Tazria/Metzora - Day #3

Tazria-Metzora  

She will conceive/Leper — תַזְרִיעַ־מְּצֹרָע

Torah Portion: Leviticus 12:1 - 15:33

 

Leviticus 13:40-54

13:40 “If a man’s hair has fallen from his head, he is bald. He is clean. 41 If his hair has fallen off from the front part of his head, he is forehead bald. He is clean. 42 But if a reddish-white plague is in the bald head or the bald forehead, it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head or his bald forehead. 43 Then the priest shall examine him. Behold, if the swelling of the plague is reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the body, 44 he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean. His plague is on his head.

45 “The leper in whom the plague is shall wear torn clothes, and the hair of his head shall hang loose. He shall cover his upper lip, and shall cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 All the days in which the plague is in him, he shall be unclean. He is unclean. He shall dwell alone. His dwelling shall be outside of the camp.

47 “The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it is a woolen garment, or a linen garment; 48 whether it is in warp or woof; of linen or of wool; whether in a leather, or in anything made of leather; 49 if the plague is greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the leather, or in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything made of leather; it is the plague of leprosy, and shall be shown to the priest. 50 The priest shall examine the plague, and isolate the plague for seven days. 51 He shall examine the plague on the seventh day. If the plague has spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in the skin, whatever use the skin is used for, the plague is a destructive mildew. It is unclean. 52 He shall burn the garment, whether the warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or anything of leather, in which the plague is, for it is a destructive mildew. It shall be burned in the fire.

53 “If the priest examines it, and behold, the plague hasn’t spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in anything of skin; 54 then the priest shall command that they wash the thing that the plague is in, and he shall isolate it seven more days.

Today’s Meditation:

Today, we read about leprosy or plague in a material item, such as clothing. The person is to isolate the clothing for seven days and then show it to the priest. If it still shows the plague, they are to burn it. This makes perfect sense. It shows that bacteria/germs can exist on other things. We learned a great deal about this when COVID-19 first emerged globally. We had to wash our clothing, clean surfaces, and be cautious about what we touched. We can take our learning from today's reading and apply it to dangerous pandemics.

Today’s Challenge:

It’s difficult to read about leprosy in this Torah Portion. But remember our Elohim cares about all aspects of our lives, then and now. He provided strict guidelines to prevent the spread of such diseases and infections. I challenge you to continue reading these portions of Scripture throughout the week. Think about how much Hashem loves us. Stay with it and don’t dismiss it all because it may not seem to apply to us today. Search your heart and seek revelation about how it does relate to our lives.

Shemini - Day #3

Shemini שְּׁמִינִי - Eighth  

Torah Portion: Leviticus 9:1-11:47

Leviticus 9:24–10:11

9:24 Fire came out from before Hashem, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

10:1 Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer, and put fire in it, and laid incense on it, and offered strange fire before Hashem, which He had not commanded them. 2 Fire came out from before Hashem, and devoured them, and they died before Hashem.

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Hashem spoke of, saying, ‘I will show myself holy to those who come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’”

Aaron held his peace. 4 Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Draw near, carry your brothers from before the sanctuary out of the camp.” 5 So they came near, and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had said.

6 Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons, “Don’t let the hair of your heads go loose, and don’t tear your clothes, so that you don’t die, and so that He will not be angry with all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which Hashem has kindled. 7 You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting, lest you die; for the anointing oil of Hashem is on you.” They did according to the word of Moses. 8 Then Hashem said to Aaron, 9 “You and your sons are not to drink wine or strong drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to make a distinction between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean. 11 You are to teach the children of Israel all the statutes which Hashem has spoken to them by Moses.”

Today’s Meditation:

Today, we read about fire. Fire comes from Hashem to burn an offering and fat on the altar. And fire comes from Hashem to devour two of Aaron’s sons. One fire is for obedience and the other for disobedience. Hashem does not take it lightly when His commandments are broken. Is there a reason in your life that Hashem might consider to “extinguish” you? Of course, He would not (I assume). But, after reading today’s Torah Scripture, it might be a good idea for all of us to do some self-examination and see if there is sin in our lives. Where are we not following His commandments? Confess, repent, and make it right.

Today’s Challenge:

In verse 9, we read that the priests were not to drink any wine before or after entering the Tabernacle. Hashem stresses the need to be clean before Him and to distinguish between common and uncommon. Just think about your own life. When you come before Hashem to pray and worship, have you examined your life and repented for sin? Do you have a problem with alcohol and are drinking at times that are not necessary? Speaking to you as a recovered alcoholic, I encourage you to deal with any issues you have today. Do not delay and get some help. Most importantly, ask Hashem to deliver you. I promise He will if you work at it.

Week of Pesach - Day #3

Torah Portion: Exodus 13:1-16  

Exodus 13:1-16

13:1 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is Mine.”

3 Moses said to the people, “Remember this day, in which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Hashem brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4 Today you go out in the month Abib. 5 It shall be, when Hashem brings you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day shall be a feast to Hashem. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you. No yeast shall be seen with you, within all your borders. 8 You shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘It is because of that which Hashem did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that Hashem’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Hashem has brought you out of Egypt. 10 You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.

11 “It shall be, when Hashem brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and will give it to you, 12 that you shall set apart to Hashem all that opens the womb, and every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have. The males shall be Hashem’s. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons. 14 It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall tell him, ‘By strength of hand Hashem brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, Hashem killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of livestock. Therefore, I sacrifice to Hashem all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes; for by strength of hand Hashem brought us out of Egypt.”

Today’s Meditation:

We are in the week of Unleavened Bread. It is a command not to eat any leaven for a week. I have to confess that when I went grocery shopping in preparation for this week, it was an awakening to how much better and fresher the food in my cart actually was. More fruit, vegetables, and healthy food. Food without yeast, right? That includes no cookies, cakes, pies, bread, noodles, etc. I can see how my family really doesn’t eat very healthily. This is going to change.  Maybe I should pretend every week is Unleavened Bread week and shop that way. Just being real with all of you. May Hashem bless you as you celebrate His feasts this week.

Tzav - Day #3

Tzav צַו - Command!  

Torah Portion: Leviticus 6:1-8:36

Leviticus 7:11–38

7:11 “‘This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which one shall offer to Hashem: 12 If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mixed with oil. 13 He shall offer his offering with the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving with cakes of leavened bread. 14 Of it, he shall offer one out of each offering for a heave offering to Hashem. It shall be the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings. 15 The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering. He shall not leave any of it until the morning.

16 “‘But if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow, or a free will offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice. On the next day, what remains of it shall be eaten, 17 but what remains of the meat of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire. 18 If any of the meat of the sacrifice of his peace offerings is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted, and it shall not be credited to him who offers it. It will be an abomination, and the soul who eats any of it will bear his iniquity.

19 “‘The meat that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten. It shall be burned with fire. As for the meat, everyone who is clean may eat it; 20 but the soul who eats of the meat of the sacrifice of peace offerings that belongs to Hashem, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from his people. 21 When anyone touches any unclean thing, the uncleanness of man, or an unclean animal, or any unclean abomination, and eats some of the meat of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to Hashem, that soul shall be cut off from his people.’”

22 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘You shall eat no fat, of bull, or sheep, or goat. 24 The fat of that which dies of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of animals, may be used for any other service, but you shall in no way eat of it. 25 For whoever eats the fat of the animal which men offer as an offering made by fire to Hashem, even the soul who eats it shall be cut off from his people. 26 You shall not eat any blood, whether it is of bird or of animal, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whoever it is who eats any blood, that soul shall be cut off from his people.’”

28 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 29 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘He who offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to Hashem shall bring his offering to Hashem out of the sacrifice of his peace offerings. 30 With his own hands, he shall bring the offerings of Hashem made by fire. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before Hashem. 31 The priest shall burn the fat on the altar, but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. 32 The right thigh you shall give to the priest for a heave offering out of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33 He among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right thigh for a portion. 34 For the waved breast and the heaved thigh I have taken from the children of Israel out of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel.’”

35 This is the consecrated portion of Aaron, and the consecrated portion of his sons, out of the offerings of Hashem made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister to Hashem in the priest’s office; 36 which Hashem commanded to be given to them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them. It is their portion forever throughout their generations. 37 This is the law of the burnt offering, the meal offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the consecration, and the sacrifice of peace offerings 38 which Hashem commanded Moses in Mount Sinai in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their offerings to Hashem in the wilderness of Sinai.

Today’s Meditation:

In today’s reading, we have specific instructions on consuming the offering meat after it has been offered and burned. In some cases, the person making the offering has the meat to eat (verses 11-15), and in other cases, the priests are entitled to it. What I find most valuable is that Hashem is not letting any of the offerings go to waste. Maybe you weren’t planning on giving up a useful animal until you realized you sinned. However, after you're commanded to do so, you can keep the cooked meat for up to two days. It seems pretty generous of Hashem to offer this back to you.

Today’s Challenge:

There are five offerings listed in this recent reading in Leviticus. They can be hard to understand because most of us do not live in a Jewish community where these offerings are made (and because there is currently no Temple in Jerusalem to offer them). So, the best we can do is research and learn. Today, I ask you to delve into the heart of this matter. We discussed yesterday that the central purpose of giving offerings was to draw closer to Hashem. We know this, that sins separate us from communing with Hashem. An offering of repentance and worship brings us back to Him. Just like in Temple times, you could bring an animal or meal offering; now you can bring a worship, prayer, or mitzvah offering to Hashem.

Vayikra - Day #3

Vayikra  וַיִּקְרָא - And He Called  

Torah Portion: Leviticus 1:1-5:26

Leviticus 2:7–16

2:7 If your offering is a meal offering of the pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8 You shall bring the meal offering that is made of these things to Hashem. It shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar. 9 The priest shall take from the meal offering its memorial, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Hashem. 10 That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy part of the offerings of Hashem made by fire.

11 “‘No meal offering which you shall offer to Hashem shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Hashem. 12 As an offering of first fruits, you shall offer them to Hashem, but they shall not rise up as a pleasant aroma on the altar. 13 Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your Elohim to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings, you shall offer salt.

14 “‘If you offer a meal offering of first fruits to Hashem, you shall offer for the meal offering of your first fruits fresh heads of grain parched with fire and crushed. 15 You shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it. It is a meal offering. 16 The priest shall burn as its memorial part of its crushed grain and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense. It is an offering made by fire to Hashem.

Today’s Meditation:

In verse 13, Hashem asks that the meal offering be seasoned with salt because of the salt covenant with Him. In ancient days, covenants were sealed with salt. Making a covenant was a way of confirming a relationship. Salt gives flavor. Some sages say it represents fire and water. In this journey of the Israelites to the Land He has given them, many covenants are being instituted. The covenant of following Torah is probably the largest. But in this small meal offering, we are reminded that we are in covenant with Hashem. And within that is great power and destiny.

Today’s Challenge:

Take some time today to think about what covenants or agreements you are in with Hashem. Are you following and obeying the covenant you have with Him regarding the Torah? Are you in a marriage where you made a marital covenant before Hashem? Are you in covenant with Hashem regarding the Sabbath? Do you honor and preserve it? Review your covenants today and recommit to following them. Worship and praise Hashem for your covenant relationship with Him. There is no other like it.

Vayakhel/Pekudei - Day #3

Vayakhel/Pekudei  ויקהל/פקודי   

Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38

Exodus 37:17-29 

37:17 He made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lamp stand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it. 18 There were six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lamp stand out of its one side, and three branches of the lamp stand out of its other side: 19 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower; so for the six branches going out of the lamp stand. 20 In the lamp stand were four cups made like almond blossoms, its buds and its flowers; 21 and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it. 22 Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole thing was one beaten work of pure gold. 23 He made its seven lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, of pure gold. 24 He made it of a talent of pure gold, with all its vessels.

25 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a cubit, and its width a cubit. Its height was two cubits. Its horns were of one piece with it. 26 He overlaid it with pure gold: its top, its sides around it, and its horns. He made a gold molding around it. 27 He made two golden rings for it under its molding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, for places for poles with which to carry it. 28 He made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold. 29 He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.

Today’s Meditation:

Today, we read about incense and light. It is crucial to have light in the Holy Place and incense to go up before Hashem. I think I read somewhere that the incense smoke penetrated through the curtains of the Holy of Holies, where the Shekinah glory rested, maybe to remind Hashem of the prayers of His people? Both seem necessary and pleasant. It reminds us that we are to be a light for Hashem and that our prayers should be like incense going before Him daily.

Today’s Challenge:

Everything is either overlaid with pure gold or made of pure gold—only the very, very best for Hashem. My challenge to you today is this: Are you giving your very best to Hashem? Do you study His Word, do you talk to Him, praise Him, and repent often for your mistakes? We know this. That Torah brings eternal life. I believe He created Torah as our service to Him as we live on this planet. By following His instructions for life, we draw closer to Him. We know Him better. Think of it this way. He created you, and He created the world you live in. Therefore, follow His instructions closely for living your life. It’s all part of the excellent package that Hashem offers.

Ki Tisa - Day #3

Ki Tisa  כִּי תִשָּׂא - When You Elevate  

Torah Portion: Exodus 30:11-34:35

Exodus 33:12–16

33:12 Moses said to Hashem, “Behold, You tell me, ‘Bring up this people,’ and You haven’t let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in Your sight, please show me Your way, now, that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight; and consider that this nation is Your people.”

14 He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

15 Moses said to Him, “If Your presence doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here. 16 For how would people know that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Isn’t it that You go with us, so that we are separated, I and Your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?”

Today’s Meditation:

Moses is leading thousands of His people into the Holy Land. What is he concerned about? He is interested in Hashem going with him. In fact, he says, “Don’t carry us up from here, if Your presence doesn’t go with me” (verse 15). That is really his only concern, that Hashem leads the way. It is the most significant task in the world, and he knows that he can’t do it without Him. Isn’t that how our lives should be? That we don’t go forward with any big decisions (and some small) without Hashem going before us? Think about it. If you are making critical changes in your life, be sure to invite Hashem to be with you and help you every step of the way.

Today’s Challenge:

In verse 13 of today’s reading, Moses says, “Please show me Your way, now, that I may know You.” It is essential to understand Hashem’s way. Sometimes it is very different from what we think we should do. Today, I challenge you to search out Hashem’s way in your life. Make sure you are on His path. If you don’t have peace in your heart, you aren’t in His will. When you include Hashem in the middle of your decision-making and when seeking your purpose, you will have total shalom peace.