Transcript RECOGNITION - Qodesh Ministries

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THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT
http://www.messianicbible.com
HEAR O ISRAEL
www.hearoisrael.org
SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER
www.sheepfoldgleanings.com
MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE
http://www.messianicisrael.com
AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM
GREENBAUM
http://www.azamra.org
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TORAH: Leviticus 19:1-20:27;
HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 22:1-19; Amos 9:7-15; Isaiah 66:1-24;
B’RIT CHADASHAH: Hebrews 9:6-28; Romans 3:19-28; 9:30-10:13; 1
Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; 14-17; 1 Peter 1:13-16
All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted
And ‫ יהוה‬spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of
the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘Be set-apart, for I ‫ יהוה‬your
Elohim am set-apart. (Leviticus 19:1-2)
Kedoshim, focuses on what may be the most important attribute of
‫…יהוה‬. His Holiness. Not only is He holy, but as His people, we also are
given the command to “be holy” In the Apostolic Scriptures, Peter
reiterated these words as he spoke to believers in Messiah:
as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts in
your ignorance, instead, as the One who called you is set-apart, so you
also should become set-apart in all behaviour, because it has been
written, “Be set-apart, for I am set-apart.”
(1 Peter 1:14-16)
This is definitely a commandment for us! But what does it mean
exactly….to be holy?
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Webster’s Dictionary gives this definition: belonging to or derived
from or associated with a divine power.
Jeff Benner, author of Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible defines holy
as “set apart from the rest for a special function.” This
separateness….this “otherness” can be expressed in either a positive or
a negative way.
• Positive: Being set apart for ‫יהוה‬
• Negative: The word can also be used of pagan temple prostitutes
who were also “set apart for a special function.”
When ‫ יהוה‬commands us to “be holy”, He is asking us to separate
ourselves from anything that is NOT holy. Holiness is manifested
through our behaviour (1 Peter 1:15). It is not simply something that
we ARE as a result of receiving Messiah. Accepting ‫ יהושע‬as our Adonai
means that we are now ready to begin to follow Him in holiness.
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In 1 Peter 1:16 above, Peter writes that “it is written”. Following are
the Scriptures that Peter would have been referencing. The context of
these verses is given in parenthesis:
• ‘For I am ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim, and you shall set yourselves apart. And
you shall be set-apart, for I am set-apart. And do not defile yourselves
with any creeping creature that creeps on the earth. (Leviticus 11:44)
- Your diet
• “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to
them, ‘Be set-apart, for I ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim am set-apart. (Leviticus
19:2) - Honouring your parents and Shabbat
• ‘And you shall set yourselves apart, and shall be set-apart, for I am
‫ יהוה‬your Elohim, (Leviticus 20:7) - Sexual purity
So….in other words, Peter is taking believers back to the Torah
foundation for the definition of holiness. What makes Israel, including
anyone who is grafted in to Israel through faith in Messiah ‫יהושע‬, HOLY
is keeping the commandments of Torah. By changing your diet or by
keeping Sabbath, then people definitely consider you to be “distinct”!
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In Exodus 19:6, ‫ יהוה‬declared Israel to be His holy people:
‘and you shall be to Me a reign of priests and a set-apart nation.’ Those
are the words which you are to speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl.”
(Exodus 19:6 )
Again, we can parallel this with what is in the Apostolic Scriptures:
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a
people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light, (1 Peter 2:9 )
Declarations alone do not mean you are living a holy lifestyle. In order
to achieve the holiness defined by ‫יהוה‬, you have to observe His Torah
and His commandments. We know that ‫ יהושע‬is the Word of Elohim
made flesh. ‫ יהושע‬obeyed the Torah flawlessly and is our example. He
was holy.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (John
10:27)
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When we follow ‫ יהושע‬by keeping His commandments, we become an
imitator of Him and the result of this is that we reflect His character
and His holiness. This is how we become a “light to the world” as He is
a “light”.
And He Himself gave some as emissaries, and some as prophets, and
some as evangelists, and some as shepherds and teachers for the
perfecting of the set-apart ones, to the work of service to a building up
of the body of the Messiah, until we all come to the unity of the belief
and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim, to a perfect man, to the
measure of the stature of the completeness of Messiah, so that we
should no longer be children, tossed and borne about by every wind of
teaching, by the trickery of men, in cleverness, unto the craftiness of
leading astray, but, maintaining the truth in love, we grow up in all
respects into Him who is the head, Messiah, from whom the entire
body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according
to the working by which each part does its share, causes growth of the
body for the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11-16 )
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It is often pointed out that chapter 19 in Leviticus echoes the 10
commandments. The chapter in fact opens the commandments up to
deeper meanings. If we do this, then we become a people set apart for
holiness and we will reflect our Holy Elohim. Why is this so important
to Him? The answer is in His desire to dwell among us:
“And they shall make Me a Set-apart Place, and I shall dwell in their
midst. (Exodus 25:8 )
The root word for sanctuary is kadesh which means “to be holy”. ‫יהוה‬
could only dwell in the midst of holiness. This is why the tabernacle
had to be built exactly according to the pattern shown to Moses on the
mountain. The Garden of Eden was the original place where ‫ יהוה‬dwelt
with man. As long as Adam and Eve kept the commandment of ‫יהוה‬
and did not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, ‫ יהוה‬was
able to be in their midst. What actually happened is something that is
being addressed over and over in chapter 19 …. mixtures. Mixtures
profane ‫’יהוה‬s holiness.
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And ‫ יהוה‬Elohim commanded the man, saying, “Eat of every tree
of the garden, but do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it you shall certainly
die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)
This tree was the only tree in the garden with a “mixture” of
fruit. In other words, the fruit was not pure and holy. When
Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit, they lost their holiness
and could no longer dwell in the presence of Yah. In eating of the
fruit, they chose death instead of life. Thus began the process of
progressive revelation as ‫ יהוה‬would slowly reveal His
requirements that would allow us to once again dwell in His
presence.
Today because of the cleansing blood of ‫יהושע‬, the Spirit dwells
within us. We have been “declared” holy, but we must still work
out our holiness so that we can be a light to those who do not
know Him and so that we do not “grieve” the Spirit within us.
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Let no corrupt word come out of your mouth, but only such as is
good for the use of building up, so as to impart what is pleasant
to the hearers. And do not grieve the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim,
by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
(Ephesians 4:29-30 )
The Scriptures define for us what is a mixture. Improper mixing
of things results in confusion.
Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what
partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? And what
fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)
We need to consecrate ourselves or we cannot stand against the
enemy, we need to remove the leaven from our lives.
So get up, consecrate the people, and say, 'Consecrate yourselves
in preparation for tomorrow; for here is what Adonai the God of
Isra'el says: "Isra'el, you have things under the curse of
destruction among you; and you will not be able to stand before
your enemies until you remove the things that were to have been11
destroyed from among you.“ (Joshua 7:13 CJB)
....‘Be set-apart, for I ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim am set-apart.
(Leviticus 19:1-2)
“kadosh” - # 6918, is spelled “kuf-dalet-vav-shin”. Root word is
“kadash”, #6942, and means “to set apart” or “consecrate”.
“Kodesh” is “to be set apart” and “kedoshim” are “those who are
set-apart”. Difference between “to set-apart” and “being setapart” is the “vav”. Kadash is “Kuf-dalet-shin”; “kuf” means to
“surround” or “touch”, “dalet” is the “door” and “shin” the letter
that represents the name “El Shaddai”. So, “kadash” (to set
yourself apart) means “to touch the door of El Shaddai”. The
“vav” means “hook” or “connection” (remember the “vav” was
the hook that connected the curtains to the columns in the Tent
of Meeting). When you add the “vav”, you are Kadosh and
thereby as you touch the door, you are connected to El Shaddai
(Elohim Sufficient).
‘Each one of you should fear his mother and his father, and guard
My Sabbaths. I am ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim. (Leviticus 19:3)
212. Fear one’s mother and father, Leviticus 19:3.
‘Do not turn to idols, and do not make for yourselves moulded
mighty ones. I am ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim. (Leviticus 19:4)
213. The prohibition of turning to any idol in thought or word,
Leviticus 19:4.
214. The prohibition of making an idol for oneself or for others,
Leviticus 19:4.
‘And when you bring a peace offering to ‫יהוה‬, bring it for your
acceptance. ‘It is eaten the same day you slaughter it, and on the
next day. And that which is left on the third day is burned with
fire. (Leviticus 19:5-6)
215. The prohibition of eating the meat remains from an
offering, Leviticus 19:6-8.
‘And when you reap the harvest of your land, do not completely
reap the corners of your field or gather the gleanings of your
harvest. ‘And do not glean your vineyard or gather every grape
of your vineyard, leave them for the poor and the stranger. I am
‫ יהוה‬your Elohim. (Leviticus 19:9-10)
216. The command to leave the corners (pe’a) of the cultivated
land unharvested for the sake of the poor, Leviticus 19:9-10.
217. The prohibition of harvesting a piece of land all the way out
to the corners (pe’a), Leviticus 19:9-10.
218. The command to leave the grain that falls (leket) for the
poor while harvesting, Leviticus 19:9-10.
219. The prohibition of picking up the grain that falls (leket)
while harvesting, Leviticus 19:9-10.
220. The command to leave one part of the vineyard unharvested for the sake of the poor, Leviticus 19:9-10.
221. The prohibition of harvesting all the fruit of a vineyard.
222. The command to leave the grapes that fall (peret) while
harvesting for the poor, Leviticus 19:9-10.
223. The prohibition of picking up the grapes that have fallen (peret)
while harvesting, Leviticus 19:9-10.
‘Do not steal, do not lie, do not deceive one another. (Leviticus 19:11)
224. The prohibition of stealing, Leviticus 19:11.
225. The prohibition of refusing to return a stolen object to its owner,
Leviticus 19:11.
226. The prohibition of swearing to a false testimony about an object
of value, Leviticus 19:11.
‘And do not swear falsely by My Name and so profane the Name of
your Elohim. I am ‫יהוה‬. (Leviticus 19:12)
227. The prohibition of swearing falsely, Leviticus 19:12.
‘Do not oppress your neighbour or rob him. The wages of him who is
hired is not to remain with you all night until morning.
(Leviticus 19:13)
228. The prohibition of keeping objects that belong to another
person, pay our debts in a timely manner, Leviticus 19:13.
229. The prohibition of robbing (violently stealing), Leviticus
19:13.
230. The prohibition of withholding the salary of a worker,
Leviticus 19:13.
See, the wages of the workmen who mowed your fields, which you kept
back, cry out. And the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of
‫ יהוה‬of hosts.1 Footnote: 1Jer. 22:13.
(James 5:4 The Scriptures 1998+)
‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling-block before the blind, but
fear your Elohim. I am ‫יהוה‬. (Leviticus 19:14)
231. The prohibition of cursing a fellow man, whether man or woman,
Leviticus 19:14.
232. The prohibition of giving bad advice so that someone makes a
mistake, Leviticus 19:14.
We’re not to “curse” the “deaf”. “Curse” here is “qahlal” or “feel
contempt for” or “treat as insignificant”. And, “deaf” is “cheresh” or
“silent”. So, we’re not to treat with contempt, or as insignificant, those
who are deaf or silent to what we say to them, as in what we believe.
Also, we are not to throw “stumbling blocks”, “mik‟shol” or “give
occasion to stumble” in front of those who are “blind”, “iv‟vare” or
“have scales over the eyes”. Elohim works differently in each of us
according to His purpose. So, let’s be careful how we treat those who
don’t “get it” just yet.
‘Do no unrighteousness in right-ruling. Do not be partial to the poor or
favour the face of the great, but rightly rule your neighbour in
righteousness. (Leviticus 19:15)
233. The prohibition for a judge to distort justice, Leviticus 19:15.
234. The prohibition for a judge to honor a prominent person during a
trial, Leviticus 19:15.
235. The command for a judge to judge rightly, Leviticus 19:15.
‘Do not go slandering among your people. Do not stand against the
blood of your neighbour. I am ‫יהוה‬. (Leviticus 19:16)
236. The prohibition of speaking ill of a fellow man, Lev 19:16.
237. The prohibition of not helping a fellow man who is in danger,
Leviticus 19:16.
But no man is able to tame the tongue. It is unruly, evil, filled with
deadly poison. (James 3:8 )
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‘Do not hate your brother in your heart. Reprove your neighbour, for
certain, and bear no sin because of him. (Leviticus 19:17)
238. The prohibition of hating one’s brother, Leviticus 19:17.
239. The command to rebuke your neighbor when he acts wrongly,
and bear sin because of him Leviticus 19:17.
240. The prohibition of shaming a fellow man, Leviticus 19:17.
“You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate
your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those cursing
you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those insulting you and
persecuting you, (Matthew 5:43-44)
‘Do not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the children of your
people. And you shall love your neighbour as yourself. I am ‫יהוה‬.
(Leviticus 19:18)
241. The prohibition of taking vengeance, Leviticus 19:18.
242. The prohibition of holding a grudge, Leviticus 19:18.
243. The command to love one’s neighbor, Leviticus 19:18.
And he answering, said, “ ‘You shall love ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim with all your
heart, and with all your being, and with all your strength, and with all
your mind,’ and ‘your neighbour as yourself.’ ”
(Luke 10:27 )
For we know Him who has said, “Vengeance is Mine, I shall repay, says
‫יהוה‬.” And again, “‫ יהוה‬shall judge His people.”
(Hebrews 10:30 )
‘Guard My laws. Do not let your livestock mate with another kind. Do
not sow your field with mixed seed. And do not put a garment woven
of two sorts of thread upon you.
(Leviticus 19:19)
244. The prohibition of cross breeding animals of two different
species, Leviticus 19:19.
245. The prohibition of sowing two kinds of seed together,
Leviticus 19:19.
Note: When two species of plants are planted in very close proximity
to one another, the result is that the roots become enmeshed; each
derives its source of nourishment from the other. The outward physical
characteristics don’t necessarily change, but several of the internal
attributes of the plants change. Taste, texture, aroma, etc., can occur
as a result.
Linen comes from the earth, and wool comes from an animal whose
blood can picture redemption (a heavenly concept). This blend was
only found in some of the priestly garments (Exodus 28:6) and was not
worn by the ordinary lay person (with the exception of the tzit-tzit).
Some of the garments found in the Dead Sea caves had white tassels
of linen and blue tassels of wool woven together (tzit-tzit). It’s as if any
Israelite was able to share in a bit of the priesthood by wearing tzittziot, symbolizing that ultimately they would be a “kingdom of priests”.
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‘And when you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees
for food, then you shall reckon their fruit as uncircumcised. For three
years it is as uncircumcised to you, it is not eaten. ‘And in the fourth
year all its fruit is set-apart – praises to ‫יהוה‬. (Leviticus 19:23-24)
246. The prohibition of eating fruit from a tree during its first three
years, Leviticus 19:23.
247. The command about fruit from a tree in its fourth year of life,
Leviticus 19:23-24.
‘Do not eat meat with the blood. Do not practise divination or magic.
(Leviticus 19:26)
248. The prohibition of eating or drinking like a glutton or drunkard,
Leviticus 19:26.
249. The prohibition of caring for a diviner, Leviticus 19:26.
250. The prohibition of making predictions through sorcery, Leviticus
19:26.
‘Do not round the corner of your head, nor destroy the corner of
your beard. ‘And do not make any cuttings in your flesh for the
dead, nor put tattoo marks on you. I am ‫יהוה‬. (Leviticus 19:2728)
251. The prohibition of shaving off the corners of the hair of the
head, Leviticus 19:27.
252. The prohibition of shaving off the corners of the beard,
Leviticus 19:27.
253. The prohibition of tattooing oneself, Leviticus 19:28.
254. The command to revere the sanctuary, Leviticus 19:28.
Repetitive laws: ‘Do not profane your daughter by making her a
whore, so that the land does not whore, and the land becomes
filled with wickedness. ‘Guard My Sabbaths and reverence My
set-apart place. I am ‫יהוה‬. (Leviticus 19:29-30 )
‘Do not turn to mediums, and do not seek after spiritists to be
defiled by them. I am ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim. (Leviticus 19:31)
255. The prohibition of practicing divination through an ov
(medium), Leviticus 19:31.
256. The prohibition of practicing spiritism through a yidoni
(medium), Leviticus 19:31.
‘Rise up before the grey-headed. And you shall favour the face of
an old man, and shall fear your Elohim. I am ‫יהוה‬. (Leviticus
19:32)
257. The command to honor the wise, Leviticus 19:32.
Repetitive laws: ‘And when a stranger sojourns with you in your
land, do not oppress him. ‘Let the stranger who dwells among
you be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as
yourself. For you were strangers in the land of Mitsrayim. I am
‫ יהוה‬your Elohim. (Leviticus 19:33-34)
‘Do no unrighteousness in right-ruling, in measurement of
length, in weight, or in measuring liquids. ‘Have right scales,
right weights, a right ĕphah, and a right hin. I am ‫ יהוה‬your
Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim. (Leviticus
19:35-36)
258. The prohibition of deceiving with any kind of measurement,
Leviticus 19:35.
259. The command that scales, weights, and measurements
should be exact, to be honest in our trade Leviticus 19:36.
‘For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall certainly
be put to death – he has cursed his father or his mother, his
blood is on him. (Leviticus 20:9)
260. The prohibition of cursing one’s father or mother, Leviticus
20:9.
Because immorality is a problem chapter 19 is placed between
the last chapter of Parsha Acharei Mot and VaYiqra, Chapter 20,
which is the conclusion of Parsha Kedoshim. Both of these
chapters speak of “sexual purity” and the family.
And ‫ יהוה‬spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Say to the children of Yisra’ĕl, ‘Any
man of the children of Yisra’ĕl, or of the strangers who sojourn in
Yisra’ĕl, who gives any of his offspring to Moleḵ, shall certainly be put
to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. ‘And I, I
shall set My face against that man, and shall cut him off from the
midst of his people, because he has given of his offspring to Moleḵ, so
as to defile My set-apart place and to profane My set-apart Name.
‘And if the people of the land at all hide their eyes from the man, as he
gives any of his offspring to Moleḵ, and they do not kill him, then I shall
set My face against that man and against his clan, and shall cut him off
– and all who go whoring after him, even go whoring after Moleḵ –
from the midst of their people. (Leviticus 20:1-5)
Repetitive laws: ‘And a man who commits adultery with the wife
of another man, who commits adultery with the wife of his
neighbour: the adulterer and the adulteress shall certainly be put
to death. ‘And a man who lies with the wife of his father has
uncovered the nakedness of his father, both of them shall
certainly be put to death, their blood is upon them. ‘And a man
who lies with his daughter-in-law: both of them shall certainly be
put to death, they have made confusion, their blood is upon
them. ‘And a man who lies with a male as he lies with a woman:
both of them have done an abomination, they shall certainly be
put to death, their blood is upon them. (Leviticus 20:10-13)
‘And a man who marries a woman and her mother: it is
wickedness, they are burned with fire, both he and they, that
there be no wickedness in your midst. (Leviticus 20:14)
261. The command that the court (Beit Din) burn a person who
deserves it, Leviticus 20:14.
Repetitive laws: ‘And a man who has intercourse with a beast:
he shall certainly be put to death, and the beast you kill. ‘And a
woman who approaches any beast and mates with it: you shall
kill the woman and the beast, .. ‘And a man who takes his sister,
his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, and sees her
nakedness and she sees his nakedness: it is wickedness, and they
shall be cut off before the eyes of their people. .. ‘And a man who
lies with a woman during her sickness and uncovers her
nakedness: ...‘And do not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s
sister nor of your father’s sister, for that is laying bare one’s own
flesh, they bear their crookedness. ‘And a man who lies with his
uncle’s wife: he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness, they bear
their sin, they die childless. ‘And a man who takes his brother’s
wife: ..(Leviticus 20:15-22)
‘And do not walk in the laws of the nation which I am driving out
before you, for they do all these, and therefore I loathed them.
(Leviticus 20:23)
262. The prohibition of following the customs of the Amorites
(gentiles), Leviticus 20:23.
There is one phrase repeated 16 times in Chapter 19: I am ‫יהוה‬
This repeated declaration is the reason for every command to be set
apart….to not stoop to mixing….to be holy. He is ‫ יהוה‬and when as His
people we pollute His holiness through mixing, we distort the picture
of who He is. In other words, we profane His Name by making
ourselves (or our name) more important. There is a very dramatic
example of this in Scripture:
And all the earth had one language and one speech. ...That is why its
name was called Baḇel, because there ‫ יהוה‬confused the language of
all the earth, and from there ‫ יהוה‬scattered them over the face of all
the earth. (Genesis 11:1-9)
Confusion is the result of mixing. Confusion is the opposite of order.
‫’יהוה‬s order brings about holiness.
For where jealousy and self-seeking are, there is confusion and every
foul deed. (James 3:16)
For Elohim is not Elohim of disorder but of peace, as in all the
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assemblies of the set-apart ones. (1 Corinthians 14:33)
“Ephrayim mixes himself among the peoples, Ephrayim has become a
cake unturned. (Hosea 7:8 )
We see that we have strayed far from the goals of ‫ יהוה‬for our lives.
Israel did not remain separate from the nations. The exiled people of
Ephraim disseminated into the nations and totally lost their identity as
a set apart people. The Levitical priesthood was completely corrupted
by the time of ‫יהושע‬. John the Baptist, the son of a Levite, separated
himself from this corrupt system and went into the wilderness where
he lived in seclusion. This was his message:
And in those days Yoḥanan the Immerser came proclaiming in the
wilderness of Yehuḏah, and saying, “Repent, for the reign of the
heavens has come near!” (Matthew 3:1-2)
John was warning the religious systems of that day to return to the
ways of Torah. His mission prepared the way for the 1st coming of the
Messiah. As priests of the order of Melchizedek, those of us whose
eyes have been opened to the truth of Torah must also call out with
the same message.
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“But the priests, the Lĕwites, the sons of Tsaḏoq, who guarded
the duty of My set-apart place when the children of Yisra’ĕl went
astray from Me, they shall draw near to Me to serve Me, and
shall stand before Me to bring to Me the fat and the blood,”
declares the Master ‫יהוה‬. ...“And they are to teach My people the
difference between the set-apart and the profane, and make
them know what is unclean and clean. “And they are to stand as
judges in a dispute, and judge it according to My right-rulings.
And they are to guard My Torot and My laws in all My appointed
festivals, and set apart My Sabbaths. (Ezekiel 44:15-24)
Our objective is to keep and to teach the commandments of ‫יהוה‬
as ‫ יהושע‬taught:
“Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, and
teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens;
but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in
the reign of the heavens. (Matthew 5:19 )
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Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum, when he wrote, “The code of
Holiness contained in our parsha is not one that requires its
followers to separate from the material world and live apart in
ascetic communities such as in monasteries and the like. On the
contrary, true KEDUSHAH comes to a person precisely through
living his or her life with family, friends and associates, within the
wider community and in the workaday world. Making a living
within the boundaries of the halachah, taking into account the
needs of the needy, dealing correctly in business, abstaining from
all theft and corruption, from hatred, vengeance, etc. etc. It is
precisely through keeping these commandments in our everyday
material lives, while actually dealing with all that we have to
deal with each day, that we become purer.” Rabbi Greenbaum
adds, “This ‘purity’ is the KEDUSHAH, the ‘holiness’ which is the
defining attribute of the path of life set forth in our parsha. In
mystical writings, KEDUSHAH is particularly associated with the
mental and spiritual faculties of CHOCHMAH [wisdom], BINAH
[understanding] and DA'AS [knowledge], while the very
foundation for their healthy functioning is the purity of YESOD, or
‘moral purity‟.”
Everything Elohim does is for a purpose. This parsha takes us
back to His purpose. What is His purpose? The purpose of the
Creation, the purpose of the Torah and the purpose of Yisra’el
was to have a “set-apart people” ~ “kedoshim”. The purpose
behind every command, every “mitzvah” is “set-apartness”; to
become “kadosh”, to be His “set-apart ones”. ‫ יהוה‬promised us
something, through the prophet, in Jeremiah 31:31-33 “See, the
days are coming,” declares ‫יהוה‬, “when I shall make a new covenant
with the house of Yisra’ĕl and with the house of Yehuḏah, not like the
covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the
hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim, My covenant which
they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares ‫יהוה‬. “For this is
the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’ĕl after those days,
declares ‫יהוה‬: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on
their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.
‘And you shall be set-apart to Me, for I ‫ יהוה‬am set-apart, and
have separated you from the peoples to be Mine. (Leviticus
20:26)
During the Temple times, the Cohen Gadol (high priest) was
instructed to wear a plate upon his forehead that bore the
words “Holy unto the Lord.” With his every movement, this plate
reminded him that He was to be holy.
We also are to remember—when conducting business dealings,
meeting strangers, interacting with family and friends, and sitting
by ourselves in front of the television or Internet—that we are to
be holy in all our conduct.
instead, as the One who called you is set-apart, so you also
should become set-apart in all behaviour, because it has been
written, “Be set-apart, for I am set-apart.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)
May we all lead Holy lives that give glory to the Lord.
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