Tazria/Metzora - Day #5

Tazria-Metzora  

She will conceive/Leper — תַזְרִיעַ־מְּצֹרָע

Torah Portion: Leviticus 12:1 - 15:33

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Leviticus 14:21-32 

14:21 “If he is poor, and can’t afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil for a meal offering, and a log of oil; 22 and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

23 “On the eighth day, he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, before Hashem. 24 The priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Hashem. 25 He shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering. The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 The priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand; 27 and the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Hashem. 28 Then the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering. 29 The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before Hashem. 30 He shall offer one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, which ever he is able to afford, 31 of the kind he is able to afford, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal offering. The priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before Hashem.” 32 This is the law for him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to afford the sacrifice for his cleansing.

Today’s Meditation:

Interesting that the blood the priest is placing on the individual healed of leprosy/infections is the same procedure Moses used to sanctify the Tabernacle for Aaron and the priests. We have talked about this before. The symbolism of these blood placements could mean the following. The blood on the right ear is to ensure that what you are listening to is not unholy. The blood on the right thumb is making sure that what you put your hands to (work, deeds) is also to be holy, not unholy. And applying blood to the right toe could mean you should be walking the path of holiness at all times, right alongside Hashem. Once again, Hashem is telling us that in all our ways, we should honor Him, obey Him, worship Him, and be holy as He is holy.

Today’s Challenge:

I challenge you today to reflect on the things you do in your life that are holy and those that are unholy. What kind of media/entertainment are you listening to? What kind of deeds are you putting your hands to? Where are the places that you walk to and through? Do you give honor and glory to Hashem for all these things? Or do you hide from Him when you know you are doing wrong? Today, try to start making things right in His sight. Try to walk, listen, and do as He would want you to.

Shemini - Day #5

Shemini שְּׁמִינִי - Eighth  

Torah Portion: Leviticus 9:1-11:47

Leviticus 10:16–20

10:16 Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burned. He was angry with Eleazar and with Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, 17 “Why haven’t you eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy, and he has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before Hashem? 18 Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”

19 Aaron spoke to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Hashem; and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been pleasing in Hashem’s sight?”

20 When Moses heard that, it was pleasing in his sight.

Today’s Meditation:

Aaron is not allowed to mourn for his sons, so he chooses not to eat the sin offering (verse 19), perhaps because he is sad or wants to fast. For whatever reason, it is definitely tied in with the death of his sons. And once Moses hears his reasoning, he seems to excuse him. This teaches us today that sometimes we need to be flexible with people. We need to have compassion and understanding, and not judge too quickly. We need to listen to people and hear their hearts. And that means if we have to change our plans, that’s okay. Let’s continue to learn how to treat others through Torah study. 

Today’s Challenge:

Also, today we learned about obeying authority and questioning authority. There is definitely a time and place for it. I used to tell my employees, “Family comes first.” So, if there were family issues or important events, they took precedence over work. Not all employers are like that. So today, I challenge you to think about your boss/employer. Be kind and do what he/she says. If they do not understand something you are trying to tell them, then have patience and explain. Work it out just like Aaron did.

Week of Pesach - Day #5

Torah Portion: Exodus 34:1-26  

Exodus 34:1-26

34:1 Hashem said to Moses, “Chisel two stone tablets like the first. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one shall come up with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain. Do not let the flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain.”

4 He chiseled two tablets of stone like the first; then Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Hashem had commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets. 5 Hashem descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed Hashem’s name. 6 Hashem passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Hashem! Hashem, a merciful and gracious Elohim, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, 7 keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”

8 Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. 9 He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Hashem, please let Hashem go among us, even though this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

10 He said, “Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of Hashem; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you. 11 Observe that which I command you today. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12 Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare among you; 13 but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherah poles; 14 for you shall worship no other god; for Hashem, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous Elohim.

15 “Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice; 16 and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the prostitute after their gods.

17 “You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.

18 “You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.

19 “All that opens the womb is mine; and all your livestock that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep. 20 You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before me empty.

21 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.

22 “You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of the wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end. 23 Three times in the year, all your males shall appear before Hashem Adonai, the Elohim of Israel. 24 For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before Hashem, your Elohim, three times in the year.

25 “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread. The sacrifice of the feast of the Pesach shall not be left to the morning.

26 “You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of Hashem your Elohim..

“You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

Today’s Meditation:

It appears that Hashem made the first set of commandments. But, after Moses smashed them at the incident of the golden calf, Hashem ordered Moses to chisel out the second set. It is a little controversial if Hashem wrote the words or Moses did – the point is that things were gifted to Moses the first time, and he had to work for them the second time. Kind of like in the Garden of Eden. In the beginning, man was given everything. But after he disobeyed Hashem, he had to go into the world and work for his food. Hashem is fair and just. When He asks us to do something, I believe He will make it easy the first time. If we don’t listen, well, then it becomes a lot harder. Let’s try to get it right on the first time around. And let’s praise the Master when we do.

Tzav - Day #5

Tzav צַו - Command!  

Torah Portion: Leviticus 6:1-8:36

Leviticus 8:14–21

8:14 He brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. 15 He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it. 16 He took all the fat that was on the innards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat; and Moses burned it on the altar. 17 But the bull, and its skin, and its meat, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as Hashem commanded Moses. 18 He presented the ram of the burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 He killed it, and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar. 20 He cut the ram into its pieces; and Moses burned the head, and the pieces, and the fat. 21 He washed the innards and the legs with water, and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to Hashem, as Hashem commanded Moses.

Today’s Meditation:

Verse 14 says they laid hands on the bull. Usually, laying hands on something or someone means some dedication or transference. Here it could be both. They are dedicating this great animal to Hashem, and they are “transferring” the sins of the people onto this sacrifice. Sometimes when people pray for me or others, they lay hands on us. I believe they are trying to transfer Hashem’s healing power, love, and grace to the person they are praying for. Just one word of caution, do not let just anybody lay hands on you. Be sure you know the person and trust them. They are helping Elohim’s power and plan to reach you.

Today’s Challenge:

Again, we are learning Hashem’s specific rules for sacrifice. They are carefully laid out, and nothing is to be missed when applying them. We need to examine the entire Torah in this manner. We are to follow things exactly, not carelessly. Pay attention to the details and learn to study each Commandment. I encourage you, as you read the giving of the Laws in Torah, to see how they apply to your life today and how you can follow them carefully and precisely as you are able. Torah is life. Breathe it in and try to obey it.

Vayikra - Day #5

Vayikra  וַיִּקְרָא - And He Called  

Torah Portion: Leviticus 1:1-5:26

Leviticus 4:1–26

4 Hashem spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If anyone sins unintentionally, in any of the things which Hashem has commanded not to be done, and does any one of them, 3 if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without defect to Hashem for a sin offering. 4 He shall bring the bull to the door of the Tent of Meeting before Hashem; and he shall lay his hand on the head of the bull, and kill the bull before Hashem. 5 The anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull, and bring it to the Tent of Meeting. 6 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before Hashem, before the veil of the sanctuary. 7 The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense before Hashem, which is in the Tent of Meeting; and he shall pour out the rest of the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 8 He shall take all the fat of the bull of the sin offering from it: the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, 9 and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall remove, 10 as it is removed from the bull of the sacrifice of peace offerings. The priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11 He shall carry the bull’s skin, all its meat, with its head, and with its legs, its innards, and its dung 12 —all the rest of the bull—outside of the camp to a clean place where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire. It shall be burned where the ashes are poured out.

13 “‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins, and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done any of the things which Hashem has commanded not to be done, and are guilty; 14 when the sin in which they have sinned is known, then the assembly shall offer a young bull for a sin offering, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting. 15 The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before Hashem, and the bull shall be killed before Hashem. 16 The anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull to the Tent of Meeting. 17 The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before Hashem, before the veil. 18 He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before Hashem, that is in the Tent of Meeting; and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 19 All its fat he shall take from it, and burn it on the altar. 20 He shall do this with the bull; as he did with the bull of the sin offering, so he shall do with this; and the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. 21 He shall carry the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull. It is the sin offering for the assembly.

22 “‘When a ruler sins, and unwittingly does any one of all the things which Hashem his Elohim has commanded not to be done, and is guilty, 23 if his sin in which he has sinned is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without defect. 24 He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before Hashem. It is a sin offering. 25 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. He shall pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 26 All its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin, and he will be forgiven.

Today’s Meditation:

When the priest makes these offerings for the unintentional sin of the people, they are forgiven. What is interesting is that Scripture does not explicitly state that this is for intentional sin, and this is sometimes debated. What about that? We learn in later instructions and commandments that people who intentionally sin are either stoned (after being judged and providing witnesses) or cast out of the camp. Almost like there is no forgiveness for intentionally sinning. But, we know when we look at all the Torah, that He does forgive those who sin on purpose. He is a forgiving and just Elohim.

Today’s Challenge:

Sin causes consequences. It hurts us, others, and Hashem. Only a sacrifice and repentance can bring forgiveness. And because He loves us, He allows this. Today is a good day to check your heart in the areas where you know sin resides. Confess and repent. Bring a sacrifice before Hashem. It can be worship, prayer, praise, and giving back to those we have sinned against. Look for reconciliation with Him and with others. Don’t wait. Sin is without cost. The sooner you take care of it, the sooner you will find freedom. Examine your heart today.

Vayakhel/Pekudei - Day #5

Vayakhel/Pekudei  ויקהל/פקודי   

Torah Portion: Exodus 35:1-40:38

Exodus 39:2-21 

39:2 He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. 3 They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in with the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman. 4 They made shoulder straps for it, joined together. It was joined together at the two ends. 5 The skillfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work: of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, as Hashem commanded Moses.

6 They worked the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, engraved with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel. 7 He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Hashem commanded Moses.

8 He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod: of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9 It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its width a span, being double. 10 They set in it four rows of stones. A row of ruby, topaz, and beryl was the first row; 11, and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald; 12, and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13, and the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in gold settings. 14 The stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, for the twelve tribes. 15 They made on the breastplate chains like cords, of braided work of pure gold. 16 They made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 17 They put the two braided chains of gold in the two rings at the ends of the breastplate. 18 The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, in its front. 19 They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was toward the side of the ephod inward. 20 They made two more rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its front, close by its coupling, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 21 They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as Hashem commanded Moses.

Today’s Meditation:

The breastplate was an attachment with 12 beautiful stones bearing the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. This breastplate is placed over the heart of the priests as they enter the Tabernacle. They are there as a sign to Hashem of His special people who love Him and serve Him. He knows their names. He knows our names. We matter to Him just like the original 12 tribes of Israel. He cared enough for them to have their names written on the priest’s breastplate. And He cares for us.

Today’s Challenge:

My challenge to you today is to take a few minutes and think about how Hashem knows your name. Picture what it would be like if He were sitting next to you (or more realistically, you were bowing at His feet) and He called you by name. It would be a super-sweet, wonderful sound. “Hey Nancy,” He might say. It would just be too amazing. Take a moment to imagine what that would sound like.

Ki Tisa - Day #5

Ki Tisa  כִּי תִשָּׂא - When You Elevate  

Torah Portion: Exodus 30:11-34:35

Exodus 34:1–9

34 Hashem said to Moses, “Chisel two stone tablets like the first. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one shall come up with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain. Do not let the flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain.”

4 He chiseled two tablets of stone like the first; then Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Hashem had commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets. 5 Hashem descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed Hashem’s name. 6 Hashem passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Hashem! Hashem, a merciful and gracious Elohim, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, 7 keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”

8 Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. 9 He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Hashem, please let Hashem go among us, even though this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

Today’s Meditation:

We serve an Elohim of “second chances”. Moses, in anger, broke the first set of holy tablets. But, Hashem, in His kindness and mercy, gives him the chance to make a second set of tablets. Hashem invites Moses back up the mountain, and He descends in a cloud. Moses bows and worships Him. Isn’t it so kind that He is fair with Moses and His people? He is giving them the Ten Commandments, the substance of all Laws. Think about what would have happened if He decided not to reinstate the Commandments. Who knows what would have happened? Would there have been chaos? Would they ever have arrived in the Promised Land? It certainly would have been different. We know the Torah gives life. Hashem was giving life to Moses with the second set.

Today’s Challenge:

Who are the guilty in verse 7? Hashem has already said He will forgive iniquity. The guilty are those who do not repent, nor do they want to. They remain in sin and guilt. They choose themselves over Hashem. And even more sad, their sin is visited on generations to come. My challenge today is to take a look at your life. Is there a sin in your life that you will not repent of, or let go? Be honest. If there is, ask for repentance and turn your life around (teshuvah). We know sin separates us from Hashem, and repentance brings us closer.