When I started this blog more than a year ago, I desired to put up a weekly Torah Portion thread for comments and general input/discussion. I did not intend for it to be my work, but a joint collection of thoughts, impressions, questions, etc.
At the time, when I ‘spoke’ in here, there was a distinct echo… LOL! Now, this blog has more than a couple hundred hits a day and there are a number of regulars who have a solid Torah base to bring insight and discussion.
So, let’s try this again!
Each week at the beginning of the week I’ll simply open a thread with the Torah portion as well as Haftorah and Gospel references. Throughout the week, let’s each add thoughts, etc. Through this we can each learn, grow and share some of what we are seeing!
Torah Portion: Vayikra “and He called” Leviticus 1:1-6:7
Haftorah: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
Gospel: Mark 7:1-30
Looking forward to your thoughts and will share a few of mine shortly…
natsab 
http://yourlisten.com/manofGod/44-isaiah-44-audio-handel
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It has to be the Word that does the work.
It has to be the Logos that does the changing. I have heard a pastor say and I have harped upon this on my blog, “The bible says, but we teach”. the first time I heard him say that I had no answer to him. What can a man say to a preacher who has gone off track to teach what ever his own heart or corporation tell him to? The answer is there is nothing to say to him except, “That’s not what the Bible say”. This pastor told me that if a man did not pay him his wage that he would beat the … baloney out him… I said to him, (Private), Where is THAT in the Scripture”? I thought we were supposed to forgive debt, (Private)? “It’s not in the Scripture, but I have to feed my family”. This is the same Pastor who told me that he had to carry a gun and I said to him, “Is your God so weak that you need to defend yourself with a gun”? He jumped back and retorted to me, “What? Of course not! But I have to defend my family”.
Well, can’t your god defend you? Did Shadrak , Mischac and Abednego need to defend themselves? What about David in the Lions Den? Did David carry a gun to defend himsellf against the lions?
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Agreed, but you understand the point. Some are called as teachers, I just desire these particular threads to be mutual sharing/growing/learning… Not a ‘burden’ to me in providing additional insight… 😉
Indeed, it is a joy when we are sharing and growing together.
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Written during the first song of Torah class 4 February 2014
Just love Him. Right now, just love Him. Right now we need to take the focus off ourselves. You are not the most important person in your life. You and your worries, problems, concerns and pain is less than His power, weaker than His love, enough for a sacrifice, but not enough to take you focus off Him, that died on the cross for all you cares, your sin, your illness, challenges.
What do you do with your love for Him? Rejoice? Worship, give thanks, break bread, or do you question yourself, your life, your circumstances, your fears, your faith, your place that you are at? Leave it. Leave it all. Come out of it. Do not put yourself back into the slavery of self. Do not doubt. Do no fear. You’re a conquerer, your are saved, your are loved, you are set apart, your are healthy, you are a child of a King, you are worthy because He is worthy. You are loved because He loves you, you are free because He died. You are alive because He rose again. Get out. Get out from slavery, get out of Egypt, get out of your emotional Babylon, get out. Just love Him. Dare to enter. Dare to enter into the door, into His presence, His constant faithful unconditional presence.
The Feast table is set. The meal is prepared. Are you ready? Are you in preperation for the Feast or are you too caught up in yourself to see the Menorah, to break the bread, to drink the wine. Only pure oil is needed, be prepared to be virgin oil, unblemished, cold pressed, made to last, only the best of what you can be. Shalom. Get into Shalom and out of yourself. He is waiting. He is ready.
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Thank you for sharing that!
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A day or so ago I wrote about my thoughts on the frequent use of ‘unintentional sin’ in this portion and that concept’s presence throughout Scripture.
2:13 Salt of the covenant. We were blessed at our Sukkot last year to have Ernest and Theresa Cannon here to teach several days on covenants. One day we searched the Scriptures looking for more about the ‘Salt Covenant.’ In ancient times, salt was often associated, rightly, with blood. Think: Injectable saline solution. Many, many cultures, particularly in the Middle East, regard sharing salt as the same as entering into a blood covenant. Here, by salting the meat and sharing (part for Levites or other celebrants) and part offered to Yahweh, is the equivalent, if I remember/understand correctly, of entering into the blood of the Abrahamic Covenant. Now, it is not necessary, and circumcision has a role as well, but the presence of salt on every sacrifice/offering is very significant from a covenantal aspect.
3:17 What? No fat? My sons love the ‘crispy fat’ on the edge of a properly grilled steak. And, the night before we read this, we were blessed to enjoy a corned beef, which also has some edge fat that a couple boys love! So, when we read this, they immediately keyed in and wanted more information. We looked at Ray Gardener’s study notes on these mentions in this portion and he explained the difference between ‘bad fat,’ that which is on the organs versus ‘good fat,’ or allowed fat that is on the meat. The boys were relieved upon hearing this simple pleasure is allowed… Of course, we had a discussion on health and diet as well. 😉
More later. Someone else’s turn. 🙂
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I have understood that no fat is acceptable from the animal in our diets. I thought the distinction was between animal fat and plant fat like Extra Virgin Olive Oil which is acceptable and necessary.
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Realize that all meat fibers have some level of “fat” mixed into the meat. That is what gives the meat flavor and moisture as fat has a lot of moisture.
When you process an animal for meat, you notice that the fat of the organs is harder or firmer compared to fats in other places. If this is mixed into the meat it doesn’t “melt” away so easy and is “greasy”. It does however burn well. YHVH is smarter than we are.
Just as it is impossible to get every red blood cell out of meat, no matter how hard you try and how long you soak it, the Scriptural process of not eating the blood is accomplished to the level He asks by “bleeding” the animal out; not killing the animal with its blood inside it as with strangling (see Acts 15). Likewise, as stated, you cannot get rid of “all fat” and are commanded to not eat the “choicest parts” or the specific fats attached to the organs as the post above described. This can be more easily understood by “hands on experiences”.
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I read your posts backwards so my comments in this are on your next post. But I comment on these in my blog on whether the Passover is an Offering Towards God or God’s Gift to Us. That article makes claim that the Passover fits into “none” of the categories of “offerings” in this weeks Torah portion. That is something to consider, especially since YHVH gave instructions for Passover, before they set up the tabernacle or established the Levitical system (i.e. they did not need the Levites in order to “keep Passover”). Food for thought (pun intended)!
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[Originally posted in wrong thread by Jack Jackson. Mostly fixed, but my gravatar is still attached… Pete]
Several other points in this week’s Torah portion to note are that the Pasach (Passover) sacrifice does not fit into any of these “Levitical Offerings” as follows:
1) In Chapter 1 the one that brings their burnt offering to the tabernacle must kill it themselves and cut it into pieces themselves…then only does the Priest lay it upon the alter to completely burn up, none is eaten.
2) In Chapter 2, we find a grain offering, and a Passover is not grain, but animal.
3) In Chapter 3 we find a Peace Offering, which again is killed the one making the offering (not the Priest). The offering is to be eaten, but in a shared way before the Priest and one offering. The Passover is not shared with anyone outside the home.
4) In Chapter 4 we find a sin offering which again is killed by the one that sinned and is offering it (not killed by the Priest unless it is his sin v. 3) This is burnt up and not eaten. These can be personal sin or corporate sin. Passover was not given because of sin, but to avoid sinning by not offering it.
5) Likewise is Chapter 5 Passover is not done because of a trespass, but done so we we don’t trespass His command to observe it throughout your generations, lest we be cut off from Israel for not doing it (along with all the rites and all the ceremonies as per the second Passover instructions in Numbers 9:1-13).
So would it be intentional sin, or sin or ignorance to not keep the ordinance and rites of the Passover exactly as it was given? I ponder these questions in an article on my blog. The message was recorded Pete along with the Q and A session afterwards. I will send you a copy to consider when it is available; hopefully soon as Passover is right around the corner.
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