Leviticus 19:1-20:27
(In a regular year, read with Parashah 29; in a leap year read separately.)
“Adonai said to Moshe, ‘Speak to the entire community of Isra’el; tell them, “You people are to be holy because I, Adonai your God, am holy”’” (Leviticus 19:3).
Excerpt:
The title of this parashah is K’doshim or ‘holy people.’ In Hebrew, the word for ‘holy’ is kadosh. More familiar Greek terminology would be ‘saints’ and ‘sanctified.’ Both the Hebrew and Greek words mean ‘set-apart’ or ‘consecrated’ to Adonai. This parashah begins with Adonai telling His people to ‘be holy because He is holy.’
Hebrew Word Pictures
Holy or kadosh – קדש – kof, dalet, shin
– what is behind the pathway consumes
This parashah is a menagerie of commands, many of which add details to the Ten Commandments. The ordinances give more specifics to the Levitical priesthood, the ‘shadow’ of Yeshua’s royal priesthood. The commandments and ordinances set Adonai’s holy people apart from all others. The Torah should never be considered a burden, but a delight because it sanctifies Adonai’s people (1 John 3:4, John 17:17).
“I will find my delight in your regulations. I will not forget your word … Also your instructions are my delight; they are my counselors … I will delight myself in your mitzvot, which I have loved”
(Psalm 119:16, 24, 47)
Two Greatest Commandments
“Observe my regulations” (Leviticus 19:19).
The Ten Commandments are ‘numbered’ with the Hebrew letters alef through yod. This section will be divided into the ‘big ten’ separated under the headings ‘Love God’ and ‘Love Your Neighbor.’ The ordinances from the parashah will be listed under each of the commandments so it will be easier to see what Yeshua meant when he said, “All the Torah and the prophets hang on these two commands” (Matthew 22:40).
Love Adonai Your God
“He [Yeshua] answered, “You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your understanding and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).
א Alef – An Ox means ‘first’ and ‘strong.’
“I Am Adonai your God.”
Ordinance: “Offer it [a peace offering] in a way that will make you accepted” suggests there is a way that a peace offering offering isn’t accepted (verses 5-7). The peace offering brought fellowship between the offerer and Adonai. It was a free-will offering given from the heart. An example of a peace offering is when Hannah dedicates Samuel to Elohim
(1 Samuel 1:21-28).
ב Bet – A House means ‘house’ or ‘family.’
“Have no other gods before me.”
Ordinance: “Do not turn to idols, and do not cast metal gods for yourselves; I am Adonai your God”(Leviticus 19:4). When we bow to an idol physically or give spiritual consent to another god, we commit spiritual adultery and turn from loving Adonai with all our hearts. Casting a metal or ceramic god is not acceptable to Elohim.
Ordinance: “Do not eat anything with blood. Do not practice divination or fortune telling” (Leviticus 19:26). These two ordinances about divination and fortune telling occur together because both of the practices involve drinking blood.
Ordinance: “Do not turn to spirit-mediums or sorcerers; don’t seek them out, to be defiled by them; I am Adonai your God” (Leviticus 19: 31). Adonai reminds His people not to consult mediums or sorcerers. Spirit-mediums invoke spirits from the dead or demons. In the account of the medium (witch) of Endor, the medium called forth Samuel’s spirit from the grave at King Saul’s request. These actions cost King Saul his life (1 Samuel 28).
In Greek, pharmakia is the word for ‘sorcery.’ Sorcerers used drugs to take people into an altered state of mind. Today, the modern sorcerer is a pharmacist at a pharmacy who sells ‘legal drugs.’ These drugs change our body’s chemical imbalances to worse imbalances. More people who take legalized anti-depressants kill themselves than people who do not. Some drugs, like marijuana, that were once illegal, but have become legal, are causing mental health problems for those who use it. The increase in sorcery is a sign of the end times and last days.
Ordinance: “The person who turns to spirit-mediums and sorcerers to go fornicating after them – I will set myself against him and cut him off from his people. Therefore consecrate yourselves–you people must be holy, Because I am Adonai your God” (Leviticus 20:6-7).
For a complete copy of this Torah portion, the readings from the Prophets, gospels, letters, and study questions, please purchase Open My Eyes: Wonders of Torah.
©2018 Tentstake Ministries Publishing, all rights reserved. No copying or reproducing of this article without crediting the author or Tentstake Ministries Publishing.