Acharei Mot (After the Death) Lev 16-18
Torah Portion: Acharei Mot (After the Death) (Leviticus) Vayikra 16-18
Haftorah Reading: Ezekiel 22:1-19
Tonight we look at a Torah portion that covers two main connected points, morality and forgiveness. I want us to look at both of these in some depth. Let’s begin with forgiveness. A large part of this Torah portion has to do with the details of and preparation for the day of Yom Kippur. First, what do the words Yom Kippur mean? Yom is the Hebrew word for day and Kippur is the Hebrew word for covering. This was/is the time to come together as a people and confess their sins and ask G-d to forgive them. This process covered everyone from the greatest to the least. Everyone sought forgiveness on this day. It is mentioned in the New Testament in Acts 27:9 where we see Paul, on his way to Rome, mentioning The Fast which would have been Yom Kippur. So it would seem that the early Jewish believers continued to observe this and the other Biblical holy days.
Passover Reading Lev 25 Counting the Omer
Passover Reading: (Leviticus) Vayikra 25:1-16
Counting the Omer
At sundown today the holiday of Pesach ends and we count day eight of the omer. Since there is no Torah portion for this Sabbath we will give our attention to several topics that G-d has brought before me this week including some insight on counting the omer.
Metzora (Leper)(Leviticus) Vayikra 14-15
Torah Portion: Metzora (Leper) (Leviticus) Vayikra 14-15
Haftorah Reading: II Kings 7:3-20
This week our Torah portion continues with the discussion of clean and unclean issues dealing with people. In last weeks section in verses 13:1-4 we read where the word used for man was “adam” rather than the more common word, “ish.” This shows the connection between this disease and the fall of mankind in the garden. Then death, disease and sin entered the world and we still suffer from the effects of the actions of Adam and Eve. Here again we read where one of the effects of the illness of leprosy is rooted in our spiritual nature, in that this disease, as well as other things, can separate us spiritually from G-d. Yeshua and His blood can cleanse us from this separation. However, it is very important for us to do what we can to not come under the influence of the issues we read about this week. Remember, this is at least 3 chapters devoted mainly to one ailment and its effect on our connection with G-d.
Tazria (She Conceives) Lev. (Vayikra) 12-13
Torah Portion: Tazria (She Conceives) (Leviticus) Vayikra 12-13
Haftorah Reading: II Kings 4:42-5:19
Last week we read in Leviticus 10:10 where we are to be able to put a difference between holy and unholy and between clean and unclean. This week we see this idea of clean and unclean carried on from almost the first verse of chapter 12. We see where a woman who gives birth is considered unclean for a period of time. To rectify her state of uncleanness she is to bring a sin offering to the Mishkan. We see this process played out in Luke 2:24 where the mother of Yeshua brought an offering to the Temple in Jerusalem. She brought a sin offering even though there was no evidence of sin mentioned. Naturally the question arises why? I would think it harkens back to the first birth in scripture when Eve, as a result of her sin and Adam’s sin, was told the birth process would be painful and bloody as a reminder of their sin. It also helps us to understand the verse in Psalms 51:5. There David says he was, “brought forth in iniquity and in sin did his mother conceive me.” We all live in a world that is under this same dilemma. As such our lives are lived with this world’s sinfulness around us. Thankfully Yeshua and His blood has given us refuge from the sin of the world but it takes action on our part to accept that gift of redemption and then walk in G-d’s leading in our life. G-d expects us to be part of the fixing of this world as His people. This is a choice we all are faced with, the choice of holy or profane, clean or unclean. Even in our spiritual lives there are times when we as G-d’s people are faced with this choice. We must be able to choose wisely.
Shemini (Eighth) Lev (Vayikra) 9-11
Torah Portion: Shemini (Eighth) (Leviticus) Vayikra 9-11
Haftorah Reading: II Sam 6:1-7:17
The name of this Torah portion is Shemini or Eighth. This Torah portion contains many worthy spiritual lessons for us and we will talk about a few of them. However, one fact is not clear from just reading the text. In Lev. 10:16 we read of Moshe, “Moshe searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering and behold it had been burned up.” The interesting fact is the words translated, “searched carefully.” In Hebrew the two Hebrew words are “dorash, darosh” meaning searching he searched. This same Hebrew word is applied to the study of Torah and by extension all of scripture as found in Deut. 6:7, which is part of the Shema where we see that all of us as believers are called to teach G-d’s Word to our sons and daughters every chance we have. We should teach them with purpose. In John 5:39 we read of Yeshua rebuking the teachers of Torah for not, “searching” “dorash” because the scriptures teach about Him. Now the interesting fact is that this word “dorash” is the exact middle word of the Torah, if you are counting the words. Right at the center of the Torah we find the word search or study. Teaching us that we are to always be about the study of G-d’s Word. We must never stop studying and seeking out what we can learn from the Word of G-d.
Tzav (Command) Vayikra (Lev) 6-8
Torah Portion: Tzav (Leviticus) Vayikra 6:1-8:36
Haftorah Reading: Jeremiah 7:21-44:23
Tonight we will look at the sacrifices again. Why do you think G-d has us go back over these for the second time? What is different in this portion from the one last week? This week we look at the sacrifices from the perspective of the priest who is taking the offering from the person and going through the process of presenting it on the altar. Last week we read about the person bringing the offering.
Vayikra (He Called) Leviticus 1-5
Torah Portion: Vayikra (Leviticus) 1:1-5:26
Haftorah Reading: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
Tonight we begin the third book of the Torah. Interestingly this is the first thing religious children study beginning around three years old. Why do you think they begin here instead of Genesis? It is said that this book teaches them and us two things, how much G-d loves us and our lives matter and have meaning.
P’kudei (Accounts)(Sh’mot) Exodus 38-40
Torah Portion: P’kudei (Accounts)(Sh’mot) Exodus 38-40
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 7:40-8:21
Tonight we read the last section of the book of Shemot/Exodus. The book reaches it climax here with the setting up of the Mishkan and the filling of it with the Presence of G-d. We have followed the people from their exit from Egypt and hundreds of years as slaves to Pharaoh to this point where they, having done all that G-d commanded, became in every sense the people of G-d with His presence dwelling in them. We have seen them at their lowest making the golden calf to here where scripture says that they have done everything G-d has commanded. They are G-d’s segula or treasured possession.
Vayak’hel (He Assembled) Sh’mot Exodus 35-38
Torah Portion: Vayak’hel (He Assembled)(Sh’mot) Exodus 35-38
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 7:13-26; I Kings 7:40-50
In this Torah portion we cover the giving of the offering by the people for the building of the Mishkan or Tabernacle as well as the picking of the man chosen by G-d to oversee the construction of the Mishkan as well as the art work.
Ki Tisa (When you take) Ex. 30-34
Torah Portion: Ki Tisa (When You Take)(Sh’mot) Exodus 30-34
Haftorah Reading: I Kings 18:1-39
This Torah portion begins with the taking of the census of all the people of G-d and the paying of what became known as the Temple tax. However the pivotal events talked about in this section are the incidents of the golden calf and the giving of the two sets of tablets of the Law. The first set of laws was broken by Moshe when he returned from his time with G-d on top of Mt. Sinai.