[Commentary  from Pentateuch & Haftorahs, ed. Dr. J.H. Hertz; all other comments with no brackets is ours, indicated by S6K. Translation is EF/Everett Fox, The Five Books of Moses.—Admin1.]   CONCLUDING ADMONITION The Book of Leviticus has its sacerdotal chapters, its ceremonial parts, its ethical section; and, in its concluding portion, it strikes the note of Prophetic […]

[The principle of ‘shabat” or “ceasing from doing what one normally does” has given its ‘name’ to the 7th day of the week, the Sabbath.   Now in this chapter, we learn that even inanimate objects such as land or the earth or the soil are to be given rest, or to cease from what […]

[Who is the “native-born” and who is the “sojourner”?   Since the Torah was given in the context of a Covenant between the people of Israel and YHWH, there should be no question that the “native-born” is the Israelite while the “sojourner” is the non-Israelite.  It was a mixed multitude of slaves who left Egypt […]

 [Translation is by EF/Everett Fox, The Five Books of Moses; commentary from P&H/Pentateuch & Haftorahs, ed. Dr. J.H.Hertz.—Admin1.] 1-9.  REGULATIONS FOR PRIESTS WHO SHARE IN A SACRIFICIAL FEAST The last Chapter dealt with the bodily defects that disqualify the priest from officiating in the Sanctuary; this section insists on physical purity as the condition in which alone he […]

[Continuing our commentary from Pentateuch and Haftarahs, our MUST READ and MUST OWN Resource Book, we now reach the regulations concerning priests and the Sanctuary.     Remember that the priesthood of Israel is from the tribe of Levi. It is speculated that Jews today bearing the name ‘Cohen’ which is Hebrew for ‘priest’ might trace their […]

[Those of us reading these chapters today will naturally wonder what is the connection of these commandments to us?  Do we indulge in “Molech worship” or “necromancy” or any of the “abominable” practices that these pagan idolatrous nations indulged in?     We might better think this way:  are there modern equivalents to the cultural […]

[Pentateuch & Haftorah [P&H] give this title to this chapter:  PROHIBITION OF — UNLAWFUL MARRIAGES, UNCHASTITY, and MOLECH WORSHIP And rightly so.  If the previous chapters have been dealing with ‘ritual uncleanness’ related to being bodily or physically fit for tabernacle/temple worship, this chapter deals with ‘moral uncleanness’ (lifestyle) and its punishment. The relationship between individuals […]

[The Temple sacrificial system remains a curiosity for ex-Christians, specifically to us, Sinaites. If it is not at all intended to point to the supreme sacrifice by God-Man Mediator Jesus Christ who sheds his blood for the salvation of all mankind (according to Christian theology),  then what were the animal sacrifices all about?   Why would […]