Parasha "Kedoshim" (Holy ones) LEV 19:1-20:27

[Ben Avraham]

SHABBAT SHALOM: PARASHA "Kedoshim" (Holy ones)

LEV 19:1-20:27...................EZEKIEL 20:2-20...............1 PETER 1:13-16

We start this study with Adonai saying unto Moshe and to the rest of the people

"YE SHALL BE HOLY FOR I, YHVH YOUR GOD AM HOLY" This is not just a good idea, it is a command. When we look at the original Hebrew, we see something interesting;

ALEICHEM KAD_SHIM TEH'YOU KI KADOSH ANI (be ye holy for I AM holy) in the original Hebrew, the "O" in "KADOSH" is there, yet in the word "KADOSHIM" it is missing, the letter "O" is not there, although, it IS there, but in part. For those who are not familiar with the Hebrew letters, the letter "O" looks like an upside down golf club, with the golf ball sitting on top, in the original Hebrew, only the "golf ball" is there, the "golf club" (vav) is not.

Adonai uses the word " Kad_shim" when he refers to US, yet he uses the full word "Kadosh" when he refers to himself. The difference is a "full VAV" (complete "O") and the "lacking, or partial VAV" (only the top part of the vav "O") is seen. this top part is called the "dagesh" and it is shared with the letter "sheen" (W) If we were to say this on a singular basis, we can say that GOD is KADOSH, yet I am only KAD_SH.

The sages and ancient rabbis say that this is because we can never be completely HOLY, (set apart) since we are LACKING a complete sinless nature, we are born sinners, with a carnal sin nature, explaining the lacking of the letter "O", yet YHVH is completely HOLY, 100% no sin nature, so therefore, NOTHING is lacking in HIM, so therefore, the "vav" is written completely.

Being holy does not mean being SINLESS, since with our sin nature, it is impossible, we are always lacking stuff, like; self control, managing our tongues, temper, attitude, etc, we see our patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moshe, and others, David, Paul, Peter, they were considered "holy" unto God, yet Abraham was a liar (lied to Pharaoh) so was Isaac, did the same thing, Jacob had family issues, Moshe murdered, David sent word to murder Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, and committed adultery, Peter and Paul both had problems with anger, yet they were all "holy" set apart unto God's word, like ALL OF US ARE, so, if we say that we are "holy" we are speaking the truth, yet we have a loooooooong way to go

beyond the grave, we will be 'complete" and get the "vav" put into our holiness, so, for the time being we are only "HLY" we must be content with that.

The rest of this chapter, are a list of a variety of commandments, not so related one to another, we can look at a few:

verses 5-7. deal with eating sacrificial meats. Back then, you would bring an animal to the sanctuary, and offer it to the LORD, and the priest would get a portion and the rest you would bring home to your family, already BBQ roasted on the grill (sort of ), since there were no refrigerators back then, it was best to eat it all at one sitting, and on the second day, also, but NOT on the third, Perhaps the LORD saw too much risk of bacteria on the meat, and this was a health precaution. Could this also tie in with Yeshua's resurrection on the third day? something to think about.

verses 9-10, deal with leaving some crops for the poor and the those passing by, makes sense. They could go on your land and help themselves with the crops on the edge of your land, try that today and you might get shot, or get chased by a pit-bull.

verse 11 is a reminder of the Ten Commandments, gives a precise meaning of "profaning" (Chilull) in Hebrew, the name of GOD, which is "swearing falsely" o promising to do something, taking an oath, using God's name "I swear to God that I'll........." and not do it, that is profaning God's name.

verse 14 "You shall not curse the deaf nor put a stumbling block before the blind" we think of that and say, "why would anyone do that?" maybe they would just to be mean, however, we may have already did those things. When we talk in negative forms about someone and they are not there to hear, it is like "cursing the deaf" and when we are negative witnesses to others who are new believers in the LORD, we are "putting stumbling blocks before them" as they are new in the faith, there are many aspects that they can not SEE

"You shall not hate your neighbor in your heart" we should NEVER harbor hate towards anyone, however, if our neighbor is at fault in something, we do have the duty to REBUKE our neighbor, to show him or her their fault, and correct the person, in a kind way that is

"You shall not let your livestock breed with another kind. "You shall not sow your field with mixed seed" nor mix fabric, like Linen and wool together"

Today, we see mixed breeds everywhere, not so in Bible days, seems like "pure breed" animals were stronger and heartier. Sowing a field with mixed seed would extract too many chemicals and elements from the soil, thus depleting the soil of nutrients , Making clothing with mixed linen (or cotton) with wool would cause the garment to ruin when washed, wool shrinks, and cotton doesn't, it would "pull-apart" yet today, we see most of our clothing is of mixed fabric, We really have gotten away from Bible basics

If we look at this in a spiritual sense, we could say that Adonai does not approve mixed, spiritual-faith unions, a believer with an unbeliever, un equally yoked, there is no common spiritual ground.

verse 23: "when you come into the land.......(read on) " talks about planting and harvesting fruit trees, for the first three years, you couldn't eat the fruit, it would drop off the tree and rot on the ground, the fourth year, it was considered "holy" separated and brought to the tabernacle for the priests, and in the fifth year, you could eat it, Why? the three years in which the fruit fell to the ground "re-fertilized" the ground, gave back to the ground the nutrients that the growing tree extracted when the fruit rotten and return to the soil. Makes perfect agronomic sense, any fruit orchard farmer and agricultural engineer would see this. Yet, is this practiced today? who knows, I hope so.

verse 28: "you shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor TATOO any marks on you, I AM YHVH! yet "tattoos" are the "in thing" today with many people, how far have we come from God's truth, when ever God says "I AM THE LORD" he is making a statement! serious stuff

verse 30: "you shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary, I AM THE LORD!

(serious statement) I don't think this needs explanation, we should be with our brothers and sisters in the faith on Shabbos, and learning God's Word in HIS house, and treat our synagogue/church with respect and honor ( common sense)

verse 32: "You shall honor the presence of an old man (also an old woman)' Yeah! I feel better already, I am one of those, if being "old" is past 60. I "feel" young though,

verses 33 and 34 deal with treating a stranger "fairly and not mistreated" that is talking about "immigrants" The USA opened the doors for almost 100 years at Ellis Island to all immigrants, even to my grandma and grandpa who came in the 1920s, from Athens, Greece, and before that, from Izmir, Turkey, fleeing from the Turkish-Armenian genocide. They were welcomed and came on the good ship "Prince Alexander" but today, many immigrants are being mistreated, separated from loved-ones, and sent back to their countries, how far have we come from obeying God's ! are we immune to judgment? I think not.

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EZEKIEL 20:2-20

We read the rebuke upon Israel by the Prophet Y'cheskel (Ezekiel) and rightly so, God made an oath to Israel, took them out of Egypt, made them HIS people, gave them his , and we read about their repayment, "rebellion" yet He still gave them a chance, and even today, we are HIS people and he gives us MANY CHANCES to get right with HIM, even as far as coming to earth in flesh and blood as YESHUA to be the sacrifice lamb, and die for our sins, yet people still reject Him, yet many accept him and have become "sons of God" (daughters too)
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1 PETER 1:13-16

Kefa writes this letter to the believers and repeats Lev 19, "Be ye holy for I AM holy"

and admonishes us all NOT to be conformed to our former lusts, the "pull" of the "old man" the "sinful nature" and to be conformed to our "new nature" which every born again believer has. It is a constant battle of the "spirit against the flesh" it goes on in all believers, but one day, the flesh will be buried, and we will take on a "new" body, without corruption, likened unto Messiah Yeshua, Baruch HaShem

Shabbat Shalom.................Rabbi Ben Avraham