This week’s Parasha opening verse: "Now
YHVH spoke to Moses after the death [“acharey mot”] of the two sons of
Aaron, when they drew close to YHVH, and died" (Lev. 16:1, literal
translation, emphasis added) underscores the combination of "drawing
close" to YHVH and "death." Thus, in verse 2 we read,
"Tell Aaron… not to come [just] at any time into the Holy Place inside the
veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die…” (italics
added). This is the solemn introduction to the long and detailed account of the
necessary preparation and sanctification process of the High Priest’s entrance
to the Holy of Holies, culminating with: “This shall be a statute forever for
you: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict
your souls, and do no work at all… For on that day the priest shall make
atonement for you, to cleanse you that you may be clean from all your sins
before YHVH. It is a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall afflict your
souls. It is a statute forever… This shall be an everlasting statute for you,
to make atonement for the children of Israel
Without actually pronouncing the term it is,
of course, the description of Yom haKippurim. But rather than commence with
that special day, its purpose, timing and varying procedures, the text first
deals with the needed course of action in relationship to the High Priest,
while the theme of Yom haKippurim unfolds gradually and inductively ultimately
bringing to light its goal. What is more, as we saw above, in this particular
context the instructions are mentioned against the backdrop of the death of
Ah’aron’s two sons, which enhances the seriousness and solemnity of the day,
albeit without calling it by its explicit name.
The term “atonement” in its various forms
(which includes “kaporet” – translated “mercy sit,” but in Hebrew is rooted in
k.p.r – “to atone” or “cover” as we saw in Ex. 25:17), is repeated many times
over in chapter 16, as is the blood of the atonement, with which many of the
items mentioned were to be sprinkled. What is the purpose of sprinkling blood
on inanimate objects? “So he shall make atonement for the Holy [Place], because of the uncleanness
of the children of Israel
In 16:2 we encounter the expression “inside
the veil - parochet - before the mercy seat - kaporet." The veil – parochet - is made
up of the same letters as “kaporet.”[1] The rest of verse 2 says, "I will
appear in the cloud above the mercy seat - kaporet." Thus, the rendition
of mercy seat and the veil in the same verse makes for an alliteration (kaporet
and parochet), highlighing the connection of these two articles and the position
of the mercy seat within the veil, where the High Priest may enter only under
very strict and special conditions. “Parochet,” stemming from p.r.ch (pey,
resh, kaf), means both “separating” and “covering” and together with “kaporet”
points to the ‘cure’ for sin by the provision of the covering and the requirement
of separation.
After readying himself and making a sin
offering as atonement for his own person and household, the High Priest was to
take two male goats, which he was to obtain from the congregation. These two were
to be placed "in front of YHVH" at the opening of the Tent of Meeting
where lots had to be cast for them, "one lot for YHVH and one lot for
Aza'zel" (ref. 16:5-10). The goats mentioned here are “s'eerim”
("hairy ones," sa'eer = "hairy"). The casting
of lots is "goral," which is of the root g.r.l. (gimmel, resh,
lamed), meaning "stone or stony place," since
the lots comprised of stones shaken after being put into a piece of cloth or a
container [2]. Thus, in Matthew 27:35 we read the following about Yeshua:
"Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, 'They divided My garments
among them, and for My clothing they cast lots'" (Ps. 22:18). In the same
chapter of Matthew (v. 15-17 and 21b) we read the following: "Now at the Feast the governor was
accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at
that time they had a notorious prisoner called Yeshua Bar Abba (Barabbas).
Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, 'Whom do you
want me to release to you? Bar Abba, or Yeshua who is called Messiah?'… They
said, 'Bar Abba!'" The verdict was pronounced. The goat on which YHVH's
lot fell was to be a sin offering, as it is written: "Elohim by sending His
own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in
the flesh" (Rom. 8:3b).
The other goat was to be for Aza'zel
(sometimes translated “scapegoat”). “Aza’zel” is a compound word, made
up of the word “az” (ayin, zayin), meaning “strong,” but can also be read as
“ez” – goat, and “azal” (alef, zayin, lamed) - “that which is used
up,” or “is no more.” This goat that was “to be no more,”
was sent to the wilderness by the hand of a suitable ("eeti,"
meaning “timely”; "et" = the "right or appointed
time") person (ref. 16:21). Thus, Yeshua Bar Abba the criminal and
counterfeit of Yeshua the Son of the Father, stood in proxy, as it were, for
the goat that was allowed to live for the purpose of being sent to the
wilderness, or “eretz grzera” ("land of separation,"
16:22) with all the sins and iniquities.
The root g.z.r (gimmel, zayin, resh) is literally “to cut off, remove,
decreed.” And while it was decreed
that the unrepentant Bar Abba would be cut off and removed from
the Father with his sins (see Is. 59:2), Pilate was the timely person
who facilitated the whole prophetic process and scenario. Yet, it also says about the “Suffering
Servant” of Yishayahu (Isaiah) 53:8:
“For He was cut off [nigzar] from the land of the living”
(emphasis added). We see, therefore, that in spite of our above comparison of
Yeshua and Bar Abba, respectively, to the two goats, Yeshua also fulfilled the
role of the second goat, as is confirmed by 16:21: “Aaron shall lay both his
hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the
children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins,
putting them on the head of the goat...” (italics added). Yeshua Bar Abba,
although partially fitting the role of the goat that was sent to the
wilderness, definitely did not act the part of carrying vicariously sins and
iniquities for the purpose of their removal.
Whereas chapter 16 began with a strong
exhortation and command to the High Priest regarding time, place, and procedures
of coming before YHVH, chapter 17 enjoins the ordinary people not to sacrifice
according to their own whims, lest they should be suspect of sacrificing to
idols, or be even led astray and carry out such acts. And so we read in 17:7:
"They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have
played the harlot…" "Demons" here is “s'eerim,”
again, the word that we have just encountered in the previous chapter for “male
goats.” Goat worship prevailed in Egypt
Parashat Acharey Mot is made up of four
sections. Aside from the part which leads up to Yom haKippurim, and the section
regarding the right place for the offerings, there are two more sections
concerning the prohibitions of eating meat with blood (17:10-16), and incest
(Ch. 18). In the four sections, all so different one from the other, one phrase
is repeated like a refrain (see the italicized words in the following):
"In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict
your souls, and do no work at all, whether a native of your own country or a stranger
who dwells among you" (16:29 italics added); "…this shall be a
statute forever for them throughout their generations. Also you shall say to
them, ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel
"Stranger" is “ger,”
and originates from the root “gur” (gimmel, vav, resh), meaning "to dwell,
tarry, sojourn," as well as “to fear (see Ps. 22:23
for example: “fear Him all you offspring of Israel
The
last section of Parashat Ahcarey Mot deals, as mentioned, with the prohibitions
against incest and other sexual offences. It is sandwiched between statements
regarding the practices of the dwellers of the land which the Israelites have
just left, and the practices in the land which they were about to enter (see
18:3, 24-25). We just observed that YHVH’s people were enjoined to include the
strangers living among them, while here they are solemnly warned not to defile
themselves with that which their neighbors were defiling themselves (v. 27). We
see here a fine line between including the ones who choose to come into the
households of Yisrael, and between keeping firm and clear boundaries of
separation from other non-Israelites.
According
to Torah, when one comes in contact with anything which is (ritually) unclean,
one is contaminated by it. The converse, however, is not true; i.e., coming in
contact with that which is holy does not necessarily make one holy. The land,
therefore, by reason of the practices of its inhabitants would be subject to
spiritual contamination with the resulting consequences that “… the land [will]
vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were
before you" (18:28). The following Parasha (Kdoshim) closes off with the
same warning, as part of the command to stay separate (ref. 20:22).
Finally, in 16:30 we read: "For on this
day He [some translations replace “He” with “the priest”] shall make
atonement for you, to cleanse you; for all your sins, before YHVH you shall be
cleansed," or “before YHVH you shall be purified,” or “before YHVH you
shall purify yourselves.” Here is a fervent call to appropriate by faith the
atonement enacted by the Almighty, and thus to receive the fulfillment of His
promise. However, without the High Priest, first and foremost, complying
implicitly with all of YHVH’s instructions this could not be achieved.[4]
"And YHVH spoke to Moses, saying,
'Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel
In contrast to most of YHVH's addresses in
the previous Parashot we have been studying, here the “entire congregation of
the sons of Israel
The
theme of Parashat Kdoshim is encapsulated in 20:24b-26: "I am YHVH your
Elohim who has separated you from the peoples. You shall therefore distinguish
(literally “separate”) between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds
and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or
by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated
from you as unclean. And you shall be holy to Me, for I YHVH am Holy, and have
separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine." This clearly
illustrates the contaminating effect which the unclean has upon Elohim's
People. At the same time, it highlights the separateness of those who belong to
Him and who are rendered set apart by this fact. The single verb used here for “separate”
and “distinguish” is “havdel” (b.d.l, bet, dalet, lamed), used 3 times in the
creation account in B’resheet 1: in regards to the separation of the light from
darkness (v. 4), the separation of the water above the firmament from the water
below it (vs. 6,7), and in creating heaven’s lights that were to divide light
from the darkness (vs. 14,18). Thus the usage of the root b.d.l points to the
distinct category that YHVH had allocated for His people among other people
groups, as well as to the way they were to conduct their daily life.
Going back to chapter 19, we will notice
that most of the injunctions or clusters thereof end with "I am YHVH your
Elohim." Thus, we read about reverence for father and mother and keeping
the Shabbat. This is followed by a command to reject idols. The issue of peace
offerings is succeeded by how one is to treat those less fortunate than one’s
self (the poor and the sojourner), by leaving for them the gleanings of the
fields and vineyards, for “… I am YHVH your Elohim." Theft, deception,
lying and swearing falsely in YHVH's name are enumerated next. These constitute
"profaning" His Name (vs. 8, 12, 29, in the latter, the
translation says “do no prostitute”), which is “chalel” (ch.l.l., chet,
lamed, lamed) meaning, “to make hollow or burrow,” and is
also the root for "casualty" (such as in war). Dealing
unjustly (a.sh.k – ayin, shin, kof, oppressing and stealing) with one's fellow
man, cursing the deaf and putting a stumbling block in front of the blind,
diverting justice in court, tale bearing and not taking responsibility when a
friend's life is in danger, all are sealed by "I am YHVH." Obviously
we are moving here into more subtle matters that may not be necessarily noticed
by society at large, but will be seen by Him whose "eyes run to and fro
throughout the whole earth" (ref. 2nd Chr.16:9; Zech. 4:10b).
This takes us to even deeper issues of the heart, such as, "You shall not
hate your brother in your heart" (19:17).
"Brother," aside from its
obvious meaning, could also relate to one's “fellowman,” just as do the
following terms: "Associate" - amit (19:11, in the translation
‘one another,’ while in vs.15,17b the translation renders it as ‘neighbor’),
and "re'ah," that is, “friend or fellowman” (again,
more commonly rendered "neighbor" in the English translations.
See 19:13,16,18). The utilization of these terms clarifies that ‘others’ are
equal to one’s self, and therefore should be treated accordingly. In verse 17
there is also an instruction of commission, relating to the action that should
be taken when the need arises to reprimand or rebuke one’s fellow man (rather
than harbor hatred and bitterness in one’s heart). If "open rebuke is
better than love carefully concealed” (Prov. 27:5), how much more does this
apply when hate is the option? One is not to nurse vengeance nor bear a grudge
against one's own people, logically leading to the highest dictum; that one is
to love one's fellow man as one's self (v. 18), while in Hebrew the word used
is “re’ah” – friend, associate. Again, this is sealed by "I am YHVH."
After the prohibitions regarding mixing of
seeds and improper nuptials, chapter 19 continues with the tending of trees in
YHVH's Promised Land - which for the first three years are to be
considered “uncircumcised” – “arelim,”
and in the fourth are to be “praises to YHVH" - “hiluleem” (ref. 19:23-25), and with
prohibitions concerning all pagan idolatrous customs. "I am YHVH"
seals these passages, and is also appended to the Shabbat’s observance and to
the honor due the elderly. The next cluster deals with the sojourner, because
of the Israelites’ own experience in Egypt
Chapter 20
echoes chapter 18 (in Parashat Acharey Mot), in dealing largely with various
forms of incest, forbidden forms of cohabitation, and abominable sexual
practices, which are described by the phrase, “exposing the nakedness” (again,
nakedness is tantamount to not having a “covering” – “kippur”). “Nakedness”
here is “erva” of the root a.r.h. (ayin, resh, hey). A similar word,
stemming from the root a.r.r (ayin, resh, resh) and means “stripped” and
“childless” is “ariri” (e.g. Gen. 15:2; Jer. 22:30). Thus we read
verses 20 and 21: “And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he has
uncovered his uncle's nakedness - erva. They shall bear their sin. They
shall die bereft of children – arireem. If a man takes his
brother's wife, it is an unclean thing. He has uncovered his brother's
nakedness - erva. They shall be childless - arireem” (italics
added). This makes evident the
fruitlessness and lifelessness of sin, symbolizing the fact that sin results
only in death (childlessness in this case).
[1] Notice the
"k" and "ch" here denote the same letter, i.e.
"kaf".
[2] The New Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius Lexicon, Francis
Brown
Hendrickson. Publishers, Peabody , Mass.
[3] Online Bible, Gill Commentary
[4] Thirty verses relay the High Priest’s orders, versus one
verse with
instructions for the
people.
