“Kedoshim”- Holy Things
Torah Vayikra/Leviticus 19:1-20:27
Brit Ha Dasha – Mathew 5:43-48
When many people think of Torah, they think of “law”. One reason for this is that many understand the Torah to be a long list of do’s and don’ts. These scriptures that we are going to study are important and specific instructions to the redeemed community. They concern how we are to walk, and how we are to reflect the character of God in this world through His life. These teachings are not to be understood as a grocery list of human behaviors which, if obeyed will earn one a place in heaven and a “better” standing with God; or if disobeyed will result in one’s demise in hell. Leviticus 18:1-5
The Torah is not a salvation document. It is a document given to those who are part of the redeemed community. Its purpose is to enable them to enjoy the blessings of the covenant of promise to Abraham. Part of the enjoyment of those blessings is physical life in the Land of Promise.
We are to develop the kind of character that honors a holy God. Kol Adat Yisrael (the whole community of Israel) shares the collective responsibility to become holy since God is holy. Holiness radiates-those nearest to God absorb His holiness.[1]
1.
Romans 11:10-11
2.
Religious Duties – Leviticus 19:3-10
i. Keep Sabbaths
ii. Honor Your Father and Mother
iii. No Idolatry
iv. Food for the Poor – James 1:27
Love and Kindness[2] – The Torah is not a superficial guide to life. From this Chapter (19) we see many outward forms of behavior from the redeemed community. It teaches us the importance of watching our heart toward one another. It tells us not to hate another brother/sister in our heart. There are several ways we can accomplish this.
#1 – One is to make sure the line of communication is left open between people, especially between two people who have some kind of a conflict between them. They must talk it out.
#2 – A second thing to do is to make sure that we are basing our opinions on fact, not on “impression”, outward appearance, or supposed “discernment”. In short, we need to judge them fairly as discussed in these verses.
#3 – A third help in this area is learning to take all thoughts, captive, especially those thoughts which would lure us in to nurturing a root of bitterness against someone else in the redeemed community.
#4- 19: 18 warns us against any form of revenge against someone we think did us harm. This revenge does not always have to be physical harm. Sometimes our flesh takes revenge by denying someone our love, attention, kindness or help.
Matthew 5:17-30,
Romans 13:8-10,
Galatians 5:13-26,
Ya’akov 2:1-9,
1 Peter 1:13-21
1.
Good Neighbors – Leviticus 19:11-18
James 4
i. Lying and Stealing
ii. The Deaf and Blind
iii. Justice
iv. Love and Kindness
2.
No Mixtures – Leviticus 19:19-22
What can these statutes on mixtures teach us? They paint a fascinating spiritual picture. They can teach us that as far as spiritual things are concerned, there is no mixture. One is either in the kingdom of the world, the kingdom of sin and death, or one is God’s kingdom. There is no middle ground. (This is a very similar to the teaching on Tam’ei/unclean and Tahor/clean)
i. Romans 6
ii. Romans 7
iii. Colossians 2
According to these passages, when we put our faith in Yeshua and His atonement for our sins, a miracle took place. The old us died! We were nailed to the cross with Yeshua, and our “old man’ never lived through or survived the crucifixion.
In light of all this, when we wear clothes of one kind of fabric, or plant a field of one kind of seed we are, in reality living out a beautiful Torah picture depicting the spiritual reality of being a new creation in Messiah. God wants us to se on a physical level a picture of the spiritual reality which is ours by faith in Messiah Yeshua.
3.
Patience – Leviticus 19:20-25
This verse teaches patience to someone who abuses a Canaanite slave-woman, being too impatient to wait for a proper, legal, standard marriage. The same quality of patience is needed to wait for the necessary time before being able to enjoy the fruit of young trees. (Munk) Also reminds us that we must be patient to wait for marriage before we have sexual relationships. These are important principles we must teach our children.
i. Galatians 5
ii. Romans 5:3-4
iii. James 1: 3-4
iv. 1 Peter 1: 6-8
Holy Fruit – First Fruits of a newly planted tree are considered unfit and must not be eaten for the first three years. This fruit is referred to as “orlah (lit. uncircumcision)” unfit like a foreskin. Fourth year fruit is kodesh hilulim l’Adonai. Considered second tithe, all the fruit is picked, carried to Y’rushalayim, and eaten before God amidst praise and thanksgiving. The fifth year, the fruit may be eaten. It is no longer classified as orlah.
Practicing the mitzvah of orlah weans people from selfishness. By devoting the fruit exclusively to God’s praise and service, one learns the lesson of prosperity (Ma’or v’Shamesh). In this way, the creation is redeemed. Obeying the Torah redeems eating fruit from the forbidden tree!
1. Prohibition against Canaanite Practices – Leviticus 19:36-31
2. Ethical Instructions – Leviticus 19:32-37
i.
The Elderly
One of the major subjects here is the treatment of the elderly. It stresses the importance of giving the elderly in the community proper honor and respect. One way this is demonstrated is rising when an elderly person comes into our presence.
Rashi defines for us what he thinks showing honor to an older person means. He says “What is honor? He should not sit in an elder’s place, nor should he speak in his place, nor should he contradict his words.
ii.
The Sojourner – Exodus 22:21, 23:9, Deuteronomy 10:19,
Genesis 15:13, 47:4, Deuteronomy 26:5
The Torah speaks frequently about a certain group of people called “gerim” sojourners. There are several important points in this passage about sojourners or aliens.
#1 – God permits them! Contrary to modern Israeli law, practice and attitudes, God permits any Gentile who so desires, to live in the land of Israel.
#2 – God teaches Israelites that they must treat the sojourners with goodness, kindness, and love. In fact they are to love the sojourners the same way they love the native born Israelites.
But there is a flip side to this relationship. Other parts of Torah specifically instruct the sojourners that when they live in the land of Israel, they must abide by the same Torah as the native-born Israelite! Torah simply teaches justice and fairness for all. But it also is clear the Torah is to be THE law of the land of Israel.
The specific penalties for sins described in chapter 20 are cast into two kinds of statements;
#1 Hashem says that He will “set My face against” the violator(s) – this expresses the intent to punish
#2 My attention, I turn aside from all my concerns and deal with him
What attention does the Holy One give to Molech worshiper or the adulterer? The answer lies in the second type of phrasing of HaShem’s response: “ I will cut him off from among his people’ or “their blood be upon them”- both mean the same –a premature death.
If the stipulations in Torah are violated, the Eternal One plainly states that the result could be loss of the participation in and enjoyment of those promised blessings (the blessings of Abraham) i.e. life in the Land. Hence, physical death
1.
Holy Children – Levitius 20:1-2 Ephesians 6
2.
Holy Household – Leviticus 20:8 Ephesians 6
3.
Holy Land- Leviticus 20:23
4. Holy Nation – Leviticus 20:27 1 Corinthians 5:1-3, 1 Timothy 5:19-21
The redeemed community is to be different because their God is entirely different. In short, HaShem reminds them that their life in the Land needs to be characterized by a life which is a true representation of the kind of God they have; a Holy, Righteous, Merciful, Loving and Just God- Adonai!