Torah reading Shemini (שמיני): Leviticus 9–11

Readings

Leviticus 9:1–11:47
2Samuel 6:1–7:17
Romans 10:12–11:36
Acts 10
Hebrews 7:1–19

Shabbat haChodesh (Sabbath of the [New] Moon)

“This month [Abib, Ex. 13:4] shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.”
Exodus 12:2 NASB

Exodus 12:1–10
Ezekiel 45:16–46:18

Studies

Renewing our taste: Messiah transforms our desires to crave God above all else (Leviticus 11; Genesis 2–3; Acts 10)

Jeff April 6, 2024

The distinction between “clean” and “unclean” animals in Leviticus 11 and Acts 10 echoes the choice between the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad/Evil in Genesis 2–3. By eating from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam and Eve sought to determine good and bad for themselves, instead of trusting in God’s provision and boundaries. In this study of Torah reading שְׁמִינִי Shemini (“eighth,” Leviticus 9–11), we’ll see that learning the underlying lesson of distinguishing clean from unclean teaches the commonwealth of Israel to accept God’s designations rather than relying on their own understanding. Those who “eat”…

6 lessons from when fire comes from God

Daniel April 15, 2023

The closer we desire to be to God, the more He expects of us — more repentance, more humility, more love and compassion for those He created. We know who God and what He expects of us because of His words, the instructions He has given us to follow. This is a key lesson from the deaths of two key priests in the Tabernacle from the Torah reading שמיני Shemini (“eighth,” Leviticus 9–11). God has given us counsel and instructions on how we are to conduct ourselves in the world, in our families, in our communities. He also tells us how…

Mercy red with truth and awe: Arrival of the 'fittest' to enter the Kingdom of God (Leviticus 11)

Mercy red with Truth and awe: Arrival of the ‘fittest’ for the Kingdom of God (Leviticus 11)

Jeff March 26, 2022

There’s a big difference between learning Torah on an intellectual level, through hearing lectures and reading books versus doing it in the real world. In the Torah reading שמיני Shemini (“eighth,” Leviticus 9–11), ancient Israel high priest Aaron and his sons are taking what Moses has taught them about being their role in the Tabernacle and starting to step into the hands-on role. We have to do the same thing. It’s a good thing to read the Bible, listen to it being spoken, but then we have to actually do what it says before it can change us and make us…

Grace and response: What 'clean' and 'unclean' are really about (Leviticus 9-11; 2Samuel 6)

Grace and response: What ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’ are really about (Leviticus 11; 2Samuel 6)

Daniel April 10, 2021

What is holy and not holy? What is clean and not clean? Both are defined by God alone. Heaven sets up appointments for His people to meet with Him and how they are to prepare themselves and show up at the appointed times in the appointed ways. A key lesson of the Torah reading שמיני Shemini (“eighth,” Leviticus 9–11) is the leaders of the people, such as the priests, kings and nobles are called to a higher standard, because of their higher education and proximity to God than the common people. It is our duty as those who consider ourselves citizens of…

How to treat God, ourselves and others with respect (Leviticus 9–11; Mark 7)

Jeff April 18, 2020

The concept of ritual impurity is confusing to the gentile mindset. The Torah says that if one is “ritually impure” one can’t participate in the work of worship that happens in God’s house. It seems like God is punishing us for things that are beyond our control. However, it is not a sin to be ritually impure, and God isn’t out to punish us for things outside our control. Everything God says in the Torah is there to teach us lessons about Himself — and about ourselves in the process. In the Torah reading שמיני Shemini (“eighth,” Lev. 9:1–11:47), discover the things…

Leviticus 10: How to avoid ‘strange fire’ on our closer walk with God

Daniel March 30, 2019

The closer we are to God, the closer God looks at us. We may come to God as we are, but we shouldn’t stay as we were. A key lesson of the Torah reading שמיני Shemini (“eighth”; Leviticus 9–11) is the more understanding God gives us, the more God expects of us (Luke 12:48). This is also why the sacrifice of Yeshua (Jesus) was the only sacrifice that could take away our sins, transgressions and iniquities (Lev. 16:15, 18, 27; Heb. 9:13; 10:4).

Become clean and holy from the inside out (Leviticus 9-11; Mark 7; Acts 10)

Jeff April 15, 2017

The people of Yisrael had a long history of forgetting what made them Holy. It was God who made them holy. They didn’t make themselves holy. They also lost sight of the fact that being declared tame or unclean doesn’t make one sinful or wicked either. Yeshua’s frequently argued with the Pharisees over their emphasis on their man-made traditions over the plain word of scripture and how their man-made traditions were doing more to keep people away from God than brining them into God’s embrace. Even after Yeshua’s death and resurrection, these false ideas about the inherent holiness of the…

Leviticus 9–11: Confidently entering God’s presence with reverence

Jeff April 2, 2016

Because of God’s grace, we can enter God’s presence “boldly” because the perfection of Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ) has covered our “uncleanness.” The distinction between “clean” and “unclean” is powerfully presented by the tragic events of Leviticus 9-10 and the parable of allowable foods in Leviticus 11. The Torah reading שּׁמיני Shemini (“eighth,” Leviticus 9–11) illustrates the pervasive problem of being internally “unclean” and approaching God presumptuously while so. Yeshua warned against that in the parable of the wedding garment and the recorded confrontation over paying Roman taxes (Matt. 22:2–21).

Leviticus 11-12 — ‘unclean’ vs. ‘abomination’ in meat; purification of women after childbirth

Richard November 27, 2010

The phrase “unclean” and “abomination” are different words. The reason that God introduces certain animals clean and fit to eat versus unclean and unfit to eat is a lesson to us to look at the character of the animals. The length of a woman’s purification is twice as long for a female child as a male child. Liberals claim this is about a lack of thankfulness for the female child, but the real issue is the health of the mother after childbirth.

God ordains the Tabernacle and priesthood of Israel

God, through Moshe (Moses), consecrates His mediator, Aharon (Aaron). There is a clear transfer of spiritual authority from Moshe to Aharon at this point. This is a foreshadowing of God’s consecration of Yeshua, our Messiah as our High Priest, who had to walk a sacrificial walk for us that we could hear, do and walk in God’s word as He does. After Moshe consecrated Aharon and his sons, there was no longer any doubt as to how God has chosen to be the mediator between Himself and His people.

Leviticus 10

Two priests die in the line of Temple duty

We explore the “strange fire” or “foreign fire” offered by two priests in Leviticus 10 that got God so angry He incinerated both immediately. Was this capricious, or was the Author of Life teaching something fundamental through these deaths?

Leviticus 11

‘Unclean’ vs. ‘abomination’ in meat; purification of women after childbirth

God’s lessons in ‘abomination’ of ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’

Uncleanness is not a sin in and of itself. It’s a temporary state, not a permanent state. God shows here how to go from unclean to clean, not only of ourselves but of household items, clothing, etc. God is showing us how clean He is and how we are to become like him. This isn’t about “dos and don’ts” but because He wants us to be holy and to be His people.

More lessons from food of ‘clean’ and ‘unclean’

Leviticus 11-16 are about how to discern “cleanliness” vs. “uncleanliness.” God is giving us these instructions because He is holy — literally, set apart or distinct — and wants us to be holy, i.e., set apart for God’s purpose. God does not say that we will never be in a situation where we will be exposed to “uncleanliness.” Exposure to “uncleanliness” is a part of being in this world. God is giving us a simple object lesson about how to go from unclean to clean, from unholy to holy.

Second Torah reading: Numbers 19:1-22

The red heifer

One of the most mysterious passages regarding the sacrifices involved with the sanctuary and temple of Israel is the red heifer. In fact, this teaching in Numbers 19 is intimately connected with the mission of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus).

High priest as a type of the Messiah; lesson of the mysterious red heifer

There is a very special but blunt message in Numbers 18–19, targeted to the High Priest and his family. Moses is not addressed at all. God impresses upon the High Priest family and the Levites the seriousness of their charge. They are given certain rights within in the community of Israel but also gives them very serious responsibilities. God also places serious consequences on the High Priestly family and the Levites if they are derelict in their Temple duties.

Red heifer a picture of Messiah

God did not create the ritual of the red heifer, described in Numbers 19, to prevent the spread of disease but to make sure we don’t treat the death of a fellow human being casually. That’s regardless of whether their death was recent or many years ago. Death is our enemy. Death is not natural. Death is not our friend. The symbol of the red heifer points to the Messiah, and we can learn how much Yeshua did for us through that symbol.

Haftarah: 2nd Samuel 6:1–7:17

David brings the Ark to Yerushalayim

David moves the Ark of the Testimony to Yerushalayim. Along the way, a priest is killed when he tries to “help” God in keeping the Ark from falling from a cart.

How did God measure David’s worth?

Many who read this text think that God is somehow rejecting David or turning away from him, but this is not the case at all. God is not rejecting David but He is giving David a great insight into God’s purpose for him. David finds out what God really thinks of him. How many of us hear straight from God what He thinks of what we are doing for ourselves and our future generations? So, rather than thinking of this story as a type of rebuke to David, consider it God’s gift to David.