Torah: Vayikra (Lev.) 19:1-20:27
Haftarah: Amos 9:7-15; Yechezke’l (Ezek.) 20:2-20
Brit: Mattityahu (Matthew) 5:33-37; 5:43-48;
15:1-11; 19:16-30; 22:33-40; Mark 7:1-23; 12:28-34;
Luke 10:25-37; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13-26;
Ya’akov (James) 2:1-9; 1Kefa (Peter) 1:13-21
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The title of the parashat-hashavua or portion of the week is Kedoshim.
A Holy People.
Name, Shem; Interestingly in the middle of His Name we see that His hand
is at work in His Holy people. Also, the Yud is symbolic of humility because
of the smallness of the letter. So here we see YHVH is identifying His
people as Holy People through humbling themselves by demonstrating
obedience to YHVH’s commandments which in this parasha is all about
showing justice to His people without giving deference based on social
status, wealth, or the lack thereof!
Gematria: Quf=100, Dalet=4, Shin=300, Yud=10, Mem=40
(100+4+300+10+40=454)
When broken down we observe the following numbers that
make up 454:
400. 400 is the Gematria value for the Tav, which is the sign of YHVH’s
Covenant Seal and ownership of His Set-Apart people.
50. 50 is the Gematria value associated with the letter Nun which means
Seed, heir, son, life and continuance. It is also the number associated with
Jubilee and points to deliverance as the perfect consummation of time
(Bullinger, p.232)
4. 4 is the Gematria value per Bullinger relates it to YHVH’s creative works.
“It is emphatically the number of Creation; of man in his relation to the
world as created. Looking at the number 4 from the perspective of Creation,
day four we see HaShem made the sun moon and stars. These celestial
bodies were created to govern; “16
And God made the two great lights, the
greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He
made the stars also.” (Gen 1:16 NAS)
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If we observe from the perspective of the Menorah in studying The Creation
Gospel, the fourth branch in the Menorah, is actually the shamash, or
Servant from which all the other branches originate and being the fourth in
number counting from either the right or left side we also see it lines up with
the fourth day of Creation. Thus the number 4 also points to our Messiah
Yeshua, who is “The Door”, as defined by the letter Dalet, who’s Gematria
is 4.
An interesting note to consider about stars and the number 4. In Bullinger’s
Number study of the Gematria of meanings behind numerical value he refers
the reader to another book he wrote
called “The Witness to The Stars”. A
most interesting point of fact
becomes clear when we study the
stars and the eternal testimony they
tell. Following Bullinger, he points
out the constellation Virgo, in Latin
meaning Virgin, and Arabic is
Virga, meaning branch is likened to
the woman in Genesis 3:15 which
reads
“15
And I will put enmity Between you and
the woman, And between your seed and
her seed; He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel."
(Gen 3:15 NAS)
“In Genesis 3:15 she is presented
only as a woman; but in later prophecies
her nationality is defined as being of the
stock of Israel, the seed of Abraham, the
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line of David; and. Further, she is to be a virgin. There are two prominent
prophecies of her and her seed; one is connected with the first coming in
incarnation, Isaiah 7:14 (quoted in Matthew 1:23) ‘Behold a virgin shall conceive
and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.’ The brightest star in Virgo has
an ancient name, handed down to us in all the star-maps, in which the Hebrew
word Tsemech is preserved. It is called in Arabic Al Zimach, which means the
branch. This star is in the ear of corn which she holds in her left hand. It foretold
the coming of Him who should bear this name. The same Divine inspiration has, in
the written Word, four times (emphasis mine) connected it with Him. There
are twenty Hebrew words translated ‘Branch,’ but only one of them (Tsemech) is
used exclusively of the Messiah, and this word only four times (emphasis
mine).” (Stars, p.545)
Jer. 23:5 5 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "When I
shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and
act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. (Jer 23:5 NAS)
Zech.3:8 8 'Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are
sitting in front of you-- indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I
am going to bring in My servant the Branch. (Zec 3:8 NAS)
Zech.6:12 12
"Then say to him, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, a
man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and
He will build the temple of the LORD. (Zec 6:12 NAS)
Isa.4:2 2 In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and
glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the
survivors of Israel. (Isa 4:2 NAS)
“This is the Branch foretold by the star Al Zimach in the ear of
corn.” (Stars, p.563)
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If that’s not enough, after all of that is digested, keep in mind also the other
symbolic meaning behind the stars—US!
“13 "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants to whom Thou
didst swear by Thyself, and didst say to them, 'I will multiply your
descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have
spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
(Exo 32:13 NAS)
& we being the descendants of Abraham, thus like the stars, are a holy people, a
holy assembly or edah…but, I get ahead of myself. Just remember
edah…edah…edah….
If we examine the chapters leading up to today’s parasha we observe The
LORD is specifically aiming His instructions from a very specific individual, and
then outward further and further to eventually include all of Israel, observe;
Lev. 16: talk (dabar) to your brother Aaron (The high priest)
Lev. 17: Speak (dabar) to Aaron and his sons and all the sons of Israel (The High
Priest, the temple priests and those who are to be the high priest of their homes).
Lev.18: Speak (dabar) to the sons of Israel (the high priests of their homes)
Lev.19:Speak (dabar) to all the congregation (edah, hmm…there’s that word
again) of the sons of Israel. (specifically to every member in the home.)
H1696 ּדבר da bar daw-bar': A primitive root; perhaps properly to
arrange; but used figuratively (of words) to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to
subdue: - answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give,
name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, talk, teach, tell,
think, use [entreaties], utter, X well, X work, converse, warn, threaten, sing.
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I wanted to point out a pattern here that The Ruach is clarifying. He begins
in the heart, much like the construction of the Mishkan, the holy of holies and the
holy place were built first and the furniture was brought in for it. Then everything
else was built around it working further and further out from the center. In the
same way we see YHVH beginning specifically with addressing the responsibility
to the High Priest, who is Aaron, the type and shadow of Messiah Yeshua. He then
addresses Aaron and his sons, who are also recognized as priests in charge of the
daily maintenance of the Mishkan. He then addresses the sons of Israel because
initially the sons who are the firstborn were also to be the priests, but temporarily
the Levites were appointed to take their place in the temple(12
"Now, behold, I have
taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every first-born, the first
issue of the womb among the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be
Mine. 13
"For all the first-born are Mine; on the
day that I struck down all the first-born in the
land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the first-born
in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am
the LORD." (Num 3:12-13 NAS) However, the sons
were still delegated to be the high priest of their home.
And finally He addresses the congregation at large, the edah
(H5712 עדה ‛e da h, ay-daw'), which comes from ed (H5707 עד ‛e d, ayd),
meaning a witness, A TESTIMONY, a recorder. And he uses this
statement to preface His statement to the people to be Holy because He is Holy. There is an important connection here between holiness and the people of YHVH. As the commentators of Etz Hayyim states,
“[w]hen a community [or edah] dedicates itself to the pursuit of holiness, its members support and reinforce each other.
Historically, when [YHVH’s] communities have been at their best, the whole became greater than the sum of its parts.”
(p.694).
2 "Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, 'You shall be
holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. (Lev 19:2 NAS)
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קדוׁש קדׁש qa do sh qa do sh kaw-doshe', kaw-doshe'
From H6942; sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an
angel, a saint, a sanctuary: - holy (One), saint.
cm) ( Q-DWSh) - Special: One who is set apart as
special. [freq. 116] |kjv: holy, saint| {str: 6918}
2700) ( QDSh) ac: Set apart co: Prostitute ab: Special:
Set apart from the rest for a special function. [from: - separating
and joining to something]
From S#6942, Theo.Wrdbk.OT:
be (q¹dash) ָקַדׁש 1990.0
hallowed, holy, sanctified; to
consecrate, sanctify, prepare,
dedicate. Denominative verb.
qadash {kaw-dash'} ָקַדׁש 6942
Meaning: 1) to consecrate, sanctify, prepare,
dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be set
apart, be consecrated 1a2) to be hallowed 1a3) consecrated, tabooed 1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to show oneself sacred or majestic 1b2) to be honoured, be treated as sacred
1b3) to be holy 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate 1c2) to
observe as holy, keep sacred 1c3) to honour as sacred, hallow 1c4) to consecrate
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1d) (Pual) 1d1) to be consecrated 1d2) consecrated, dedicated 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to
set apart, devote, consecrate 1e2) to regard or treat as sacred or hallow 1e3) to
consecrate 1f) (Hithpael) 1f1) to keep oneself apart or separate 1f2) to cause
Himself to be hallowed (of God) 1f3) to be observed as holy 1f4) to consecrate.
3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father,
and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
(Lev 19:3 KJV)
Strongs# H3372 ָיֵרא yare' {yaw-ray'}
Meaning: 1) to fear, revere, be afraid 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to fear, be afraid 1a2) to
stand in awe of, be awed 1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect 1b) (Niphal) 1b1)
to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared 1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in
awe 1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe 1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify
2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour
Origin: a primitive root; TWOT - 907,908; v
Strongs #3372: AHLB#: 1227-E (V)
1227) ( YR) ac: Throw co: ? ab: F |kjv: river, brook, flood,
stream| {str: 2975}
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E) ( YRA) ac: ? co: ? ab: F (vf: Paal, Niphal, Piel) |kjv:
fear, afraid, terrible, dreadful, reverence, fearful| {str: 3372}
H) ( YRH) ac: Throw co: Rain ab: ?: A throwing of the finger
to show a direction to walk or live. The throwing of an arrow. The throwing down
of water in rain.
V) ( Y-RH) - I. Throw: [df: ] II. Rain: III. Teach:
To point the way one is to walk in life. [freq. 84] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil) |kjv:
teach, shoot, archer, cast, teacher, rain, laid, direct, inform, instruct, show, shooter,
through watered| {str: 3384}
It is a cognate and from the same root of the word we get for the word First Rain!
gm) ( YW-RH) - First rain: [freq. 2] |kjv: first rain, former, & it is
also where we get our word for Torah! if1
) ( TW-RH) - Teaching:
The direction one is to take in life. [freq. 219] |kjv: law| {str: 8451}
(Fear) (First Rain) (Torah)
(root) Notice the transition from fear, to rain, to Torah. At the heart of
the root of the word used for fear is the meaning ‘to work, to make, & to throw’, all
functions of the hand. The word can be interpreted pictographically on many
levels, one of particular interest is that “In the beginning was YHVH!”
Yod-God, Heh-behold, and Resh-beginning.
Initially in our language of greek and latin-based mindsets it appears to be an
inconvenient stretch, however, observe the transition. Fear and First Rain both
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share the two-letter root yod-resh-, but they differ when transitioning into the word
for Torah in that Torah doesn’t point to The Way or path, it IS the Way!
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by
taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10 With my
whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander
from thy commandments.
(Psa 119:9-10 KJV) . Torah is a fearful thing, because to depart from it removes us
from under His atoning work of The Cross! Which is the Sign, The Seal, & The
Mark of His Covenant! This in my own personal opinion is the root of this kind of
fear. Deuteronomy 6:24 supports this which declares
“Adonai ordered us to observe all these laws, to fear
Adonai our God, always for our own good, so that he might
keep us alive, as we are today.”
The Theological Wordbook of The Old Testament defines the word for fear
as used here and other places possess at least 5 different meanings. It goes on to
state that “More frequently the emphasis is upon awe or reverence rather than
terror (Psa 112:1; Eccl 8:12). The "God-fearer" will implement his fear in practical
righteousness or piety. Job, as a God fearer, avoids evil (Job 1:1). In Psa 128:1 the
"fearer" of the Lord walks in his ways. The fearers of the Lord may be those whose
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particular piety is evidenced by a response to God's message. The "fearer" of God
is contrasted with the wicked (Eccl 8:13). It is desired that office holders be fearers
of God (Neh 7:2). Blessings are provided for fearers of God: happiness (i.e.
"blessed"; Psa 112:1), goodness from God (Psa 31:19 [H 20]), provision of needs
(Psa 34:9 [H 1011, protection (Psa 33:18-19 [H 19-20)), overshadowing mercy (i.e.
µesed ; Psa 103:11), and promise of fulfilled desires (Psa 145:19).
H3372 ירא ya re ' yaw-ray' (324 times in O.T.) Gen_3:10; Gen_15:1; Gen_18:15; Gen_19:30; Gen_20:8; Gen_21:17; Gen_26:7; Gen_26:24; Gen_28:17; Gen_31:31; Gen_32:7; Gen_32:11;
Gen_35:17; Gen_42:35; Gen_43:18; Gen_43:23; Gen_46:3; Gen_50:19; Gen_50:21; Exo_1:17; Exo_1:21; Exo_2:14; Exo_3:6; Exo_9:20;
Exo_9:30; Exo_14:10; Exo_14:13; Exo_14:31; Exo_15:11; Exo_20:20; Exo_34:10; Exo_34:30; Lev_19:3; Lev_19:14; Lev_19:30; Lev_19:32;
Lev_25:17; Lev_25:36; Lev_25:43; Lev_26:2; Num_12:8; Num_14:9; Num_21:34; Deu_1:19; Deu_1:21; Deu_1:29; Deu_2:4; Deu_3:2;
Deu_3:22; Deu_4:10; Deu_5:5; Deu_5:29; Deu_6:2; Deu_6:13; Deu_6:24; Deu_7:18; Deu_7:19; Deu_7:21; Deu_8:6; Deu_8:15; Deu_10:12;
Deu_10:17; Deu_10:20; Deu_10:21; Deu_13:4; Deu_13:11; Deu_14:23; Deu_17:13; Deu_17:19; Deu_19:20; Deu_20:1; Deu_20:3; Deu_21:21;
Deu_25:18; Deu_28:10; Deu_28:58; Deu_31:6; Deu_31:8; Deu_31:12; Deu_31:13; Jos_4:14; Jos_4:24; Jos_8:1; Jos_9:24; Jos_10:2; Jos_10:8;
Jos_10:25; Jos_11:6; Jos_22:25; Jos_24:14; Jdg_4:18; Jdg_6:10; Jdg_6:23; Jdg_6:27; Jdg_7:10; Jdg_8:20; Jdg_13:6; Rth_3:11; 1Sa_3:15;
1Sa_4:7; 1Sa_4:20; 1Sa_7:7; 1Sa_12:14; 1Sa_12:18; 1Sa_12:20; 1Sa_12:24; 1Sa_14:26; 1Sa_15:24; 1Sa_17:11; 1Sa_17:24; 1Sa_18:12;
1Sa_18:29; 1Sa_21:12; 1Sa_22:23; 1Sa_23:3; 1Sa_23:17; 1Sa_28:5; 1Sa_28:13; 1Sa_28:20; 1Sa_31:4; 2Sa_1:14; 2Sa_3:11; 2Sa_6:9; 2Sa_7:23;
2Sa_9:7; 2Sa_10:19; 2Sa_12:18; 2Sa_13:28; 2Sa_14:15; 1Ki_1:50; 1Ki_1:51; 1Ki_3:28; 1Ki_8:40; 1Ki_8:43; 1Ki_17:13; 1Ki_18:3; 1Ki_18:12;
2Ki_1:15; 2Ki_4:1; 2Ki_6:16; 2Ki_10:4; 2Ki_17:7; 2Ki_17:25; 2Ki_17:28; 2Ki_17:32; 2Ki_17:33; 2Ki_17:34; 2Ki_17:35; 2Ki_17:36;
2Ki_17:37; 2Ki_17:38; 2Ki_17:39; 2Ki_17:41; 2Ki_19:6; 2Ki_25:24; 2Ki_25:26; 1Ch_10:4; 1Ch_13:12; 1Ch_16:25; 1Ch_17:21; 1Ch_22:13;
1Ch_28:20; 2Ch_6:31; 2Ch_6:33; 2Ch_20:3; 2Ch_20:15; 2Ch_20:17; 2Ch_32:7; 2Ch_32:18; Neh_1:5; Neh_1:11; Neh_2:2; Neh_4:14; Neh_6:9;
Neh_6:13; Neh_6:14; Neh_6:19; Neh_7:2; Neh_9:32; Job_1:9; Job_5:21; Job_5:22; Job_6:21; Job_9:35; Job_11:15; Job_32:6; Job_37:22;
Job_37:24; Psa_3:6; Psa_15:4; Psa_23:4; Psa_27:1; Psa_27:3; Psa_33:8; Psa_34:9; Psa_40:3; Psa_45:4; Psa_46:2; Psa_47:2; Psa_49:5;
Psa_49:16; Psa_52:6; Psa_55:19; Psa_56:3; Psa_56:4; Psa_56:11; Psa_64:4; Psa_64:9; Psa_65:5; Psa_65:8; Psa_66:3; Psa_66:5; Psa_67:7;
Psa_68:35; Psa_72:5; Psa_76:7; Psa_76:8; Psa_76:12; Psa_86:11; Psa_89:7; Psa_91:5; Psa_96:4; Psa_99:3; Psa_102:15; Psa_106:22; Psa_111:9;
Psa_112:1; Psa_112:7; Psa_112:8; Psa_118:6; Psa_119:63; Psa_119:120; Psa_130:4; Psa_139:14; Psa_145:6; Pro_3:7; Pro_3:25; Pro_14:2;
Pro_24:21; Pro_31:21; Ecc_3:14; Ecc_5:7; Ecc_8:12; Ecc_8:13; Ecc_9:2; Ecc_12:5; Ecc_12:13; Isa_7:4; Isa_8:12; Isa_10:24; Isa_18:2;
Isa_18:7; Isa_21:1; Isa_25:3; Isa_35:4; Isa_37:6; Isa_40:9; Isa_41:5; Isa_41:10; Isa_41:13; Isa_41:14; Isa_43:1; Isa_43:5; Isa_44:2; Isa_51:7;
Isa_51:12; Isa_54:4; Isa_54:14; Isa_57:11; Isa_59:19; Isa_64:3; Jer_1:8; Jer_3:8; Jer_5:22; Jer_5:24; Jer_10:5; Jer_10:7; Jer_23:4; Jer_26:19;
Jer_26:21; Jer_30:10; Jer_32:39; Jer_40:9; Jer_41:18; Jer_42:11; Jer_44:10; Jer_46:27; Jer_46:28; Jer_51:46; Lam_3:57; Eze_1:22; Eze_2:6;
Eze_3:9; Eze_11:8; Dan_1:10; Dan_9:4; Dan_10:12; Dan_10:19; Hos_10:3; Joe_2:11; Joe_2:21; Joe_2:22; Joe_2:31; Amo_3:8; Jon_1:5;
Jon_1:9; Jon_1:10; Jon_1:16; Mic_7:17; Hab_1:7; Hab_3:2; Zep_2:11; Zep_3:7; Zep_3:16; Hag_1:12; Hag_2:5; Zec_8:13; Zec_8:15; Zec_9:5;
Mal_1:14; Mal_2:5; Mal_3:5; Mal_3:16; Mal_4:5;
The Tav is the letter for the seal, the mark of the covenant and
ownership of YHVH! So when put into context of Leviticus 19:2 we see
that to have a fear in light of His Torah, or a Holy Reverence for His
Word, is to maintain an inspiring reverence for our parents and is part of
walking in The Way of YHVH.
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I close the book on this particular subject with a brief anecdote. I
read this portion earlier this week. And during its course my son Colby
and I visited my father to help him move some furniture in preparation
for some carpet installers planned to come later in the week. While
there, I began the fascinating task of asking my father pointed questions
for him to share his life experiences. The book was given him from a
relative of our family that cherishes him deeply, and wants to have a
copy of his memoirs to remember him by. At his request I agreed to
record his answers to the questions as I read them.
From the outset I realized already what I had known since a child,
and that is my father has not only experienced a lot in life, but his recall
is prime. He has gained a great measure of wisdom that has helped him
not only survive and overcome much of the storms, twists and turns
associated with life, but do it well. In the process of ‘Q&A’ I felt an awe
or reverence in my spirit for my father, not so much because he was
pious, but simply because here my father at 73 years old is opening
himself up & sharing pivotal memories that helped shape and define
him, and have been a critical part of what brought him to where he is
today. Even as I share this message with you I feel a profound degree of
respect for him that makes me want to listen to everything he’s willing
to share.
Now, perhaps you did not grow up in a family with Torah-
observant parents. This is a conversation for a different day, but briefly
drawing from my own personal experience, as an adult child I look back
and strive to see the boundaries my father set to keep my life from peril,
to preserve my life. I see the times he showed kindness, I see times he
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could have been cruel but instead turned them into teachable moments to
help me learn from my mistakes, and I even see the outright times when
he had to use the rod of discipline to drive foolishness out of me; did he
give direct verbal ascent to Torah? No. Did he quote chapter and verse
or mention a parallel parable before he took a belt to my backside? No.
But rest assured, the times when my father did right by me he was
operating in the Spirit of Torah which is life! & truly isn’t that what The
Father desires from all of us? His Word tells us,
who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of
the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives
life. (2Co 3:6 NAS)
Now, notice the tail-end of verse three
“and keep my sabbaths:
I AM THE LORD your GOD.”
(Lev 19:3 KJV)
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Is it any wonder why YHVH speaks of fear, of honoring parents, and
then refers to His Shabbat and identifies Himself?
“12
Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between
me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that
sanctify (ָקַדׁש qadash {kaw-dash'} them. (Eze 20:12 KJV).
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son
into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Gal 4:6 KJV).
The Shabbat is a Holy symbol of our
covenant relationship with YHVH. He is
our Father, Husband, Shepherd, & King.
It is His commandment to us to observe
Shabbat because He created it to be a
sign of our heritage and identity in Him
which tells the surrounding nations,
Yod-Heh-Wav-Heh, Elohim, God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob IS our Father,
and we too should exercise an inspiring,
reverential, humbling type of fear that
desires to serve and obey out of love,
but also as children who do not and
cannot yet fully grasp the reasons for
everything our Heavenly Father has
instructed us to do, but because He loves
us, has redeemed us and as part of His
covenant requires our obedience then we will follow His Word simply because
He has commanded it. We will examine this a little more just opposite of the
next section of our study.
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Humility. It’s one of the words that feels good to talk about, but not
always so good to experience it right?…sometimes. We all have our own ways that
we lower ourselves right? We work at a job to pay bills to afford a certain quality
of living for our spouse and children. Sometimes that work may feel ‘less-than’
what we were called to do, but sometimes The Father will allow us the opportunity
to experience humility to draw us away from pride, to gain an awareness of His
provision for us.
The online dictionary reference at dictionary.reference.com defines “Human” as
coming from “mid-13c., from M.Fr. humain "of or belonging to man," from L.
humanus, probably related to homo (gen. hominis) "man," and to humus "earth,"
on notion of "earthly beings," as opposed to the gods (cf. Heb. adam "man," from
adamah "ground").
Humility is best demonstrated in our brother Judah as they have been the
center of attention not only as God’s chosen people, but because of the sometimes
severe, catastrophic even measure of suffering and hardship they have suffered.
But much of the truth perhaps unbeknownst to the writer of the definition of
Human, is that when we as YHVH’s people recognize we are nothing more than
the very stuff our feet trample across daily, taking care to knock off the soles of our
shoes when we step inside our freshly swept homes, we begin to gain better
perspective on who we are, especially apart from the goodness of YHVH.
I shared an article earlier this week from Chabad.org and in it speaks of the
power of humility. Quoting the verse from the article we read
“I have been made small from all of the kindness and all of the
truth which You have done for [me]”
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We would be wise to observe as well, “10
Humble yourselves in the sight of
the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (Jam 4:10 KJV). To be brought low is to
recognize that we are powerless in and of ourselves, that it is our Father YHVH
who makes The Way for Redemption.
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name
which is above every name: (Phi 2:8-9 KJV)
As followers of Yeshua we see the connection. Yeshua who has every right
to be exalted, humbled Himself to save us…and when we humble ourselves to one
another…we in a sense…save one another.
5 When you sacrifice an offering of well-being to the LORD, sacrifice it so that it
may be accepted on your behalf. 6 It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it, or
on the day following; but what is left by the third day must be consumed in fire.
(Lev 19:5-6 TNK)
Etz Hayyim reads, “The command to consume the sh’lamim within two days
is meant to encourage the donor to invite the poor to share in the meal. Similarly,
the subsequent command to leave the corner of the field and the fallen fruit is
motivated by the desire to have us share our bounty with the poor. ‘To care for the
poor, who are fashioned in God’s image, is a form of worship’ [Hoffman]” (p.694)
We read in verse 14 “14
"'Do not speak a curse against a deaf person or place
an obstacle in the way of a blind person; rather, fear your God; I am ADONAI.”
(Lev 19:14 CJB). The first question one might ask, if we were to play devil’s
advocate, is ‘why should it matter to a deaf person, they won’t hear us anyway?’
Etz replies ‘[y]ou shall not insult anyone, even a deaf person whose feelings will
not be hurt by your words, because the use of coarse language diminishes you as a
person. (p.695) But even more than that this verse should give pause to the fact that
if our words matter even to a deaf person who cannot hear them, how heavy they
must fall upon the ears of those who can! And YHVH hears all our words
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regardless, so let us take heed to what we say, but realize just how much this will
impact the body!
“18
'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons
of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the
LORD. (Lev 19:18 NAS)
Have you ever pictographically
looked at the meaning of what it means to
‘bear a grudge’? In the Hebrew it means ‘to
guard’ and can be used both positively and
negatively. But when looked at in the paleo the individual letters really drive home
the point. Observe:
H5201 נטר na t ar naw-tar'
Nun: Seed, fish, continue, heir, life, son, action.
Tet: basket, snake, surround, clay, contain, mud, twist
Resh: man’s head, first, beginning, person, sum, top, think.
When viewed in light of the graphic meanings we see that when we bear a grudge
against our neighbor
“Our actions become twisted by our thoughts”.
Isn’t this so true? How many of us have ever become anxious after having called
someone and they didn’t pick up the telephone after a couple of times? I know I
stand guilty as charged. And in truth, 9 times out of 10 it was because they had
their ringer turned off, couldn’t hear it because they were in the middle of the
grocery store, or maybe they were in the middle of taking another important phone
call and could not step away;The point of this little mental exercise is only to point
out what we already know, and that is, we are constantly needing to have our lives
infused with Torah, our Father knows this as well, because without it, our hearts
will stray…
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'Observe my regulations.’ (Lev 19:19 CJB)
H2708 חּקה chu qqa h khook-kaw'
Feminine of H2706, and meaning substantially the same: - appointed, custom, manner, ordinance, site, statute.
H2706 חק cho q khoke
From H2710; an enactment; hence an appointment (of time, space, quantity, labor or usage): - appointed, bound, commandment, convenient, custom, decree (-d), due, law, measure, X necessary, ordinance (-nary), portion, set time, statute, task.
We must understand that on this side of New Jerusalem there are yet more
questions than there are answers, and YHVH has His reasons, but be it made clear,
His commands have purpose to protect and promote life, and for those customs
He’s commanded us to observe we would serve Him, our neighbors and ourselves
wisely by obeying them.
The Family: The word above in Paleo Hebrew is Zan’nah, Zayin-Nun-Heh, meaning
‘Whoredom’ because of being scattered abroad. Zayin means to harvest, but it also
means to scatter. YHVH has not called us to a life of ordinary, scattered amongst
those things that He calls common, rather He has purposed us to be Clean, and to
be Holy, to live a life sanctified, set-apart for His special purpose. That requires us
to remain committed to Him. We began this parashah discussing a Holy People, a
family—Kedoshim. We close with chapter 20 discussing the correct way to
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maintain proper boundaries within the family relationship. Abba desires Holiness,
not shame. But symbolically, to see one’s nakedness should hearken our attention
back to the garden. When Adam and Chava sinned in rebellion the first thing they
became aware of was their nakedness.
Immediately they attempted to create their own coverings and hid from their
Father. Here we see the first instance of nakedness used to identify our sin, our
rebelliousness; and that is a shame, because before sin entered the family there was
no shame because we were not concerned with physical appearance, vanity, selfish
pleasures and things that could be twisted and perverted. Rather we were echad,
walking in purity and holiness and fellowship with our Creator. This is what He is
restoring in us today if we will walk in obedience to His Word.
To pursue those things outlined here in Torah that are contrary to YHVH’s
commands, we are committing idolatry, which is spiritual adultery. YHVH
specifically repeats five times in this parashah commanding us to “Be Holy!” As
the people of YHVH we have been called to be apart from the ways of the pagan
nations around us that engage in those things that we lived in perhaps at one time
in our lives. Even now YHVH knows that we are daily tried by those things that
would compete for our allegiance and directly contradict and defile our hearts
wherever we go. This is why He tells us in the end of this parashah that we are to
faithfully observe His word (Lev.20:22) and not follow those practices of the
nations that He is driving out before us. And He is faithful to do it, but it is our
responsibility to engage in His word as the Torah blessing says and trust Him by
walking in His Word as He has spoken,
22
You shall faithfully observe all My laws and all My regulations, lest the land to
which I bring you to settle in spew you out.
23
You shall not follow the practices of the nation that I am driving out before you.
For it is because they did all these things that I abhorred them
24
and said to you: You shall possess their land, for I will give it to you to possess,
a land flowing with milk and honey. I the LORD am your God who has set you
apart from other peoples.
25
So you shall set apart the clean beast from the unclean, the unclean bird from
the clean. You shall not draw abomination upon yourselves through beast or bird
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or anything with which the ground is alive, which I have set apart for you to treat
as unclean.
26
You shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and I have set you apart from
other peoples to be Mine.
(Lev 20:22-26 TNK)
Today, let us follow His customs, and walk in obedience to His word; & as we
demonstrate the love and kindness to each other by humbling ourselves to one
another, The Father will daily lift us up and fill us with true Resurrection power,
the very same that rose our Savior from the grave. May we continue walking,
working, bringing in the harvest as we walk expectantly towards this Shavuot
Season. Blessings!
-Will Spires 4.21.12
