This week reading is from Parashat Emor (Vayikra / Leviticus 21:1-24:23); the Lord tells Moshe to speak to the Priests about the sons of Aaron to be careful not to defile themselves by touching a dead person among his people. Scripture also says 21:5 ‘They shall not make any baldness on their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor make any cuts in their flesh. 21:6 ‘They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they present the offerings by fire to the Lord, the food of their God; so they shall be holy. (NASB) Shaving baldness on one’s head, rounding the edges of one’s beards, or making cuts in one’s flesh make one unclean (impure) before God like one becoming unclean by reason of touching the dead. The Lord also says the Priests are not to take a woman who has profaned herself as a prostitute and not to take a woman who is divorced from her husband (21:7). The daughter that profanes herself by prostitution, she profanes her father by doing so (21:9). The priest that is anointed with oil shall not tear his cloths, uncover his head, or defile himself by a dead person, not even his nearest relative (21:11), the priest is not to leave the sanctuary or profane the sanctuary in any way (21:12). The Priest that approaches any of the holy things in his uncleanness will be cut off from before the Lord (22:3). In addition to this, the Scriptures (Vayikra / Leviticus 22:10-15) describe who may and may not eat of the holy gifts. We are also told that the animals brought for an offering before the Lord are to be perfect and without defect (22:18-25). In addition to this, the Lord says to keep His commandments so that one does not profane the name of the Lord (22:31-32).
כתבי הקודש / The Holy Scriptures
ספר ויקרא פרק כג
כז אַךְ בֶּעָשֹוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים הוּא מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם וְעִנִּיתֶם אֶת-נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָֹה: כח וְכָל-מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשֹוּ בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי יוֹם כִּפֻּרִים הוּא לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יְהוָֹה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם: כט כִּי כָל-הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא-תְעֻנֶּה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וְנִכְרְתָה מֵעַמֶּיהָ:
Vayikra / Leviticus 23:27-29
23:27 ‘On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the Lord. 23:28 ‘You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the Lord your God. 23:29 ‘If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. (NASB)
In this week’s reading from the Torah (Parashat Emor) the Lord is very concerned with purity. The priests and the people are not be able to come before the Lord if having come in contact with the dead. The priest and the people are not to shave their heads, beards, or tattoo their bodies, because their bodies are holy. The Scriptures say the person one marries has an effect upon ones relationship with God. Within the context on the issue of purity and relationship with the Lord Vayikra / Leviticus 23:27-29, the commandment concerning the Day of atonement is given, which is on the tenth day of the seventh month of the year. The Scriptures say we are to guard ourselves on that day in such a way as to “humble our souls” and to present an offering by fire to the Lord. The day of atonement is a day when one comes face to face with God. Today in Christ we see the whole picture of God’s plan for redemption, that in His Son Yeshua atonement has been made. Reading through these Scriptures, do they apply in any way to our lives today, the way we live, what we think, and walking humbly before our God? These verses describe an important aspect of the Almighty and His Holiness. According to the Scriptures the person who does not humble himself before the Lord will be cut off. In 1 Chronicles 7:14 we read 7:14 and My people who are called by My name would humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (NASB) All of these commandments on purity is related to being humble and submitting to God’s word. When we come before the Lord in prayer, we are also to do so with a humble heart. When we are saved by faith in Yeshua, we humbly repent confessing our sins before the Host High God in the Name of His Son Yeshua. Following being saved, we are to humbly submit our lives to the Lord according to His word (the Scriptures). Yeshua told the religious leaders of His day, “You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form” (John 5:37) today we have His Word and we know the only begotten Son of God has revealed Him (Our Father in Heaven). Yeshua says, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). Yeshua saves us, he reveals to us the Father, and he puts us in right standing before the Lord! A true appreciation of the greatness of God excludes religious arrogance because the Lord is the one working in our lives. On the other hand our walk before God and others is to be done in humility, just like the Priest involved in the Temple service is to walk in purity. Today, because of Yeshua, our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, so, how should we be walking before the Lord with regard to purity, holiness, and justice? BTT_Parashat Emor-2013
