, turn to the right.
We read the same in Rom 3:22 that righteousness comes through faith, and
here we see what faith is all about; to be faithful in the truth you received. That
is the principle of shema that is to hear and obey, hearing the truth and
walking in it. Continued obedience keeps us clothed in His righteousness:
Deut 6:25 And it is righteousness for us when we guard to do all
this command before YHVH our Elohim, as He has commanded us.
Yshua gave us our priorities:
Matt 6:33 But seek first the Kingdom of Elohim, and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Seek YHVH, His Kingdom and His Righteousness; then all the blessings will be
given to you, do not seek the blessings first like worldly or fleshly people do.
Rom 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves
servants for obedience, you are servants of the one whom you obey,
whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?
If you obey the flesh you serve and worship yourself, if you obey YHVHs truth,
you obey and worship Him that leads to righteousness that sanctifies you and
restores you.

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Holiness is not something you do; it is something
you become as you do truth that raises your sdq
righteousness, that is the level or standard of Holiness
the life you are living. Holiness is the goal; Righteousness L#100
righteousness is the standard, the truth is the Truth #100
means to progress and faith(-fulness) is the Righteousness L#99
action required from your side to aspire towards tma
holiness. YHVH is the One Who sanctifies you Righteousness L#2
Truth #2
and makes you holy by giving you the truth you Righteousness L#1 qydo
Truth #1
need to implement in your life.

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