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The name of this week’s double parasha is Achrei Mot-Kedoshim: Achrei Mot means “after the death” and Kedoshim means “holy ones.” This double parasha covers Leviticus 16:1-20:27, and opens with instructions for Aaron regarding the Most Holy Place – after his sons Nadab and Abihu were put to death because they presented unauthorized offerings before Adonai in Leviticus 10, Aaron was warned that he can’t come into this place whenever he wants, or he will die.
Aaron was also given specific instructions for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the most solemn day on the Jewish calendar and the only day of the year that the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the Israelis. These instructions described the required procedures and sacrifices the High Priest would perform on this day – one bull and two goats were chosen for sin offerings, and one ram was chosen for a burnt offering. Although two goats were chosen, one of the goats would be sacrificed as a sin offering, while the other goat would be left alive.
To understand why only one goat was left alive, we see that lots were cast for the 2 goats – one was chosen by lot to be sacrificed as a sin offering, and the other was chosen by lot to be designated as the Azazel (‘scapegoat’). The High Priest would lay his hands on the scapegoat’s head and confess over it all the Israelis’ sins, thereby transferring the Israelis’ sins onto it, and then sending it into the wilderness with a man who was ready for this responsibility. After releasing the scapegoat into the wilderness, the man would wash his clothes and bathe himself with water before coming into the camp.
The bull and goat sacrificed as sin offerings were taken outside the camp and their hides, flesh and refuse were burned up. The man who burned them would wash his clothes and bathe himself with water before coming into the camp. The chapter ends with Adonai instructing the Israelis on the seriousness regarding the Day of Atonement.
In chapter 17, the Israelis were commanded to present animals for sacrifice only at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Anyone who disobeyed would be cut off from the Israeli community. The same penalty was given for anyone who disobeyed the commandment against eating blood – the life of an animal was in the blood, and God gave it to the Israelis for their atonement; it’s the blood that makes atonement for a person’s life.
In chapter 18, prohibitions were given against inappropriate sexual behavior (including homosexuality and bestiality) and child sacrifice. The Israelis were not to defile themselves by any of these things, because this is how the nations Adonai was casting out defiled themselves – anyone who disobeyed this commandment would be cut off from the Israelis. Therefore, they must obey God’s commandments instead of practicing these abominable customs.
In chapter 19, the Israelis were commanded to be holy because Adonai is holy. They were also given commandments regarding how they should live, worship and how to appropriately treat one another.
The commandment here for the Israelis to love their neighbor as themselves is declared by Yeshua as the second most important commandment of all the commandments, following only the commandment in Deuteronomy 6 to love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind. Rabbi Paul states in Romans 13 that this commandment sums up all the commandments, and states in Galatians 5 that this commandment fulfills the entire Law. James proclaims in James 2 that those who are fulfilling the royal law found in Scripture (referring to this commandment) are doing well. The chapter ends with the commandment to follow all of Adonai’s decrees and laws.
Chapter 20 lists punishments for false worship practices (including child sacrifice), cursing one’s parents, and for inappropriate sexual behavior. The Israelis must consecrate themselves and be holy because Adonai is their God. They must obey Him; He makes them holy.
The Israelis must obey everything God commanded, so that the Promised Land would not vomit them out. They must not imitate the people there that Adonai was driving out, because He abhorred these people for doing all these things. God will give their land to the Israelis as an inheritance, and He had set the Israelis apart from the nations. The Israelis were to be holy to Adonai because He is holy, and He has set them apart from the other nations as His own. The parasha ends with the death penalty prescribed for a medium or spiritist.
Parasha Achrei Mot-Kedoshim shows that holiness is a defining aspect of life for God’s people – this involves separating from that which is unholy, because engaging in an unholy lifestyle will keep them in bondage to sin and hinders them from obeying God, who is holy.
Thankfully, by God’s will, Gentile Christians and Messianic Jews have been sanctified through the offering of Messiah Yeshua, who is our holy, blameless, and pure Savior!
Just as we see in this parasha that it is the blood which makes atonement for a person’s life, Yeshua has provided the once-for-all-time sacrifice for our sins through His blood by offering His own life for our atonement.
Since evidence of a changed life is seen in a person’s actions, let’s show that we are Yeshua’s loyal followers by removing any unholy thing in our lives, and let’s strive to live as holy people in obedience to our God, who truly is holy!