Sexual Sin and Covenant Loyalty
18: 1-30

The righteous must be vigilant in maintaining their allegiance to ADONAI Elohim because the wickedness of this world provides an overwhelmingly powerful threat. What is truly amazing is that although the moral impurity of this world is perverse and detestable by any simple standard, the more it is tolerated the more acceptable and appealing it becomes. This is more obvious today than ever before. When Isra’el entered the land of Canaan, they found a people whose ways and beliefs were deplorable; but it was not too long before those ways became their ways, and those beliefs became their beliefs. YHVH judged them for this toleration and assimilation.

So this section of the book moves immediately to warn the righteous of the TaNaKh about the abominations of the world and their consequences. The chapter provides a blunt and disturbing picture of the degrading Canaanite civilization; its emphasis is on sexual practices that should be avoided by those who believe in the holy LORD God. Its literary form is now that of a speech, a message, rather than straightforward legal instructions. The chapter has a dual purpose: to warn Isra’el not to practice the abominations of the Egyptians and the Canaanites, and to warn Isra’el that indulging in such wickedness would prompt Ha’Shem to expel them from the Land as well.

It was not merely good advice that was being offered to Isra’el here – it was a matter of covenant loyalty. The text of this message follows the pattern of the ancient suzerain-vassal treaties (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Ah – Treaty of the Great King). For example, identification of the great sovereign (I am ADONAI your God) occurs three times at the beginning (18:2, 4 and 5) and once at the end (18:30), forming a book end effect that is reinforced elsewhere by I am ADONAI (18:6 and 21). Following the preamble (18:1-2), the historical prologue (18:3), general stipulations (18:4), and blessings (18:5), the main thrust of the chapter is a lengthy list of detailed statutes (Hebrew: hachukkim, meaning to write into law permanently) and ordinances (Hebrew: hammishpatim, meaning a judgment of the court) about abstaining from the abhorrent sexual acts and the curses resulting from their violation (18:6-23). Finally, there was the call of witnesses (18:24-30). So, these mitzvot forced the Israelites to choose between the covenant and sexual sin.

Several important theological motifs come to the fore in Leviticus 18. At the outset we have the emphasis on obedience to the will of God. The prospect of a long, productive life is held out to those who live in harmony with the perfect will of ADONAI. This means, of course, that they did not live according to pagan abominations. So, at the center of this chapter is the contrast between holiness and sexual violations. Sexual intimacy is part of the institution ordained by YHVH at creation; any acts that cross the sexual barriers not only desecrate what is holy, but also bring chaos and confusion into human relationships.

Judgment, therefore, is also an important motif here. Those who violate Ha’Shem’s will and distort His plan for sexual intimacy forfeit their right to live and flourish in the Land. Although they attempt to conceal their sexual perversion in religious activity or with theological rationalization, they cannot escape the simple fact that they sought to nullify the LORD’s plan. The chapter underscores this divine mitzvah, and those who willfully rebel against it actually condemned themselves.³⁰⁰

The basic principles of the Ten Commandments (see the commentary on the Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words) are incorporated into Chapters 18 through 20, though not in the same order and not always with the same emphasis.

The Ten Commandments Leviticus

1-2   No other gods 18:2 and 19:4

3      Misuse the Name 19:12

4      Observe Shabbat 19:3b

5      Honor father/mother 19:3a

6      Do not murder 19:16b

7      No adultery 18:20 and 20:10

8     Do not steal 19:11a

9     No false witness 19:16a

10   Do not covet 19:18

The Life is in the Blood
17: 1-16

The life is in the blood DIG: What consequences would fall upon those who failed to follow ADONAI’s command regarding the sinful use of blood for a sacrifice? A major theme in Leviticus is that blood covers the people’s sins and reconciles them to God. Why do you think YHVH chose blood to do that? What does that say about the seriousness of sin?

REFLECT: How does this chapter point to Messiah’s blood shed for you? How do you feel about that? Do you take His sacrifice for granted? How so? Do you ever thank Him for His shed blood on your behalf? What is the most important thing you have learned from this chapter about maintaining fellowship with ADONAI? Who can you tell about His shed blood?

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

All sacrifices brought to the Tabernacle (17:1-4): The mitzvah here concerns the prohibition bringing sacrifices (Hebrew zebach) anywhere other than the Tabernacle. God said to Moshe, speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Isra’el. Tell them that this is what ADONAI has ordered, “When someone from the community of Isra’el slaughters an ox, lamb or goat inside or outside the camp without bringing it to the entrance of the Tabernacle to present it as an offering to ADONAI is to be considered guilty of shedding blood.” There was to be only one place and one God. The idea was that the killing of the animal was imputed, or transferred to the man. The seriousness of this offense is underlined by the fact that the crime is called shedding blood, a phrase used to describe the murder. Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed: for in the image of God has God made mankind (Genesis 9:6). As a result, that person is to be cut off from His people.²⁹⁵

In rabbinic literature the penalty is called karet, or “cutting off.” In priestly literature, the penalty of karet was understood to include a series of related punishments at the hand of God, ranging from the immediate death of an offender, as in 20:17, to his premature death at a later time, and even to the death of his descendants. In Mishnah Sanhedrin 9:6 and Mishnah Keritot 1:2, this penalty was characterized as mitah biydei shamayim, or “death at the hands of heaven.” Since in 7:20-21 karet is mentioned in the context as childlessness, there is the implication that it took that course as well.²⁹⁶

Peace offerings brought before ADONAI (17:5-7): The reason for bringing their offerings to the entrance of the Tabernacle, to the priest, and sacrifice them as peace offerings to ADONAI (to see link click Ak – The Peace Offerings: At Peace with God), was to prevent sacrifices from being made to goat idols instead of the LORD. Thus, the text describes the butchering of meat in the open field as a sacrifice. No longer will they offer sacrifices to the goat-demons, before whom they prostitute themselves (Second Chronicles 11:15; Second Kings 23:8)! They either believed in God or believed in demons! The same is true for us today (First Timothy 4:1). Such an offense would be a violation of the First Commandment (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bl – Have No Other Gods), which explains why the offender would be cut off. The offense was equivalent to spiritual adultery. The proper procedure for the sacrifice of a peace offering is then given. The priest will splash the blood against the bronze altar in the courtyard of the Tabernacle, and make the fat go up in smoke as a pleasing aroma for ADONAI. The proper place of the blood in sacrifice was to be for atonement. This was to be a permanent regulation for them through all their generations.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being so wise and holy! Praise You that since blood is so important for sacrifice, You willingly sacrificed Your own blood on the cross in a bloody and painful tortuous execution. What love! It is easy to look at the sacrifice to goat idols and to dismiss it as not occurring nowadays, but sacrifice to idols still does occur. It may not be as obvious of a sacrifice; but self-centered living is a sacrifice to the god of self. When a person lives their life to please their own desires and wants, it is empty and unfulfilling. You give us a full life as we give you honor. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10c).

Sacrifices made to the idol of one’s own heart is an abomination to You. Dear Father, We plead for forgiveness for often putting ourselves above You. We need to set aside time for special worship of You. Our time, money and talents are all gifts from You that we should give graciously back to You. Too often our life gets so busy that meditating on Your Word and praise of Your many gracious attributes is crowded out.

May the wonder and glory of You, be the first thought of our day. Bless Adonai, O my soul. Adonai my God, You are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty – wrapping Yourself in light as a robe (Psalms 104:1-2). May praising You be the last thought of our day. Praise the Lord of lords, for His lovingkindness endures forever, who alone did great wonders, for His lovingkindness endures forever, who made the heavens by wisdom, for His lovingkindness endures forever (Psalms 135:3-5). You are worthy! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Burnt offerings brought before ADONAI (17:8-9): Also tell them, “When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the foreigners living with you offers a burnt offering or sacrifice without bringing it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to sacrifice it to ADONAI, that person is to be cut off from His people.” These two verses restate the principle regarding the location for the presentation of the offerings. All sacrificial offerings had to be brought to the Tabernacle, that is, before ADONAI. This mitzvah not only applied to the Israelite, but also to any foreigner living among the Israelites.²⁹⁷

Blood ritual and slaughter (17:10-16): In addition to regulations regarding sacrifice, Leviticus 17 warned the Israelites against consuming blood (also see Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26-27; Deuteronomy 12:23; Acts 15:20 and 29). When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the foreigners living with you eats any kind of blood, I will set myself against that person who eats blood and cut him off from his people. Consuming blood was strictly forbidden, for the life (Hebrew: nefesh, meaning soul) of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the bronze altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life (17:10-11). 

By saying the life of a creature is in the blood, the Torah speaks of life in the sense of life-force. The Hebrew word nefesh can be used to refer to one’s person, one’s life, one’s consciousness, or one’s eternal essence. Here, in Leviticus 17 it should probably be understood in its simplest form: the nefesh is the life-force. It is the life of the flesh, without which the flesh is dead. Obviously, that life-force is dependent upon the blood. When the blood is drained from the body, the spark of life leaves with it.

This is why I told the people of Isra’el, “None of you is to eat blood, nor is any foreigner living with you to eat blood.” When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the foreigners living with you hunts and catches game, whether animal or bird that may be eaten, he is to pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is in the blood. Therefore, I said to the people of Isra’el, “You are not to eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is in the blood. Whoever eats it will be cut off from His people and the Tabernacle/Temple sacrifices (17:12-14). The belief that the nefesh is in the blood is testified to by Abel’s blood which cried out from the ground (see the commentary on Genesis Bj – Your Brother’s Blood Cries Out to Me from the Ground). According to the Torah method of slaughter, even animals that are hunted are to be drained out onto the ground and then covered with earth. This is suggestive of a dignified burial.

In Jewish burial customs, blood is accorded great dignity. That the life is in the blood is the reason behind the Jewish burial practice of collecting and burning even blades of grass stained with Jewish blood. In Jewish burial rituals, embalmment is not practiced. People are buried with the blood still in their bodies rather than having it run down the sewer drain of a mortuary before being pumped with formaldehyde.

Meat with the blood still in it is meat that was not ritually slaughtered in a way that completely drains the blood from the flesh. The traditional procedure for sacrifice is to slit the jugular of the animal so that its pumping heart will continue to beat until it has pumped all of the blood (life) from the body. Of course, some blood inevitably remains in any cut of meat, but the blood containing the life of the animal has been drained because the life departed with the blood. This method of slaughter is called shechita, the Hebrew word for butchering. This traditional method of butchering has been inherited from the sacrificial procedure used in the Temple.

Any meat that has not been bled to death by this method is not considered kosher by observant Jews today because it still has blood in it. They are forbidden meats of animals torn or that have died on their own (Exodus 22:31; Leviticus 22:8). The early Messianic community referred to animals not slaughtered by being bled as the meat of strangled animals (Acts 15:20 and 29). We learn that anyone eating such an animal would be rendered unclean by it. Anyone eating an animal that dies naturally or is torn to death by wild animals, whether he is a citizen or a foreigner, is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean. But if he doesn’t wash them or bathe his body, he will bear the consequences of his wrongdoing (17:15-16).

Are hunted animals deemed kosher? Obviously, an animal wounded or killed in a hunt cannot be slaughtered by shechita. Therefore, in Orthodox Judaism, hunted animals are not regarded as kosher. But here the Torah allows for them so long as their blood is drained out upon the ground and covered with earth. The implication is that the Jewish tradition of shechita is not the biblical standard of whether or not eating hunted meat is permissible.

Understanding the sanctity of blood and the Torah relationship between life/soul and blood, we can better understand the significance of the Master’s blood. We frequently speak of His blood and that it was shed for us. Being shed means that His life/soul was poured out. It is the precious life/soul of Yeshua which ransoms, cleanses and atones for us.²⁹⁸ The B’rit Chadashah frequently mentions the blood of Messiah as it relates to our salvation. On the night in which He was betrayed He said: This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28). And through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross (Colossians 1:20).

The purpose of the blood was to symbolize sacrifice for sin, which brought about cleansing from sin. Indeed, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22b). Forgiveness is very, very costly. The Father doesn’t forgive sin by looking down and saying, “Well, it’s all right. Since I love you so much, I’ll overlook your sin.” ADONAI’s righteousness and holiness will not allow Him to do that. Sin demands payment by death. And the only death great enough to pay for all of the sins of mankind was the death of His Son. YHVH’s great love for us will not lead Him to overlook our sin, but it has led Him to provide the payment for our sin, as John 3:16 so beautifully reminds us. Ha’Shem cannot ignore our sin; but He will forgive our sin if we trust in the death of His Son for that forgiveness.²⁹⁹

Holiness for the People
17:1 to 20:27

Like Chapters 1-16, Leviticus 17 addresses issues related to the proper place of sacrifice (17:4 with 1:3; 3:2; 4:4), the proper use of blood (17:10, 12 and 14 with 3:17 and 7:26), the importance of addressing ritual impurity (17:15-16 with 11:24-25 and 39-40; 15:31; 16:16 and 19), and the application of those mitzvah to resident aliens (17:8, 10, 13 and 15 with 16:29). But like Chapters 18-20, Leviticus 17 also has a prohibition against illicit practices (17:7 with 18:21; 19:4; 20:2). The chapter therefore serves as a smooth transition between Leviticus 1-16 and Leviticus 18-20.²⁹³

Up to this point in Leviticus, most of the mitzvot have focused on matters directly related to the Tabernacle: the sacrifices to be presented there (Leviticus 1-7), the procedures necessary for public worship to begin there (Leviticus 8-10), the procedures for addressing impurity so that it does not pollute the Tabernacle (Leviticus 11-15), the yearly ritual, the Day of Atonement, that cleansed it and the people (Leviticus 16).

Chapters 18-20 now turn to matters related more broadly to living as a kingdom of priests in the Promised Land. Leviticus 18 and 20 focus on the unholy practices of the Canaanites that must be avoided, while Leviticus 19 addresses the unholy practices to be avoided as well as holy practices to obey. If the Israelites were to obey ADONAI in these things, they would prove themselves to be His holy people (20:26) and enjoy life under His favor and blessing.²⁹⁴

The Holiness Code
17:1 to 26:46

It has long been recognized that Leviticus Chapter 17 begins a new section that addresses the everyday affairs and ethics of the Israelite community. And yet, the preceding contents of Leviticus Chapters 1-16 are presumed throughout. In scholarly literature, Leviticus Chapters 17-26 has been called the Holiness Code because of its demand for holiness on the part of the Israelites (19:2; 20:7-8 and 26; 21:6, 8, 15 and 23; 22:9, 16 and 32). As will be illustrated throughout this section, holiness addresses every aspect of life. That such an ethical or practical section would immediately follow the legislation for atonement is not surprising since this is often the pattern in biblical revelation, particularly in the B’rit Chadashah. Although the dominant theme of Leviticus Chapters 1-16 might be encapsulated by the word atonement, the dominant word for the rest of the book is holiness.

In the TaNaKh as in the B’rit Chadashah, a love for holiness and a desire to obey ADONAI are evidence of spiritual life. Holiness is especially to be demonstrated in relationship to other people. Leviticus Chapters 1-16 deals primarily with the issue of the proper relationship that is to exist between Isra’el and Ha’Shem; that is, how Isra’el is to love God with all its soul, mind and strength (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el). Leviticus Chapters 17-26, on the other hand, focuses primarily on how people are to remain in fellowship with each other. Thus, the Holiness Code is a commentary on the Golden Rule (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Dv – Ask and It Will Be Given to You; Seek and You Will Find; Knock and the Door Will Be Opened to You).

Whereas the contents of the previous sections were addressed to Moshe and Aaron, beginning with Leviticus 17, the LORD addresses the Israelite community at large. The only exception is the priestly instructions of 21:1 to 22:33. Yet even there the theme of holiness for the nation is still dominant because the holiness of the priesthood was vital in maintaining the holiness of the nation at large.

Another distinct feature of Leviticus Chapters 17-26 is that YHVH addresses the nation in the first person, particularly in the phrase: I am ADONAI your God. These words link the revelation of the divine will to the covenant at Mount Sinai (see the commentary on Exodus Di – I Am the LORD, Who Brought You Out of the Land of Slavery), the introduction to the mitzvot of Isra’el. The expression also calls for a divine urgency on the part of Isra’el to comply with those commands. The phrase: I am ADONAI your God is the final, most complete, and sovereign sentence of all Scripture, without exception.²⁹²

Did Yom Kippur Really Work?
16: 29-34

Did Yom Kippur really work DIG: What is the seeming contradiction of the TaNaKh and the B’rit Chadashah regarding the Day of Atonement? Why weren’t the Yom Kippur rituals performed as a means to attain salvation? How does Messiah’s atonement surpass it?

REFLECT: Do you observe the Day of Atonement once a year? Why or why not? Is it only for Jews? What does it mean to deny yourself? Since the modern observance of the Temple-related rituals of Yom Kippur are impossible, why should we bother with it at all?

The atonement affected by Messiah far surpasses the limited and earthly atonement
accomplished by the rituals of Yom Kippur.

But in what sense are we to understand this atonement? Did the rituals of the Day of Atonement really remove the uncleanness, inequity, transgression and sin of Isra’el? If it did, why did the Messiah have to suffer and die? If it didn’t, why does the Torah say that it did? Note the contradiction in the following passages.

For on this day, atonement will be made for you to purify you; you will be clean before ADONAI from all your sins (16:30).

This seems quite explicitly clear. The rituals of the Day of Atonement cleanse from sin. Yet the writer of the book of Hebrews claims that they did not, and could not, cleanse from sin.

For the Torah has in it a shadow of the good things to come, but not the actual manifestation of the originals. Therefore, it can never, by means of the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, bring to the goal those who approach the Holy Place to offer them. Otherwise, wouldn’t the offering of those sacrifices have ceased? For if the people performing the service had been cleansed once and for all, they would no longer have sins on their conscience. No, it is quite the contrary – in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Hebrews 10:1-4).

How is this contradiction to be reconciled? One says the sacrifices did cleanse; the other says they did not and could not. We have already learned the answer. The writer to the Hebrews speaks regarding the eternal sense (Greek: deuteros, meaning the world to come, or the heavenly Temple), whereas the Torah speaks of the temporal sense (Greek: protos, this present world, or the earthly Temple). The Torah never claimed that the rituals of Yom Kippur cleansed the heavenly Sanctuary or made the way for human beings to enter there before God. The Torah limits concern to the earthly Tabernacle/Temple. It specifically says that you will be clean before ADONAI from all your sins (16:30). The term before ADONAI or in the presence of ADONAI is used in the Torah as a technical term describing the Tabernacle/Temple, and specifically its interior. Thus, the Torah can be understood to mean, you will be clean before ADONAI from all your sins as regards to the Tabernacle/Temple.

Uncleanness, iniquity, sin and transgression needed to be dealt with in the earthly Tabernacle/Temple. But it must also be dealt with in the eternal Tabernacle/Temple. In regard to the earthly Tabernacle/Temple, a shadow of the real one in heaven, the blood of bulls and goats was effective for atonement (to see link click Cu – The Blood of the Bull and Goat). But the atonement was limited to the confines of the Tabernacle/Temple.

It is critically important that we understand this distinction. The Yom Kippur rituals were never performed as a means to attain salvation. They were not brought to clear the sinner’s conscience. They were not brought to provide forgiveness of sins in the court of eternal justice. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). In other scriptures the writer to the Hebrews explains that the sacrifices could not cleanse the conscience because they were only intended to relate to matters of the flesh, not the spirit. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings – external regulations applying until the time of the new order (Hebrews 9:9-10).

Some make the mistake of assuming that prior to the death and resurrection of Yeshua, people’s sins were actually forgiven and salvation procured through their participation in the rituals of the Day of Atonement. The Torah was never meant for salvation. It is our blueprint for living (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words). Salvation has always been by faith (see the commentary on Genesis Ef – Abram Believed the LORD and He Credited It to Him). If we believe that the rites of animal sacrifice were effective for eternal salvation up until Yeshua’s death, then He didn’t need to die at all! If animal sacrifices were ever sufficient, then Yeshua’s sacrifice and death would be simply a matter of convenience for the Orthodox Jews today. According to that thinking, it would be convenient that they no longer need to come up with two goats once a year (or a chicken as practiced by the Orthodox Jews today). But if not for Yeshua, the goats (or chickens) would suffice. That, however, isn’t true.

So then . . . what then were the rituals of the Day of Atonement meant for? It’s hard for us to understand because there is no Temple in our day. There is no place we can go to enter into a holy space occupied by the discernable presence of YHVH. But if there were, then we would better understand the need for atonement as it pertains to God’s presence in this world. The sacrifices and Temple rituals of the Day of Atonement only pertained to cleansing the nation and Sanctuary. They were the rituals for the Temple in this world. The writer to the Hebrews made that very clear. He argues that if animal sacrifices were effective for cleansing the flesh, how much more effective is Messiah’s sacrifice for cleansing the spirit. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ritually unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Messiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:52; Matthew 26:28; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:9), who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God (Hebrews 9:13-14)!

Here we learn that the purification rituals of Yom Kippur and the red heifer (see the commentary on Numbers Df – The Red Heifer) were effective for cleansing the flesh, but could do nothing to cleanse the spirit. Spiritual cleansing could only be accomplished by faith and repentance. Neither the purification offering, nor the guilt offering, nor the Day of Atonement can bring expiation without repentance (Tosefta Yoma 5:9).

Therefore, the atonement affected by Messiah far surpasses the limited and earthly atonement accomplished by the rituals of Yom Kippur. But when Messiah came as High Priest of the good things that are now already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For He did not enter a Sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence (Hebrews 9:11-12 and 24).²⁹⁰

Keeping the Day of Atonement: It is to be a permanent regulation for you that on the tenth day of the seventh month you are to deny yourselves and not do any kind of work, both the citizen and the foreigner living with you (16:29). Jews have always understood “denying yourself” to refer to fasting from all food and drink and abstaining from sexual relations. In classical Jewish tradition, bathing and washing are also forbidden, but as a result of the halachah of Yeshua Messiah, it is allowed for observant Messianic Jews and Gentiles today: But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face (Matthew 6:17).

It is a Shabbat of complete rest for you. This is a permanent regulation. The priest anointed and consecrated to be priest in his father’s place will make the atonement; he will put on the linen garments, the holy garments; he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place; he will make atonement for the Tabernacle and the bronze altar; and he will make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the community. This is a permanent regulation for you, to make atonement for the people of Isra’el because of all their sins once a year. Moshe did as ADONAI had ordered him (16:31-34).

Mishnah tractate Yoma 6:2 provides the wording of the ancient the confession: O ADONAI, Your people, the house of Isra’el, have committed iniquity, transgressed, and sinned before You. O, by ADONAI, grant atonement, I pray, for the iniquities and transgressions and sins that Your people the house of Isra’el have committed and transgressed and sinned before You, as it is written in the Torah of Your servant Moshe, “For on this day shall atonement be made for you to purify you of all your sins; thus you shall become pure before ADONAI.”

In modern observance, the Temple-related rituals of Yom Kippur are, of course, impossible. One might wonder, “Why should I bother with it at all then?” Since the atonement of Messiah is final, once-and-for-all, why go through the motions of repentance, fasting and contrition on an annual basis?

This would be like a husband asking, “Since I married my wife, it should be obvious to her that I love her. Why should she have to hear it? If something changes, I’ll let her know. Why should we bother with romantic nonsense? It would be like Moses asking, “Since we were liberated from Egypt, and we are still a free people, why should we bother going through the rituals of the Passover again this year?

It is certainly true that Messiah’s atonement is a permanent, final service which secures us atonement and cleansing within the eternal, heavenly Tabernacle/Temple. But we are still very much alive in this present world here and now. While we are declared justified, sinless and pure, before the throne of YHVH, our actual experience of reality is one marred with imperfection. Though the flesh is legally dead, it is not actually dead. We still sin. We still need to confess. We still need to repent. We still need to make amends and reconciliation. We still need to seek the Father. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us (First John 1:9-10).

In Messiah, our final, permanent atonement is an established fact (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). As regards our position in the World to Come, it is a reality. But as we participate in this shifting, temporal world, we must continually remember to realign our lives with the reality of the eternal state. This realignment requires a consistent and continuous pattern of renewal. The annual celebration of Yom Kippur is ideally suited for exactly that.²⁹¹

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such an Awesome Father! Praise You that the goal of salvation is not merely living with You in heaven, but it is also a joy that believers live with You now while on earth. You adopt us into Your family. He chose us in the Messiah before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4). How wonderful and amazing that You make those who love You to actually be part of Your family. But whoever did receive Him, those trusting in His name, to these He gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

Families are built on relationships that live and thrive together. You have graciously chosen to live within those who love You, having given the promised Holy Ruach to each one who believes in You. After you heard the message of truth – the Good News of your salvation – and when you put your trust in Him, you were sealed with the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Ephesians 1:14). It gives me such joy to know that I am adopted into Your family, and that You are my Heavenly Father.

There may be trials and persecutions on earth for choosing to follow You – but the trials are only momentary compared to the great eternal joy of living with You in heaven forever and ever! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). It is a wonderful deep joy to follow You always, even when circumstances are hard, Your hand of love is outstretched and we run to You in love. In Your holy name and power of Yeshua’s resurrection. Amen

The Cleanser Must be Made Clean
16: 23-28

The cleanser must be made clean DIG: How many times did the high priest need to be immersed in a mikvah on the Day of Atonement? Why? Why did the man who released the goat for Azazel also have to immerse? What was the paradox of purification? How did Yom Kippur demonstrate Yeshua’s work on our behalf? Why were his grave clothes left behind?

REFLECT: How have you been made pure and righteous in the sight of ADONAI at the moment of your salvation (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith)? Does Yeshua then remain in a state of ritual impurity? Does our uncleanness and sin cling to Him forever? What do you think?

So too, in order to cleanse us, the Master became unclean. He took on death itself,
the most contaminating source of uncleanness, in order to cleanse us.

After sending away the goat for Azazel, the high priest prepared the purification offerings for the bronze altar and then immersed a third time, dressed in the high priestly garments and offered rams for the burnt offerings. According to Yoma 7:4, he then immersed a fourth time and put the linen garments back on for reentering the Most Holy Place to remove the incense shovel and ladle he had left there. After a fifth and final immersion he put on the high priestly garments again, signifying that the atonement services were completed. This was probably the practice. Otherwise the accumulation of incense shovels and ladles would fill the Most Holy Place [in the Temple] within a few centuries.

Aaron was to go back into the Tabernacle, where he is to remove the linen garments he put on when he entered the Most Holy Place, and he was to leave them there. Then he is to bathe his body in water in a holy place, put on his other high priestly garments, come out and offer his ‘Olah Offering (see Ao – The ‘Olah Offering: Providing Access to God) and the burnt offering for the people (see Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God), thus making atonement for himself and for the people. He is to make the fat of the purification offering, the bull and the goat, go up in smoke on the bronze altar (16:23-25).

Similarly, the man who released the goat into the wilderness was required to immerse before returning to the camp. The man who released the Azazel goat into the wilderness (see Cv – The Goat for Azazel) was to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; only afterwards, would he be able to return to the camp. So too the priest who oversaw the burning of the carcasses of the purification offerings was required to immerse himself before returning to the camp. The bull for the purification offering and the goat for the purification offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place (see Cu – The Blood of the Bull and Goat), is to be carried outside the camp; there they are to burn up completely their hides, meat and dung. The person burning them was to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; afterwards, he may return to the camp (16:26-28).²⁸⁸

A comparison with the Red Heifer: According to the Torah, purification from contact with a human corpse could only be could only be accomplished through the sprinkling of living water mixed with the ashes of a red cow. Procuring these ashes was an involved process. A heifer which had never given birth, been ridden or born a yoke, was taken outside of the camp to a ritually clean place (see the commentary on Numbers Df – The Red Heifer). The heifer was slaughtered and its blood was sprinkled in the direction of the Tabernacle seven times. Then the heifer was totally burned. While it was still burning, a scarlet thread (see Ch – The Initial Procedures for Cleansing Leprosy: The leper needed to bring six items), cedarwood and hyssop were added to the fire. The ashes were then gathered and stored in a ritually clean place outside the camp. In most respects the red heifer was treated as a Chatta’ath Offering (see Aq – The Chatta’th Offering: Communicating God’s Forgiveness). Numbers 19:9 explicitly refers to it as such. As with the Day of Atonement rituals, everyone involved in the preparation of the ashes was rendered unclean and needed to immerse in a mikveh before returning to the camp.

When an Israelite became unclean through corpse contamination, he was cleansed through the sprinkling of living water mixed with the ashes of the red heifer. A ritually clean priest mixed the ashes with living water, dipped hyssop into the water/ash mixture and sprinkled it onto the unclean person to effect purification. Again, the priest who mixed the ashes and sprinkled the living water was rendered unclean and needed to immerse in a mikveh.

The cleanser must be made unclean: Previous files had described the Messianic imagery of the Day of Atonement service. No other Tabernacle/Temple service so graphically demonstrated the work of Yeshua on our behalf. For our purposes, we will simply observe how the paradox of impurity is also the paradox of Messiah.

The paradox of purification is that the one cleansing is rendered unclean. Everyone involved in the Yom Kippur service or in the preparation of the ashes of the red heifer or in the sprinkling of the ashes and living water was made unclean. So too, in order to cleanse us, the Master became unclean. In order to liberate us from death, He died. The curse of the Torah is death (see the commentary on Galatians Bk – Cursed is Everyone Who Hangs on a Tree). He became death for us, so that we might be freed from death. Nothing is as contaminating as a dead body. Yeshua took on mortal uncleanness by virtue of His human birth. He took on human uncleanness by virtue of His healing ministry in midst of ritually unclean people in His day. He took on the uncleanness, the iniquity, the transgression and sin of Isra’el in order to cleanse us. He took on death itself, the most contaminating source of uncleanness in order to cleanse us.

Just as the high priest was made unclean through his efforts to cleanse Isra’el, so too the Master was made unclean through His efforts to cleanse us. Just as those administering purification from death were rendered unclean, so too the Messiah was made unclean, even taking on the contaminating impurity of death itself, in order to cleanse us from sin and death.

Does Yeshua then remain in a state of ritual impurity? Does our uncleanness and sin cling to Him yet? Surely not! Just as the high priest was decreed to immerse himself in a mikvah, so too our Lord came out of the grave in perfect purity. He shed the mortal form; and with it, He shed ritual impurity. The Savior came out of the tomb like Adam in the garden, clothed in perfect purity. The unclean grave clothes Messiah left behind Him (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Md – The Empty Tomb).

This is our assurance. One day we shall shed the mortal frame in which we now live and be raised up immortal, alive and pure, a new creation (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bd – A New Creation). In perfect purity we will enjoy free access to the Divine. That which separates us from ADONAI will be removed.²⁸⁹ I can hardly wait. How about you?

Dear Heavenly Father, It is amazing that You, in great and awesome love, would become unclean, so that You could make those who love You clean! There is no greater love! We bow in humble worship of what Your great and costly sacrifice that You willing made for sinners. We thank You that You are wise, and that though You desire all to come to heaven to live with You, there is a requirement- not works, but there is something else needed. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some consider slowness. Rather, He is being patient toward you – not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance (Second Peter 3:9). What is needed is not any work nor any type of a good deed; but in order to receive Your gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17).

Your gracious gift of salvation can only be received by having a repentant heart. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning to You in love, for love is the most important. And He said to him, “You shall love ADONAI your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). We love You and delight in pleasing and in serving You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Goat for Azazel
16: 20-22

The goat for Azazel DIG: How and why were the sins of Isra’el transferred to the goat? In what way did the goat for Azazel function like the second bird in the leper’s purification ceremony? Why did the tradition of pushing the goat over a high cliff come about?

REFLECT: What is your favorite “scapegoat” when things go wrong? By establishing this process for ancient Isra’el to be reconciled with YHVH, what does that tell you about His yearning for a right relationship with us? What can you do this week to make that happen?

Upon that goat the high priest laid all the wickedness,
rebellion and sins of the people of Isra’el.

Following the blood rituals (to see link click Cu – The Blood of the Bull and Goat), the high priest turned his attention to the remaining goat designed for Azazel, or sometimes called the “scapegoat.” When someone blames an innocent party for a wrongdoing, the accused person is the scapegoat. The false culprit takes the blame and punishment for the sin committed. When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he is to present the live goat. He laid his hands on the head of that goat and confessed for Isra’el, not his own sins or those of the priesthood. Those would be atoned for by the blood offering by fire outside the camp (see Cw – The Cleanser Must be Made Clean). The scapegoat atoned for the people only, not the priesthood. Aaron is to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the transgressions, crimes and sins of the people of Isra’el (see Psalm 65:4). The people responded in like manner to the pronounced name of YHVH, prostrating themselves and proclaiming, “Blessed be the Name of His Glorious Kingdom forever and ever” (Yoma 6.2). Upon that goat he laid all the wickedness, rebellion and sins of the people of Isra’el. In that way he transferred the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specifically chosen for the task would release the goat into the wilderness (16:20-21).

The goat for Azazel will bear all their sins away to some remote place, and (at least in the second Temple period) an appointed man shall release it into the wilderness (16:22 NIV). The live goat functions in the same way as the live bird did in the purification of the leper. You may recall from the comments made on Leviticus 14 (see Ch – The Initial Procedures for Cleansing Leprosy) that two birds were used in that purification ritual. The first was offered as a purification offering, the blood of which was sprinkled on the leper to be purified seven times. Then the live bird was released. That symbolized something of an ancient “exorcism.” Rather than exorcizing demons, though, the ritual was meant to remove the Levitical uncleanness left behind by the leprosy. The live bird was released to carry away the impurity (see Cp – The Purity Issue).

The two goats on the Day of Atonement service functioned in an almost identical fashion. The first was offered as a purification offering and its blood was sprinkled in seven-fold applications to remove the impurity of Isra’el from the Sanctuary. Then the uncleanness (the wickedness, rebellion and sins) of Isra’el was transferred by the laying on of hands to the second goat, and released into the wilderness. As with the bird ritual, the direction of the goat ritual is suggestive of exorcism. The association with the Jewish concept of the spirit of Azazel being a demon only adds to that impression. Yet it is not demons that are being exorcized, it was the wickedness, rebellion and sins of Isra’el.

The character of Azazel as a fallen angel is found in the apocryphal book of Enoch, which is not part of the Bible. Those books are accepted by the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church, but Protestant denominations disregard them from the canon of Scripture. In the book of Enoch, Azazel is a leader of other fallen angels and responsible for evil in the world. He has led so much destruction that the book Enoch encourages Jewish readers to ascribe sin to him. This idea is related to the scapegoat as mentioned above and could be the reason “scapegoat” is translated as Azazel in some translations of the Bible. The term Azazel is highly debated, but can be identified as another name of Satan. The Azazel goat of Leviticus is sent into the wilderness, representing the people sending their sins back into the deserted wilderness, representing the people sending their sins back to the place they came from. In both the Bible and Apocrypha, we find Azazel far from the people of Isra’el and the ways of ADONAI. Therefore, it was not demons that were being exorcized, it was the wickedness, rebellion and sins of Isra’el.

According to the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law) the goat was taken out to a high cliff and then thrust over the edge. We cannot help but wonder about that innovation of tradition. The Torah says nothing about killing the goat. Rather it was to be released into the wilderness. Those who know goats will understand the necessity of the violent end. Goats are especially hungry animals. A goat released into the wilderness will most likely follow you back. Imagine the dismay of the worshippers in the Temple. As they celebrated the successful atonement of the Sanctuary and the nation, suddenly the goat for Azazel was seen wandering back into their midst! Oh no! This can’t be! It was better to make sure the goat didn’t come back.²⁸⁶

Interestingly, the Mishnah also records that the two goats were differentiated by the means of a scarlet thread. The high priest tied a scarlet thread on the head of the goat which was to be sent out into the wilderness, and turned it around (with its back to the Sanctuary) to face the way it would be sent out (Yoma 4.2). Another scarlet thread was tied to the gate of the Tabernacle or the door of the Temple. Jewish tradition records that when the goat died in the wilderness, the scarlet thread that was tied to the Temple gate turned white. When Isra’el saw this, they knew that YHVH had accepted their sacrifices and all their sins had been forgiven. This may be why the prophet Isaiah said, “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like scarlet, I will make them as white as wool (Isaiah 1:18). But around the time of Messiah’s death, it was reported that the scarlet thread on the door of the Temple stopped turning white. “For forty years before the destruction of the Temple the scarlet thread never turned white again but remained red” (Rosh HaShanah 31b, Babylonian Talmud, Soncino Press Edition).

In the Day of Atonement ceremony the first goat pictures the means for atonement (see Cu – The Blood of the Bull and Goat), the shedding of blood in the sacrificial death. The scapegoat pictures the effect of the atonement, the removal of guilt. What is accomplished in the scapegoat ritual is expressed by David in the Psalms: As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12). Both of these aspects of this special day have their fulfillment in the sacrifice of Yeshua Messiah on the cross. The Lord’s sacrifice there would be the end of Azazel; from that time on, only Messiah’s blood could cover sins. The scapegoat ritual may also have been in Isaiah’s mind when he describe the suffering of the Suffering Servant as bearing the griefs and sins (Isaiah 53:4 and 12).²⁸⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for willingly being both the scapegoat and the goat that died; for You both atoned for our sin and You were a picture of the effect of the atonement – the removal of guilt far away. Thank You for Your pure and holy love that is so very deep that You willingly took on Yourself the painful sacrifice as the Lamb of God so that those You created could be given Your righteousness and so be holy enough to enter Your holy heaven. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Romans 5:21).

Praise Your deep love that nothing can separate us from. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Messiah Yeshua our Lord Romans 8:38-39). We love You and want to live our lives thanking You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Blood of the Bull and Goat
16: 14-19

The blood of the bull and goat DIG: Why did the high priest need to slaughter a bull for his own purification? What was different about the Yom Kippur purification offering than the regular purification offerings? What was the best the Levitical cleansing could do?

REFLECT: Is there anything that has become a “holy cow” in your life? How can you get back to worshiping the “holy Messiah?” What is the difference between external and internal cleansing in your life? Do you know someone who needs to hear this?

This was the only occasion in which blood was brought into the Most Holy Place,
which underscored the singular solemnity of that most important day.

The blood of the bull (16:14): Before offering the incense (to see link click Ct – Incense in the Most Holy Place), the high priest had slaughtered the bull for his purification offering (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood). Its blood was handed to an assisting priest who stood near the bronze altar (see the commentary on Exodus Fa – Build Altar of Acacia Wood Overlaid with Bronze) stirring it to prevent coagulation, while the incense service was being performed (Yoma 4.3). After the incense service, the high priest emerged from the Sanctuary to retrieve this blood. Then he took it into the Most Holy Place, where the cloud of incense was still billowing up.

The high priest took the blood from the one who had been stirring it. Then he entered a second time into the Most Holy Place and stood in the same spot. Then he sprinkled some of the bull’s blood, one time upwards and seven times downwards. But he did not intentionally splash it upwards or downwards; he did it like one cracks a whip. And thus he counted, One, one on one, one and two, one and three and one and four, one and five, one and six, one and seven.” Then he went out and set down the container of blood on a golden stand [near the altar of incense] in the Sanctuary (Yoma 5.3).

He sprinkled some of the bull’s blood in front of the mercy seat with his finger seven times (see the commentary on Genesis Ae – The Number Seven). This transporting and sprinkling of blood in the Most Holy Place was the most unique feature of the Day of Atonements.

First, the high priest was to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat toward the east. The placement of the blood before the place of atonement on the Day of Atonements was no accident. Elsewhere with the purification offering (4:7, 18, 25, 30, 34, and 8:14-15) the blood is placed at the base of the bronze altar in order to sanctify it. The purification offerings of Yom Kippur were different from the regular purification offerings (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood) in that they were to make atonement for the Most Holy Place (16:33). So the high priest purified the Sanctuary.²⁸²

The blood of the goat (16:15-19): Following the sprinkling of the bull’s blood, the high priest slaughtered the goat designated as a purification offering for all Isra’el. He immediately took the blood of the goat into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled it in the same way that he had sprinkled the bull’s blood. Next, he is to slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, bring its blood inside the curtain and do with its blood as he did with the bull’s blood, sprinkling it on the ark-cover and in front of the mercy seat. This was his third entrance. No one is to be present in the tent of meeting from the time he enters the Holy Place to make atonement until the time he comes out, having made atonement for himself, for his household and for the entire community of Isra’el. Under both the TaNaKh and the B’rit Chadashah there is but one mediator between God and man (First Timothy 2:5).

This was the only occasion in which blood was brought into the Most Holy Place, which underscored the singular solemnity of that most important day of the Jewish religious calendar. The Mercy Seat covered the Ark of the Covenant and contained the Ten Words (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Bk – The Ten Words), a gold jar containing manna, and Aaron’s rod that had budded (Hebrews 9:4). The narrative accounts surrounding these items stress the rebellion of the Israelites. Therefore, the cherubim looking down upon the mercy seat only saw evidence of Isra’el’s unfaithfulness. The blood on the mercy seat indicated that Isra’el’s sin was atoned for by a substitutionary death, foreshadowing the Messiah.²⁸³

Backing out of the Most Holy Place, the high priest then took the remaining blood of the bull from the stand in which he had left it and sprinkled it seven times on the inner veil (see the commentary on Exodus Fq – The Inner Veil of the Sanctuary: That is Christ, His Body) and then did the same with the blood of the goat before ADONAI and make atonement for it. Then he mixed the blood of the blood of the bull and the goat together and put the combined bloods on all the four horns of the golden altar (see Exodus Fp – Altar of Incense in the Sanctuary: Christ, Our Advocate with the Father) that stood before the inner veil to make atonement for it. He is to put some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, thus purifying it and setting it apart from the impurity of the people of Isra’el (16:18-19).

Having finished inside the Sanctuary, the high priest came out to the bronze altar and performed similar rites to cleanse and consecrate it. The remainder of the blood was poured out at the base of the bronze altar in the courtyard (see Exodus Ex – The Courtyard and Gate of the Tabernacle). This made the bronze altar fit for use, so the Israelites could confidently draw near to the LORD with their sacrifices throughout the coming year.²⁸⁴

The blood rituals were purification gestures. We have seen the seven-fold sprinkling performed in connection with the purification rite of the purification offering (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood), and in conjunction with the leper’s purification (see Ci – The Concluding Purification Ceremony). Therefore, we are to understand the seven-fold sprinklings as accomplishing purifications from the impurity (and sin) of the priesthood and the people. The blood covered (atoned for) the impurity. This is made explicit in 16:16, a passage which ties together the concepts of sin, impurity, purification, and atonement. He will make atonement for the Holy Place because of the impurity of the people of Isra’el and because of their transgressions – all their sins; and he is to do the same for the tent of meeting which is there with them right in the middle of their impurity. 

In Leviticus there was a cleansing, but not enough cleansing. The writer to the Hebrews reminded them that under the Levitical priesthood the best they could hope for was a limited holiness (Hebrew: kedushah), for the blood of goats and bulls could never really accomplish deep internal cleansing. The Tabernacle was a symbol for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered there were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper (Hebrews 9:9).

In addition, there was an extraordinary form of ritual cleansing Moshe was given a regulation that became an increasingly significant part of Isra’el’s worship experience. Numbers 19 describes the ceremony a perfect red cow (Hebrew: parah adumah), which had never been yoked, was slaughtered outside the camp of Isra’el (see the commentary on Numbers Df – The Red Heifer). After sprinkling its blood seven times in front of the Tabernacle, the animal was consumed by fire and its ashes stored for mixing with water. This water of cleansing (Hebrew: me niddah) containing those ashes was applied to those who had been defiled as a result of coming near or touching a dead body. The high priest was no exception; he was sprinkled with the purifying waters twice during the week immediately preceding Yom Kippur (see the commentary on Exodus Go – The Day of Atonement), just in case he unknowingly became ceremonially defiled.

Oddly enough, this is the only sacrifice where God commands that the ashes of the burnt animal be kept. And this was for a unique purpose as the red cow was the key sacrifice for purifying the priesthood and their sacred utensils from sin and impurity. As the Passover lamb was essential to bring the Israelites into covenant relationship with YHVH, the red cow was that which kept them cleansed in their service to God.

After the destruction of the Temple and its bronze altar in 70 AD, the water for these washings could no longer be made. According to the Oral Law (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ei – The Oral Law), the last priest to kill a red cow was the high priest Ishmael ben Phabi ten years before the destruction of Jerusalem. And twelve chapters of the Oral Law (an entire tractate called Parah) are devoted to this ritual!

The Samaritans, who viewed Jerusalem’s Temple indifferently, continued slaying red heifers until the fourteenth century, using those ashes for generations afterwards. Maimonides (a twelfth century scholar) believed that the red cow ritual would be resumed with the coming of the Messiah.

The problem is that this, like so many of Isra’el’s rituals, dealt with the externals of religion. The sometimes elaborate and impressive procedures could not touch the inner defilement that prevented fellowship with the Holy One of Isra’el.²⁸⁵

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise and thank You from an overflowing heart for Your gracious gift of salvation. For if by the one man’s transgression, death reigned through the one, how much more shall those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Messiah Yeshua. (Romans 5:17). Also, what a wonderful promise of indwelling by the Holy Ruach. And if the Ruach of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Ruach who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).

Father, I want to live my life in grateful worship of Your great gift that cleanses internally! Heaven will last for all eternity and now I have the opportunity to give back my life to You as a love gift. I delight in living for You now and in gifting You by bearing great amounts of fruit for You! Yeshua said: I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5). I love You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection! Amen

Speaking to the unbelievers in the Messianic congregation the writer says: The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of red [cow] sprinkled on those who are ceremonially clean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean (Hebrews 9:13). Some of the Hebrews in the Diaspora continued to look to the blood of bulls and goats as a means of gaining a right relationship with ADONAI. But that sprinkling only achieved the purifying of the flesh, not the cleansing of the conscience.

There is considerable excitement about the red cow in Isra’el today. There is an organization called the Temple Institute that is dedicated to establishing the Third Temple. Its long term aims are to build the third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount, on the site currently occupied by the Islamic Dome of Rock and reinstate the Levitical sacrifices. Members of the Temple Institute have been working on this for decades.

In order to carry out this project, the Temple Institute has joined forces with an experienced Israeli cattle rancher who is an expert in the science of animal husbandry, under the halakhic supervision and guidance of the rabbis of the Temple Institute. The cattle rancher is utilizing the technique of implanting the frozen embryos of the Red Angus cattle, which originally come from North America and Israeli domestic cattle. The end result of this program will be the introduction of the Red Angus breed into Isra’el. But before we get too carried away, we need to realize that even if the Temple Institute can produce a perfect red cow, it would still only produce an external cleansing!

While many seem to be caught up in the recent commotion, a question is posed to those of us, Jews and Gentiles, who believe in Yeshua Messiah. What does all this mean to us? On the one hand, I am sure many believers are also excited that things keep moving closer to the end of the present age. As we see some of these events of the Scriptures come into focus, we realize anew that Mashiach is coming! Yet, I believe we miss an important point if we feel the need for a red cow in order to be cleansed before God. In fact, such excitement about the red cow seems to imply that Yeshua is not the Messiah and that the Jews must have the cleansing of their sins through the sacrifices of the rebuilt Temple. The New Covenant scriptures remind us of the opposite truth; namely, that Jesus Himself fulfilled the ministry of the red cow in His first coming to Jerusalem. Significantly, the writer to the Hebrews states: Then how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Holy Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). The blood of Jesus does exactly what the blood of the red cow could not do – it cleanses the conscience.

Indeed, the death of Yeshua Messiah is a beautiful fulfillment of the symbolism associated with the red cow. He was sinless and without defects. Like the red cow, Yeshua’s death took place outside the camp. The ongoing effect of His sacrifice, similar to the ashes of the cow, cleanses His people for priestly service. As interesting as all the recent events are, it seems Messianic believers, whether they be Jew or Gentile, have even a better reason to be excited. Instead of getting caught up in the “holy cow“, I hope we are more caught up in the “holy Messiah“! Are you ready for His return? Are you fulfilling your calling as a priest cleansed to serve the Living God?

Incense in the Most Holy Place
16: 11-12

Incense in the Most Holy Place DIG: Why did the high priest prepare a bull to be sacrificed? Why was it so necessary for the high priest to be protected? Had he done anything wrong? What did the high priest bring with him behind the veil and into the Most Holy Place?

REFLECT: Believers are not guaranteed physical protection from God. Fox’s Book of Martyrs describes the history of those who have died for their faith. But our eternal security in the Lord is protected and secured. How can you explain this to another believer or unbeliever?

The high priest dared not enter the Most Holy Place unless he bore some means of protection.

A bull was prepared for a purification offering (16:11): The mitzvot of Leviticus 4:3-21 teach us that the high priest’s purification offering was to be a bull on the Day of Atonements (to see link click Cq – The Day of Atonements). Aaron was to present the bull of the purification offering for himself. Nothing was actually placed on the bronze altar at this point. The Hebrew verb to offer here indicates that the bull was slaughtered in preparation for the sacrifice. He would make atonement for himself and his household; he was to slaughter the bull of the purification offering which was for himself. Here again, the text anticipates the purpose of the purification offering in advance of its actual performance. The actual sacrifice is described later in the process (see Cw – The Cleanser Must be Made Clean).

The high priest entered behind the veil with incense (16:12-13): When the high priest passed through the inner veil (see the commentary on Exodus Fq – The Inner Veil of the Sanctuary: That is Christ, His Body) and entered into the Most Holy Place, his first task was to ignite two handfuls of incense in order to create a cloud of smoke. The prescription for blending this incense is provided in Exodus 30:34-38. The same blend was used for the daily incense offering, ordained in Exodus 30:26. The rabbinic tradition explains that for the rites of purification on Yom Kippur, the incense was ground more finely than usual.

Unlike the strange fire of Nadab and Abihu (see Bh – The Death of Nadab and Abihu), Aaron was instructed by God to take a censer full of burning coals from the bronze altar before ADONAI, and with his hands full of ground, fragrant incense, bring it inside the inner veil. He is to put the incense on the fire before ADONAI, so that the cloud from the incense will cover the Mercy Seat (see Exodus Fs – The Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace) which is over the Ark of the Covenant (see Exodus Fr – The Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace).

We recall that when Moshe entered the Sh’khinah glory on Mount Sinai, he entered the presence of YHVH. No one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20). For this reason, the LORD was hidden within the cloud. The cloud obscured the face of ADONAI, thereby protecting Moses. Entering behind the inner veil was fraught with danger. Ha’Shem was behind the veil. The anointed priest dares not enter therein unless he bore some means of protection. Before entering with the blood, he entered with incense in order that he not die. In Numbers 17:11-13, we read that Moshe instructed Aaron to take his fire pan, put fire from the bronze altar in it, lay incense on it, and hurry with it to the assembly to make atonement for them, and protect the Israelites from a plague sent against them by YHVH, who had become enraged at the rebellion of Korah. Aaron stood with the burning incense between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped.

In the ritual of Yom Kippur, the high priest drew extremely close to God’s throne in the Most Holy Place and was therefore in grave danger – even though he had committed no wrongdoing and was in the Most Holy Place according to Ha’Shem’s instructions. All who would stand in His presence were in need of protection in order to avert His wrath.²⁸⁰

The priest took a long shovel and scooped burning coals from the bronze altar (see Exodus Fa – Build Altar of Acacia Wood Overlaid with Bronze) to be brought into the Most Holy Place. In a ladle he would place two handfuls of finely ground incense. With the shovel and ladle in his hands, he would enter the Most Holy Place. Once inside, he would pour the incense onto the coals. A thick cloud of smoke would appear and fill it. The cloud of incense served to conceal in ADONAI from the high priest just as the cloud on Mount Sinai had concealed the LORD from Moses. Apparently, there was an argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees as to whether the incense should be ignited before the high priest passed through the veil or after he passed through the veil. The following excerpt from the Talmud relates the argument.

Our rabbis taught, “There was a Sadducean high priest who had ignited the incense before passing through the inner veil and entered the Most Holy Place. He left rejoicing. As he emerged from the Temple, his father met him and rebuked him saying, “My son, although we are Sadducees, we should respect the opinion of the Pharisees.” The son replied, “All my life I was bothered by the verse that says: For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. I always wondered when I would have the opportunity to fulfill that verse the way I interpreted it. Now that the opportunity has finally come to me, should I not have it fulfilled?” It was reported that it took only a few days until he died and was thrown on the dung heap and worms came out from his nose. Some say, “He was smitten as he came out of the Most Holy Place.” For Rabbi Chiya taught, “Some sort of noise was heard in the Temple Court, because an angel had come and struck him face down. Some of the priests came in and they found the imprint as of a calf’s hoof on his shoulder (Yoma 19b quoting Leviticus 16:2).

After pouring the incense over the coals with his hands,
the high priest took the ladle and withdrew from the Most Holy Place.²⁸¹

As believers, we are not guaranteed physical protection in this world. Many a believer has been martyred for their faith, and that is still a fact in today’s world more than ever. But we are protected from hell and eternal separation from ADONAI when we accept Yeshua as our Lord and Savior. At the moment of salvation God rescues us from the kingdom of darkness and makes us alive in Messiah. YHVH seals us and baptizes us with the Ruach Ha’Kodesh into the Body of Messiah. He also transfers the righteousness of Messiah to us by faith, which is apart from works and adopts us into His family (see The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith). At His death, the inner veil of the Sanctuary was torn in to (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Lw – Accompanying Signs of Jesus’ Death), and from that time onward those who believe in Him need not fear Him any longer. We are eternally secure in Him (see The Life of Chris Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer).

This is our protection.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that You are our Almighty Father! You are infinitely wise, full of chesed – steadfast loving kindness! You are the powerful protector of Your children and You are also full of wrath for those who persist in evil. Father, Your love is unbelievably gracious, for You knew the very painful and costly price of death that Yeshua would have to pay for redemption and yet with great and tender mercy You allowed Yeshua to pay sin’s painful penalty of death for us. We have an Intercessor with the Father – the righteous Messiah Yeshua. He is the atonement for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world (First John 2:1c-2). Your love was not just an intellectual plan, but Your love went far beyond the mere knowledge, for You moved into action and Messiah suffered a bloody and excruciating death for all who would choose to love and follow Him as Lord and Savior. For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation (Romans 10:9-10).

What a wonderful Father, Son and Holy Ruach You are to bless us with the gift of salvation by paying our penalty and by removing our sins as far as east is from the west. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His mercy for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so ADONAI has compassion on those who fear Him (Ps 103:11-13).

It is such a great privilege to have the Ruach Ha’Kodesh living within me. After you heard the message of truth – the Good News of your salvation – and when you put your trust in Him, you were sealed with the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Ephesians 1:13). How awesome is God’s precious gift of righteousness that brings the Holy Ruach inside of me and opened the door of heaven to me as well. And if the Ruach of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Ruach who dwells in you (Romans 8:11). Father, help me to live my life in humble worship of Your majesty and of Your gracious gifts. Peace and joy in Heaven will endure thru all eternity. I want to focus my eyes not on my momentary trails, but look expectantly to living with You in heaven and gifting You with my life full of love for You in all I think, say and do. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). I love You! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection! Amen

Drawing Lots
16: 7-10

Drawing lots DIG: In what way was the goat for Azazel different than the second bird in the leper’s purification ceremony? As important as this Day was to Isra’el for restoring a correct relationship with God, how much more important and lasting in Yeshua Messiah’s “once-for-all” sacrifice (see Hebrews, to see link click Cd – Messiah’s Sacrifice Was Once for All Time)?

REFLECT: The role of the two goats shows us that no single offering could fully typify the sacrifice of Yeshua Messiah, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). What aspect of His atonement is typified by the goat that was sacrificed as a purification offering? What distinct aspect of Messiah is typified by the scapegoat?

For forty years before the destruction of the Temple,
the scarlet thread never turned white but it remained red.

After confessing his sins and the sins of the priesthood over the bull (to see link click Cr – Confessions Over the Bull), the high priest then had the two goats brought before him. One of the goats was to be a purification offering (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood) to ADONAI. The other was to be released into the wilderness for Azazel, or as it is usually translated . . . scapegoat. Unfortunately, we are uncertain what Azazel means. It seems to me that the best interpretation is that Azazel is a compound term, consisting of the noun ‘ez (goat) and the verb ‘azal (to go away or disappear), that is, “a goat that goes away or disappears.” This leads to the traditional rendering of scapegoat, since the goat departs bearing all the sins of the Israelites.

In Jewish legend, Azazel is the proper name of a fallen angel. Most of the later commentators have steered away from this “supernatural” explanation of Azazel because it seems to imply that the Torah was sanctioning a sacrifice of a demon. This is certainly not the case, even if Azazel should be understood as the name of an evil spirit or Satan himself. The second goat, the one for Azazel, was not an offering. It was meant to carry away the sin and impurity of Isra’el. The scapegoat was never sacrificed. It was simply released into the wilderness. In later Jewish tradition, it was pushed over a cliff to dispose of it (Yoma 6.6), but it was never regarded as a sacrifice.

The high priest was to take the two goats and place them before ADONAI at the entrance to the Tabernacle, where the book began (1:1), and where ceremonial events took place throughout Leviticus. Then Aaron is to cast lots for the two goats, one lot for ADONAI and the other for Azazel (16:7-8). The term lot (Hebrew: goral) occurs here for the first time in the Bible and only in this chapter in Leviticus. The practice may refer to the mysterious Urim and Thummim (see the commentary on Exodus Gb – The Urim and Thummim: The Means of Making Decisions) but we don’t know. Instead of concern about how the lots are cast, the focus is on the fact that either goat might be chosen. The decision remained with God.²⁷⁷

The Mishnah describes how the goats were designated for their respective roles by drawing two lots (Yoma 4.1). Standing before the two goats, the priest drew lots to determine which goat would be the goat for Azazel. Two lots were shaken, one entitled “for ADONAI,” and one entitled “for Azazel.” The high priest would draw one lot with his right hand and place it on the head of the goat on his right. The other lot he drew with his left hand and placed it on the head of the goat on his left. The high priest would then declare the goat chosen to be the purification offering by raising the hand of the lot that had come up in and saying, “For YHVH.” When the worshipers heard the name of the LORD pronounced, they would all respond, “Blessed is the name of the glory of His Kingdom forever and ever.”

Interestingly, the Mishnah also records that the two goats were differentiated by the means of a scarlet thread. The high priest tied a scarlet thread on the head of the goat which was to be sent out into the wilderness, and turned it around (with its back to the Sanctuary) to face the way it would be sent out (Yoma 4.2). Another scarlet thread was tied to the gate of the Tabernacle or the door of the Temple. Jewish tradition records that when the goat died in the wilderness, the red thread that was tied to the Temple gate turned white. When Isra’el saw this, they knew that YHVH had accepted their sacrifices and all their sins had been forgiven. This may be why the prophet Isaiah said, “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like scarlet, I will make them as white as wool (Isaiah 1:18). But around the time of Messiah’s death, it was reported that the scarlet thread on the door of the Temple stopped turning white. “For forty years before the destruction of the Temple the scarlet thread never turned white but it remained red” (Rosh Ha’Shanah 31b, Babylonian Talmud, Soncino Press Edition).

The incorporation of the scarlet thread is not mandated in the Torah. It is based only on tradition. However, the use of the scarlet thread is yet another common element between this purification ritual and the ceremonies of the leper (see Ch – The Initial Procedures for Cleansing Leprosy: The leper needed to bring six items) and the red heifer (see Df – The Red Heifer).²⁷⁸

This choice anticipated the use made of the two goats. The goat selected to be the purification offering would be sacrificed so that its blood would purify the Most Holy Place. Aaron presented the goat whose lot fell to ADONAI and offer it as a purification offering. The remaining goat survived and the sin of the people was transferred to it; therefore, it atoned for their sins. But the goat whose lot fell to Azazel is to be presented alive to ADONAI to be used for making atonement (Hebrew: kophar) over it by sending it away into the desert for Azazel (16:9-10).²⁷⁹

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You for how great, kind, wise and merciful You are! You paid the very painful and costly price of death for my sins (First John 2:1c-2). You also give another great gift of removing my sins far from me (Psalms 103:11-12). On top of those precious gifts: You also bless me with the magnificent gift of Yeshua’s righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21). Thus, the requirement for me to enter heaven has been met. May I live my life in thankful appreciation for how great a cost You paid for my ransom. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Kophar is a verb from noun kopher, meaning to cover over, pacify, or to make propitiation for. Propitiation is the averting God’s wrath by means of a vicarious (substitutionary) and efficacious (producing the desired effect) sacrifice (death), foreshadowing the Messiah (the atonement). It is the work of Messiah which satisfies every claim of God’s holiness and justice so that YHVH is free to act on behalf of sinners.

The verb kapher can be seen in Genesis 6:14 where Ha’Shem told Noah to make an ark and cover it with pitch (kaphar) both outside and inside. In addition, when Moshe’s mother Jochebed could not hide him any longer, she and her husband defied Pharaoh’s decree and hid the baby (Acts 7:17-20). She got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch (2:3a). The Hebrew word for basket used here is the same word translated ark in Genesis 6:14. It was coated with tar and pitch just like Noah’s ark was and it was built for floating, just like Noah’s ark. The Hebrew word for pitch is kaphar, and translated atonement elsewhere in the Bible.

Confessions Over the Bull
16: 6

Confessions over the bull DIG: Why do you think ADONAI chose animal sacrifices to reconcile the differences between unholy people and a holy God? Why wasn’t it enough? Why is that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness for sin” (Hebrews 9:22)?

REFLECT: Is there anything that has become a “holy cow” in your life? How can you get back to worshiping the “holy Messiah?” What is the difference between external and internal cleansing in your life? Do you know someone who needs to hear this? Who can you help?

Aaron is to present the bull for the purification offering which is for himself
and make atonement for himself and his household.

In the morning of the Day of Atonements (to see link click Cq – The Day of Atonements), the high priest immersed himself in the mikveh for the first time. He put on the regular clothing of the high priest (Exodus 28:6-38), and carried out the morning continual ‘olah offering (see Ao – ‘Olah Offering). He then immersed again and put on simple, white linen garments. After dressing, he laid his hands on the bull for his purification offering (see Al – The Purification Offering). Aaron is to present the bull for the purification offering which is for himself and make atonement for himself and his household (16:6). The sacrifice of the bull removed all hindrances between the high priest and YHVH so that he could perform the offerings on behalf of the people.

This is the first occurrence of the Hebrew verb kaphar in Leviticus 16. It is a verb from noun kopher, meaning to cover over, pacify, or to make propitiation for. Propitiation is the averting God’s wrath by means of a vicarious (substitutionary) and efficacious (producing the desired effect) sacrifice (death), foreshadowing the Messiah (the atonement). It is the work of Messiah which satisfies every claim of God’s holiness and justice so that YHVH is free to act on behalf of sinners.

The verb kapher can be seen in Genesis 6:14 where Ha’Shem told Noah to make an ark and cover it with pitch (kaphar) both outside and inside. In addition, when Moshe’s mother Jochebed could not hide him any longer, she and her husband defied Pharaoh’s decree and hid the baby (Acts 7:17-20). She got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch (2:3a). The Hebrew word for basket used here is the same word translated ark in Genesis 6:14. It was coated with tar and pitch just like Noah’s ark was and it was built for floating, just like Noah’s ark. The Hebrew word for pitch is kaphar, and translated atonement elsewhere in the Bible.

According the Mishnah, while laying his hands on the head of the bull, he made the following prescribed confession, “I beg You, YHVH, forgive me now the wicked acts, rebellions and sins, for I have acted wickedly, rebelled and sinned before You, I and my household, as it is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses, ‘For it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before YHVH (Yoma 3.8, quoting Leviticus 16:30). Other confessions of sin in the TaNaKh may be found in Ezra 9; Nehemiah 1:5-11; Dani’el 9, and Psalm 106.

In the Second Temple Jewish custom, the high priest’s Yom Kippur confessions were the only time of the year that the Divine Name was pronounced audibly and clearly. The assembled worshippers in the Temple courts could prostrate themselves as they heard the Divine Name audibly uttered and they would exclaim together, “Blessed be the Name of the Glory of His Kingdom forever and ever” (Yoma 3.8).²⁷⁶

Dear Heavenly Father, May your name be forever blessed! The gift You offered, redemption thru the blood of Your Son, was such a costly gift! For if by the one man’s transgression, death reigned through the one, how much more shall those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Messiah Yeshua (Romans 5:17). May the great pain and shame that You suffered for us be branded on our minds that we do not take lightly your precious gift, but that we long with every thought to please You in all we think, say and do.

It is such a wonderful privilege to have You as our Heavenly Father, who is always by our side to help, protect and to guide us. For God Himself has said: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5c). It is a joy to know that our eternal happiness in heaven cannot be compared with our temporary trials on this earth. For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). Also, what comfort to know that as we surrender every detail of our lives to you, our wise and wonderful Heavenly Father, You work out all things in our lives out to bless us and to glorify Your great name. Now we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28). We delight in blessing Your great name by our worship and obedience! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Day of Atonements
Leviticus 16:3-5 and Numbers 29:7-11

The Day of Atonements DIG: What does Yom Ha’Kippurim literally mean? What are the five atonements that are accomplished on that day? What was the tamid offering and what did it mean? What kind of a day was the Day of Atonements meant to be for the ancient Jews?

REFLECT: What kind of day is Yom Kippur meant to be for believers today? What kind of prayers are offered today on this most holy day of the Jewish calendar? How does the Day of Atonements remind us of our forgiveness, pardon and right standing before ADONAI.

We joyfully await Messiah’s reappearance from the true Tabernacle in heaven.

In one sense the word, atonement (Hebrew: kaphar) means covering. The purification rituals of the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, have a close affinity with the rituals for the cleansing from leprosy (to see link click Cg – The Test of M’tsora), and the rituals for the cleansing of death (Leviticus 20). Both of those ritual purifications are applicable to people and structures. The Day of Atonement purification was also applicable to people and structures. In Hebrew, the Day of Atonement is actually the plural form as Yom Ha’Kippurim, literally meaning, “The Day of Atonements.” The plural refers to the five atonements that are accomplished. They are numbered as follows, beginning with the Most Holy Place and moving out in ever widening spheres of holiness: He will make atonement for the Most Holy Place; he will make atonement for the Tabernacle and the bronze altar; and he will make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the community (Leviticus 16:33). From this verse we see the following atonements accomplished:

1. Atonement for the Most Holy Place

2. Atonement for the Sanctuary

3. Atonement for the bronze altar

4. Atonement for the priesthood

5. Atonement for the people of the assembly

On the Day of Atonement, the high priest (also known as the anointed priest) was required to bring several sacrifices. In addition to the sacrifices prescribed in Leviticus 16, there are additional Yom Kippur sacrifices prescribed in Numbers 29. According to the Mishnah (Yoma 7.3) the ram of Leviticus 16:5 and Numbers 29:8 is the same sacrifice.

The Day of Atonements is an appointed time. It is a Sabbath and a holy assembly. On the tenth day of this seventh month you are to have a holy assembly. You are to deny yourselves, and are not to do any kind of work. Since Yom Kippur is marked by a fast, almost the entire day is spent in prayer. The additional offerings of this most holy day were identical to those of Rosh ha’Shanah, except that there were no new moon sacrifices. But you are to present a burnt offering to ADONAI to make a fragrant aroma: one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs in their first year (they are to be without defect for you), with their grain offering, fine flour mixed with olive oil, six quarts for the bull, four quarts for the one ram, and two quarts for each of the seven lambs; also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the sin offering for atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings (Numbers 29:7-11).

To begin, Aaron needed to have the necessary animal sacrifices and clothing. Rather than his ornate high-priestly clothing, he was to wear a common set of white linen clothes. Here was how Aaron is to enter the Holy Place: with a ram as a Burnt offering (see Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God) and a young bull as a Purification Offering (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood). The meaning is not that he was to bring the young bull into the Most Holy Place, but that he must first offer it up as an offering for himself and the other priests on the bronze altar. He was to put on the holy linen tunic, have the linen shorts next to his bare flesh, have the linen sash wrapped around him, and be wearing the linen turban – they are the holy garments. Naturally, before putting on these clothes, Aaron was to cleanse himself ritually. In this instance, however, he was to bathe not just his hands and feet (Exodus 30:19-21), but his entire body, an act that underscored the complete purity required when coming before the heavenly King.²⁷² He was to bathe his body in water and put them on. Each time his clothing was changed on that Day he was to bathe. In all, he required immersion ten times. He was to take from the community of the people of Isra’el two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering (Leviticus 16:3-5).

And that’s not all. There was also the requirement of the daily tamid offering of two lambs for the continual burnt offering, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The following chart lists the biblically prescribed sacrifices (including the Azazel goat) for the Day of Atonements, according to the order in which they were prescribed. The entire worship service of the Day of Atonement was to be executed by the anointed priest. The accompanying grain offerings and libations are not calculated listed in the chart. The following chart lists the combined sacrifices mandated in Leviticus 16 and Numbers 29.

Burnt Offering (Tamid)                  Lamb On behalf of Isra’el

Purification Offering                       Bull On behalf of the Priests

Purification Offering                      Goat On behalf of Isra’el

Azazel Offering                                  Goat On behalf of Isra’el

Burnt Offering                                     Ram On behalf of the high priest

Burnt Offering                                     Lamb On behalf of Isra’el

Burnt Offering                                     Bull On behalf of Isra’el

Burnt Offering                                     Seven Lambs On behalf of Isra’el

Purification Offering                       Goat On behalf of Isra’el

Purification Offering (Tamid)      Lamb On behalf of Isra’el.²⁷³

The Tamid offerings were rendered redundant by the offering of Yeshua Messiah. In Him we have a close relationship with ADONAI. In Him we smell the sweet aroma of atonement and praise. The word tamid means always. We are told in the B’rit Chadashah that Yeshua’s sacrifice was a once-for-all- time-sacrifice (see the commentary on Hebrews Cd – Messiah’s Sacrifice Was Once for All Time), or a tamid offering before YHVH. The difference is that instead of being offered all the time, it is effective all the time (see my video presentation of Yom Kippur by clicking here)!²⁷⁴

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that You do not overlook sin, rather you atone for our sin by the costly sacrifice of Your only Son as the payment for our sins. We have an Intercessor with the Father – the righteous Messiah Yeshua.  He is the atonement for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world (1 John 2:1b-2). What a great and costly price Yeshua chose to pay that those who love and follow Him might be redeemed from sin’s punishment and given His righteousness. He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21).

How awesome it is that Yeshua knew the great pain and suffering that He would have to experience as the Lamb of God (John 1:29) who was to be slain, he did not back out but chose instead to follow the Father’s will. Again for a second time He went away and prayed, saying: My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, let Your will be done (Matthew 26:42). Our suffering, no matter how harsh, cannot equal what it must have felt like for the Creator of the world to be laughed at and beaten by those He came to save. His resurrection was fantastic and heaven will be wonderful because our penalty for sin was paid.

Let me keep in mind when I undergo sufferings that they are temporary and heaven’s glory is eternal! For I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). I am comforted and strengthened when I keep my eyes on the eternal.  For our trouble, light and momentary, is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, as we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. (Second Corinthians 4:17-18). Praise and thank You for being my atonement. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

Since the Day of Atonements is marked by a fast, almost the entire day is spent in prayer and petition. They are prayers of amazing depth and beauty, accompanied by heart-rendering melodies. Part of the Jewish liturgy that involves a recitation of the entire order of the service the high priest conducted as he carried out the litany of sacrifices and rituals for that Day. The following is an example of one of these Yom Kippur prayers that describes the joy of the worshiping community at seeing the high priest as he emerged from the Sanctuary after completing all the rituals therein.

Like the heavenly canopy stretched over those who dwell above
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like the lightning bolts emanating out from the radiance of the Living Creatures
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like the fringes on the four corners of the garment
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like the image of the rainbow amid the clouds
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like the garments of light which the Creator clothed His creatures
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like a rose that is placed amid a precious garden
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like a crown that is placed on a king’s forehead
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like the graciousness granted to a bridegroom’s face
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like the purity place upon the turban pure
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like the one who sat in concealment to plead before the King
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

Like the morning star on the eastern border
. . . was the appearance of the high priest.

For believers, Yom Kippur carries special significance in that it is the day when we contemplate the Master’s work on our behalf. He is our great High Priest, the Bridegroom, the One who sits who concealment. On this, traditionally the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, we concern ourselves with cleansing, atoning work of Yeshua Messiah, which has resulted in our forgiveness, pardon and right standing (justified) before YHVH. We joyfully await His reappearance from the Most Holy Place, that is, in the true Tabernacle (Revelation 15:5), the one erected not by human beings, but by ADONAI (Hebrews 8:2).²⁷⁵

The Purity Issue
16: 1-2

The purity issue DIG: Based on this chapter, how would you describe the human condition? How do Aaron and his two sons (Nadab and Abihu) typify this basic character flaw? What is ADONAI’s typical response to that? How does this affect one’s fellowship with God?

REFLECT: What is your favorite “scapegoat” to blame when things go wrong? Do you think the basic character of human beings is much different today than in the days of Moshe? How do you handle problems? Do you blame God? Yourself? Or just merely part of life?

Parashah 29: Acharei Mot (After the death) 16:1 to 18:30
(See my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)
[In regular years read with Parashah 30, in leap years read separately]

The Key People are Moshe and Aaron, and the people.

The Scene is the Tabernacle in the wilderness of Sinai.

The Main Events include advice to approach God carefully after the death of Aaron’s sons; to follow the order of ritual specified in detail; to atone for the Sanctuary and for the people and the priests; information about Yom Kippur offerings; a reminder that the life is in the blood and there is only one place, the bronze altar, for making sacrifices; the spiritual connection between the bronze altar, the priest, and the people; advice to keep holy after all is cleansed and to avoid immoral behavior; warning that the Land vomited out its unclean inhabitants; and the necessity of holiness so that God will continue to dwell in His nation.

This parashah begins by reminding us of the narrative content. It was after the death of Nadab and Abihu (to see link click Bh – The Death of Nadab and Abihu) that ADONAI issued the instructions for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) service. This would seem to imply a connection between the death of the two priests and the mitzvot of the Yom Kippur rituals.

Some commentators infer that their death is again mentioned here in Leviticus 16 to imply that Nadab and Abihu’s untimely demise was the result of their entering into the Most Holy Place (see the commentary on Exodus Fs – The Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace). It may well have been a factor. They may have offered their strange fire before the ark and the mercy seat. It was, after this, that YHVH gave Aaron specific instructions how and when to enter the Most Holy Place. If Aaron was to avoid the same fate, he needed to follow carefully the instructions that followed. The Sh’khinah glory (see the commentary on Isaiah Ju – The Glory of the LORD Rises Upon You) dwelt within the Most Holy Place, and if Aaron was to enter, he would have died like his sons. He was to enter behind the inner veil (see the commentary on Exodus Fq – The Inner Veil of the Sanctuary: That is Christ, His Body) only once a year on Yom Kippur.

The danger involved with entering the Most Holy Place reminds us of the original question Leviticus set out to answer: How can mere humans come near to God? The restriction of the Most Holy Place created something of a balance between mankind’s access to God (immanence) and God’s holiness (transcendence). That is to say, because Isra’el had found the means to come near to God through the sacrifices, and because the priesthood had found their way into the Tabernacle, there was a danger of too much access. Given the privilege of coming near to God at will, there was also the possibility of making light of that relationship. The separateness of God could be quickly forgotten and holy fear and trembling could be replaced with familiarity. The Most Holy Place served as a counter balance to the easy access the priests enjoyed. It remained a level of distinction and separateness that could not be breached. It was the very throne room of YHVH where the LORD appeared between the wings of the cherubim on the ark. The place behind the inner veil inspired fear and awe.

This ominous beginning is followed by a strong warning. ADONAI spoke with Moshe after the death of Aaron’s two sons, when they tried to sacrifice before ADONAI and died; ADONAI said to Moshe, “Tell your brother Aaron not to come at just any time into the Most Holy Place beyond the curtain, in front of the mercy seat which is on the ark, so that he will not die; because I appear in the cloud over the mercy seat” (16:1-2). Yet, if the Most Holy Place was so dangerous to mankind, and so vital to understanding the holiness of God, why would the high priest ever have been allowed to go into it? Why risk the consequences? Why breach the absolute holiness of God’s Throne?

The answer was a purity issue.

Dear Heavenly Father, How Awesome You are perfect in holiness, wisdom and love! It is such a joy to know that You love me so dearly! It is also so very special and comforting to know that You are completely wise, even knowing the future to the end. All Your love and wisdom is wrapped up in your purity. Holy, holy, holy is the only time in the scriptures are you are described in the Hebrew superlative of the same word three times: Holy, holy, holy, is ADONAI-Tzva’ot! The whole earth is full of His glory (Isaiah 6:3). Your holiness qualifies Your love, making it totally pure and wise. When You give directions to guide me, I need to carefully follow what you say. “For I know the plans that I have in mind for you,” declares ADONAI, “plans for shalom and not calamity – to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Trusting Your love and wisdom means that even when the path seems unclear to me, it is the best path to take. I can read Your Word for direction, pray to You for guidance to clearly know Your will and then with confidence I can follow your every step; knowing that even if the path is hard and rough, You will always guide me wisely and with a tender heart of love down the right path. Not only will You guide me, but You promise to come alongside of me, never leaving me and always being there to bless me with Your guidance and love. For God Himself has said: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5c). I bow in humble worship before the Awesome God of the universe who so wisely and tenderly guides me. Thank You for being so wise, loving and holy! In Yeshua’s name and power of resurrection. Amen

Remember that when YHVH issued His directive to build the Tabernacle, He said: Let them construct a Sanctuary (Hebrew: miqdash) for Me, that I may dwell among them (Exodus 25:8). The Tabernacle needed to be a holy and separate place so that the holy and separate God could dwell among unholy and common mankind. The Israelites built the Tabernacle, and the Sh’khinah glory, God’s Dwelling Presence, came to fill it. Through the sacrifices and the priesthood, the Israelites were able to come near to the Presence of God. This access, however, created a problem. Because the Tabernacle was in the midst of unholy, unclean, and sinful people, it was in danger of being spiritually polluted by their presence.

In the previous two parashah of the Torah, we learned the concepts of Levitical purity and impurity. We learned the strict mitzvot that forbid Isra’el to approach the Tabernacle or enter the Temple compound while in a state of ritual impurity. To do so was to risk one’s own life. We learned that purification rituals for cleansing after childbirth, leprosy and emissions, and we compared those rituals to the purification ceremony of the red heifer as described in Numbers 19 (see the commentary on Numbers Df – The Red Heifer). It is in the context of Levitical purity mitzvot and purification ceremonies that we encounter the complex and sweeping details of the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur.

Even though the priesthood was ritually purified before they could serve, and even though each individual Israelite was immersed and purified before bringing his or her sacrifice, the mortal state of man is such that there was still an inevitable accumulation of ritual contamination in the Tabernacle and Temple. What is more, the iniquity, rebellion and sin of the Israelites also left a stain of ritual defilement on the Sanctuary itself. As we will see later in Leviticus (see Cy – The Holiness Code), sin begets a type of ritual impurity that can defile both mankind and place.

Left uncleansed, the level of contamination could have reached a critical point at which the Dwelling Presence of God would have been withdrawn, or, perhaps, the Tabernacle (and the priesthood along with it) would have shared a fate similar to Nadab and Abihu. The Most Holy Place, the priesthood and the congregation were all in need of purification and covering (Hebrew: kaphar, meaning atonement) if they were to have continued interaction with the Sh’khinah glory of YHVH. The necessary purification rituals were to be carried out by the high priest annually on the Day of Atonement. Those rituals required an entrance into the Most Holy Place where the Dwelling Presence resided.

That it was a necessary ritual of purification is stated explicitly. He will make atonement for the Holy Place because of the impurities of the people of Isra’el and because of their transgressions – all their sins; and he is to do the same for the Tabernacle which is there with them right in the middle of their impurity (Leviticus 16:16). The reason the high priest had to enter the Most Holy Place was to purify it. It was a matter of annual maintenance.²⁷¹

Yom Kippur: The Removal of All Sin
16: 1-34

Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, coming as it does at the end of the section on purification, is the climax and crown of Isra’el’s theology of sanctification. It was the holiest day of the year and remains so in Judaism to this day. The essence of Yom Kippur was that the blood of a sacrificial animal was sprinkled on the mercy seat (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Fs – The Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place: Christ at the Throne of Grace) in the Most Holy Place by the high priest to make atonement for himself and for the people, and the sins of the people were placed on a scapegoat that was taken into the wilderness to die, signifying the complete removal of sin and defilement from the people (see the video about Yom Kippur by clicking here).²⁶⁹

The reading of Leviticus Chapter 16 relates the mitzvot for the celebration of the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. This day had the most unusual ceremony in the Torah. It has the story of the scapegoat. The scapegoat is the only sacrifice that is not offered on the bronze altar in the Tabernacle/Temple of ADONAI. It was released into the wilderness. The Day of Atonement is a day in which Jews are commanded to afflict their souls, and it is interpreted as fasting from food, drink, and any other pleasure of the flesh.

This atonement is not for the private sins as individuals. The atonement on the Day of Atonement is for the national, collective sins of Isra’el. There were two goats. One goat was sacrificed for the sins of the high priest and the scapegoat was sacrificed for the sins of the nation. The sins of Isra’el were transferred to the scapegoat by the high priest by the laying on of hands on the head of the goat, and confessing the sins of the nation. Then the scapegoat is released in the wilderness and there the scapegoat dies, and the sins of Israel were taken with this goat into the wilderness.

A part of this ceremony in the time of the Temple in Jerusalem was to cut a crimson ribbon into two parts. Half of the ribbon was tied on the gate of the Temple in Jerusalem. The second half of the crimson ribbon was tied on the horns of the goat.

When the goat died in the wilderness, the crimson ribbon that was tied to the gate of the Temple would turn white. As the text in Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

In the year 30 AD, there was a change in the proceedings of the Temple in Jerusalem. This is what the Talmud said concerning these events in Jerusalem. (The Talmud is a rabbinical collection of discussions concerning the Torah. These discussions are records of what was happening from the 3rd century BC until the 4th century AD). In two Talmudic tractates we have the discussion of what happened in the Temple in the year 30 AD – 40 years before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Here is a quotation from Babylonian Talmud Tractate Rosh Hashana 31b: After the destruction of the Temple, Rabban Yohanan b. Zakkai made the rule ‘…during the forty-year period in which he “taught,” by that time, the crimson ribbon had already had ceased changing color. The second reference is from Babylonian Talmud Tractate Yoma 39a.

In other words, we have a witness in the rabbinical literature – a witness that is contemporary with the Apostolic era, that says that in the year 30, or 40 years before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, some of the main functions that have to do with the Day of Atonement have ceased to function, and the crimson ribbon stopped turning white as it was doing years before the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

Something happened in the year 30 AD that changed the fundamental way that the Temple functioned before 30 AD. The signal that noted when the atonement had actually happened by turning from crimson to white – stopped functioning.

This is significant, dear brothers and sisters. It is a witness that major changes have taken place in the relationship of Isra’el to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, one generation – 40 years – before the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. The people of Isra’el are still alive and they are still the chosen people of God, but the issue of atonement by animal sacrifices is mute!²⁷⁰

Yom Kippur is recorded in a chiastic fashion. There is a parallelism, where the first letter is corresponds to the second letter in some way, with the letter E being the turning point.

A. The Purity Issue – 16:1-2 (Cp)

B. The Day of Atonements – 16:3-5 (Cq)

C. The Confessions Over the Bull – 16:6 (Cr)

D. Drawing Lots – 16:7-10 (Cs)

E. Incense in the Most Holy Place – 16:11-13 (Ct)

D. The Blood of the Bull and Goat – 16:14-19 (Cu)

C. The Goat for Azazel – 16:20-22 (Cv)

B. The Cleanser Must be Made Clean – 16:23-28 (Cw)

A. Did Yom Kippur Really Work? – 16:29-34 (Cx)

Female Menstrual Uncleanness
15: 19-33

Female menstrual uncleanness DIG: Why is niddah not misogynistic? What does niddah have to do with the lunar cycle? How do modern day Jews practice niddah? What does Paul have to say about seasons of abstinence? What is the difference between niddah and zavah? 

REFLECT: In what ways might these mitzvot concerning cleanliness relate to hygiene today? In what ways might they relate to worship attendance (compare Hebrews 9:10)? What do they teach about YHVH, His relationship to us, and the things that separate us from Him?

In this section, the Torah begins with the subject of a woman’s normal menstruation and then, in reverse order of the men, proceeds to deal with abnormal discharges of blood. In 15:33, the menstruating woman is called davah, meaning “infirm.” Beginning with the previous Torah portion and continuing with this one, we have been examining the concepts of being ritually clean and ritually unclean in terms of what they can teach us about two kingdoms: the kingdom of sin and death (to see link click Bv – The Test of Tsara’at), and the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness (see Cg – The Test of M’tsora).

A. Normal female discharges (15:19-24): The concluding verse of the previous file (see Cm – Male Chronic Uncleanness) introduced the woman whose discharges now become the subject of the remainder of the chapter. The Niddah: If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she will be in her state of niddah for seven days. The Torah refers to her period of menstruation and its resulting uncleanness as niddah. A menstruating woman is designated both unclean and contaminating for a minimum of seven days after the onset of her period. Even if her menstrual flow lasts for a few days, she is still regarded as niddah for the full seven days. The bed she lies on, the chair she sits on, the saddle she rides on and the clothes she wears all become contaminated as well. Those who touch those items she has contaminated are rendered unclean until immersing in the mikvah and washing their garments. At sunset on the day of their immersion they were deemed clean. After the seven days are complete, she would no longer be contaminating, but a requisite immersion to remove her own uncleanness was assumed.

Niddah for observant Jews today: It was probably the moral prohibition on engaging in sexual relations with a woman while she is niddah that preserved the practice of the mitzvot of niddah in modern Judaism. Since the separation has been practiced continually since Temple times, it has retained the ancient observances. In Jewish observance, the mitzvot of niddah separation are taken very seriously, but only in regard to contact between husband and wife. Little concern is afforded to the niddah’s contact with others. There is no concern over questions of bus seats or park benches, and an unmarried woman practices neither separation nor immersion. Those are matters of ritually clean and ritually unclean which relate only to the Tabernacle. Yet the separation between husband and wife is still carefully observed. Husband and wife refrain from even casual contact like bumping into each other in the kitchen. The separation period is not completed until the wife undergoes immersion in the mikvah.

Seasons of Abstinence: The apostle Paul warns husbands and wives not to deprive one another except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control (First Corinthians 7:5). According to this rule, we learn that the level and duration of separation must be determined by mutual consent. We also learn that the time of separation is an opportune time to commit to heightened prayer. Finally, Paul seems to warn us against unnecessary abstinence. Sound advice I think.²⁶⁴

Niddah and the lunar cycle: By highlighting the human menstrual cycle, the Torah points us to our synchronicity with the biblical calendar. As we observe the cycle of our bodies, we note our relationship to the cycle of the moon. Elsewhere in Leviticus, the Torah teaches us to mark out the seasons and days according to the moon’s waxing and waning (see Dw – God’s Appointed Times). As we watch the moon grow to its fullness and recede until it vanishes from the sky, it teaches us important truths about God’s rhythms and cycles. When the moon appears again, it is said to be “born again.” It is a monthly reminder of our spiritual rebirth. Obviously, there are many important lessons to be learned and lived by following the Festivals of the biblical calendar, and it is the cycle of the moon which determines even the celebration of those Festivals. Just as the New Moon must be observed before the Festivals can be celebrated (Numbers 10:10 and 28:14), our spiritual rebirth must precede any of our ritual observances.

Dear Heavenly Father, praise You for your awesome gift of spiritual rebirth by uniting the one who loves You with Yourself. Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. The branch cannot itself produce fruit, unless it abides on the vine. Likewise, you cannot produce fruit unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and is dried up. Such branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned (John 15:4-6).

Your gift of rebirth involves a covenant promise from both parties. Your gift of righteousness is not something that someone can grab or take at their own convenience. It is a gift that is to be received by agreeing to the covenant promise to love you always. Everyone gets excited by God’s covenant promise to love and watch over His children; but people forget that a covenant must be followed by both parties or it becomes invalid. Your children are to love You back with all their heart, soul, and mind. Yeshua said: You shall love ADONAI your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. It is a joy to please and thank You for Your gift of spiritual rebirth, by lovingly giving back to You our gift of love as seen by following You in all we say and do and think. We look forward to praising You throughout eternity! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen.

The Torah points to an obvious connection between the monthly cycle of the moon and the monthly cycle of the human body. A woman’s body is synchronized to the lunar month. Human beings are the only mammals synchronized to the lunar cycle. Deep lessons regarding life, death, birth, and spiritual rebirth (not to mention the sanctity of marriage) are wrapped up in the Torah’s mitzvot of niddah. God has called women to live out the lunar month, in rhythm with the moon. A woman’s body is uniquely tuned to ADONAI’s calendar practicing a continual cycle of rebirth and recreation. Through the mitzvot of niddah, the Torah elevates the woman’s monthly cycle from the level of the mundane and profane to a level of spiritual truth and transformation. She becomes a reminder of our spiritual renewal.

Niddah before marriage: Remember, for those who choose to observe the mitzvot of niddah today, they are generally not observed except in regard to the relationship between husband and wife. Therefore, a woman does not immerse or concern herself with her ritual state until marriage. Typically, a woman’s first immersion in the mikvah is the night before her marriage. The Jewish tradition of immersion in the mikvah applied to both bride and groom. Notice how Paul assumes that we are familiar with the custom of immersing before marriage in the following passage where he compares the Messianic Community to a bride washed and cleansed in preparation for the marriage bed. As for husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself up on its behalf, in order to set it apart for God, making it clean through immersion in the mikveh, so to speak, in order to present the Messianic Community to himself as a bride to be proud of, without a spot, wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without defect (Ephesians 5:25-27).²⁶⁵

Menstruation and misogyny: The Torah designates a menstruating woman both unclean and contaminating. It is not uncommon for the modern reader to regard such mitzvot as distasteful relics from a more primitive and misogynistic form of our faith. Such mitzvot seem shame-based and sexist. But they are surely not.

The Torah designates a menstruating woman both unclean and contaminating. Whoever touches her will be unclean until evening. Everything she lies on or sits on in her state of niddah will be unclean. Whoever touches her bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening. Whoever touches anything she sits on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening. Whether he is on the bed or on something she sits on, when he touches it, he will be unclean until evening. If a man goes to bed with her, and her menstrual flow touches him, he will be unclean for seven days; and every bed he lies on will be unclean (15:19-24).

It is not uncommon for the modern reader to regard such mitzvot as distasteful relics from a more primitive and misogynistic form of our faith. Such mitzvot seem shame-based and sexist. Surely, they are not. Normal male discharges (see Cm – Male Chronic Uncleanness) are just as contaminating as the niddah. If there is a sense of shame connected with these mitzvot, we must ask ourselves if this arises from the Torah, or does the Torah answer a natural sense of modesty and “shame” that is already present in human beings? Anthropologists find purity mitzvot like this to be cross-cultural. They are as universal as the impulse to sacrifice animals. Most ancient religions make distinctions of clean and unclean on grounds similar, though not identical, to the Torah’s. It would seem that we humans have an innate sense of pure and impure, shame and brazenness, modesty and immodesty. The Torah answers these very real human conditions with mitzvot that can elevate even the most base elements of our human experience to the level of godliness and mitzvot.

This is to suggest that some of these purity standards do not arise as a result of Torah, but they are universal truths about the human condition. Why should God be offended by menstruation? He is the One who made us. I am suggesting that some of these things, though foreign to Western culture, are universal human reflexes, such as the mitzvot of emissions, niddah, purity, virginity, childbirth, and so on. In our sanitized society of porcelain and disposable hygiene products, we are so far removed from our own humanness that we hardly know what the Torah is talking about. Through the commandments, the Torah elevates even the most base elements of the human condition to the level of godliness. It does so by taking a basic human state or function, wrapping it in a mitzvah and thereby raising it to the level of holiness. Thus, the Torah does not endorse misogyny, but it responds to the innate human reflexes (spiritual and physical) which feed misogynistic tendencies. By placing societal form around those reflexes, misogyny is in fact thwarted.²⁶⁶

B. Abnormal female discharges (15:25-30): If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days not during her period, or if her discharge lasts beyond the normal end of her period, then throughout the time she is having an unclean discharge she will be as when she is in niddah – she is unclean. She would be regarded as zavah. A woman with a zavah carries the same level of ritual uncleanness and contamination as a woman in her menstrual niddah. Every bed she lies on at any time while she is having her discharge will be for her like the bed she uses during her time of niddah; and everything she sits on will be unclean with uncleanness like that of her time of niddah. Whoever touches those things will be unclean; he is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening (15:25-27).

If she has become free of her discharge, she is to count seven days; after that, she will be clean. On the eighth day, she is to take for herself two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. The priest is to offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; thus the priest will make atonement for her before ADONAI on account of her unclean discharge (15:28-30).

Like the mitzvot of the niddah, the mitzvot of the zavah are partially practiced by observant Jews today. Because the Torah specifies that a woman with a zavah shall continue as though in her niddah impurity, she is designated with the status of niddah. She is therefore forbidden from sexual relations until she has become ritually clean again. She cannot be regarded as pure until seven days after her last day of bleeding have elapsed.²⁶⁷ Because of our freedom in Messiah (see the commentary on First Corinthians Bm – The Weaker Brother or Sister), today Messianic believers have the choice to observe these Torah mitzvot or not to observe them.

A. Conclusion (15:31-33): The purity codes conclude with a summary statement explaining their significance and importance. The Torah clearly relegates them to the realms of Tabernacle/Temple concern. An Israelite entering the Temple compound in a state of ritual impurity was trespassing on the sacred purity of ADONAI’s Temple. Those who violated these mitzvot did so at the risk of their own lives. In this way you will separate the people of Isra’el from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in a state of uncleanness for defiling my tabernacle which is there with them. Such is the mitzvah for the person who has a discharge; for the man who has a seminal emission that makes him unclean; for the woman in niddah during her menstrual period; for the person, man or woman, with a discharge; and for the man who has sexual relations with a woman who is unclean (15:31-33).

Haftarah Tazria: M’tzora (Second Kings 7:20):
(see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah)

War between Aram (Syria) and Isra’el threatened to destroy God’s people. Four outcast lepers lead a life of quiet despair, and yet, they became survivors of their nation! Afflicted with leprosy, they suffered from a disease that eats away at the deeper layers of the skin. In Yeshua’s time, leprosy killed its victims. Josephus, the first-century Jewish/Roman historian, described m’tzoriam as basically dead people walking. Figuring they will die from the war-imposed famine, the four lepers went to the Aramean camp to beg for food. However, they discovered the place abandoned, with great supplies of food and wealth left behind. They began to loot, but then they repented of their actions and reported the good news to Isra’el. In the ensuing rush for food, the king’s cynical advisor gets trampled at the gateway – just as Elisha had foretold! This is exactly what happened to him, because the people trampled him down in the gateway, so that he died (Second Kings 7:20).

B’rit Hadashah reading (Matthew 24:31):

Yeshua asked which was more important, the sacrifice or the altar. He clarified that the altar made the sacrifice holy, and not the reverse (Matthew 23:19)! But Isra’el had slain the prophets sent to call her back to the covenant – including Zechariah, last mentioned in the TaNaKh (Second Chronicles 24:20). Worst of all, his blood splattered, defiling the ground between the bronze altar and the Sanctuary (Matthew 23:25; Chronicles 24:21-22; Genesis 4:10). Yeshua knew Zechariah’s dying words. He held the religious leaders of the Temple accountable for the redemption of all mankind – starting with Abel, the first martyr, and ending with Zechariah, the last martyr in the TaNaKh (Matthew 23:36). Jerusalem that stoned the prophets would be left desolate (Matthew 23:37-38)! Every last stone of the Temple must be thrown down! But ADONAI is still faithful. He will send out his angels with a great shofar; and they will gather together His chosen people from the four winds, from one end of the earth to the other (Matthew 24:31).²⁶⁸

Male Chronic Uncleanness
15: 1-18

Male chronic uncleanness DIG: Seminal fluids are created with the potential to co-create life with the Creator. When not properly contained within holy boundaries, a ritually unclean condition arises. Why would a holy God distance Himself and His house from a zav?

REFLECT: In what ways might these mitzvot concerning cleanliness relate to hygiene today? In what ways might they relate to worship attendance (compare Hebrews 9:10? What do they teach about YHVH, His relationship to us, and the things that separate us from Him?

The first thing to note from this section is that sometimes there are abnormal emissions from both males and females. These may or may not be the result of sickness. However, we may be confident that the ones in question in this chapter are not those which come as a result of sexual sin. The best way to understand this is to see it in light of the previous definitions of ritually clean or ritually unclean (to see link click Bu – The Mitzvot Regarding Skin Diseases). Wherein, we have suggested that a person was in the state of being unclean when he either sinned himself or merely came into contact with the kingdom of sin and death.²⁶² Beginning with the previous Torah portion and continuing with this one, we have been examining the concepts of being ritually clean and ritually unclean in terms of what they can teach us about two kingdoms: the kingdom of sin and death (see Bv – The Test of Tsara’at), and the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness (see Cg – The Test of M’tsora).

A. Introduction (15:1-2): ADONAI said to Moshe and Aaron, “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, the discharge is unclean’ (15:1-2).” Having concluded the discussion of Tsara’at and M’tsora, the Torah goes on to discuss other mitzvot of purity. All of Chapter 15 deals with discharges that cause a person to be either unclean or actually contaminating. These discharges in question are functions of the human reproductive organs, whether in good health or not. Again, our attention is returned to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Prior to their disobedience, the Torah tells us that they were naked without shame. In some way, sin altered the human condition. The woman is told: I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth children; yet your desire will be for your husband . . . (Genesis 3:16). Human sexual reproduction bears the mark of the fall of man.

The Master teaches us that at the resurrection, we enter into an angelic state of purity. Sexual reproduction will no longer be an issue, for there will not be giving and taking in marriage. For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven (Mark 12:25). Therefore, we may infer that ritual impurity is specifically connected to those human elements which will be foreign to our resurrected state. Clean and unclean teaches us something of the difference between the flesh and spirit. The Torah offers us a clue to this meaning by beginning Leviticus 15 saying: When a man has a discharge from his flesh . . . (15:2). The Sages distinguished between different levels of ritual impurity. For our purposes, we will once again simply note that the Torah speaks primarily of two levels of uncleanness. For the sake of simplicity, I have designated them as contaminating and unclean.

Contaminating: One who is contaminating is unclean and transmits ritual uncleanness to people and surfaces with which he comes in contract.

Unclean: One who has been rendered unclean, yet does to transmit that uncleanness to others. Depending upon the type of emission a man suffered he will either be unclean or contaminating.

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for always being perfectly holy! Heaven is Your holy home and though most want to go there, first the sin issue must be taken care of. A person may know all about Your love and agree that You are wonderful, but if they still love themselves as number one in their life, they forfeit Your gift of holiness. Mere knowledge about You is not a covenant sealer. For your covenant of love to be given to someone, they must also agree to the terms of loving and abiding in you. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned (John 15:6). 

Instead of just handing a person a gift and walking away, You unite Yourself in a loving relationship with the one who loves You. There can be no better gift than the gift of a loving and eternal relationship with You! You are the top most excellent gift that there ever could be! A relationship with you dear father is truly like finding a pearl of great price or a hidden valuable treasure (Matthew 13:44-45)!

How wonderful that it was your purpose and plan to unite those who love You into Yourself. He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which he set forth in Messiah as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth (Ephesians 1:8-10). Thank You that when someone loves and trusts You as their Lord and Savior, they are saved and will never be put to shame! Because, if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.  For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 10:9-11). Praise and thank You for the joy of uniting ourselves with You when we chose to love and to follow You in all we do, say and think. We love You! In Your holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

B. Abnormal male discharges (15:3-15): A venereal-type emission is referred to as a discharge (Hebrew: zav). The man suffering from a zav is unclean no matter whether it continues flowing or has stopped; it is deemed unclean and contaminating. Every bed which the person with the discharge lies on is unclean, and everything he sits on is unclean and contaminating as well. Whoever touches his bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in the mikvah; he will be unclean until evening. Whoever sits on anything the person with the discharge sat on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in the mikvah; he will be unclean and contaminating until evening. Anyone who touches the body of the person with the discharge or the items he has contaminated are rendered unclean and contaminating as well and is to wash his clothes and bathe himself the mikvah; he will be unclean until evening. If the person with the discharge spits on someone who is clean, the latter is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in the mikvah; he will be unclean until evening. Any saddle that the person with the discharge rides on will be unclean. Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening; he who carries those things is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in the mikvah; he will be unclean until evening. If the person with the discharge fails to rinse his hands in water before touching someone, that person is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in the mikvah; he will be unclean until evening. If the person with the discharge touches a clay pot, it must be broken because it cannot be cleansed; if he touches a wooden utensil, it must be rinsed in water (15:3-12).

The man with the zav, however, must count seven days from the day of his last discharge before immersing. When a person with a discharge has become free of it, he is to count seven days for his purification and re-initiation into participation in worship at the Tabernacle and the Levitical sacrifices. Then he is to wash his clothes and bathe his body in the running water of a mikvah; after that, he will be clean. On the eighth day, he is to take for himself two doves or two young pigeons, come before ADONAI to the entrance of the Tabernacle and give them to the priest, who is to offer them, the one as a purification offering (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by Blood) and the other as a burnt offering (see Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God). Thus, the priest will make atonement for him on account of his discharge before ADONAI (15:13-15).

C. Normal male discharges (15:16-18): A man who suffers a simple emission of semen during intercourse is rendered unclean because semen is regarded as contaminating. Everything the semen touches is rendered unclean, including the man and his wife. Seminal emission is the failure of that emission to bring life. It is, therefore, in some way, a portion of death, and therefore a source of uncleanness. If a man has a seminal emission, he is to bathe his entire body in the mikvah; he will be unclean until evening. Any clothing or leather on which there is any semen is to be washed with water; it will be unclean until evening. If a man goes to bed with a woman and has sexual relations, both are to bathe themselves in the mikvah; they will be unclean until evening (15:16-18). This is a simple level of uncleanness, remedied with an immersion in the mikvah. As sunset on the day of their immersion they were deemed clean. This is another good example of why the mitzvot of clean and unclean should not carry a positive or negative association in our minds. Certainly sexual relations with one’s spouse is a high and holy mitzvah, yet it rendered both the husband and wife unclean.²⁶³

Personal Discharge and Defilement
15: 1-33

Beginning with the previous Torah portion and continuing with this one, we have been examining the concepts of being ritually clean and ritually unclean in terms of what they can teach us about two kingdoms: the kingdom of sin and death (to see link click Bv – The Test of Tsara’at), and the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness (see Cg – The Test of M’tsora).

This is the last chapter dealing with the issue of uncleanness. After considering unclean animals (to see link click Bk – Ritually Clean and Unclean Animals), the section turned to uncleanness at birth (see Bt – Women After Childbirth) and external manifestations of uncleanness on the outside of the body as well as on the clothing and homes of people  Now the focus shifts to the interior to the person, examining uncleanness from within. Thus, there is a general direction from the outside to the interior.²⁵⁸

Chapter 15 sets forth the procedures required when an Israelite male or female experiences discharges from the sexual organs. Most of the chapter deals with discharges that are the result of illness or infections not to be confused with the normal menstruation of the female or the seminal emissions of the male. Here, we observe more clearly than elsewhere in Leviticus, the essential relationship between two conditions: illness and ritual impurity. By classifying illness and disease as forms of impurity, the Israelite priesthood placed them in the realm of religious concern. It was probably thought that impurity was contagious or, to put it another way, that the effects of abnormal discharges – and, to a lesser degree, or normal emissions and menstruation – were contagious. Impure persons were prohibited from worshiping at the Tabernacle or participating in the Levitical sacrifices. In stark contrast, it must be remembered that in all other ancient Near Eastern religious everything that pertained to sexuality had a role in cult and ritual.²⁵⁹

Two frequent, and therefore key words, occur in the chapter. One is discharge, from the Hebrew root zwb. Of the fifty-five occurrences of this root in the Bible, it is found twenty-six times in Leviticus 15, both as a noun and as a verb (translated as flowing). Elsewhere it commonly describes Canaan as a land flowing with milk and honey (twenty times, beginning with Exodus 3:8). The most disputed aspect of this term’s use in Chapter 15 concerns what the discharge refers to in a man. It is clear that it cannot be ejaculation (addressed in verses 16-18), but it seems related to the genitalia, as is learned from the discussion of the discharge of women (verses 19-30). Thus, it may be either a sexually transmitted disease, such as gonorrhea or a parasitical infection of the urinary tract producing blood in urine and/or kidney stones.

A second key word is bathe, which occurs twelve times in the chapter, usually in the phrase: Whoever touches his bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening (15:5-8, 10-11, 13, 16, 18, 21-22, and 27). The seventh occurrence adds the term living to describe the waters. This occurs several times in Chapter 14, but only here and describes the water as fresh.²⁶⁰

The balance and symmetry of the arrangement is striking. Two types of discharge, long-term and transient, are distinguished. Since they can affect both sexes, that gives for main cases. It should also be noted that the discharges of women are discussed in the reverse order to those of men. Chiasmus is regularly used in Hebrew to bring out the unity of a double-sided event. It is most appropriate device to employ in these particular mitezvot, focusing as they do on the unity of mankind in two sexes. Form and content here complement each other to express the idea that God created man in his own image . . . male and female created He them (Genesis 1:27). The unity and interdependence of the sexes finds its most profound expression in the act of sexual intercourse, and very fittingly this is discussed in 15:18, the midway of the literary structure.²⁶¹

A. Introduction (15:1-2a)

B. Abnormal male discharges (15:2b-15)

C. Normal male discharges (15:16-18)

C. Normal female discharges (15:19-24)

B. Abnormal female discharges (15:25-30)

A. Conclusion (15:31-33)

Cleansing from Mildew in a House
14: 33-57

Cleansing from mildew in a house DIG: Why do we discuss the subject of the “two kingdoms” in this commentary? How does mildew picture the kingdom of sin and death? In what ways does sin cause separation? Why God put an infection of tzara‘at in a house? 

REFLECT: Why does God discipline his children? What is the alternative to His discipline? Which would you rather have, His discipline or His judgment? Why? How does sin separate us from God? How is the restoration to fellowship a remedy for sin and its consequences?

Beginning with the previous Torah portion and continuing with this one, we have been examining the concepts of being ritually clean and ritually unclean in terms of what they can teach us about two kingdoms: the kingdom of sin and death (to see link click Bv – The Test of Tsara’at), and the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness (see Cg – The Test of M’tsora).

We move on, now, to the next body of content in this parashah, the procedure for cleansing an afflicted house. One of the main features of the afflicted house situation is to notice the many similarities between it and the leper (to see link click Ch – The Initial Procedures for Cleansing Leprosy). In both cases, the wood, scarlet thread, and hyssop with the slaughtered bird are identical. Furthermore, the shaving of a person’s hair is also depicted by the scraping of the plaster from an afflicted house. In addition, in both cases, the person and the house were subject to a scrutinizing inspection by the priest. The only observable difference between the two cases was that the house was not sprinkled by blood and oil as was the person. Instead, the afflicted house was sprinkled by blood and running water.

What is important for us is to try to understand, if we can, the reason(s) why one’s house would be considered ritually unclean, or tsara’at. To be sure, all houses, especially in the Middle East, are quite vulnerable to molds and mildew, especially in the winter because there is a lot of moisture and no insulation. A ritually unclean house, according to the Torah was only such when the growth in it was determined by the priest to be greenish or reddish. Therefore, not all molds and growths indicated a tsara’at condition.

One hint about the cause of this tsara’at condition (see Bw – Holiness and Tsara’at) is found at the beginning of this section where ADONAI said to Moshe and Aaron, “When you have entered the land of Canaan which I am giving you as a possession, and I put an infection of tzara‘at in a house in the land that you possess” (14:34). First, this tells us that God is the one who brought such an afflicted condition to one’s house. Second, we are thus told that there may be certain times when the Holy One will, in fact, choose that option – to inflict someone’s house and render it ritually unclean. Since such an affliction requires the presence and involvement of a spiritual leader, we may safely conclude that when a person’s house was ritually unclean, there must have been a kind of a spiritual problem with the owner of the house.²⁵²

Restoration of a house with mildew (14:33-42): Then the owner of the house is to come and tell the priest, “It seems to me that there may be an infection in the house.” The priest is to order the house emptied before he goes in to inspect the infection, so that everything in the house won’t be made ritually unclean; afterwards, the priest is to enter and inspect the house. He will examine the infection; and if he sees that the infection is in the walls of the house, with greenish or reddish depressions that seem to go in deeper than the surface of the wall, he is to go out of the house to its door and seal up the house for seven days. Giving it time to “heal” (14:35-38).

The priest will come again on the seventh day and examine the house; if he sees that the infection has spread over its walls, he is to order them to remove the infected stones and throw them into some unclean place outside the city. Next, he is to have the inside of the house thoroughly scraped, and the scraped-off plaster is to be discarded outside the city in an unclean place. Finally, other stones must be set in the place of the first stones and other plaster used to replaster the house (14:39-42). 

Recurrence of mildew (14:43-53): If the infection returns and breaks out in the house after the stones have been removed and the house scraped and plastered; then the priest is to enter and examine it. If he sees that the infection has spread in the house, it is a contagious tzara‘at in the house; it is unclean. He must tear the house down and take its stones, timber and plaster out of the city to an unclean place. Moreover, whoever enters the house at any time while it is sealed up will be unclean until evening. Whoever lies down or eats in the house must wash his clothes. If the priest enters, examines and sees that the infection has not spread in the house since it was plastered; then he is to declare the house clean; because the infection is cured (14:43-48). Thus, theoretically, there could have been cases in Isra’el where a ritually unclean person, may not have been healed, resulted in expulsion from the camp of Isra’el, and meanwhile his house would have to be torn down. That, indeed, would have placed the ritually unclean person in a most desperate and deplorable condition. What could have happened to have caused such a scenario?

There are two possibilities why the Holy One would afflict some of his belongings. The first is when the person has entered into ritually unclean state and failed to take the proper steps to be relieved of it. This would not necessarily involve sin on his part, but it would involve negligence. For example, one such case is where a man had accidently touched a dead animal’s carcass while out in the field. This was not personal sin, but it did render him ritually unclean. He would have been in a situation where he was ineligible to participate in the worship and sacrifices of the Tabernacle. The Torah prescribes the process through which he could be declared ritually clean instead of ritually unclean. But what if he simply chose not to follow that teaching? This could have turned an unfortunate, but sinless act, into a matter of rebellion! So, YHVH would need to discipline a person with tsara’at, which, in turn, was designed to help bring the person back closer to God.

A second possibility for these horrible afflictions might be sin. To purify (Hebrew: from the root chata, meaning to remove the sin or impurity) the house, he is to take two birds, cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop leaves. The verb chata is almost synonymous with kopher, used in verse 53, except that in this sense it always involves actual physical contact with the object to be purified, and it is never used with regard to the purification of a human being.²⁵³ This parallels such consequences found in Matthew (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Gi – If Brother or Sister Sins, Go and Point Out Their Fault), and First Corinthians (see the commentary on First Corinthians Ba – Failure to Discipline an Immoral Brother), where it indicates that sin is the ultimate reason why a person is expelled from the holy community.²⁵⁴

There is one more important element to note here. God’s people are disciplined by their Heavenly Father (see the commentary on Hebrews Cz – God Disciplines His Children), they are never judged, for there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua (Romans 8:1). The most severe form of discipline is death itself. But this is not carried out because the person is eternally separated from God because of sin (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). The death penalty, when it is levied against a believer, is done so in order to protect the community against the person acting out in the flesh. The Bible says that if the actions by a believer would bring reproach to the name of ADONAI, the church should hand over such a person to the Adversary for his old nature to be destroyed, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of our Lord (First Corinthians 5:5).

To purify his house once again, the Israelite was to slaughter one of the birds in a clay pot over running water. He is to take the cedar-wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. He will purify the house with the blood of the bird, the running water, the live bird, the cedar-wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. But he is to set the live bird free outside the city in an open field; thus will he make atonement for (Hebrew verb: from kopher, meaning to cover over or make propitiation for) the house; and it will be clean (14:49-53). This procedure is virtually identical to the one for the cleansing of a leper (see Ch – The Initial Procedures for Cleansing Leprosy). The difference lies in the fact that no sacrifices are offered for the house since the desired goal is that the house to be ritually clean, not to have communion with ADONAI.²⁵⁵

A summary (14:54-57): Such are the mitzvot for all kinds of tzara‘at sores, for a crusted area, for tzara’at in a garment, for a house, for a swelling, for a scab and for a bright spot, to determine when it is clean and when it is unclean. This is the mitzvah concerning tsara‘at. These verses are a postscript to the entire contents of Chapters 13 and 14 in this order: humans, leather and fabrics, and stone houses.²⁵⁶

ADONAI was using mildew as an illustration of the kingdom of sin and death. There was to be no compromise when it came to mildew, and there was to be no compromise in the purity and holiness of the individual Israelite so that they would not die in a state of ritual uncleanness for defiling God’s holy Tabernacle/Temple (Leviticus 15:31). Believers share with the ancient Israelites the view that someday all defilement will be removed from this world by God’s final act of redemption and restoration. It is common sense for people today to protect their property from spreading mildew and other forms of deterioration – so the text is practical on that level. But believers also acknowledge that all such defilement and contamination is the evidence and trappings of the kingdom of sin and death in the world. Such uncleanness makes us conscious of separation from God – how we respond to it shows how we view God. There need be no ritual dedication in our experience of renovation of our homes – although some do this as a means of dedication; but it is a perfectly good idea for believers to use all such occasions to give public testimony to the profound truths of the word of God, especially to the hope of glory where nothing unclean will exist.

Since tsara’ah and m’tsora and their treatment were regarded as symbolic (or at least analogous) of the kingdom of sin and death and its consequences, the passage can also be used to teach us how sin separates us from YHVH. Such corruption falls short of the glory of God, a glory revealed in and through creation. Restoration to fellowship in the presence of ADONAI therefore required the remedy for sin and its consequences. Thus, Yeshua often connected healing with forgiveness (Matthew 9:2-5). He demonstrated His authority by showing that if He could cure the effect of sin – disease – He was fully able to cure the cause – sin. Complete healing of body and soul must come before complete restoration of the fallen sinner. And all of that was provided in the sacrifice of the Son of God.²⁵⁷

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You that when You cleanse those who love You from sin, it is not a mere outward washing, but an inner change that allows Your Holy Spirit to live within believers. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Ruach – if indeed the Ruach Elohim dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Ruach of Messiah, he does not belong to Him.  But if Messiah is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is alive because of righteousness (Romans 8:9-10). 

Praise You also for Your great wisdom that does not look merely on the outward action of a person But ADONAI said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have already refused him. For He does not see a man as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but ADONAI looks into the heart” (First Samuel 16:7). You see the secrets of the heart (Revelation 2:23). Even if a person may look good to others, You judge by their heart, by seeing who they love most – themselves or if they truly love You and want You to be honored in all they do, say, and think. Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord!” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:21-23)! Praise You for being so loving and holy and that the foundation of Your Kingdom and throne is justice and righteousness. Lovingkindness and truth go before You (Psalms 89:14). Loving You dear Father. In Yeshua’s Holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Needy Leper
14: 21-32

The needy leper DIG: What special provisions were made for the poor? What does all this say about God’s concern for the “sick?” Or the “well?” Who was Yeshua more concerned about? The “sick” or the “healthy?” Those “sinners” who know they need the Physician, or those “righteous” who deny it? When were these mitzvot carried out? Why do they delay?

REFLECT: How is leprosy a good metaphor for the unredeemed, mortal condition? How are we ever dying? How are the unredeemed are marked by sin and yet continue to generate sin. Like the leper, how are the unredeemed barred from the presence of ADONAI? They cannot enter the assembly. How were you changed when you were redeemed and anointed?

Beginning with the previous Torah portion and continuing with this one, we have been examining the concepts of being ritually clean and ritually unclean in terms of what they can teach us about two kingdoms: the kingdom of sin and death (to see link click Bv – The Test of Tsara’at), and the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness (see Cg – The Test of M’tsora).

Leprosy was a costly affair. If a person had suffered the exile of leprosy for any length of time, he was probably without means to purchase sacrifices. The Torah makes an allowance for the leper who cannot afford all the necessary sacrifices by allowing him to substitute bird offerings for the purification offering (to see link click Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by the Blood) and burnt offering (see Ai – The Burnt Offering: Acceptance by God). The same allowance is made for a woman bringing her purification after childbirth (see Bt – Women After Childbirth). It could be that our leper from Galilee chose this latter option. Nevertheless, the Torah still requires the lamb for the guilt offering (see Am – The Guilt Offering: Evidence of Repentance) and two-thirds of a pint of olive oil. He cannot skimp on his purification. Because the leper chose to use birds instead of lambs, he is allowed to reduce the amount of four two tenths of ephah – one tenth ephah for each animal.²⁴⁷

If he is poor, so that he can’t afford to do otherwise, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved, to make atonement for him; two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; two-thirds of a pint of olive oil; and two doves or two young pigeons, such as he can afford, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. On the eighth day, he will bring them to the priest for his purification, to the entrance of the tent of meeting before ADONAI. The priest is to take the lamb of the guilt offering and the two-thirds of a pint of olive oil and wave them as a wave offering before YHVH (14:21-24).

The priest, however, carried out the same procedure as he did for the person of adequate economic means (see Ci – The Concluding Purification Ceremony). The same results of cleansing and atonement were achieved. The procedures in 14:25-31 are virtually identical to the regulations of 14:10-18, apart from the two doves or two young pigeons being substituted for two lambs and the reduction of the amount of six and-a-half quarts of fine flour to two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering.²⁴⁸

Concessions to the poor can also be seen earlier in Leviticus 1 with the sacrifice of a burnt offering. The rich man had to give more than the poor man. What he brought to sacrifice was determined by his economic status, and a progression of the most valuable to the least valuable, from the herd, to the flock, to the bird, is seen. Like Abel’s sacrifice (Genesis 4:4), YHVH looked with favor on the Israelite who brought a burnt offering. God received the bird offering from the poor with the same appreciation as He received the bull from the affluent man, an aroma pleasing to YHVH (1:14-17).²⁴⁹ The importance of this remains in the B’rit Chadashah, in which concern for meeting the spiritual needs of the poor ranks high on the list of priorities of Yeshua and His apostles (Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 6:20; Romans 15:26; James 2:5-6).²⁵⁰

He is to slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. The priest is to take some of the olive oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand, and sprinkle with his right hand some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before ADONAI. The priest is to put some of the oil in his hand on the tip of the right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand, on the big toe of his right foot – in the same place as the blood of the guilt offering. Finally, the priest is to put the rest of the oil in his hand on the head of the person being purified, to make atonement for him before ADONAI. He is to offer one of the doves or young pigeons, such as the person can afford, whatever his means suffice for – the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering – with the grain offering; thus the priest will make atonement before ADONAI for the person being purified. Then as a summary on the subject, Moshe stated: Such is the mitzvah for the person who has leprosy if he cannot afford the usual elements used for his purification (14:25-32).

However, there was one small problem. This concluding purification ceremony for the needy leper was never used during the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of Torah). Leviticus 14:1-57 describes the six items the leper needed to bring to be cleansed, what a needy leper should bring, the seven days in the chamber of the lepers in the Court of the Women, and the concluding purification ceremony. This chapter contains the most extensive instruction concerning purification in the TaNaKh. But that chamber stood empty for centuries, awaiting the coming of the Messiah to heal a Jewish leper (see the commentary on Isaiah Gl – The Three Messianic Miracles).

But think of those lepers whom Yeshua cleansed during His earthly ministry (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Id – Jesus Heals Ten Men with Leprosy). During their final purification, they were marked with blood on their right ear, thumb and big toe. Those were the same markings that a priest received. Did the leper become a priest? Also, the leper was, more or less, anointed with oil. Was the leper then regarded as an anointed one, or mashiach? No. The leper was neither priest nor meshiach except in the general sense that all Isra’el is a nation of priests, and all Isra’el carries the anointing of God’s Spirit. Seen from this perspective, we realize how the ceremonies of leprosy beautifully illustrate our transformation from the kingdom of sin and death to the kingdom of life and righteousness.

Leprosy is a good metaphor for the unredeemed, mortal condition. Though we live and walk, we are dying. Before our recreation in Messiah (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bd – A New Creation), our lives are ever tainted with the corruption of our flesh. The leper suffers because he is marked by uncleanness, but worse yet, he generates uncleanness. So too, the unredeemed are marked by sin and yet continue to generate sin. Like the leper, the unredeemed are barred from the presence of God. They cannot enter the assembly.

We are spiritual lepers. Our human tendency is to minimize the seriousness of our condition. We would rather suppose that our ailment is only a minor rash, nothing to worry about. A man tells himself that he is, after all, a pretty decent fellow. In reality though, our diagnosis is far grimmer than we could ever imagine. Our flesh is corrupt and our essential being is contaminated and contaminated. Our separation from the scared is absolute. Without healing and purification, we are an utterly leprous race.

Yet when the Leper is purified (see The Life of Christ Cn – Jesus Heals a Jewish Leper), a startling transformation takes place. His initial cleansing (with blood and water) and subsequent immersion bring him into immediate fellowship. He enters the assembly and the Tabernacle of God. Clean shaven like one newly born, he waits seven days for the completion of his purification. At the end of his purification he offers sacrifices for atonement and cleansing. He is marked with the signs of priestly initiation. He is anointed with oil.

So too with the redeemed. We are born-again through blood and water, immersed into Messiah. We are brought immediately into the House of God. We are initiated into a holy priesthood by means of blood and oil. Again, the combination of the blood and oil speak of the dual function of purification (atonement) and dedication. Believers should find this imagery vaguely familiar. We too are sprinkled with blood and anointed with the oil of the Spirit as we enter our priesthood in Messiah. We are cleansed by the blood of Messiah. We are anointed with the Spirit of Messiah.²⁵¹

Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for loving both the poor and the rich, the young and the old, male and female. For you are all sons of God through trusting in Messiah Yeshua . . . There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua (Galatians 3:26, 28). It is such a joy to know that we do not have to be perfect before coming to You, we can never be perfect. We need Your help to conquer temptations (First Corinthians 10:13). Thank You for taking us as we are when we come humbly before You bowing the knee and offering our love and our lives to You in deep gratitude for your rescuing us from the uncleanness of sin and its penalty of death.

We praise You for being so Holy, Almighty, All-powerful, All-wise, Forgiving Savior and Loving Father. We rejoice in our cleansing, but even more we rejoice in our eternal relationship with You as our loving Father, whom we delight to serve. In Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen

The Concluding Purification Ceremony
14: 10-20

The concluding purification ceremony DIG: Why was there such similarity between the concluding purification ceremony of the leper and the ordination ceremony of the priests? What did the purification ceremony allow the person to do? Why did it never happen?

REFLECT: Positionally, when were you purified from all your unrighteousness? When did you pass from the kingdom of sin and death to the kingdom of life and righteousness (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does for Us at the Moment of Faith).

The ritual now continued outside the gate of the Tabernacle as the worshiper brought the appropriate sacrifices. The ritual was similar to others but not entirely the same. The priest took one of the lambs (see below) and offered it as a guilt offering (see Am – The Guilt Offering). The restored worshiper was making restitution after having been separated from the Tabernacle for some time. The worshiper may not have been able to pay tithes and offerings during the time of his leprosy; thus, this inadvertent “defrauding” of God could be made right (Numbers 6:12). “Defraud” is perhaps too strong of a term; it was more as if the missing worshiper was behind in payments and now could catch up on the debt to be paid. There was no confession of sin associated with the concluding purification ceremony.²⁴²

Beginning with the previous Torah portion and continuing with this one, we have been examining the concepts of being ritually clean and ritually unclean in terms of what they can teach us about two kingdoms: the kingdom of sin and death (to see link click Bv – The Test of Tsara’at), and the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness (see Cg – The Test of M’tsora).

We are following the leper to the Temple as he goes for his purification procedure (see Ch – The Initial Procedures for Cleansing Leprosy). It is the eighth day since the Galilean leper’s arrival outside the gates of Jerusalem. Purified by the ritual with the birds, purified again by immersion in the mikvah and purified a third time by a second immersion in the mikvah, our Galilean leper is now ready to be restored as a participant in the worship of ADONAI. He is ready to offer sacrifices; he is ready to draw near. The phrase before ADONAI is repeated ten times in the description of the leper’s sacrifices.

He was to bring the following items near the entrance of the Tabernacle for his purification sacrifices: one male lamb without defect for a guilt offering (see Am – The Guilt Offering: Evidence of Repentance); one male lamb without defect for a purification offering (see Al – The Purification Offering: Purified by the Blood); one female lamb without defect in its first year for a burnt offering (see Ai – The Burnt Offering: Accepted by God), six and-a-half quarts of fine flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, and two-thirds of a pint of olive oil. The priest purifying him is to place the person being purified with these items before ADONAI at the entrance to the Tabernacle (14:10-11). More than likely, there was specialization of the priestly function, so that certain priests were specifically trained for such purifications and were routinely assigned to minister them.²⁴³

The priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering with the two-thirds-pint of olive oil, then wave them as a wave offering before ADONAI (14:12). Perhaps the guilt offering was brought because of the likelihood the leper had in some way contaminated something sacred. Perhaps by making others unclean (though inadvertently), a guilt offering was required for reparation.

Following the slaughtering of the guilt offering, the priest applied some of its blood to the tip of the right ear lobe, thumb of the right hand and big toe of the leper (14:13-14). These are the same blood markings that the priests received during their ordination ceremony in Leviticus 8. In that instance, the markings were intended for sanctification. In this instance they are for purification. In both instances, they represent the individual’s access to the Tabernacle or Temple, the bronze altar, and the Levitical sacrifices.

Next, the priest then poured some of the oil into his left palm. Dipping into it with his right hand, he sprinkled the oil seven times towards the Tabernacle. This is the first sprinkling directed toward the bronze altar. He then turned to the leper and applied some of the remaining oil to the same ear, thumb and big toe that he had marked with blood. Do doubt, the priest’s gesture is meant to make an explicit connection between the leper and the bronze altar (14:15-17). In this way, the priest was granting the leper access to the altar and its sacrifices. Similarly, in Leviticus 8:30, we saw Moses mix the blood of the sacrifices with the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron, his sons, and their garments as a final act of ordination.

Finally, the priest is to put the rest of the oil in his hand on the head of the person being purified; and the priest will make atonement for him before ADONAI. The priest is to offer the purification offering and make atonement for the person being purified because of his uncleanness; afterwards, he is to slaughter the burnt offering. The priest is to offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the bronze altar; thus the priest will make atonement for him; and he will be clean (14:18-20).

Try to picture our Galilean leper. He is now standing before the officiating priest, bald-headed and smeared with blood and oil. His ear, thumb and toe are all splattered with priestly markings. His head is shaved like a new Levite’s. It is as if he has become a servant of the Tabernacle, a sacred minister. Only now is he able to offer his purification offering. Only now is he completely restored to a state of ritual purity.²⁴⁴ The purification offering served to put the individual in good standing with ADONAI, and the burnt offering symbolized his renewed acceptability as a worshiper – that is, with God’s acceptance of the burnt offering, the individual was fully reinstated.²⁴⁵

However, there was one small problem. This concluding purification ceremony was never used during the Dispensation of Torah (see the commentary on Exodus Da – The Dispensation of Torah). Leviticus 14:1-57 describes the six items the leper needed to bring to be cleansed, what a needy leper should bring, the seven days in the chamber of the lepers in the Court of the Women, and the concluding purification ceremony on the eighth day (see Bc – The Eighth Day). This chapter contains the most extensive instruction concerning purification in the TaNaKh. But that chamber stood empty for centuries, awaiting the coming of the Messiah to heal a Jewish leper (see the commentary on Isaiah Gl – The Three Messianic Miracles). What must they have thought?

Believers do not have such a ceremony, but we can learn something from the principle. Any time we are healed and restored to full participation in life and worship, it is appropriate to offer the sacrifice of praise, even a thank offering. Through Him, therefore, let us offer God a sacrifice of praise continually. For this is the natural product of lips that acknowledge His name (Hebrews 13:15). They should at least acknowledge that it is God who has given them life and they will not die (Psalm 118:17), that they have been restored to life for the purpose of serving and praising ADONAI (Isaiah 38:9-20), that their restoration from sickness is a foretaste of how in some glorious future day they will be set free like a bird from all physical diseases and distress when the curse is lifted, and that all this was made possible through the shed blood of Messiah. The principle applies full in the B’rit Chadashah: before any of us who have been sick can enter the heavenly sanctuary, into the very presence of God we will be changed (see the commentary on Second Corinthians Bd – A New Creation), and that change is made possible only through the sacrifice of Yeshua Messiah.

In the B’rit Chadashah we see that Yeshua healed lepers and others who suffered from diseases (Matthew 26:6; Mark 1:40-45; Luke 17:11-19) to show that He was able to make all people fit to enter the Kingdom of Life and Righteousness. He made people whole, in body and spirit, and then through His death, He completed the atoning work by taking both their sins and infirmities upon Himself.

In fact, the death of Messiah picks up the major motifs of this chapter as well as the themes in the earlier sections. In the initial procedures for cleansing leprosy, the priest goes outside the camp to the sufferer, a theme that finds fulfillment in Messiah’s going outside the camp for the sins of the world (Hebrews 13:12). Then, the ritual of the two living clean birds finds fulfillment in Messiah’s death and His resurrection (Romans 4:25). Now, in the concluding purification ceremony, His sacrifice makes reparation (Isaiah 53:10), atones (Romans 4:25), purifies (Second Corinthians 5:21), and dedicates to service. The anointing corresponds with the sending of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Zechariah 4:6; First John 2:20) that enables cleansed and sanctified people to serve here on earth, and fits them for glory.

The atoning work of Messiah, then, touches the whole of life (body and soul), restores us to fellowship with the holy ADONAI Elohim, and fits us for glory. It is a restoration to complete health, and a plead of life in the world to come. Complete sanctification enables us to hear YHVH, do His will, and walk in His ways. We are cleansed to live in holiness and service to Ha’Shem. And while the B’rit Chadashah focuses on the spiritual healing, it does not ignore the body, for the whole person is restored to God. In the same way that this ancient ceremony restored fellowship to the covenant community, the shedding of Messiah’s blood on the cross reconciles mankind to the LORD and makes it possible for the sinner to join the household of faith.²⁴⁶

Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for Your gracious gift of cleansing. Though we are not lepers with skin uncleanness, the uncleanness of every person’s heart (Romans 3:23) is a deeper uncleanness. Your love is spoken of so often, and we are so thankful for Your great love; but sometimes we forget how much Your cleansing gift of love cost You. You paid the price for our sin when Yeshua died as the Lamb of God (John 1:29). You suffered great emotional trauma because of the fierce hatred of those that You had come to love. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, One from whom people hide their faces. He was despised, and we did not esteem Him (Isaiah 53:3). You suffered intense physical pain, far beyond what we can even imagine. But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities. The chastisement for our shalom was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). We want to praise and thank You with our lives. We give you total control over our thoughts, money, time and friends and we delight in living a life of love and thanks to You. In Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen