You Shall Be Holy

Weekly Torah Lesson

Parasha: Emor – say, speak
Torah: VaYikra 21:1 – 24:23

You shall be Holy for I am Holy

** In the previous Parsha, Avinu teaches us that we are to be a Holy People before Him. He emphasizes the participation in His Torah in order to develop a closer relationship with Him. Now we are going to learn that this Holiness that He requires must go beyond our physical participation and transform our bodies into Living Temples of Avinu. We are taught about this “transformation” as we begin to learn and develop a state of Holiness into the animals that are used in the sacrifices.

21:16 And Avinu spoke to Moshe, saying, 17 Speak to Aharon, saying, Whoever he be of your seed in their generations that has any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of Avinu. 18 For whatever man he be that has a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that has a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, 19 Or a man that is broken footed, or broken handed, 20 Or hunch back, or a dwarf, or that has a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or has his stones broken; 21 No man that has a blemish of the seed of Aharon the priest shall come near to offer the offerings of Avinu made by fire: he has a blemish; he shall not come near to offer the bread of Avinu. 22 He shall eat the bread of Avinu, both of the most holy, and of the holy. 23 Only he shall not go in to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I Avinu do sanctify them. 24 And Moshe told it to Aharon, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.

** There are to be no “blemished” priests offering the sacrifices. They are to be physically perfect as well as spiritually “clean” before they can come before Avinu.

*** “When anyone offers a sacrifice of well-being to Avinu, in fulfillment of a vow or as a freewill offering, from the herd or from the flock, to be acceptable it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it.” (Le 22:21 )

** The animals that are used in the sacrifices must be physically perfect as well. Centuries later, Malachi records a very unhappy Avinu concerning blemished animals.

“6 A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? said Adoni Tzaviot to you, O priests, that despise my name. And you say, Wherein have we despised your name? 7 You offer polluted bread on my altar; and you say, Wherein have we polluted you? In that you say, The table of Avinu is contemptible. 8 And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now to your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your person? said Adoni Tzaviot. 9 And now, I pray you, beseech Avinu that he will be gracious to us: this has been by your means: will he regard your persons? said Adoni Tzaviot. 10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nothing? neither do you kindle fire on my altar for nothing. I have no pleasure in you, said Adoni Tzaviot, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, said Adoni Tzaviot. 12 But you have profaned it, in that you say, The table of Avinu is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13 You said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and you have snuffed at it, said Adoni Tzaviot; and you brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus you brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? said Avinu. 14 But cursed be the deceiver, which has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to Avinu a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, said Adoni Tzaviot, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.” (Mal 1:6-14 )

** The Gospels and Apostolic Writings establish the change in the priesthood and transfer the Levitical based instructions to a more spiritual application of the instructions based on the original anticipated outcomes. A “Holy” priesthood offering “Holy” sacrifices is still the intended outcome for the new Malchisedekian priesthood.

*** “19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters into that within the veil; 20 Where the forerunner is for us entered, even Yeshua, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Heb 6:19-20 )

“For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.” (Heb 7:28 )

*** “You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to Avinu by Yeshua HaMeshiach.” (1Pe 2:5 )

** Yeshua teaches, “Be perfect (Holy), therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Holy).” (Mt 5:48 )

“It was fitting that Avinu, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Heb 2:10 )

“and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,” (Heb 5:9 )

** Notice what Shaul teaches us,

“29 For anyone who eats and drinks (participates in Yeshua’s sacrifice) without discerning (the spiritual state of their own) body; eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died (“Say to them, Whoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goes to the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow to Avinu, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am Avinu.” (Le 22:3)). 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 “But when we are judged, we are chastened of Avinu, that we should not be condemned with the world.” (1Co 11:29-32 )

** Avinu still requires a “Holy” priesthood that offers a “Holy” sacrifice with a Holy Temple.

“let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb 10:22 )

** Sin and uncleanness still defile our “Temples”. We need to be aware of our spiritual condition and seek diligently to have our sins forgiven and our temples cleansed from any uncleanness that we might have incurred. This process is available to us through the sacrifice of Yeshua.