Shabbat shalom, mishpocah! This week once again features a double Torah portion:
Parashah 29: Acharai Mot (After death); Leviticus 16:1 through 18:30
Parashah 30: Kedoshim (Holy People); Leviticus 19:1 through 20:27
Both of these lessons are absolutely POWERFUL - and here is their basic message: The Book of Leviticus is not a "book of laws" as so many insist. It is our Creator asking us to be holy through obedience to HIS rules! In the Book of Leviticus we are told via many examples exactly how we can be "set apart" for Him - by not following the abominable ways of the other nations. He gives us a choice to follow Him, or not. Those who follow Him are blessed; those who don't are cut off. Simple as that. There is no gray area.
Over and over again we see YHWH saying in various ways: "Be holy because I am holy." How many times have we read His comments: "I am ADONAI (God)"....We are to "do" or "not do" because He said so! Paraphrased: "I am ADONAI! I am holy. If you want to belong to Me and be in MY holy Presence, then you will have to be holy."
And how does one know how to "be holy"? It was revealed to us in Leviticus 18:
Leviticus 18: 1 ADONAI said to Moshe, 2 "Speak to the people of Isra'el; tell them, 'I am ADONAI your God. 3 You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Kena'an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws. 4 You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am ADONAI your God. 5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I am ADONAI.
Had YHWH never said another thing except what you can read in the above scripture, that should have been enough! How much clearer could He have been? Again, paraphrased: "I am God; I am holy. I have brought you out of the bondage of paganism, so stop living by THEIR laws and start obeying mine which are HOLY and through which you will gain eternal life!"
Yeshua, the Son of YHWH Himself (who had a Divine Qnoma/Nature) lived a holy, righteous life according to His Father's commands. He never veered from Torah! So, why should we? Without His Torah, we would have no way of measuring sin, because as we are told in 1 John 3:4, sin is transgression of Torah!
Parashah 30 goes on to reveal YHWH's grace and mercy as He shows us HOW to be holy! Please take some time to click on the links above to view our synopses; and also to read both of those parashahs in your Bible. Many blessings on your studies!
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