Torah Portion: Lev 1:1-6:7 (5:26 Heb) VaYikra (and He called) Haftarah: Isa 43:21-44:23 Suggested Neviim Acharonim:

Hebrews 10:1-18 All scripture is taken from the NASB 1995 update unless otherwise noted

Nisan 5, 5773

Lev 1:1-17 1Then the Lord called to Moses This is language that indicates affection. As it is followed by and spoke to him the implication is that HaShem called Moses into the Mishkan and then He spoke to Moshe. This would make sense as in the conclusion of the last chapter of Shemot we saw that neither the people nor Moses could enter the Mishkan for the cloud rested upon it, and the glory of HaShem filled the Mishkan. This is to teach us that it is not we who enter into His presence on our own terms or conditions, but rather He is a heavy God Who sets the terms and conditions upon our entering into His presence. We also see that Moses was humble before HaShem and did not barge in as it was his right or because he had constructed the Mishkan and that was its purpose. He waited upon HaShem. As we saw in the preceding weeks, the purpose of our building the Mishkan (remember we are to be the Mishkan also), is so that HaShem can and will indwell us. Moshe purified it and set it up. This is a picture of the Messiah purifying us and setting us up as the Mishkan. When we come to faith, He indwells us. We do mitzvoth because He indwells us and because we love Him. It is not for merit, favor, or salvation as we can clearly see. We also see that it is HaSh ems desire that we have a personal relationship with Him. We must remember that everything we do is either holy or profane and our focus is to be on Him in all that we do. We are not to lose sight of our first love, Yeshua who purified us, set up His Mishkan in us and indwells us. The calling of Moshe into His presence also teaches what the purpose of the korbanot (offerings) is, they are to allow us to draw near to HaShem. Moses is called into His presence that he might learn how Israel may enter also. In the book of VaYikra we see that the word for holy appears at about 150 times. That is more times (more than 1 times more) than in the entire Neviim Acharonim (if you take out references to the Ruach Hakodesh.) Yet, we are to be holy for He is holy. We can only enter into His presence when we are holy according to His standard. From this wording we also learn several things. This book is joined to the books that precede it because it too begins with a vav. According to the sages we see that three fundamental tenets of Judaism are established: The belief in the creation of the universe out of nothing by God the Creator, the giving of the Torah to Israel, and the belief in the resurrection of the dead. These are found in this first word because of Prophecy. the predictions made by a prophet testify to the existence of a Gd who supervises the universe. Such supervision (and control which is an implied part of the term supervision) proves that the universe had a beginning, did not precede the Supervisor.Seeing that the universe was created by a Creator who keeps supervising it, it makes sense that the Torah should be given to the people at some point in time in order for the Torah and its observance to guarantee that the end of time the people could receive the reward for observing its precepts. A period of ultimate and undisturbed delight will be ushered in when the dead are resurrected. Torah Commentary by Rabbi Bachya ben Asher pg. 1466 Leviticus 1:1. We also see that this first word is used in the context of each of these tenets later in the Tanakh God Creator and giver of Torah to His people. Isa 48:12-13 12Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last. 13My own hand founded the earth, My right hand spread out the skies. I call unto them, let them stand up. He has always been, and precedes all that is, therefore He is creator God. Whom I Called is a reference to Mt Sinai where God called to have His Torah revealed to Israel, (cf Ex 19:3) therefore we know that it is the creator who provided the Torah to His people. Resurrection: Ps 50:1, 4 1A psalm of Asaph. God, the Lord God spoke and summoned the world from east to west. 4He summoned the heavens above, and the earth, for the trial of His people. According to the sages in Sanhedrin 91 this reference to the heavens above is in regard to the soul and the earth is the body. The inference being that both the thoughts, motives, and actions are judged. If we look at the first three books of the scriptures in light of this we see that the first book centers around these three points: The creation and creator in Genesis, the giving of the Torah to Israel in Exodus, and the resurrection in Leviticus. As we see in Genesis that man is in a fallen state, we also see that HaShem is the one who provides His salvation and is the One who
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redeems. Those who are redeemed are the ones who recognize Him as God, who keep His Torah, and who receive the gift of life in the resurrection. The first word in this weeks portion is Vayikra. The aleph at the end of the word is a diminutive letter. If we look at the word without the aleph we find it used in Num 23:4, 16 where HaShem met with, happened upon Balaam. This teaches us that in our verse in Vayikra HaShem did not happen upon or just meet with Moshe, but He summoned him into His presence out of His own desire. The aleph is reduced in size to teach us two things at least. First, while Moshe was summoned to meet with HaShem, it was not comparable to when he will meet with Him in the world to come. It is very much diminished in this world and will be much greater in the world to come. Not only that, but HaShem will summon not just Moshe into His presence, but all of Israel. and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, And He called to Moses and Adonai spoke to him from the Tent of Appointment saying, 2Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, HaShem spoke to Moses and he was entrusted to convey His words to Israel. This double phraseology conveys that Moses was to speak (davar) HaShems Torah in general terms to Israel and say (amar) the details of the legislation also. Some go on to say that not all of the details are provided in the written Torah, but rather are hinted at, and are found explicitly in the oral Torah. Regardless, HaShem did not speak these words to all of Israel. This is to teach us that there is a greater responsibility upon the leaders, in being holy, in listening to Adonai and accurately/completely conveying the Word of God to Israel. Furthermore, one who is not a part of a congregation but rather is a lone ranger Messianic or Christian is not going to hear all HaShem has for them. We all need to be a member of one congregation, submitted to its leadership and its leadership submitted to those outside the congregation who speak into his life and can discipline him. When Note that it does not say if but rather when. The inference is that Israel is to be doing this and when they do it, here is how they are to do it. When one ceases to be a pagan and aligns himself to Israel, he is to be aligned with the commands of HaShem. It is irrelevant if one thinks these offerings and sacrifices are out dated, ancient, obsolete, boring, repetitive, etc. If one is of Israel, a true child of HaShem, then these commands are for them. Hos 14:9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them. We may not be able to do them physically because there is no Temple, but we can keep (shamar) them as commanded. One of the ways we keep them is by studying them and being prepared to carry them out should the opportunity arise. The other way is to read them at the times when they would be offered in the Temple. Voluntary offerings or extra offerings should, by extension, be read at times of personal prayer throughout the month between Shacharit and Minchah (when the altar was open). It should be noted that additional prayers may always be brought before HaShem throughout the day and night just as we see exemplified throughout the Scriptures. any man of you brings (7126 karav; A verb meaning to come near, to approach. The basic concept is a close, spatial proximity of the subject and the object) an offering (7133 korban from 7126; A masculine noun meaning an offering, a gift. However, from a Hebrew perspective, the word is never to be understood as a gift or a present. It is found solely in the context of mans relationship to God, and can only be understood on the basis of the meaning of the root korav. .. to draw closer, to arrive at a close relationship with someoneThe purpose of a korban is to seek Gods nearness.1) Isa 58:1-2 1Cry loudly, do not hold back; raise your voice like a trumpet, and declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins. 2Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, as a nation that has done righteousness and has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me for just decisions, they delight in the nearness of God. to the Lord, If any one draws near of you an offering to Adonai. A Jewish interpretive translation is: If someone amongst yourselves feels the urge to sacrifice himself to the Lord, you are to do this by means of offering a domestic animal such as a specimen from the cattle of the flock. You are not to take a human being as a sacrifice to the Lord. The human is forbidden as he cannot meet the qualifications of being without spot or blemish. Therefore, an animal must be the substitutionary atonement pointing to the Messiah who is perfect. It is only because of His redemption that we can bring a sacrifice or draw near to Him. As we saw in the preceding parashah, the focus was HaShems commands regarding the tabernacle so that He could dwell amongst (in) Israel and Israels construction of the tabernacle so that He could dwell among (in) them. VaYikra is about when anyone desires to draw near to HaShem to present an offering to Him how he is to go about that. We also learn that the purpose of the offering is to draw near to HaShem. The intimacy implied in the
1

The Hirsch Chumash, Sefer Vayikra part 1, Feldheim Publishers, pg 6.

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Hebrew, does not allow for the sacrifices to be empty ritual or perfunctory. The intimacy to HaShem demands examination of and adjustment of the heart. Ps 51:15-19 15O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. 16For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 18By Your favor do good to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem. 19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, in burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then young bulls will be offered on Your altar. Hos 8:12-14 12Though I wrote for him ten thousand precepts of My law, they are regarded as a strange thing. 13As for My sacrificial gifts, they sacrifice the flesh and eat it, but the Lord has taken no delight in them. Now He will remember their iniquity, and punish them for their sins; they will return to Egypt. 14For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities, but I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings. Hos 14:1-2 1Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. 2Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips. (our lips as bulls) At the time of Hosea, as now, they could not offer sacrifices in the temple, but they could take words with them when they wanted to draw near to HaShem. That could only work if their h earts were right before HaShem. We also see from the wording of Lev 1:2 that our offerings are to be to Adonai. They are not to be to another god or to some aspect or attribute of HaShem but to HaShem Himself. you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock. Domestic animals. Free roaming or wild animals are not acceptable for sacrifice on the altar. This is because domestic animals are victims by definition and the majority of free roaming animals or wild animals are hunter gatherer types and they victimize their prey. In Shabbat 88 it says it is better to belong to the category of people suffering insults than to be part of the group of people insulting others. The sages have noted that the Torah stipulated that only species which are prone to suffer persecution are permitted as sacrifices o n the altar of the Lord. Rabbi Bachya ben Asher pg 1475. We also see that only animals that have been fed by, cared for, owned and raised by man may be offered up to HaShem. This is to increase our connection to that which is being offered up and be effected by the price of our sins. Wild animals cost us nothing. We cannot offer a sacrifice or offering in which there is no cost to us personally.) 3If his offering is a burnt offering ( olah karbano) This is the offering that rises. It is completely consumed on the altar. None is eaten by the priests or the ones making the offering unlike most of the other offerings. It is the one that ascends completely to HaShem. It is considered to be above the other offerings because of those two points. It is thought to be for the sins not committed physically, but rather for the sins committed in thought only. Olah ascension offering, Lev 1:1-17, 6:8-13 (6:1-6 Heb) Minchah- meal offering, Lev 2;1-16, 6:14-18 (6:7-11 Heb) Chatat sin offering, Lev 4:1-5:13, 6:24-30 (6:17-23 Heb) Asham guilt offering, Lev 5:14-6:7 (5:26 Heb), 7:1-10 Miluim consecration offering, Ex 29:1-37, Lev 6:19-23 (6:12-16 Heb) Shlamim peace offering, Lev 3:1-17, 7:11-36 from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; The animal had to be perfect and it was innocent of the crime for which he was being offered. This points to the Messiah. he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, This makes it clear that the sacrifice is to clear the way for man to enter into the presence of HaShem. But since the offerings have to be offered continuously, only the offering of the Promised Seed can ultimately pay this price. Otherwise ones redemption was contingent on not sinning between offerings at the temple or tabernacle. Then one s redemption is not secure and ones life would be in stress, turmoil and distress over their future destiny. One could do well throughout their life, and at the last moment have some bad thoughts and lose it all. Because of that, we know that people like the various Psalmists said, Ps 78:21-22 21Therefore the Lord heard and was full of wrath; and a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also mounted against Israel, 22because they did not believe in God and did not trust in His salvation. Ps 3:7-8 7Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God! For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. 8Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah. Ps 118:16-21 16The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly. 17I will not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord. 18The Lord has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death. 19Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord. 20This is the gate of
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the Lord; the righteous will enter through it. 21I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation. Heb 10:1-4 1For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come The Torah serves a eschatological purpose. When we do it, we begin to understand it. and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Never could, not even in the time of Moshe, never will, not even today. This is because Yeshuas sacrifice was the only sacrifice that could accomplish that. 2Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. that he may be accepted before the Lord. This acceptance is to be favorably received. The alternative is to be rejected and put to death. Vayikra begins with teaching us how to draw near to HaShem. It requires us to accept HaShem as our substitutionary atonement as represented by the animal we are to offer in place of ourselves when we desire to draw near. This is salvation. 4He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, He is to place his bodily weight on the head of the animal serving as the burnt-offering. This to represent the full weight of his sins being placed on the head of the animal. This relates back to the promise of Gen 3:15 where it says, Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel. The weight of sin is death. We also see that this represents being under the law as the weight of our sin, transgression of the Law, is placed upon the head of Yeshua. Also the person who is making the offering is to place his hand, this is said to exclude the messenger intermediary. This is because the one making the offering must own the animal being offered. In this we see identification (I am the one who sinned), transferring (putting my sins on the animal) and substitution (allowing the animal to die in my place). that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. Notice how the sacrifice is the substitutionary sacrifice to atone for him. 5He Not the priest, but the person who brings the animal. According to the sages, this teaches us that anyone can perform shekita (slaughter of an animal), not just a priest or a rabbi. shall slay the young bull before the Lord; and Aarons sons the priests shall offer up bring near In order to bring near the blood they must put the blood into a servant vessel. The servant vessel sanctifies all of its contents and includes them within the sphere of the Sanctuary.2 the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. The life is in the blood. The shedding of blood goes to the remission of sins. 6He There is disagreement as to whether this is the person who brought the animal or the priest who performed the last function who is the one referred to here. The reason to believe that it is the person who made the offering is that the next three phrases call out the action of the priests. The reason to believe it is the priest is the proximity of this action to the preceding one associated with the priest. shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. The skin is the outer covering, that which is seen in the world. It represents all of Israel. It is to be cut up into its parts, not randomly or however one sees fit. Therefore, a natural part should not be dissected into smaller parts. In this way we see that each part represents a function within the body of Messiah, and that each function and part of the body of Messiah is important and redeemed. 7The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar They were not to put fire from outside on the altar, but fire that was a part of the fire that descended from the heavens, from HaShem. If we look at Nadab and Abahu their sin was strange fire. There sin was rooted from their interpretation of this passage, instead of the intended interpretation and application of this passage. Lev 10:1-2 1Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. and arrange wood on the fire. The wood is to be on the fire. The fire exists before the wood is put there. 8Then Aarons sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, The pieces or parts of the animal. Sheep were broken into 10 parts (beside the intestines and lower legs) and carried by two Cohen in two groups of 5. the head and the suet The Hebrew word here is Pe Dalet Resh. The expression Pe Dalet Resh, which means at-parts, is a translation of the word Pe Resh Dalet, i.e. the same letters in reverse order. This is an allusion to the fact that these fat-parts separate (Pe Dalet Resh) between the lower and upper intestines. Bachya Ben Asher, Vol 5, pg 1481. It is interesting to see how we must delve deeply into the Torah to see how it reveals what is meant. So often we want to just sit back and expect it to jump off the page to us. Gen 3:17-19 17Then to Adam He said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat from it; cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you
2

Ibid pg 23.

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will eat of it all the days of your life. 18Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; 19by the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. While this judgment passed upon mankind in Genesis here has a physical reality to it, it also has a spiritual reality. We know that bread relates to the Torah therefore we can see from this passage that because of the sin of man that from that point on it will require work to harvest the depths of the Torah and the truth of HaShems Salvation. This is the first aspect of the veil that will be over our eyes in regards to HaShems Torah and Salvation. over the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. 9Its entrails, This is the inner part of anything. It is the inner being where ones moral disposition, affections and desires are found. This is where the Torah would be put by HaShem in Jer 31:33. however, and its legs This word can mean to bow or to bend. Physically, it is used to refer to the leg from the knee down. Yeshua washed the disciples feet, in John 13. Yeshua did to His disciples what the Cohen does to the lamb offered in the Temple here. He was saying that this sacrifice is all about the work He is doing in His sacrifice. he shall wash with water. These that are washed with water teach us that in eternity it is our inner being and our walk that will be perfect, because of the sacrifice of The Lamb. And the priest shall offer up in smoke all of it on the altar for a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma We see that HaShem loves the repentant sinner. to the Lord. Man is the one who derives the benefit and it is HaShem who delights in our obedience before HaShem. (Bachya notes this on pg 1481-1482 when he says, According to the plain meaning of the text the entire purpose of the legislation concerning animal -sacrifices is for mans benefit. Gd takes a delight in His most perfect creation, i.e. man, for whose sake the entire universe has been createdIf, perchance, man does commit a sin it is appropriate that he repent and recognize his inadequacy vis -a vis his Creator whose will he transgressed. Such a sinner must turn inward recognizing that the sin he committed affected both his body and his spirit. Seeing that everything man does involves three components, the physical deed, the planning, and his power of speech, i.e. communicating his thoughts, the Torah commanded man to bring a sacrifice to atone for his sin and to place his hands (weight) on the sacrificial animal in order to atone for the physical action involved in the sin committed. He has to confess the sin with words in order to make up for having misused the power of speech given to him when he committed a sin. He has to burn up the inner organs of the animal including the kidneys, seat of his thoughts, in order to make up for the faulty thinking which resulted in his committing a sin. In this manner the atonement will involve three stages just as commission of the sin involved three separate pars of his personality. Strictly speaking, the sinners own blood should have been sprinkled on the altar in order for him to obtain forgiveness; however, by performing the rites set out by the Torah, Gd, in His generosity, accounts this for the sinner as if his own blo od had been sprinkled on the altar. Man is to think of these procedures in those terms when his sin-offering is being burned up. We know that we should have paid this price but we know that the offerings are our act of obedience, acknowledging our sin, taking ownership of our sin, and accepting that either I am going to personally pay the price for my sins or HaShem will through the Messiah. While the sages get so close to seeing the need for the Messiah to atone for our sins, they do stop just short. If we look at Scripture we see however that our sin causes one thing that is often neglected by many sages, the curse of the Torah. The only way the curse can be taken care of is by having one who has not sinned, die in our place on a stake becoming cursed for us. He can in this way create a credit that can be applied to whomever accepts it. We know this is-was done by Yeshua, the Messiah. When we smell the spices at Havdalah, it is to remind us of the sacrifices that were offered in the Mishkan and Temple and that to obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Sam 15:22-23 22Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings (Olah) and sacrifices (Zebach sacrifice) as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion (4805 mri A masculine noun meaning obstinacy, stubbornness, rebelliousness. The term consistently stays within this tight semantic range and most often describes the Israelites determined refusal to obey the precepts laid down by the Lord in His Law or Torah. This characteristic attitude was a visible manifestation of their hard hearts. Moses had the Book of the Law placed beside the ark of the covenant to remain there as a witness against the Israelites rebelliousness after he died (Deut. 31:27; Num. 17:10[25]). The Lord rejected Saul as king over Israel because of his rebellion against the command the Lord had earlier given him (1 Sam. 15:23). Continually in Ezekiel, the Lord refers to Israel as the house of rebelliousness (= rebellious people; Ezek. 2:58; 3:9, 26, 27; 12:2, 3, 9).3) is as the sin of divination, and insubordination (6484 A verb meaning to peck at, to press, to push. It indicates a literal
3

Baker, W. (2003, c2002). The complete word study dictionary : Old Testament (669). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

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physical push against someone (Gen. 19:9); figuratively, it refers to urging someone (Gen. 33:11) to do something (Judg. 19:7). In a negative sense, it refers to rebellion against someone, arrogance (1 Sam. 15:23).4) is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king. The comparisons of rebellion to divination and arrogance or insubordination to iniquity and idolatry are very strong. The context here is with Saul and Israel doing most of what HaShem commanded, thinking they had done what He commanded by doing most of it. What we see is that HaShem does not allow us to do only most, but all of what He has commanded us. We also see that when we dont do it all because of our obstinacy, stubbornness, arrogance and insubordination that we have created ourselves as our own god, greater than HaShem, therefore we have entered into divination, iniquity and idolatry. Rabbi David Kimchi (Redak) explains the parallel between rebellion and divination, thus. Just as one who divines, commits a grave sin because he removes his trust from the Almighty and seeks other sources to determine his future, so, one who rebels against the Lords command, removes his belief in the Lords power to reward and punish. Similarly, just as an idolator (sic) denies the Lords rule over the Universe, so, one who is stubborn and disobedient also denies Gds authority. Judaica Books of the Prophets, The book of Samuel 1, Judaica Press, pg 126. For example, when we create our own definitions for kashrut and Shabbat doing and not working for some reason and do not press into scripture to find out what HaShems definitions of those things are, we often are entering into the very sins highlighted in this passage. This is because our reasons are often rooted in our pride, arrogance, and willful ignorance so that we can claim we didnt know when in fact He has defined it for us. If we look at the sins of man we see that it affects both his body and his spirit. From there we see that there are 3 components to sin, the planning, the communication (to take them from conception to action) and the act. The weight of the man on the animal is for the physical act of sin. He is to confess his sin with words while he slaughters the animal to atone for the communication of the sin within himself and he is to burn up all the inner parts of the animal for the planning, thoughts, conceiving of sin that took place. From this we learn that if the inner planning of the sin, the heart is not addressed before the offering is brought to the altar, the animals death is for naught. Man must address and repent of all aspects of the sin and accept responsibility for all aspects of the sin and then he can bring his offering. In Tanchuma Shelach 14 the sages see the connection between animal sacrifice and Abraham with his son and the ram. They see that the ram was offered in lieu of. We also see that the soothing aroma of the sacrifice reflects HaShems love for the sinne r who repents and accepts His substitutionary sacrifice, the Promised Seed. In the verses that follow we see that the flock and birds are mentioned. The animals are mentioned in descending order of their value and cost. The reason is that the person who is going to the tabernacle should desire to offer the greatest animal he can. The one offering the bird should yearn to offer a lamb or an ox, etc. Regardless, we are to see a correlation between our sin and the price paid for our sin. That our sin does have a cost and that regardless of the price paid, it is not adequate to pay our debt in full before HaShem. 10But if his offering is from the flock, of the sheep or of the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer it a male without defect. The offering being without defect makes it clear that the curse of the Law must be paid for by one who is without defect, without sin. 11He shall slay it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord, The sages note that light originates in the east as the sun rises in the east, the beneficial dew and rains come from the south and the snow, hail, cold and heat and normal rains are said to come from the west. From this they see that the north is reserved for HaShem. It is said to represent His attribute of justice. It is interesting to note that a compass points to the North also. and Aarons sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 12He shall then cut it into its pieces with its head and its suet, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. Notice how the wood is on the fire and that it is the fire that is on the altar. The fire is not originating from the wood, but rather the wood is on the fire. We also see that the offering is to be placed on the wood. In this way we see that the offering when put on the wood (representing the cross or stake), when the offering is without defect, is holy before HaShem. It is consumed by the fire representing the glory of HaShem and His judgment. Remember in the end of days the earth and all that is in it will be judged and renewed through fire. When the fire consumes the wood and offering it ascends in smoke to HaShem. 13The entrails, however, and the legs he shall wash with water. And the entrails and the legs He shall wash with water. When Yeshua washed the feet of the disciples He was acting as the priest and showing them their connection to the sheep that are offered up on the wood of the altar. In this case He was also showing how He was the substitute offering and just as He washed their feet in the physical, so too He would cleanse them of their sins both on both levels, on the inside represented by the entrails and seen represented by the legs. And the priest shall offer all of it, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; The smoke on the altar
4

Baker, W. (2003, c2002). The complete word study dictionary : Old Testament (913). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.

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serves to remind us of the pillar of cloud and fire that led us in the wilderness, the resurrection after death and being ushered into His presence for judgment and that we are to be wholly committed to HaShem just as the animal that is sacrificed is wholly committed to the offering. it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. In doing this, the person is presented before HaShem. 14But if his offering The singular form here teaches us that the sacrifice of drawing near is the individual responsibility. Yet we see in v2 how it starts out with the plural to teach us that all of Israel does bring the sacrifice of drawing near to HaShem. to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the turtledoves or from young pigeons. Turtle doves are to be mature when offered. Turtle doves and pigeons mate for life. In this way they teach us about our relationship to HaShem. We are to have no other mate, deity, than Him. We are to be His bride. While mature turtle doves are to be offered we see that mature pigeons may not be offered up, only young ones. This is because older ones have developed a sense of jealousy, having mated, and therefore represent the opposite of attachment. Jealousy is the cause of separation, friction, etc.: it is not a characteristic we wish to draw attention to when offering a sacrifice to Gd. When pigeons are offered, they halakhah insists that they be young ones which have not yet mated. Bachya ben Asher, vol 5 pg 1493. Chickens are not listed as they mate indiscriminately. 15The priest shall bring it One bird is an acceptable offering. to the altar, and wring off its head The animal is not to be strangled nor its head twisted off. The head is to be killed by decapitation of the head by pinching. The sages teach that this was accomplished with the fingernail of the Cohen. and offer it up in smoke on the altar; and its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. 16He shall also take away its crop The innards of the bird. As the domesticated animals of the flock and herd are offered up and their innards are to be washed, this is because we have fed and cared for them. But the innards of the birds are not washed as they took their own food. We only provided them their resting places. As they took their own food it is as if it is stolen. As such this teaches us that HaShem just as HaShem wants no part of the body that contains that which is stolen or is impure, so too He separates Himself from those who are guilty of sin. We are to make restitution or make it right with our brother before we bring our offering to HaShem. Matt 5:21-24 21You have heard that the ancients were told, You shall not commit murder and Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, You good-for-nothing, shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, You fool, shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. We see how v23-24 are taken from rabbinic interpretations of passages like this one in Lev 1. with its feathers with its contents, This teaches us that our sin and all that was acquired by our sin will be purged from before HaShem and only that which is done in righteousness is a treasure before HaShem. and cast it beside the altar eastward, Representing the place where the sun rises, showing that HaShem has no regard for the sun gods and that they are not worthy of our worship. to the place of the ashes. 17Then he shall tear it by its wings, This is the corner, kanaph, and some see it as feathers. The feathers do not need to be removed from the bird. What this causes is an abundance of smoke. In this way it makes the offering of the poor man look larger or substantial. In this way the smoke of the bird is not lost in the smoke of the wood or other fats on the altar. In this way we see that HaShem regards the poor as He does the wealthy and that what matters is not their net worth here on earth, but their hearts. As this animal has already been slaughtered and bled, this does not render the bird unkosher. but shall not sever it. The kanaph of a garment is where the tzitzit are attached. In splitting it at the kanaph we see that we suffer the consequences of our sins and that the Messiah must pay the price for our sins. The bird offering in this way is directly linked to our sins in a very graphic way. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. Lev 2:1-16 1Now when anyone Nefesh is the Hebrew word here. It is a word used to describe a soul and sometimes a breath. presents a grain offering The person who would bring a meal offering is amongst the most poor as this is the least expensive offering. There are five kinds of meal offerings mentioned in the first 10 verses here. All are to be of wheat flour, must be salted, must not be leavened or made with fruit honey. The difference in the grain offerings is the preparation. 1. Solet 1/10 efah of fine flour, together with a log of oil and incense. vv1-3 2. Challot 10 cakes of fine flour mixed with oil and baked in an oven v4 3. Rekikim 10 wafers of fine flour rubbed and baked in an oven v4
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4. Machabat Crispy wafers of fine flour mixed with oil and fried in oil in a shallow frying pan that was in the temple. Vv5-6 5. Marcheshet Wafers of fine flour mixed with oil and deep fried in oil in a deep frying pan that was in the temple vv7-10 as an offering to the Lord, Even the offering of the very poor is presented before HaShem and HaShem regards it as if he had offered his own life, nefesh. his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour oil on it Unlike the menorah, any quality of olive oil is acceptable to use as long as it was of a cooking grade or better. and put frankincense on it. The frankincense is not mixed into all of the meal offering. According to Rashi, the oil was put on all the flour but only a small part of the flour had incense placed on it. This appears to be the fist full that is to be burnt up for HaShem. 2He shall then bring it to Aarons sons the priests; and shall take from it his handful a full hand This is not to be a measured amount by use of a measuring cup. It is to be based on how much fits into the priests single hand closed over the top by three fingers. of its fine flour and of its oil with all of its frankincense. Here it seems that the priest is to mix the frankincense into the meal offering. If this were the case then the frankincense would be in a separate container when it was placed on the fine flour and oil. There is some confusion in this regard according to the sages. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke as its memorial portion on the altar, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. We have and will continue to see this phrase repeated in regards to many offerings. This is to teach us that it is the quality of the offering, the intention of the one bringing it to dedicate it to HaShem, not the quantity or the dollar value of the offering that HaShem values. We see also that it is a memorial on the altar. Our prayers and alms today serve as a memorial before HaShem as well as we see in Acts 10. Acts 10:1-4 1Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 3About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, Cornelius! 4And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Hos 14:1-2 1Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. 2Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit (bulls) of our lips. Our prayers from the heart are an important part of the sacrifice. If one is unable to offer a physical sacrifice, one must still offer the bulls of his lips to HaShem. The sacrifice of our prayers is a commanded part of each sacrifice. 3The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: If it had frankincense in it, it does not appear as it would be good for eating. a thing most holy, of the offerings to the Lord by fire. It is a holy of holies of HaShems fire offering. HaShem has the priest partake of the most holy portion of the offering by fire yet it was not consumed on the altar. By this we see that when the priest is offering up the offering prayer is to offered up at the same time by the one offering it to HaShem as well as by the priest. 4Now when you bring an offering of a grain offering baked in an oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil. 5If your offering is a grain offering made on the griddle, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil; 6you shall break it into bits and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7Now if your offering is a grain offering made in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8When you bring in the grain offering which is made of these things to the Lord, it shall be presented to the priest and he shall bring it to the altar. The priest serves as the mediator between the one bringing the offering and HaShem. The entire amount is brought up to the altar but only a small portion is actually consumed in the fire of the altar. Most was for the priests to consume. 9The priest then shall take up from the grain offering its memorial portion, and shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord. All of the grain offerings are a memorial and are to be soothing aroma to HaShem. 10The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons: a thing most holy of the offerings to the Lord by fire. And all of them, the remainder is for the priesthood and that portion is the holy of holies of the offering by fire to HaShem. Note that failing to pull out the prescribed amount does not permit the other portion to be the holy of holies of the offering. 11No grain offering, which you bring to the Lord, Now we see additional specification that apply to all of the grain offerings. shall be made with leaven, The exception to this is Shavuot where it is required to be leavened. for you shall not offer up in smoke any leaven or any honey This is fruit honey. as an offering by fire Fruit honey represents the hedonist and the selfish and leaven represents one who is proud, arrogant, puffed up, one who does not submit to authority. Both of these are prohibited as we are to be likened to the unleavened bread, quick to do mitzvoth and completely submitted to HaShem and those He has placed over us. In this we also see that even those in leadership are to be submitted to leaders over them. to the Lord. Honey is prohibited as it is said to represent one who lives for his own pleasures and leavened breads are prohibited as they are said to represent one who is proud and puffed up. 12As an offering of first fruits you shall bring them This is how we know that the verse before is referring to fruit and not bee honey as fruit honey is to be brought as a first fruits offering. to the Lord, but they shall not ascend for a soothing aroma on the altar. First Fruits offerings are not to be
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burned up on the altar. 13Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering; Challah on Shabbat is often dipped in salt three times to remind us of the covenant of salt. Salt is interesting as it does not lose its flavor unless it is made cold. Matt 24:12-13 12Because lawlessness is increased, most peoples love will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Matt 5:13 You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. Grain relates to the Torah and commandments and the salt is a reminder of the covenant of the first born, Yeshua. When we dip bread into salt we are reminded that our ability to do acts of obedience is dependent not only on HaShems Salvation but on our motive being one of a desire to please HaShem because of His Salvation. When we do an act of obedience with a wrong motive, it is still sin. It takes both the action and the motive being right for it to be obedience. with all your offerings you shall offer salt. Meat offerings were to be salted as well. From this we learn that a part of the proper procedure for kosher butchering is to salt the meat. This is not just to act as a preservative or as a natural antibiotic but its main focus is the Messiah. When we butcher our animals and prepare them to become edible kosher meat we learn all about the salvation of the Messiah. Salting meat teaches us that it is the death of the Messiah that allows us to enter into any level of obedience to Him. He is the one who preserves us and He is the one who allows us to enter into His Torah. It is through His sacrifice that we can enter into His peace and into His covenant of salvation. It is in His covenant that we set aside our own agendas and become submitted to Him and the authorities He has placed over us. When we rebel against any authority we are rebelling against HaShem. As He is the one who appoints all authority. Mark 9:50 Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have s alt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another. 2 Chr 13:1-18 1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 2He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mothers name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3Abijah began the battle with an army of valiant warriors, 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with 800,000 chosen men who were valiant warriors. 4Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel: 5Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? 6Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master, 7and worthless men gathered about him, scoundrels, who proved too strong for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when he was young and timid and could not hold his own against them. 8So now you intend to resist the kingdom of the LORD through the sons of David, being a great multitude and having with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made for gods for you. 9Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and made for yourselves priests like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, even he may become a priest of what are no gods. 10But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken Him; and the sons of Aaron are ministering to the LORD as priests, and the Levites attend to their work. 11Every morning and evening they burn to the LORD burnt offerings and fragrant incense, and the showbread is set on the clean table, and the golden lampstand with its lamps is ready to light every evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have forsaken Him. 12Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you will not succeed. 13But Jeroboam had set an ambush to come from the rear, so that Israel was in front of Judah and the ambush was behind them. 14When Judah turned around, behold, they were attacked both front and rear; so they cried to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15Then the men of Judah raised a war cry, and when the men of Judah raised the war cry, then it was that God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16When the sons of Israel fled before Judah, God gave them into their hand. 17Abijah and his people defeated them with a great slaughter, so that 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain. 18Thus the sons of Israel were subdued at that time, and the sons of Judah conquered because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their fathers. John 19:10-11 10So Pilate said to Him, You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to rel ease You, and I have authority to crucify You? 11Jesus answered, You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin. Rom 13:1-10 1Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3For rulers are not a
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cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for c onscience sake. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. 8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9For this, YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET, and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Col 1:16, 2:9-10 16For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him. 9For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 1 Tim 2:1-6 1First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. Titus 3:1-8 1Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 3For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. 1 Peter 2:12-25 12Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13Submit yourselves for the Lords sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. 18Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. (5021 lit.: crooked, false. Unscrupulous, corrupt, morally crooked, perverse, wicked, unjust) 19For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls. 2 Peter 2:4-10 4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8(for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the
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unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. 14Also if you bring a grain offering of early ripened things (first fruits) to the Lord, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things. This is specifically addressing the first fruits offering of barley at Pesach on Bikurim. Yeshua is the bikurim brought forth from the earth as noted in 1 Cor 15:20 and 23.. This is the only barley offering in the Mishkan. All other grain offering were of wheat. Barley was used here as it is the first to ripen in Israel. Therefore it would be ready for Pesach. 15You shall then put oil on it and lay incense on it; it is a grain offering. 16The priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of its grits and its oil with all its incense as an offering by fire to the Lord. Each offering represents not only Yeshuas work of salvation of us, but our commitment to Him because of His Salvation. Dr Ketriel Blad notes: Personal Application of the Meal Offering The animals offered in the olah offering represent human life. When one dedicates an animal to be completely consumed by fire, one sends a message to the Eternal that says, "I belong to you completely". The ascension offering represents our total dedication. The produce offered in the Minchah offering represents man's work. When we give these products to the Eternal, we say, "My work belongs completely to you". The meal offering represents our work before the Eternal. The ascension offering is not eaten, but the largest part of the meal offering was eaten by the priests. Only one handful was offered on the altar together with the incense. This teaches us that the work that we do for the Eternal is expressed mainly through our service to the leaders he has placed over us. The incense represents prayer and worship to the Eternal, see Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8. The fact that all the incense had to be given to the Eternal teaches us that we cannot give worship or pray to men, but only the Eternal. The Gentile man Cornelius, prayed prayers to the Eternal and gave gifts to the Jewish people. This was received as a minchah offering in heaven, as it is written in Acts 10:4, "He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, 'What is it, Lord?' He said to him, 'Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before Eloha.'"(HNV revised) One cannot serve the Eternal without serving people, and especially the leaders that the Eternal has put into place, as it is written in 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, "Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of Eloha which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia; how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality. For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the sanctified ones. This was not only as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of Eloha."(HNV revised) First of all, they gave themselves to the Lord, which is the olah offering, total dedication to the Eternal. Then they gave themselves to the shaliachs, the messengers, whom the Eternal had placed over them. One cannot be completely dedicated to the Eternal without serving and submitting to those leaders whom the Eternal has put in place. There can be dedication and submission to leaders without dedication to the Eternal, but there can be no dedication to the Eternal without submission to leadership. One who has given himself completely to the Eternal will automatically submit to the leadership the He has put into place. It is impossible to the faithful to the Eternal without being faithful to his messengers and mediator. It is impossible to be faithful to the Eternal while denying Yeshua, who has been placed by Him as Lord over all. Those who believe that they can come to the Father without going through Yeshua are denying the order that the Father has instituted. It is the same with the servants that Yeshua the Messiah has given to his assembly, see Ephesians 4:11. In Leviticus 2:4, it is written that the wafers of the minchah offering must be unleavened. Yeast symbolizes evil and hypocrisy. This teaches us that when we serve the Eternal and his leaders, it must be honestly, purely, without evil, without personal motives, without hypocrisy, without self-promotion, without pride, without hidden agendas, without the desire to be seen, and without the desiring better position. The minchah offering symbolizes our works. When our works are not perfect, they have yeast in them, as it is written in Revelation 3:2, "Wake up, and keep the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my Eloha."(HNV revised) The works that please the Father are the Messiah's works, as it is written in Revelation 2:26, "He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations."(HNV)
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It says "my works". It is talking about Mashiach's works, not works that man has come up with, but those that Eloha has ordered. Those works are minchah offerings that are pleasing to the Eternal. In 1 Corinthians 3:12-13, it is written, "But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; each man's work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will test what sort of work each man's work is."(HNV) We see here that our works will be tested by fire. If they are works that have been done with good materials, then we will receive a reward. If they are works of bad materials, we will lose that reward on the Day of Judgment. This is not talking about salvation, because salvation, the entrance into the coming kingdom, is not a reward. Salvation is given by grace and reward is given because of works. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, it is written, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."(HNV) Here it is written that work IN the Lord is not in vain. It does not say FOR the Lord, but IN the Lord. Perfect works are those that are done IN the Lord, led by the Spirit of the Eternal in obedience to his commandments. In John 4:23-24, it is written, "But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. Eloha is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."(HNV revised) The Father seeks worshippers. A worshipper is one who has given himself completely to Him; one who has gone through the olah experience. Only one who has gone through the olah can serve the Eternal with his works. That is why the olah offering is given before the minchah offering. The Eternal seeks hearts who are dedicated and willing to do his will, as it is written in 2 Chronicles 16:9a, "For the eyes of HaShem run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him."(HNV revised) Lev 3:1-17 1Now if his offering is a sacrifice This word means to slaughter or to kill. It is Zebach in Hebrew. The usual word for to slaughter is shechitah. It is important to note that of the five times that the word sacrifice is in a possessive form, it is always this the word Zebach. When it is possessive, it is always My sacrifice as in referring to HaShems sacrifice. In the Torah we see it twice. Ex 23:18 and 34:25. In both instances it says that we are not to slaughter My slaughter with chametz and in both cases it is followed by the prohibition to cook a young animal in its mothers milk. Ex 23:17-19 17Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD. 18You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor is the fat of My feast to remain overnight until morning. 19You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God. You are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother. Ex 34:23-26 23Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel. 24For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders, and no man shall covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the LORD your God. 25You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread, nor is the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover to be left over until morning. 26You shall bring the very first of the first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mothers milk. Later in Lev 19:5 we see that we are the ones who are to slaughter the slaughter of shlamim to HaShem so that we will be accepted (by HaShem). In order for the offering to be offered up without chametz, it must be done without malice or hatred. This makes it clear that it is those who are redeemed who have sacrificed the Messiah, and those who are not redeemed are guilty of murdering the Messiah. Lev 19:5-8 5Now when you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. From this we see that IF we do not offer up the peace offering to HaShem, we will not be accepted. This word for accepted also means pleasure, delight; favor, or acceptable. If we are to be praying before HaShem and our incense be a pleasing aroma before Him, we must begin with ourselves, then the content of our prayer. If we are displeasing before HaShem, then our prayers will be displeasing before Him. 6It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and the next day; but what remains until the third day shall be burned with fire. This teaches us that the Messiah, who died on a Friday afternoon, rose on a Saturday night. Friday being day one, Saturday being day two and Saturday night being day three. 7So if it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an offense; it will not be accepted. We see that just as the Temple will be rebuilt in the third day, Yeshua was talking of the third millennia following His death and resurrection, that is when the third temple will be presented. At that time, it will be too late to partake of His salvation. We must offer up HaShem as our shlamim offering before He returns in order to be redeemed. From this verse we also learn that we can retroactively cause what was a holy action to be unholy. In the same way, we see that if the blood of
Rabbi Yoseph Moshe Katznelson 12 of 14 Roots of the Messiah, www.rootsofthemessiah.com 5773 01 05 VaYikra color code: commentary, scripture, alternate translation, definition of Heb. or Greek word, # = Strongs number, added English word, word missing in English, large quote from another source.

an animal that is to be consumed is not poured out on the ground, it renders the animal un-kosher. We also see the covenantal importance of not eating, cooking or deriving a benefit from the combination of milk and meat. We present the Messiah as the anti-Messiah when we partake of, cook, or benefit from the two together. 8Everyone who eats it will bear his iniquity, Those who try to stand before HaShem on the Day of Judgment and tries to accept His salvation then, will bear his own iniquity as it is too late to accept the Messiahs offering. for he has profaned Kalal, means to profane, to pierce (unto death). the holy thing of the LORD; These two nouns are in the construct form. It is saying that the one who tries to partake of HaShems salvation when they stand before HaShem are actually profaning or are guilty of piercing unto death the Holy One of HaShem with malice and hatred. and that person shall be cut off from his people. This tells us that the Jew who does not accept Yeshua as their Messiah, will be cut off from his people in eternity. of peace offerings, Shlamim, translated here as peace offerings means forms of peace. According to the Artscroll Tikkun, it indicates that this offering brings peace into the world. This is the result of everyone getting a share in the shelamim: Some parts of it are burnt on the Altar; others are given to the Kohanim to eat; and the rest is eaten by the owner, his family and his guests.5 Yeshua is our peace offering as noted in Eph 2:13ff. In the laws regarding this offering we learn a bit about the offering of the Messiah. More will be seen next week with Lev 7:11ff. Eph 2:10-22 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, To work the Torah and its commandments. which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 11Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by the so-called Circumcision, which is performed in the flesh by human hands 12remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. The blood of Christ is a reference to His sacrifice on the cross. 14For He Himself is our peace, This is literally the peace ours. The peace what? The peace offering. who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, 15by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, The law of sin and death was broken down so that salvation is available to all peoples. Note, it always was and always will be available to all peoples. Paul is just making the point that it is through the work of the Messiah on the cross that those who are lost can be redeemed. It is not through the work or acknowledgement of man. which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. The enmity is caused by one claiming to be Gods people because of their birth and the other being on the outside. However, those who are on the outside are brought in to be Gods people through the salvific work of the Messiah on the cross. Now there is no room for enmity as both have a right to be called Gods people. However, if those who are born Jewish do not accept the sacrifice of the Messiah for their salvation, they will be cut off by HaShem in the end. 17AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; Yeshua came to offer salvation through His sacrifice to both the Jew and the Gentile. Those who reject it in this life, will not have it in the world to come. 18for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. Therefore, apart from Him no one has access to HaShem. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of Gods household, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles Such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Note, the context and audience would not think that this is saying that they are not fellow citizen with the holy hones and are of Gods household (i.e. His sons) having been built on the foundation of Paul and the disciples. This concept would be foreign to them. and prophets, The Prophets would include Isaiah, Jerimiah, etc. , not Peter, John, etc. Remember they have a section of sacred writings that is called the Prophets. This is who they would be thinking of, including Moshe. Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, Remember our studies of Ex 25-40. The construction of the Mishkan so that HaShem can dwell in us and how we are to be the Mishkan. In this way we see that Yeshua is the corner stone upon which we are to be built just as the actual Mishkan in the wilderness was built upon Him. 22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. if he is going to offer out of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect For the Messiah to our Shlamim offering before the face of HaShem, He must be without sin. If we find that He has sinned, then He is disqualified from being our offering. before the LORD. This offering is able to be partaken of by all peoples, even those outside of the Temple. It is therefore seen as necessary for not only all the people, but also for the priests to partake of. In this way we see that HaShems salvation is necessary and available to all peoples. Thus it clearly represents a distinctive mode of sacrifice
5

Tikkun, The Kestenbaum Edition, Artscroll, pg 229

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whose presentation expressed its purpose: to afford the worshipers the experience of joining together with the priests in a sacred meal at which God Himself was perceived to be the honored guest(T)he meaning of the word shelamim as a sacrifice intended to reaffirm the covenant between God and the Israelite people.6 2He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering This symbolizes a transference of sin or more importantly the consequence for sin. and slay it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, And it is then slaughtered as a substitutionary offering. The Doorway of the tent of Meeting represents it being offered before we enter into the tent of meeting. In this way we see that we are to offer it up before we enter before HaShem in His holy temple in the world to come. If it (HE) is slaughtered with malice or hatred, we are guilty of His murder. and Aarons sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood around on the alt ar. His offering is the offering that holies everything. Remember it is the sacrifice that sanctifies the altar. (Ex 29:37) 3From the sacrifice of the peace offerings he shall present an offering by fire to the LORD, Then the offering is presented before HaShem. He always gets the first fruits. Later in Lev we see that the priests then get their portion and then the one bringing the offering and his guests. the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 4and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. These fats are for the purpose of sustaining the animal in a time when food is scarce. Rav Hirsch says, it is the richness held in store for the animals use in a time of need. Hence, we also find chelev used as a metaphor for the richest, the choice, and the best as in Bemidbar 18:12; Tehillim 147:14; and Bereshis 45:18.7 These fats as we will see later are prohibited from human consumption. 5Then Aarons sons shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire; it is an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. He whose korban is a zebach shlamim seeks Gods closeness at the feast of his happiness; he wishes to enjoy his good fortune in the Presence of God. First he learns, through shechita and zeryicha (sprinkling), the fundamental condition for achieving this aim: He must transform his entire personality and cease living for himself alone. He must commit and devote himself totally to God and to the sacred national mission of fulfilling and understanding the Torah.8 6But if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD is from the flock, he shall offer it, male or female, without defect. The Pesach offering is fundamentally, a form of the zebach shlamim. 7If he is going to offer a lamb for his offering, This verse and in verse 12 we see address a lamb and a goat. This is to teach us that a lamb or a goat that were set aside for a Pesach offering, but were lost and were unable to offered at Pesach is to be brought as a shlamim and treated with all the laws of the shlamim and not the Pesach. then he shall offer it before the LORD, 8and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and slay it before the tent of meeting, and Aarons sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 9From the sacrifice of peace offerings he shall bring as an offering by fire to the LORD, its fat, the entire fat tail which he shall remove close to the backbone, and the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 10and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. 11Then the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire to the LORD. 12Moreover, if his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD, 13and he shall lay his hand on its head and slay it before the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 14From it he shall present his offering as an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 15and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. 16The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORDS. We are prohibited from partaking in that which is His. 17It is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall not eat any fat or any blood. Note that not all fat is prohibited from being eaten. The only fat that is prohibited from being eaten is the specified fat (chalev). The permitted fats, shuman, are the fats that are not prohibited according to Torah Law and definition. The removal of blood includes the pouring out of the blood when the animal has its throat slit (properly), the blood that is drained out from hanging, inclining and washing, and the blood that is removed by salting or by cooking over fire (note this must be done within 72 hours of slaughter of it must be frozen and then salted or cooked upon defrosting). No other blood or fat must be removed according to Torah law.

6 7

Levine, B. A. (1989). Leviticus. The JPS Torah commentary (14). Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society (Lev 3:3) The Hirsch Chumash, Sefer Vayikra Part 1, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch, Feldheim Publishers, pg 92 8 The Hirsch Chumash, Sefer Vayikra Part 1, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch, Feldheim Publishers, pg 92
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