Parashas Emor
Leviticus 21:1 – 24:23
Please Pray this
Prayer
First before reading.
In the
name of Yahushua
Our Messiyah,
I pray for the Spirit of Understanding
The Spirit of Knowledge and
The Spirit of Wisdom
As I
read through this Parashas
The
Hebrew word Emor imply to sing or to say or to speak. This Torah portion is the 31 portion
and it begins with the instruction to Moses to “say or speak” to the Kohanim the Priest, who is the Mighty Hand of יהוה.
Sabbath
Emor precedes and prepares us for the revealing of the Light to us, the CREATOR
was about to revealed a great information to the Kohanim through Moses. On this
Sabbath like every other Sabbath, information about the Kingdom of Heavens
are reveal through the various Torah Portion we read.
On
this Sabbath like all other Sabbath, as we indulge in Torah study, it is to
arrive at a complete new level of consciousness, a consciousness where we can
taste and see that the Light of the CREATOR is good.
At every level of light or days of creation, we experience a greater
illumination of the same light, as the light of each day starts at dawn with
the first glimpse and progress from there, so every believer experience light
on the first day of creation, but that light should progress as we arrive at
the sixth day.
At the various level or days of creation, we experience further revelation
of the light or greater secrets or sensation from Torah. When Torah talks about
secrets it is not talking about words. It is talking about illumination of the
Word.
This secret, this experience of the Light being revealed each day or Sabbath
is something each individual must experience for themselves. We cannot give it
to someone else, we either feel it or we don’t. In Torah a secret is like a
taste, it is something that we cannot give to someone directly.
If I am eating an Apple, I cannot tell you the sensation I am
experiencing, there is no word that can articulate a sensation or my
experience, it is an individual experience.
When we talk about secrets in Torah, we are not talking about
information, but the intense spiritual light that the Torah student received
every Sabbath. Sabbath Emor reminds us of the goal of Sabbath which is to
elevate our consciousness every week to a new level of attainment.
We all live on a gigantic rock that rotates around an enormous ball of
fire call the sun at a tremendous speed. Have you ever wonder what cause the
Earth to rotate on its own axis at the same time that it revolves around the
sun?
Science explains that there are two natural forces at work as it
rotates through space. One is the earth’s inertia, which is the tendency of an
object to keep moving in a certain direction once it has started in that
direction, and the force that opposes it is the second, the gravitational pull
of the sun.
There is always a constant struggle between these two forces. If the gravitational
pull of the sun should win, the earth would be drawn into the sun and be
destroyed. If the inertia would win then the earth would be like a wondering
rock flowing aimlessly in space.
At the root of our physical existence lies a struggle between the
nature of the Earth and the nature of the heavens, a constant tension of
desires manifest itself, creating the perfect dynamic to support life.
This tension is also the foundation of our spiritual growth. Although
the majority of us want our lives to be struggle free, there are forces that
oppose us. As we see, these obstacles actually serve an essential function, for
only with resistance can we accomplish what we came to earth to do.
As believers when we examine our spiritual lives, we often separate our
days into good and bad. On the good days, we wake up with great expectation; we
are usually at our best for that day. There are also days when wild-horses
could not drag us out of bed, those day nothing seem to go right.
If we should ask the average human they would tell you that the day
when everything when well was their best days. In the spiritual, those so-called
good days is when we make the least spiritual impact, for light shine the
brightest when it is the darkest. As believers we are in this world to bring
love where there is hate, to make peace when there is war; to bring light when
there is darkness; to bring joy when there is sadness; to bring hope when there
is despair; to bring faith when there is unfaithfulness.
Most of us do not experience days that are either completely difficult
or completely great; we usually spend our days between either in one or the
other. We might awaken in the morning with great expectation, only to receive a
call that a friend is in a serious accident, then a few hours late another
friend call you and ask you to be the godparent of their new born child. Then a
few minute we are arguing with our teenage as to why they can go out with their
friends.
To most of humanity we are reacting, to the situation. The truth is
that we have to completely change our understanding, because every hour we have
are very significant. The few minute when we are reacting with our friends,
either in a happy or sad situation, are the reason why we are here in this
world.
If we can experience these dark moments in our lives when nothing seems
to go right and display the fruit of the spirit, when the opposite is staring
us in the face, we have turn the fruit of the flesh into the fruit of the
spirit. We will have revealed light in darkness, or light from darkness.
When we as believers read the Torah Portion of Emor, it appears to
contain several instructions that does not seem to apply to our lives today. It
begins by explaining whom the Mature believer, the kohanim, the Priest, the Mighty
Hand can or cannot marry and how he can become impure.
This Torah portion introduces the various Feast day we celebrate each
year. On Yum Kippur, our Messiyah Yahushua present to the Creator our daily,
weekly, monthly and yearly spiritually report card, making a tally of the mount
of Light we manifested over the past year.
The beauty of this Torah Portion is that it allows us to completely
change how we view our life. The long hour we spent studying and praying is not
what matters. The only reason we are here on this earth this moment, are for
the few second or minutes we have where we can pull light out of darkness.
Worthy is the man or woman who for a few minutes each day fights
against the inclination that tries to stop us, when we know we should exemplify
the fruit of the spirit.
The previous Parashas dealt with the commandment that the entire
nations should strive collectively to become a holy nation, and with it, the
broad range of activities that brings one to this most exalted state.
In this chapter, the Torah now turns to the Kohanim, whose Divine
service places upon them a particular responsibility to minister at one of the
five Altar of the Tabernacle. Their responsibility is to maintain the highest
standards of holiness and purity, as a Mighty Hand representative of EL YAHVEH,
created to brings people to perfection.
Lev 21:1
And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aharon, and
say to them: ‘No one is to be defiled for the dead among his people, - Moses the most mature believer among the children of
Yisrael, the one to whom יהוה spoke directly. He was given
a special assignment to speak directly to the Kohenim, that is Aaron and his
sons, who were the Mighty Hand representative at that time. Moses was acting in
the office of a Prophet, one to whom the Creator speak before He acts.
יהוה message is simple, do not defile
yourself by been among the dead. From a spiritual sense, do not hang out with
those who are spiritually or even physically dead. He is an Elohim of the
living not the Dead. Yahushua says in Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:60 ‘But Yahushua replied, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own
dead.’
These dead ones are those who have no hope of sanctification. It is only
those who believe in El Yahushua, who have any hope of ever reaching
perfection, do not waste your time with them, you might become defiled by their
ways. Bad company will always influence good character in a negative way.
Seldom will good ever influence bad for the positive.
Death in scripture represents to cease in the flow of energy from the
CREATOR to HIS children.
Lev 21:2 except
for his relatives who are nearest to him: for his mother, and for his father,
and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother; - As there are physical dead,
there are also spiritual dead among us. The same principle applies in both the
physical and the spiritual realm. The physical death of a person is when the
flow of blood ceases in the body. In the spiritual sense it is when the Light
of the CREATOR ceases to flow to him or her. If a Kohenim had a mother or
father, or his son, or his daughter, or even his brother, he may associate with
them, in order that he might save them in the process, other than that
restricts who they socialize with.
Lev 21:3 and
for his maiden sister who is near to him, who has had no husband – for her he
can be defiled. – This is also true if the
Kohenim had an unmarried sister, who is not under the authority of her husband.
If any of the Kohenim is the eldest male, he is spiritually responsible for
her.
Lev 21:4 He may not make himself unclean, because he
is a leader (husband) among his people; doing so would profane him – All Spiritual leaders are forbidden to contaminate
themselves by the dead or for the dead. Only an ordinary Kohen is permitted to
contaminate himself for close relatives, while the other are not. As priest in
the family or in the Tabernacle, extra care must be taken not to become
contaminated, so that he may be prepared at all time to serve at a priest.
Lev 21:5 they
do not make any bald place on their heads, and they do not shave the corner of
their beard, and they do not make a cutting in their flesh. - This verse refers to a common practice of
making a bald spots or gashes in the skin as a sign of mourning for the dead.
When someone dies, there is nothing else that can be done for them. Their spiritual
destiny is seal the moment one dies. Ecc 11:2
…. Whether a tree
falls toward the north or the south, the place where the tree falls is where it
stays.
The tree in this scripture represent us, we have no more spiritual growth to
make.
This is a clarification of the prohibition stated in 19:27. The prohibition
against removing the beard applies only to shaving with a sharp blade; however,
facial hair may be removed with a scissors. There is a certain demeanor that a
Priest must maintain at all times.
Lev 21:6 ‘They
are set-apart to their Elohim and do not profane the Name of their Elohim, for
they bring the offerings of יהוה made by fire, and the bread
of their Elohim, and shall be set-apart. - This concept of holiness implies abstinence
and is particularly relevant to Priesthood; who are forbidden from
contaminating themselves by the dead and from taking certain women for a wife.
Although a Kohanim/minister have several responsibilities and privileges
beyond those of the ordinary people, they do not have the right to resign from
their position or to give up their prerogatives. They are servants of יהוה and for
them to abandon their role is a desecration of יהוה Name.
The Torah indicates that a Kohen, who falls short of holiness, is guilty of
desecrating יהוה Name. This is a reflection of the axiom, that more is
demanded from people of prominence. Because a Kohen is the servant of יהוה, he must be scrupulous in his behavior; when he sins, onlookers
regard it as a desecration of the One against whom he transgresses.
A similar responsibility applies to all Hebrew, EL YAHVEH chosen people,
and especially those who are privilege to be Torah intellectual; they must hold
themselves to a higher standard of behavior and ethics.
Lev 21:7 ‘They
do not take a woman who is a whore or a defiled woman, and they do not take a
woman put away from her husband, for he is set-apart to his Elohim. – The definition of a harlot
who is prohibited to a Kohen is quite limited: It is a woman who had has lived
with a man who is not permitted to her because of a negative commandment. This
includes not only relationships punishable by death or Kares, but also living
with a mamzer or a nonbeliever.
A woman who is a defile woman, this term refers to any woman who is
forbidden to be a wife of a Kohen or a Kohen Gadol. She is a polluted woman,
her behavior is not circumspect. She cannot be a woman who believes in women
liberation movement, one who practice a woman right to abortions and to make
her own choice. She cannot eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Lev 21:8 ‘and
you shall set him apart, for he brings the bread of your Elohim, he is
set-apart to you. For I, יהוה, who sets you apart, as I am
set-apart. – A Kohen is not merely an
individual; as a representative of the Sanctuary, he is responsible to the
nation, and the nation is obligated to require him to remain true to his
calling.
The rest of the Nation of Yisrael must recognize the sanctity of the
Kohanim by showing them respect and give them precedence. This is why a Kohen
is called to the Torah first and has priority in leading the assembly in grace
after meals.
Lev 21:9 ‘And
when the daughter of any priest profanes herself by whoring, she profanes her
father. She is burned with fire. – The daughter of a Kohanim must be circumspect in her
behavior at all times. Her attitude determines the character of her father. Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will
not depart from it. The fact that she must be burnt, send a strong signal that
this kind of action is most serious and the punishment are final.
Verse 10 – 15 covers the laws of the Kohen Gadol. Remember the story of
El Yahushua and Lazarus; Yahushua did not enter the Tomb. John 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead were laid. And
Yahushua lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast
heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the
people which standby I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had
spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. El Yahushua spoke from outside the Tomb and called
Lazarus to come out.
Lev 21:10 ‘And the high priest among his brothers, on
whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is ordained to wear the
garments, does not unbind his head nor tear his garments, - A kohenim/priest who has been
inaugurated, assumes the office is one of two ways: by being anointed with oil
of anointed prepared by Moses, or simply by donning the vestments of his
office. This is deriving from our verse, which speaks of both anointment and
the wearing of the vestments. This vestment is full maturity. We as believers
must guard our spiritual garment with our lives.
It is also customary for a person to tear their garment when they are under
great distress, a Kohim if forbidden to do so. From a spiritual point of view
their garment represents their righteousness, which is not allowed to be
compromise.
Lev 21:11 He
is not to go in to a
building where any dead body is or make himself unclean, even when his father
or mother dies. – Very straight forward. A
building is a dwelling place, as the first day of creation symbolize, light and
darkness, truth and lies, life and death does not mix.
Lev 21:12 Do
not go out of the set-apart place, nor profane the set-apart place of his
Elohim, for the sign of dedication of the anointing oil of his Elohim is upon
him. I am יהוה. –
He is not allowed to stop being a Kohanim, or is he allows to contaminate the
Position that he holds. If the anointing is on him, it is a lifelong anointing,
he cannot decide it is time to resign of retired.
Lev 21:13 ‘And let him take a
wife in her maidenhood. – A Kohem must only take for a wife a woman who is a virgin. He might not marry a widow (as other priests might),
much less one divorced, or a harlot. The reason of this was to put a difference
between him and other priests in this matter; and (as some suggest) that he
might be a type of Messiyah, to whom the church was to be presented a chaste
virgin, 2 Co. 11:2. See Eze. 44:22.
Messiyah must have our first love, our pure love, our entire love; thus the virgins
love thee, and such only are fit to follow the Lamb, Rev. 14:4.
Lev 21:14 ‘A
widow or one put away or a defiled woman or a whore – these he does not take.
But a maiden of his own people he does take as a wife. – Self-explanatory. This
concept of a widow is some time very misleading. A widow is one whose husband
has died within the redeem community. If a woman from outside the community
joins the Nation of Yisrael, she is now a new creature. The husband she has in
Yisrael must be her only husband. A woman can only be put away for some
impurities. Remember the story of Abigail in 1 Samuel, her husband Nadal was a
wicked man, after he died David took her to be one of
his wives.
Lev 21:15 ‘And
he does not profane his offspring among his people, for I am יהוה, who
sets him apart. - His sons and daughters must be role models
for the other people. He must be careful how his children behave in public.
He might not profane his
seed among his people. Some understand it as forbidding him to marry any of an
inferior rank, which would be a disparagement to his family. Jehoiada indeed
married of his own tribe, but then it was into the royal family, 2 Chr. 22:11.
This was not to teach him to be proud, but to teach him to be pure, and to do
nothing unbecoming his office and the worthy name by which he was called. Or it
may be a caution to him in disposing of his children; he must not profane his
seed by marrying them unsuitably. Ministers’ children are profaned if they be
unequally yoked with unbelievers.
Verse 16 – 24 speaks of blemishes that cause disqualification of a kohanim.
Lev 21:16 And
יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, -
Lev 21:17
“Speak to Aharon, saying, ‘No man of your offspring throughout their
generations, who has any defect, is to draw near to bring the bread of his
Elohim. – What manifest itself in the
natural has a spiritual manifestation. This verse forbids a blemished Kohen to
perform the service in the Tabernacle. The next verse gives the reason for this
prohibition. It is not proper for him to do so in the spiritual sense if there
is a spiritual blemish on his character.
Lev 21:18 ‘For
any man who has a defect is not to draw near: a man blind or one lame or
disfigured or deformed, - A blind person, also means to be spiritually blind, or one who the Holy
Spirit has departed, they have become spiritually blind. Such an incident can
be seen in King Saul, who became spiritually blind after the Holy Spirit
departed from him.
In the spiritual sense, one who has one foot longer than another, represent
an uneven walk spiritually? The spiritual walk of a believer must be even at
all times.
Lev 21:19 a
man who has a broken foot or broken hand, - This verse
describe a person who spiritual walk and work is broken, or it can be describe
as having two sets of walk and work, one when one set of friends are around and
the other when a different set of friends. The Apostle Paul, rebuke Peter for
that same practice in Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that
they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto
Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of
Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as
do the Jews?
Lev 21:20 or
is a hunchback or a dwarf, or a man who has a defect in his eye, or eczema or
scab, or is a eunuch. - A defect in the natural is a
defect in the spiritual.
Lev 21:21 ‘No man among the offspring of Aharon the priest, who has a defect, is
to come near to bring the offerings made by fire to יהוה
– he has a defect, he does not come near to bring the bread of his Elohim. -
Physical defect manifest itself in a spiritual manner.
Lev 21:22 ‘He does eat the bread of his Elohim, both the most set-apart and the
set-apart, - Although a Kohen with a blemish may not perform the service, he has the
privilege of eating meat from the same sacrifice, but he cannot administer it.
It is this bread of life that will clean him from all unrighteousness. An
imperfection in the natural can be found in the spiritual. By eating from the
sacrifice, that kohen with the defect will be able to restore himself. This is
the root cause of miracles, the inner spiritual development, manifest itself in
the natural.
Lev 21:23 only, he does not go near the veil or approach the altar, because he has
a defect, lest he profanes My set-apart places. For I am יהוה,
who sets them apart. – Only those who
are perfect spiritually may approach the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Yet they must not serve at the altar, at
either of the altars, nor be admitted to attend or assist the other priests in
offering sacrifice or burning incense. Great men choose to have such servants
about them as are slightly, and it was fit that the great EL should have such
in his house then, when he was pleased to manifest his glory in external
indications of it. But it was especially requisite that comely men should be
chosen to minister about holy things, for the sake of the people, who were apt
to judge according to outward appearance, and to think meanly of the service,
how honorable it was made by the divine institution, of those that performed it
looked despicably or went about it awkwardly. This provision YAHVEH made for
the preserving of the reputation of his altar that it might not at any time
fall under contempt. It was for the credit of the sanctuary that none should
appear there who any way was disfigured, either by nature or accident.
Lev 21:24 Thus Mosheh spoke to Aharon and his sons, and to
all the children of Yisra’ĕl. – Even though the commandments related only to the
Kohanim, Moses taught them to all the people as well. Let
such therefore as are openly vicious be put out of the priesthood as polluted
persons; and let all that are made to be YAHVEH spiritual priests be before him
holy and without blemish, and comfort themselves with this, that, though
in this imperfect state they have spots that are the spots of YAH’s children,
yet they shall shortly appear before the throne of YAHVEH without spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing.
