Torah 101-Aharei-Mot-Kedoshim-Emor Parsha

I.

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEKS STUDY QUESTIONS (from TazriaMetzora)

1) Question for Leviticus 12:

Are the rules of niddah (separation) of women after pregnancy still binding
today?
There is no definite answer on this issue. Many Rabbis believe that per one
line in the Torah these rules can be relaxed until the Temple is rebuilt
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"Thus you shall keep the sons of Israel separated from their uncleanness,
so that they will not die in their uncleanness by their defiling My tabernacle
that is among them." (Leviticus 15:31 NAU)
So if the reason for these rules is to avoid defiling a sanctuary that is not
standing now, the Rabbis argue that they are set aside for the most part
today. However, the exception is with respect to Temple Mount, where they
teach that people who are ritually unclean should not go there, but theres no
way to enforce this, and in any case the Temple was not under that mosque
in the first place.
2) Question for Leviticus 13:
What do these rules about leprosy teach us about one of Yshuas specific roles.
Yshua is more than our king.he is our High Priest as well. Only a priest
can pronounce a leper clean and yet Yshua cures and pronounces lepers
clean from curing themNOT the priests of his day!
3) Question for Leviticus 14:
Where in the Scripture are lepers used to make a cutting political point?
Here a bunch of lepers stole things but they repented of their gains and
admitted their crimes. In the NT another group of lepers receives a blessing
but they run away and dont give thanks!
(Luk 17:11) And it happened that while Y'shua went to Urishlim, he crossed
over among the Samaritans of Galeela. (Luk 17:12) And when he was near
to entering into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him and they
stood from a distance. (Luk 17:13) And they raised their voices and said,
"Our master Y'shua, have mercy on us!" (Luk 17:14) And when he saw
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them he said to them, "Go show yourselves to the priests," and they were
cleansed while they were going.107 (Luk 17:15) But one of them, when he saw
that he was cleansed returned and with a loud voice was giving praise to
Elohim. (Luk 17:16) And he fell upon his face before the feet of Y'shua,
while thanking him. And he, this man, was a Samaritan. (Luk 17:17) And
Y'shua answered and said, "Were there not ten who were cleansed? Where
are the nine? (Luk 17:18) For what did they separate108 that they should
come and give praise to Elohim? Only this man did who is from a foreign
people.109 (Luk 17:19) And he said to him, 'Arise. Go. Your faith has given
you life.'"110
4) Question for Leviticus 15:
Where in this chapter do we see proof that sometimes Yshuas legal rulings are
even stricter than those in the Torah?
Or if the man with the discharge spits on one who is clean, he too shall wash his
clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. (Leviticus 15:8 NAU)
RAQAQ (15:8) = spits. The act of spitting can render an innocent party unclean.
Yshua uses this word in Matthew 5:22 that even the threat of such an act, is
condemned to the assembly. It is interesting because in this case Yshua is even
STRICTER than the Torah that simply says the spitting renders both parties
unclean until evening (15:8)!
5) Haftorah Question of the Week: 2 Kings 4:42-5:19 and 7:3-20
What is the most ironic thing about the man who is cured of leprosy in this
portion?
The meaning of his name!
NAAMAN = means pleasantness in Hebrew. A synonym for this word is
ADEN, from where we get EDEN, the Pleasant Garden. By restoring
Naaman by ridding him of leprosy we therefore have a deep remez since
Hebrew thought also associates ADEN/EDEN with the world to come, a kind
of Jewish heaven that goes back to the beginning when things were pure
like Naamans skin before he contracted leprosy.

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II.

QUESTIONS FOR THIS TORAH PORTION (Aharei MotKedoshim-Emor)

Please NOTE:
For clarity and time constraints, if I elect to not read the whole parsha (which
is the case this week) I may still ask questions relating to the portions I did not
read!

6) Question for Leviticus 16:

What may be one reason why the narrative story breaks with the death of Aarons
sons in chapter 10 only to resume here in chapter 16 with purity regulations in
between them?
7) Question for Leviticus 17:
Leviticus 17:11-12 explains why the command is not to eat blood. Since Yshua
could not have been meaning to literally drink his blood at the Last Supper, where
is there Tanakh precedent to explain exactly what Yshua meant by This wine is
my blood poured out for the Renewed Covenant?
8) Question for Leviticus 18:
Which commandment in Leviticus 18 appears to have been made tougher from
the way things were done at the opening of the book of Exodus?
9) Question for Leviticus 19:
What are two places in this chapter that Yshua comes close to quoting though
indirectly?
10) Question for Leviticus 20:
What part of this chapter helps refute the Christian myth of Dispensationalism?
11) Question for Leviticus 21-22:
How does one word in Leviticus 21:6 help us resolve a conflict between Genesis
4:26 and rabbinic tradition?
12) Question for Leviticus 23-24:
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What does this chapter tell us about calendar secrets?

13) Haftorah Question of the Week: Isaiah 53:1-12, Amos 9:7-15 and Ezekiel
22:1-19
Today we had readings from three great prophets: Yeshayahu, Amos and Ezekiel.
What is true about one of these prophets that is not true of either the other two or
in fact any other prophet in Tanakh?
14) Renewed Covenant Commentary: Hebrews 7:23-9:28 and Acts 15:1-21
Hebrews 8:3
44) Again the references relate to Torah (instruction) about the priestly services,
not the Torah (Revelation at Sinai), even though both are referenced by the same
word in both Hebrew and in Aramaic.
Hebrews 8:4
45) Present tense, clearly indicating the Temple in Jerusalem was standing when
this Epistle was written.
Hebrews 8:7
46) Most Christians seem to forget that without the first covenant, the second one
is impossible! In very short order Rav Shaul will quote Jer_31:31-34, indicating
that the Renewed Covenant is a contingency triggered by, and deriving authority
from, the first covenant. YHWH declared that the Ancient Covenant He made
with Israel was good; it was to bring life, but the people of Israel chose to
willfully break this Covenant and treat it as a vain thing. See Deu_32:46-47.
Hebrews 8:8
47) Paul makes reference to the Renewed Covenant (Jer_31:31-34) nine times in
this letter.
Hebrews 8:11
49) The phrase in Aramaic is bar medintheh, which literally means "son of his
city" but idiomatically carries the meaning of "fellow citizen, neighbor" and most
definitely a metaphor Greek does not have. This fact puts Peshitta well before the
end of the Second Century when the mistranslated Greek texts were done. It is
also important to note that this is the last book of the Eastern canon. As a result,
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the entire collection must have circulated prior to this very early date.
Hebrews 8:13
50) The context is Jer_31:31-34, what is "near to disappearing" is the sinful
predisposition of man that breaks Torah, not the standard of Torah. Remember
that we broke Torah, not YHWH. YHWH did not drop the standard of Torah
because Israel chose disobedience; rather, He installed a Renewed Covenant to
write Torah upon the heart through the work of the Ruach haKodesh, according to
Mashiyach. The fact of the matter is that in Mashiyach, YHWH raised the bar;
He magnified Torah; see Isa_42:21. Because mankind broke Covenant, YHWH
requires complete renovation on our part, not YHWH's part of the Covenant. This
verse in its twisted form, became one of the "crown jewels" of Torahless
Christianity which teaches that Torah is decaying and is near to disappearing, but
nothing could be farther from the truth. See 2Pe_3:16 and Epistle to the Hebrews
in Appendix. Also, the underlying foundation of Calvinism is that we all "have" a
"sinful nature" however no such concept is found in Scripture, only a nature of
man or "human nature." In Gal_3:27, Eph_4:24, and Col_3:10 Rav Shaul exhorts
followers of Mashiyach to "put on the new man" and "put on Mashiyach." We
are called to reject all false religion and doctrine that makes void YHWH's Torah
(instruction in righteousness) according to the old man (sinful predisposition) and
live in the new man who has a "righteous predisposition" and delights in Torah
and Mashiyach.
Hebrews 9:3
51) Kadosh Kadoshim (Set Apart of the Set Aparts) translated as "Holy of
Holies"; however, it is important to note that many religions use "holy" as a term
to denote what is sacred unto them. In the Malchut Elohim, the term Kadosh
denotes the "nature" of YHWH. YHWH is the sole Creator and sustainer of Life;
He has made distinct "boundaries" in Himself which He reveals according to His
Word and through the Ruach haKodesh. The word holy is derived from heile
which means to be warmed by the sun. It has a direct connection to sun worship;
this is not a matter of semantics, but of understanding and applying what belongs
unto YHWH and that which is not of Him. In Christianity being "holy" is often
thought of as "being like Jesus" although most Christians wouldn't dare to live
like Y'shua and His Talmidim for fear of being "too Jewish," or being labeled as
legalists! Y'shua and His followers were Torah Observant; it is within Torah
Observance that one can truly define what it means to be "Set Apart unto
YHWH." "But know that YHWH has Set Apart him that is Chasid (righteous) for
Himself: YHWH will hear when I call unto him" (Psa_4:3).
Hebrews 9:4
52) Some theologians posture that there was no censer in the inner sanctum for
more information see Epistle to the Hebrews in Appendix.
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Hebrews 9:19
54) Critics of Hebrews sometimes claim this statement is inaccurate because the
sprinkling of the book is not mentioned in Exodus 24, nor the mixture stated
therein. However, take a closer look: Lev_14:6 mentions scarlet yarn,
referencing the color, not the material. Most experts assume "thread" is implied
(Gen_38:28), just like the Hebrew does not say "hand" directly when Benyamin is
interpreted literally as "son of my right" but everyone knows it is "right hand."
Wool is, of course, white in its natural state, but Torah commands it to be dyed
scarlet, which is why Isaiah uses the metaphor in the first place. And where did
Rav Shaul get the idea that the scarlet material was wool? Probably from
Exo_26:31; Exo_26:36 which indicates the tentway is made of (a) "scarlet
(insert material of choice here)" and (b) "fine twisted linen." In other words,
the linen is not dyed and material (a) is clearly not linen. What's left if not wool?
Scarlet goat hair? No! The fact is, specific material is not mentioned in Torah
unless required, as is in Lev_13:47-48 and Deu_22:11 which forbids the making
of garments from more than one material; but there are two issues. "You shall
make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful workman; like the work of
the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet (material) and
fine twisted linen you shall make it" (Exo_28:15). If it were all linen it would say
so, and though it is possible to weave linen and wool into one yarn, this is clearly
not being done here, either. Garment (A) 100% wool yarn, and garment (B)
100% fine twisted linen. The linen certainly does not have wool in its thread, or
vice versa.
55) There are two separate issues here. First, there is a clear telescoping of two
events we know to be separated by the monthly timetable established by the
Tanakh. Two events are being taught together at one time to establish a spiritual
point; the seams are quite evident. Event #1 in Heb_9:19-20 teaches that the blood
is for atonement. Event #2, the blood being sprinkled on the tabernacle later. This
appears to suggest the blood from that day lasted eight to nine months and then
was sprinkled on the tabernacle, but again, this is how events are combined to
make a spiritual point. Clearly Paul knew, as did his audience, that additional
blood prepared in the same manner was required in Exo_40:1-38. Although the
reading may appear as "this same blood" the meaning is more like "blood derived
from this same manner." This becomes clear when we realize that Exo_24:5
refers to burnt offerings and sacrificed bulls, whereas Exo_40:29 refers to burnt
offerings and meal offerings. We could be much more demanding and ask where
is the specific reference to the sacrificed bull in Exo_40:1-38, but that is hardly
the smoking gun against Hebrews. Again, telescoping does not mean this is one
flowing event; the details from both events are being used in a spiritual
discussion, something sages and rabbis have done from the beginning. On the
other hand, blood is still involved with the burnt offering: "The priest shall also
put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense which is before
YHWH in the tent of meeting; and all the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the
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base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting"
(Lev_4:7). The second issue is that there are multiple references to the altar being
sprinkled with blood, and the people having themselves sprinkled with blood from
the same sacrifice. Therefore, it would not be inaccurate to conclude, given the
book's placement by the altar, that it also received an amount of blood.
Hebrews 9:23
56) The word damota indicates a representation, not an exact reflection, of an
object. Sometimes critics of Hebrews say that the comparison of the earthly
Temple objects to the heavenly puts the epistle into error. However, if exact
reflection/image was intended, another word, tzelma, would have been used. This
word is used, for example, in Heb_1:3, where Y'shua is called the exact identical
reflection/image of YHWH's nature.
57) The Aramaic word daka (purification) refers only to earthly representations of
Temple objects, not the heavenly. The items in the Heavenly Temple need no
such purification.
58) The word here, debkha, appears the same way in the singular and plural form.
In this context, there is only one sacrifice superior to the earthly Temple, and that
is Y'shua himself.
Acts 15:1
165) This is the teaching of those who later became known as the Ebionites, or
Messianic Pharisees (see footnote on Tit_3:9). Also note that the life being
mentioned by these proto-Ebionites is, in fact, Eternal Life; hence a very serious
allegation! Torah is often confused with the religion of Judaism or the
Pharisees or Orthodox Jews yet throughout Yshuas ministry he showed how
Torah is being grossly misinterpreted. Yshua teaches, Why also do you
transgress against the Commandments of Elohim because of your traditions?
Distinctly oral law, the Talmud, and the religious traditions of the Pharisees is
making the Torah void. Just before Stephen was stoned to death he cried out,
You have received Torah by way of the command of Messengers and you have
not kept it! (Act_7:53) Apostle Paul teaches both Jews and Christians, Do, we
then nullify Torah by faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish
Torah. (Rom_3:31). It is vitally important that we do not view Torah through
the religious eyes of Judaism or Christianity, but through Mashiyach.
Acts 15:5
166) "Guard" in this case refers to putting up of fences (Pirkei Avot 1:1) around
Torah, not simply obeying the written Word. Part of this "fence" known as
religious halakha, minhagim or tradition, requires a person to be circumcised
before learning about having a relationship with YHWH, and why Torah must be
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applied to our lives. This tradition overturns the peshat (plain) meaning of many
Torah requirements. The context is clearly shown earlier in the passage where it
reads, "those who believed from the teachings of the Pharisees," as opposed to the
teachings of Torah. In other cases, however, "guarding" is considered a noble
endeavor, provided it neither contradicts, adds, nor takes away from Torah in
favor of man made traditions.
Acts 15:10
167) This yoke is clearly referring to the Oral Law, not the Written Torah of
Moshe. The Oral Torah (Talmud) has put many additional burdens on Jews, and
greatly limited the ability of Gentiles to join with Israel. See Judaizers in
Appendix.
Acts 15:20
168) That which is "sacrificed" unto other gods according to YHWH's Word in
D'varim/Deu_32:17 is sacrificed unto devils. Vayikra/Lev_17:12-16 commands
that Jew and Ger (foreigner) NOT eat blood, or any animals that die of
themselves. The prohibition against fornication is wide spectrum, against all
manner of physical perversion and spiritual whoredom. These Torah directives
are eternally binding on all who follow Y'shua Mashiyach and who seek the
Malchut (Kingdom) of Elohim. Also, Khabouris has an isolated qoph here,
between the words "we" and "send."
Acts 15:21
169) A very clear fulfillment of Isa_56:1-9. Gentile converts are observing
Shabbat and learning Torah as one body along with Jews. Shortly thereafter,
Marcion, whom Polycarp referred to as "the firstborn of the devil" built the first
all-Gentile church to promote Christo-Paganism. Marcion held his services on
Sunday which blended with Zeus (the sun god) culture and projected a hybrid JeZeus identity in opposition to the Jewish Mashiyach. The modern theologies of
Je-zeus Christos are based more on Hellenism than on original fundamental
Hebraic values. Marcion coined the words "Old - New Testament" and did his
very best to warn Gentiles away from Torah and "the God of the Old Testament."
Marcion invented theologies known as replacement, dispensational,
supercessionism, etc., which are very popular among Christianity today. See
Y'shua to Zeus in Appendix.
15) Renewed Covenant Commentary: Colossians 2:11-23
Colossians 2:14
10) The Aramaic word khab means both sin and debt and in this case both meanings
are meant simultaneously. Also the Aramaic word shtar means handwriting but
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specifically the kind of handwriting that is on a bill, which makes sense if you have debts.
The end result of all this is that the certificate of debts/sins cannot be Torah. Instead it is
the written second witness of our sins which would normally require penalties, but is
nailed to the beam of the stake. YHWH requires that two witnesses come forward to
execute a criminal. He even holds Himself to this standard if He is one of the witnesses.
As a result, when Yshua takes the certificate of our sins, he is in effect taking that
required second witness out of the way. Without the written second witness, though we
sin, we cannot be destroyed for that sin, and can then approach our Heavenly Father
YHWH for the gift of eternal life. (Mat_6:12 some Greek texts read forgive our debts
and others forgive our offenses.)
Colossians 2:16
11) The Body of Mashiyach must not be concerned with the judgments of those who are
outside the Malchut Elohim, that is, those who don't know Torah or Mashiyach. It is
clear, given the location of this audience and the fact that Rav Shaul always references
Jews directly, that Shaul is addressing the local talk of the pagans whose religion
dominates this region.
Colossians 2:17
12) Compare this with Col_1:24. Paul is stating that the "Body of Mashiyach"
determines how to observe Torah, including Kashrut, Shabbats, Moedim and Rosh
Chodeshim; therefore, don't let lawless pagans judge you; they have their own religious
customs and way of doing things. For example, many choose to attend religious
meetings on Sun-Day, and they have sunrise services on Ishtar (Easter), then for
December 25th they put up a Tammuz (Christmas) tree that commemorates the rebirth of
the Babylonian deity Tammuz. And the gold and silver balls that Christians hang on their
Christmas trees originally represented Tammuz testicles, as he was renowned for
pleasing the ladies. Most Christians know full well that Y'shua was not born on
December 25th, but the pagan celebrations have become such entrenched traditional
rituals that truth has become an embarrassing inconvenience. See Christmas in
Appendix. In other words, don't let family, friends, pastors, or co-workers judge you for
observing truthful Torah festivals, because their motive is for you to return to the pagan
substitutes they themselves prefer. The Church today is following in the idolatrous
footsteps of ancient and modern Israel according to Eze_8:14 and Jer_10:1-25; Jer_17:127. The vast majority of Christians twist this verse to teach that Shabbat and the Feasts
of YHWH were fulfilled by Christ and are no longer necessary which completely
contradicts what Rav Shaul taught that YHWHs Feasts are a shadow of things to
come; not to mention, they are rehearsals for the Bride of Mashiyach! What Mashiyach
and Paul call "good," most Christians call evil; they even believe that their pagan based
rituals are sanctified through a "Christian" label (see Isa_5:14-23). Aramaic translator
George Lamsa also suggests an interesting non-literal sense of the body by translating
but the main objective is of Mashiyach. In other words, we are focused on the sacrifice
Yshua made for us and the commandments of Torah observance that he gave us. While
I cannot find any confirming evidence to render body in this manner, the sense of
Lamsas rendering nonetheless accords well with the main concepts in this chapter.

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