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The name of this week’s parasha is Emor, which means “say” and covers Leviticus 21-24.  Adonai commanded Moses to instruct the priests on the need for holiness.  Priests must not become ceremonially unclean when dealing with the death of an Israeli, unless it is a close relative.  They were not to shave their heads, trim the sides of their beards, or cut themselves.  Priests couldn’t marry divorced women, or women defiled by prostitution, because they were set apart for God’s service.

If a priest’s daughter engaged in prostitution, she was a disgrace to him and was to be put to death.  The High Priest was to ensure that his hair and clothes wouldn’t become unclean, and could only marry an Israeli, and one who was a virgin.  The chapter ends with Adonai’s commands to exclude anyone with a deformity from presenting offerings.

In chapter 22, Adonai instructed Moses how to determine if a priest had become unclean, and how they could be made clean again.  The priests were to strictly obey these commandments, or they would die, because Adonai is holy.

Only those within the priest’s family, or a slave purchased by the priest, could eat the sacred offerings.  Whoever accidentally ate a sacred offering was to make restitution and add a fifth of the offering’s value.  The priests were warned to protect the sacred offerings from being eaten by common Israelis, which would bring judgement upon them, once again – because Adonai is holy.

Adonai then instructed Moses to tell the Israelis what sacrifices were acceptable and unacceptable.  Any cow, sheep, or goat presented as a burnt offering to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, must be unblemished; otherwise it would be unacceptable.  A deformed or stunted ox or sheep was acceptable as a freewill offering, but unacceptable to fulfill a vow.  After a calf, lamb or goat was born, it was to stay with its mother for seven days, and could be sacrificed after the 8^th day.  A thank offering must be eaten on the same day it was presented.

In chapter 23, Adonai outlined Israel’s appointed holidays. The offerings required for these holidays are later described in Numbers 28-29.  They begin with the Sabbath, which is the 7^th day of the week and is a day of rest.  For Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Passover began at twilight on the 14^th day of the 1^st month (Nisan). During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, no bread containing yeast was to be eaten for 7 days.  On the 1^st and 7^th days, a sacred assembly was proclaimed, with no regular work undertaken-a burnt offering was presented to Adonai for 7 days.

The offerings for the holiday of First-fruits began after the priest waved a sheath of the first barley harvest, and it included an unblemished year old lamb with a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil to be made to Adonai by fire, and a quarter hin of wine for a drink offering.  No consumption of bread or new or roasted grain was to occur until these offerings were made.

On Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks), the burnt offering was: 2 loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour baked with yeast as a wave offering, seven 1-year old unblemished male lambs, 1 young bull and 2 rams.  The sin offering was one male goat, and the fellowship offering was two 1-year old male lambs. These lambs, along with the bread of the first-fruits, were waved by the priest as a wave offering.  A sacred assembly was called, and no regular work was to be done.

The Holiday of Trumpets occurred on the 1st day of the 7th month, and included a day of rest along with a sacred assembly involving the blowing of shofars. No regular work was to be done, and a burnt offering was presented to Adonai.  On Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), the 10^th day of the 7^th month, the Israelis were to hold a sacred assembly, humble themselves, and offer a burnt offering.  Anyone who didn’t humble themselves would be cut off from the Jewish people.

During Sukkot (the Holiday of Tabernacles), which occurred on the 15^th day of the 7^th month, no work was to be done on the 1^st and 8^th days; sacred assemblies were to be held on these days.  Burnt offerings were to be presented to Adonai for seven days, and again on the 8^th day.  The Israelis were to build and live in booths, to remember that God had them live in booths during their wilderness wandering.

In chapter 24, the Israelis were commanded to bring pure olive oil for the lamps that Aaron would continuously keep burning.  They were also instructed on baking the bread to be presented to God, which was eaten by Aaron and his sons.  The parasha ends with the Israelis obeying Adonai’s command to stone a blasphemer.

Parasha Emor teaches us that God’s expectations of us are not to be taken lightly, but are extremely serious.  If we seek to honor and obey Him, we must live in holiness, because He is holy. Holy living is defined by obeying God’s Word, and by following Messiah Yeshua’s teachings.

Living in holiness isn’t easy, especially in the midst of this lost and dying world that is set in opposition to God.  But Adonai will not abandon us in the struggle, and Yeshua has promised never to leave us or forsake us. That is comforting!

If you desire to obey Messiah Yeshua, then imitate His example. Live in holiness in every part of your life.  And if you haven’t done so already, turn to Messiah Yeshua, our great High Priest, and loyally follow Him as Lord and Redeemer. One day soon the great shofar will sound from Heaven. Will you be ready for it?