How can we keep our lamps burning?

Leviticus 24:1-23

Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly. Outside the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, Aaron shall arrange it from evening to morning before the LORD regularly. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. He shall arrange the lamps on the lampstand of pure gold before the LORD regularly.

(Lev. 24:2-4 ESV)

How can we keep our lamps burning?

Aharon had to light the lamps of the lampstand every evening so that they would burn the whole night. The lamps didn't burn during the day, only during the night. It was important to fulfill this service before the Eternal continually and to do that the purest oil from beaten, not ground, olives had to be produced. Olive oil was the fuel for the fire that lit the tabernacle during the night.

In our personal temple there is also an internal lampstand. What keeps it lit is the Spirit of the Eternal. Olive oil is a symbol of the Spirit. In order for our inner temple to burn continually for the Eternal we need to bring oil, the Spirit, how do we do that?

The oil comes from the root of the olive tree. The olive is the heavenly Israel and the root is the Messiah. The root is in heaven and oil is produced there. In order to get oil to light the darkness of the present time – which will become darker – we must go to the heavenly source and bring the oil out. Through intense and constant prayer and daily study of the Scriptures we can get pure oil and keep our lamps burning all the time.

Dear disciple of the Messiah: don't let a single day in your life pass without taking time in prayer and study of the Scriptures. It's good to form the habit of setting at least an hour a day for this activity.

Beloved one: don't neglect this for anything! Don't let your lamps run out of oil. Listen to what I'm saying: DON'T ALLOW YOUR LAMPS TO RUN OUT OF OIL. If you are not careful with this, the moment could come that at night you won't have and won't be able to get oil; and you will miss the wedding in the kingdom to come. Take this message seriously. Pray and study the Scriptures EVERY DAY of your life. Remember the parable of the ten virgins. (Matt. 25)

With all my love.

Shabbat shalom,

Can our offerings offend the Eternal?

Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.

(Lev. 22:20 LBLA)

Can our offerings offend the Eternal?

The Eternal says what has to be done to be accepted before Him. How gracious is His Torah! HaShem gives us specific instructions of what he likes and dislikes so that we can come close to Him without displeasing Him, as it says at the end of this aliyah: “And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Lev. 22:32 ESV)

What we offer to the Eternal shows what we think of Him. If we give Him what is left at the end we show that He is not the first one, but low esteemed by us. If we give Him something we don't like, we show that we consider that He doesn't deserve what we like. If we give Him mediocre offerings we show that He isn't important to us. If we give Him something defective, we show that He is not that worthy for us. Our offerings show what we think of Him.

That one who gives what he values most shows that HaShem is the most valuable in his life. The one who gives something that represented a cost for him shows that he loves the Eternal. The one who gives to the Eternal first and then thinks of himself, shows that his priorities are in correct order.

In Malachi 1:6-14 it's written: “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?' "You place defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?', "By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty. "Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?"-says the LORD Almighty. "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty. "But you profane it by saying of the Lord's Table, 'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.' And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty. "When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD. "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations.” (NIV)

Dear disciple of the Messiah, do you tithe at the beginning or at the end? Do you wake up to pray before breakfast every day? Do you make an effort to sing nicely before the Eternal? Do you make an effort to pray with intention so your words are not vain repetition? Do you obey willingly or grudgingly? Are you anxious for Shabbat to end so you can run to your job or do you enjoy the Eternal the most you can on His day?

Our offerings show what we think of our Heavenly Father. It's so good that He tells us in His Torah what He dislikes!

Are there different levels of sanctity?

They shall not take a wife who is a harlot or polluted or profane or divorced, for [the priest] is holy to his God. You shall consecrate him therefore, for he offers the bread of your God; he shall be holy to you, for I the Lord Who sanctifies you am holy.

(Lev. 21:7-8 AMP)

Are there different levels of sanctity?

The sons of Israel were set apart from among the nations to be more sanctified than them. The Levites were set apart from the rest of the tribes to be more sanctified. The sons of Aharon Hakohen were set apart from among the Levites to be more sanctified than them. The high priest was set apart from the rest of the priests to be more sanctified than them.

To be sanctified doesn't mean to be better. To be sanctified doesn't mean not to sin. To be sanctified doesn't mean to be the favourite. To be sanctified doesn't mean to have the right to take advantage of one's position. Sanctity has to do with more responsibility. Sanctity has to do with obedience. Sanctity has to do with more sacrifice. Sanctity has to do with paying a higher price. Sanctity has to do with a superior position. Sanctity has to do with limited boundaries. Sanctity has to do with closeness.

The commandments sanctify people. The more commandments a person has to fulfill, the greater is his calling for sanctification. The sons of Israel and those redeemed from among the nations have more commandments than the rest of the nations. The Levites have more commandments than the rest of the tribes. Priests have more commandments that the Levites. The high priest has more commandments than anyone and that's why he is more sanctified for the Eternal and for the people, the most distinguished, the one who is most separated, the most responsible, the most elevated and the most privileged.

A Jew is not allowed to marry a non-Jewish woman. A believer in the Messiah is not allowed to marry a non-believer in the Messiah. A priest is not allowed to marry a woman who has practised fornication, who was born from a forbidden relationship, who is divorced or a convert.

This teaches us that the more sanctity, the stricter the demands. One who wants to live a life of sanctity can't do things that other people can. One who wants to approach even more to sanctity within the Eternal's plan for his/her life will have to review his life and ask himself if what he is doing pleases the Eternal.

There are allowed things for the different types of people that are not completely pleasing to Him. There are also things that are pleasing to Him but not perfect. And finally, there are perfect things in each group of people, according to the maximum level of sanctification of each group. Therefore, we see that we can live in different levels of sanctification within the group to which we belong.

Even though some things are allowed, they are not always convenient, especially if we want to be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit and live an intimate relationship with our Father and with His Messiah. Self-denial of normal privileges in this life produces greater sanctity.

“Everything is permissible for me— but not everything is beneficial... Everything is permissible— but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible— but not everything is constructive.” (1 Cor. 6:12; 10:23 NIVUK)

May the Eternal help each one of us find the highest level of sanctity within the group of people to which we belong.

Ketriel

To whom do sexual prohibitions apply?

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion. ‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants.

(Lev. 18:22-25 NKJV)

To whom do sexual prohibitions apply?

Forbidden sexual relations apply not only for the people of Israel but also for all the sons of Noach. Within the commandment given to the sons of Noach of not committing adultery, all sexual relations outside the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman registered before pertinent authorities are included. The descendants of Noach, who lived in the land of Kenaan before being expelled, practiced free sex among women, men and animals. Besides, they gave their children as sacrifice to their gods, which can be compared to causing an abortion nowadays. These peoples were destroyed and expelled not only for having practiced these sins freely and deliberately but especially for having practiced them in the sacred land.

The practice of homosexuality is an abomination. However, if a person feels sexually attracted towards someone of his/her own gender, he is not committing a sin if he resists and suppresses it. To let that feeling free and take it to practice is what causes sin and judgment from the Eternal.

The Eternal has enough love, power and willingness to help all those who want to be delivered from homosexuality, as it's written in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and by the Spirit of our God.” (NIV revised)

Blessed be the Eternal for His righteous rules and saving power!

Why was slaughter carried out outside of the tabernacle?

to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, to the priest, and offer them as peace offerings to the LORD... They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.

(Lev. 17:5, 7 NKJV)

Why was slaughter carried out outside of the tabernacle?

Demons are spiritual beings invisible to the human eye, which may harm men when they are disobedient to the Eternal. Some of the sons of Israel had the custom, which they had learned in Egypt, of sacrificing animals to demons. The Eternal categorically forbid this practice for all generations to come. To end this custom, the people were commanded to do all animal slaughter at the door of the tabernacle during their stay in the desert. This commandment was temporary and when crossing to the land it wasn’t valid anymore, except for the prohibition of sacrificing to demons.

We can learn two things from this. First, we see that the Eternal is jealous and He calls prostitution all sacrifice to other spiritual forces. This teaches us that sacrifices can only be given to the Creator of all things. Any sacrifice to other supernatural forces is spiritual prostitution and has very negative consequences.

Second, we see that all kind of spiritual service has to be presented to the priest at the tabernacle’s door. Prayers are a kind of spiritual sacrifice. This teaches us that all prayer has to be channeled by the tabernacle’s gate, where there is a priest, so it’s accepted by the Eternal. This is a very beautiful teaching about He who is “the door” and “the priest”, outside whom no one can come to the Father (John 14:6).

Kol tuv,

What is the relationship between sprinkling the blood seven times and the Messiah?

He is to take some of the bull's blood and with his finger sprinkle it on the front of the atonement cover; then he shall sprinkle some of it with his finger seven times before the atonement cover.

(Lev. 16:14 NIV)

What is the relationship between sprinkling the blood seven times and the Messiah?

There are four instances in which the Torah speaks about sprinkling blood seven times. They are:

1. When a guilt offering is presented

a. for the sin of the anointed priest (Lev. 4:6)

b. for the sin of all the congregation of Israel represented by the assembly of elders (Lev. 4:17)

2. When the purification of tsaraat is made

a. for the one with enough resources (Lev. 14:16)

b. for the one that hasn’t enough resources (Lev. 14:27)

c. for a house (Lev. 14:51)

3. When sin offerings are presented on Yom HaKipurim

a. for the high priest’s family’s sin and his household (Lev. 16:14)

b. For the sin of the whole nation of Israel (Lev. 16:15)

c. For the ritual impurities of the sons of Israel (Lev. 16:19)

4. When the red heifer is sacrificed for the ritual purification of those who have touched a corpse (Nm. 19:4)

The four kinds of sprinkling talk about the heavenly redemption that was produced by the death and resurrection of the Messiah.

1. The Messiah’s death takes away guilt in heaven (Matt. 26:28; Eph. 1:7; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5).

2. The Messiah took the “leprosy” of sin and was purified in heaven (Isa. 53:4; Zach. 3:3-4)

3. The blood of the Messiah was sprinkled in the heavenly tabernacle to clean it and create a path to the mercy seat, the heavenly throne (Heb. 9:23, 12, 14; 10:19-22).

4. The blood of the Messiah was sprinkled to the Eternal outside of the camp to create a heavenly means of purification from all impurity produced by death, so that we can enter the heavenly sanctuary. (Heb. 4:14-16)

The number seven refers to the fact that the sprinkling of the blood of the Messiah is valid not only for the seven days of the week, but also for the seven thousand years of sin among men since Adam until new heaven and new earth where justice reigns come. The Messiah’s sacrifice in heaven covers all past, present and future history.

Blessed be the Eternal for the blood of the Messiah presented in heaven on our behalf!

Ketriel

Who may enter the most sacred place?

The LORD said to Moses: "Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover...He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on.

(Lev. 16:2, 4 NIV)

Who may enter the most sacred place?

Only one day a year may the high priest enter the most sacred place in the tabernacle: on Yom HaKippurim or Yom Kippur, which means “day of the atonements” or “day of atonement”. That day is on the tenth day of the seventh month of the biblical year. It is the most sacred day of the year. The whole people are commanded to fast as a sign of repentance and request for forgiveness of sins against the Eternal. On that day, all sins committed by the nation against the Eternal during the whole year are forgiven. This is an extremely critical day. Should the high priest fail in his mission, the people would be left unforgiven and serious consequences would befall on them.

Now, the earthly temple service is a replica of the heavenly one. The letter to the Hebrews describes in detail all the messianic heavenly fulfillment of this service and shows how the Messiah entered the most sacred place in heaven with his own blood once and for all and produced everlasting atonement and purification for those destined for eternal life and for a heavenly priestly ministry.

If we can’t see that there are two dimensions, a heavenly one and an earthly one, we won’t understand either of the services. The Messiah died and rose from the dead to officiate in the heavenly service, not the earthly. The earthly service is a shadow of the heavenly one: though the shadow doesn’t replace the heavenly one and the heavenly one does not eliminate the shadow on earth. On the contrary, there is a perfect harmony between both services and they can coexist without any conflict.

By studying the details of the Yom HaKippurim service we can learn a lot about the heavenly ministry of the high priest in the order of Malki Tzedek, which is an everlasting service based upon resurrection life, indestructible life.

On Yom Kippur the earthly high priest had to remove his daily-use priestly garments and dress in linen garments to be able to enter in the most sacred place. This is a shadow of the death and resurrection of the Messiah. The high priest had to remove all his clothes, figure of the Messiah’s death and then, he would dress a new linen garment that speaks of the body and ministry of the Messiah’s resurrection.

Linen is not only the garment of all priests but also of the angels which shows that it’s a heavenly fabric. (Ez. 9:2,3,11; 10:2,6,7; 40:3; Dan. 10:5; 12:6,7; Rev. 15:6; 19:14).

We can also see the relationship between Yom Kippur and the Messiah in the fact that linen was present all the time in the process of his death and resurrection (Matt. 27:59; Mar. 15:46; Luke. 23:53; 24:12; John 19:40; 20:5-7). Fine linen is also the fabric of the clothes of the resurrection of the saints (Rev. 19:8).

Through the Messiah, we have access to the heavenly throne in the most sacred place in heaven. It is written in Hebrews 4:14-16: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Yeshua the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (NIV revised)

Shavua tov,

hy does the person affected by the disease have to live alone?

hy does the person affected by the disease have to live alone?

The Scriptures teach that one of the most relevant causes of the plague of tsaraat is criticizing, lashon harah, the evil tongue. A person needs another one to transmit his critic. To prevent this person who has been affected by this plague to keep harming with his tongue, not only must he live outside the camp but he must also live alone. The reason is so that he learns to stop criticising, thus creating a treatment for the root of his problem.

There is hope of restoration in this text. While he has the infection he will remain ritually impure and he'll have to live alone. But as soon as the infection disappears he can be cleansed and restored into society and will also have access to the tabernacle again.

Scriptures reveal that many diseases are caused by sin. This doesn't mean necessarily that the person affected by the disease is guilty. It could be so, and then he needs to review his life and ask himself in which area he is failing the Eternal so that the disease could come.

On the other hand, there are collective consequences upon groups who live in disobedience to the Eternal's commandments and that brings curse upon the whole group. Then, the curse may cause disease in one or more members of the group, without these people being more sinners than the others. The fact of being part of that group makes one prone to disease. Some bodies are more sensitive than others and the sick person is not necessarily directly responsible for his disease.

We have an example of this when Achan, in Joshua chapter 7, stole from the devoted/accursed things. Due to his transgression, the whole people suffered a defeat and many died. They weren't guilty, but they belonged to a group of people who were under a curse due to one of its member's sin.

The truth is that the Eternal promises to protect the people of Israel from all disease when they keep the commandments (Ex. 15:26; Deut. 7:15) and he promises to send plagues and diseases when the people breaks his commandments (Lev. 26; Deut. 28).

This teaches us, on the one hand, that there is healing for all our diseases in the Eternal (Ps. 103:3), especially through the redemptive work of Messiah Yeshua (Is. 53:4-5), and on the other hand, it teaches us that we must seek the causes of diseases in ourselves and in the group of people where we belong to be able to go to the Eternal in prayer and receive healing. If we treat the roots seeking the cause of disease we'll be able to live healthy lives thus fulfilling the purpose of our lives with healthy bodies.

May the Eternal pour out revelation so that we can see the root of the problems and may he give us grace to be able to repent of personal and collective sins, so that we can receive healing, both in soul and body, by the merits of the Sacred and Righteous One, Messiah Yeshua.

Who commands? Heaven or earth?

The priest is to examine him, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the infected person clean; then he will be clean.

(Lev. 13:17 NIV)

Who commands? Heaven or earth?

The priest received authorization from heaven to pronounce a person with the plague of tsaraat (translated as leprosy) clean or unclean. Though the Torah shows all the details to determine if a person had been infected by the plague or not, only the priest had the authorization to pronounce him ritually clean or unclean. Once pronounced clean, the person had the right to enter the camp and the temple; unlike when declared impure or unclean, that he wasn't even allowed to enter the camp.

This teaches us that Heaven has delegated earthly authorities the right to decide how to apply the Torah's instructions in practical situations.

This teaches us that even if the man fulfilled all the conditions of the Torah to be clean, he wasn't officially clean until the priest pronounced him so. Let's suppose that there is a case in which the priest mistakenly pronounces someone as ritually impure when this person is actually pure by the indications of the Torah. Would that person have the permission to enter the camp and the temple? No. In this case, the priest's pronunciation outweighs the fact that the Torah describes him as clean. The Torah's description of tsaraat doesn't authorize him to act on his own account as if he were ritually clean without the priest's declaration.

This matches the principle that says that whatever authorized leaders bind (forbid) on earth will be bound (forbidden) in heaven; and, that whatever authorized leaders loose (allow) will be loosed (allowed) in heaven (Matt. 16:19; 18:18).

This is the principle behind the right of dictating practical laws based on the Torah's instructions given to the authorized leaders.

If we transfer this principle to the declaration of a new moon and the feasts of the Eternal, we understand that the rabbis acknowledged by the Jewish people have the faculty of announcing when such days should be celebrated, as it's written in Leviticus 23:2: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies:” (NIV)

Who are "you" in this text? In this case, not all Jews, but authorized leaders who guide the people. They have the duty of agreeing among themselves and the right to decide when to celebrate new moons and feasts of the Eternal. What they pronounce will be respected in heaven, because it was from heaven that the authorization to the people's leaders came.

If everyone did what they saw fit, the people wouldn't gather on the same dates and it would be very chaotic. Those who don't respect the authorities in these issues create division and confusion among the people.

What is the relationship between the cleansing of the metsora and the Messiah?

What is the relationship between the cleansing of the metsora and the Messiah?

The Talmud relates the Messiah with the metsora – the leper. In Sanhedrin 98b it is written about the Messiah: "The Rabbis said: His name is ‘the leper scholar,’ as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted.” (D. Mandel. Davka Corp.)

This teaches us about the close relationship between purification of the metsora and the Messiah. We'll highlight some of the secrets of this aliyah:

14:2, 10 – his purification was completed on the eighth day. Before his death, Yeshua was infected by the "leprosy of sin" of the world in his soul and body. In the day of his resurrection, the eighth day, he was purified in the heavenly realm.

14:3 – outside the camp – Yeshua died outside the city and his purification took place in heavenly places.

14:4-7 – two live birds, one of them dies and the other one is let loose in the open field – Yeshua dies and is then risen to fly in the open field.

14:4,6 – cedar wood – Yeshua dies on a tree, hanging on a horizontally positioned wood (probably cedar).

14:4,6 – a scarlet – Yeshua was dressed with a scarlet robe before dying. (Matt 27:28).

14:4,6 – hyssop – A hyssop was taken to Yeshua's mouth when he was dying (John 19:29).

14:5 – a clay vessel – Yeshua's body was a clay vessel.

14:5 – running water – Yeshua had to go through the waters of death (2 Sam. 22:17; Jon. 2:5)

14:6 – the live bird was dipped in blood – Yeshua still has the scars of his death in his risen body.

14:8 – he will wash his clothes, shave all his hair, will bathe in water – Yeshua had to go through the tevilah (baptism) of death (Luk. 12:50) to remove sin – symbolised by dirty clothes, infected hair and ritual impurity.

14:9 – on the seventh day – when Yeshua was still in the tomb, sin was eliminated.

14:10-11 – on the eighth day, he was pronounced clean and presented before the Eternal – on the first day of the week, Yeshua was pronounced clean and presented alive before his Father (John 20:17).

14:12 – trespass offering – Yeshua was given to the Eternal as an offering for the trespass of the world.

Blessed be the Eternal for the atoning death of Yeshua!

Why is it forbidden to remove the signs of impurity?

Leviticus 13:29-37

he shall be shaven, but shall not shave the scab. And the priest shall shut up the one who has the scab seven days more.

(Lev. 13:33 MKJV)

Why is it forbidden to remove the signs of impurity?

Beard and head hair are used as signs to see if there is any tsaraat. Their colour reveals if the person has been affected by that plague. In order to make a more accurate diagnosis, the person had to shave the part surrounding the scab but not the affected area itself, to see if the scab would spread, thus changing the hair colour during the time of testing. The hairs serve as a sign of impurity. If they were cut, it would be difficult for the priest to diagnose if there was really a tsaraat or not.

Men are tempted to eliminate the symptoms of the ailments they suffer instead of going to the root of the problem and look for the real cause. What was the cause of the plague of tsaraat? One could have committed lashon harah – criticizing – or other sins that cause this kind of plague. If men eliminate only the exterior signs with no repentance of what caused the attack, he will only do more harm to himself, the others and the Eternal. Therefore, the Torah forbids removing the signs of impurity because the problem is not the sign but the moral faults who gave way to the disease to come. Removing the signs doesn't help, repentance and rectifying is the remedy.

May the Eternal help us go to the root of the problems and not to treat too much the symptoms and their consequences.

Blessings,

Who will judge the priest?

If it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is infectious. But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread, it is only a scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce him clean

.

(Lev. 13:22-23 NIV)

Who will judge the priest?

The priest has a great responsibility. The ability to make someone affected by something like tsaraat ritually clean or unclean is in his hands. In the text of the Torah, the word "pronounce", in relation to being clean or unclean, does not appear. The Torah literally says that the priest can make a person clean – tiher, טהר – or make a person unclean – timeh, טמא. Of course he does this through a declaration or announcement, but the Torah doesn't say it but to emphasise the enormous authority the priest has to be able to make a person clean or unclean. So it's not the plague itself what makes the person impure or the lack of it which makes that person pure, but the priest. What great authority is found in the hands of the priest regarding this plague!

If he is not a good administrator of that authority he can ruin a person's social life because the one declared impure or unclean due to this plague had to be cast out of the society, living outside the camp as it is written in Leviticus 13:45-46: “The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.” (NIV) And in Numbers 5:2-3 it is written: “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them." (NIV)

The one with greater responsibility will also have a more severe judgement. In case of a mistake due to negligence, the priest will be responsible before the Heavenly Court of the damage he caused by pronouncing a person clean or unclean by mistake.

If the authorities have treated you unfairly, cry out to the Eternal for justice and leave room for His judgement. Don't take revenge in your hands; you would only do more harm.

Blessings,

Ketriel

Who commands? Heaven or earth?

The priest is to examine him, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the infected person clean; then he will be clean.

(Lev. 13:17 NIV)

Who commands? Heaven or earth?

The priest received authorization from heaven to pronounce a person with the plague of tsaraat (translated as leprosy) clean or unclean. Though the Torah shows all the details to determine if a person had been infected by the plague or not, only the priest had the authorization to pronounce him ritually clean or unclean. Once pronounced clean, the person had the right to enter the camp and the temple; unlike when declared impure or unclean, that he wasn't even allowed to enter the camp.

This teaches us that Heaven has delegated earthly authorities the right to decide how to apply the Torah's instructions in practical situations.

This teaches us that even if the man fulfilled all the conditions of the Torah to be clean, he wasn't officially clean until the priest pronounced him so. Let's suppose that there is a case in which the priest mistakenly pronounces someone as ritually impure when this person is actually pure by the indications of the Torah. Would that person have the permission to enter the camp and the temple? No. In this case, the priest's pronunciation outweighs the fact that the Torah describes him as clean. The Torah's description of tsaraat doesn't authorize him to act on his own account as if he were ritually clean without the priest's declaration.

This matches the principle that says that whatever authorized leaders bind (forbid) on earth will be bound (forbidden) in heaven; and, that whatever authorized leaders loose (allow) will be loosed (allowed) in heaven (Matt. 16:19; 18:18).

This is the principle behind the right of dictating practical laws based on the Torah's instructions given to the authorized leaders.

If we transfer this principle to the declaration of a new moon and the feasts of the Eternal, we understand that the rabbis acknowledged by the Jewish people have the faculty of announcing when such days should be celebrated, as it's written in Leviticus 23:2: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the LORD, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies:” (NIV)

Who are "you" in this text? In this case, not all Jews, but authorized leaders who guide the people. They have the duty of agreeing among themselves and the right to decide when to celebrate new moons and feasts of the Eternal. What they pronounce will be respected in heaven, because it was from heaven that the authorization to the people's leaders came.

If everyone did what they saw fit, the people wouldn't gather on the same dates and it would be very chaotic. Those who don't respect the authorities in these issues create division and confusion among the people.

Shauva tov,