Readings: April 4, 2026

Starting after Sukkot 2024, Hallel Fellowship switched to a three-year cycle of Torah and parallel Bible readings (2024–2027), outlined by TorahResource. While there’s ancient evidence for a triennial cycle, a major benefit is to provide more time to mine more of Scripture for lessons.

Readings

• Leviticus 1–2
• Isaiah 48:12–49:3
• Ephesians 5:1–10

Shabbat Pesach (Sabbath of Passover) readings

• Exodus 33:12–34:26
• Ezekiel 37:1–14
• 1Corinthians 5:1–8

Corresponding reading in the 1-year Torah cycle

Insights from this week’s readings

The three passages form a coherent thread: drawing near to God through acceptable offering, being formed as His servant-people, and then living that reality out in visible holiness.

Qorban, doron, prosphora

In Leviticus 1–2, the worshiper brings a קָרְבָּן qorbān (“offering,” “that which draws near”), rendered in the Septuagint as δῶρον dōron (“gift”) or προσφορά prosphora (“offering”). This same prosphora appears in Ephesians 5:2 describing Messiah’s self-offering, and also in Hebrews 10:10. The רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ rēaḥ nīḥōaḥ (“pleasing aroma”) becomes ὀσμὴ εὐωδίας osmē euōdias in the Septuagint (LXX), echoed in Ephesians 5:2 and Philippians 4:18.

The sacrificial system was never just ritual. Part of It prophetically pointed to a life given to God that becomes spiritually “fragrant.”

Bottom line: True worship is offering yourself to God in a way that aligns with His character, something fulfilled perfectly in Messiah and then imitated by His followers.

‘Eved, pais; ’or, phos

Isaiah 48:12–49:3 introduces the Servant, called Israel yet embodying Israel’s mission. The Hebrew עֶבֶד ‘eved (“servant”) is translated παῖς pais in the LXX, a term used for both “servant” and “son.” This same pais is used in Acts 3:13 (“Jesus His servant,” παῖδα αὐτοῦ paida autou) and Matthew 12:18, quoting Isaiah.

The Servant is also called “a light” אוֹר ’or, rendered φῶς phōs, which appears in Ephesians 5:8 (“you are light in the Lord”) and John 8:12. The mission to be “a light to the nations” (Isaiah 49:6) flows directly into the identity of believers.

Bottom line: The Servant is both Israel and Messiah. Yeshua embodies Israel’s calling and succeeds where the nation failed. Those joined to Him now share that calling: to reflect God’s light outward, not just believe inwardly.

Bakhar, eklegomai

Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37) shows same restoration theme that underlies Isaiah’s Servant language: God forms a people who will live. That formation begins with calling and culminates in transformation. The Hebrew בָּחַר bākhar (“choose”) in Isaiah 48:10 (refining/chosen) connects conceptually with Apostolic Writings ideas of calling (ἐκλέγομαι eklegomai; e.g., Ephesians 1:4), though expressed differently in wording.

Bottom line: God’s work is intentional. He chooses, refines, and shapes people for a purpose, not randomly but toward holiness and mission.

Mimetai, halakh

Ephesians 5:1–10 brings the Torah and Prophets into lived reality. “Imitate God” uses μιμηταί mimētai, and “walk” περιπατεῖτε peripateite, echoing the Hebrew הָלַךְ hālakh (“to walk/live”), frequently rendered in the LXX as περιπατέω peripateō, such as in Genesis 17:1.

“Love” (a closer translation: “charity”) ἀγάπη agapē corresponds to Hebrew אַהֲבָה ’ahavah, seen in Deuteronomy 6:5 (LXX: ἀγαπήσεις agapēseis). “Light” φῶς phōs again ties back to Isaiah’s אוֹר ’or. “Darkness” σκότος skotos reflects חֹשֶׁךְ ḥōshekh, as in Genesis 1:2 (LXX: σκότος skotos).

Bottom line: The New Testament isn’t inventing new ethics, new laws. It’s expressing Torah life through Messiah. That means following Yeshua is living out the heart of the Torah: love, purity and visible goodness.

Qadosh, hagios

Another key term is “holy” implied in Leviticus offerings and explicit in ethical life. Hebrew קָדוֹשׁ qādōsh (“holy”) is translated ἅγιος hagios in the LXX, a dominant term in the Apostolic Writings (e.g., Ephesians 5:3).

Similarly, “blameless” תָּמִים tāmīm in sacrificial language (Leviticus 1:3) is rendered ἄμωμος amōmos, used in Ephesians 1:4 and 5:27.

Bottom line: The same standard applied to sacrifices has always applied to people. The “perfect” animals for the offerings point to how Heaven is shaping people to be spiritually “without blemish” in Messiah.

Coming together in Messiah

Finally, the thread of identity and transformation converges. The offering (προσφορά), the Servant (παῖς), and the walk (περιπατέω) all meet in Messiah. He is the perfect offering, the true Servant, and the model for how to walk. Believers become what they worship: a living offering, reflecting divine light. Romans 12:1 (“present your bodies as a living sacrifice,” θυσίαν ζῶσαν) ties directly back to Leviticus language through the LXX.

Bottom line: Draw near to God through Messiah, be reshaped by Him, and then live in a way that visibly reflects His love and light to others.

Studies

Tree of Knowledge and Haman’s gallows: Esther shows us how to overcome our desire to replace God

Jeff March 23, 2024

Bible prophecy often talks about widespread persecution against the people of God in the “latter days.” But that seems so far removed from today’s society, where we have global human rights watchdog groups, U.S. First Amendment protections for religious freedom, the International Court of Justice and the United Nations. This study of the Torah reading וַיִּקְרָא Vayikra (“and He called,” Levicus 1:1–6:7) plus readings for the Sabbath of Remembrance (Deuteronomy 25:17–19; 1Samuel 15:2–34; 1Peter 4:12–5:11) and the Book of Esther reminds us why we keep seeing outbreaks of perplexing violence throughout history, in spite of attempts to legislate away evil.

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‘He who has an ear to hear’: Listen as Messiah speaks through Israel’s Tabernacle offerings (Leviticus 1–7; Hebrews 10; Psalm 40)

Jeff March 25, 2023

The Torah reading וַיִּקְרָא Vayikra (“and He called,” Lev. 1:1–6:7) picks up immediately after God moved into the newly constructed Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34–38), ancient Israel’s tent shrine for the LORD. But the question then was, “Now what happens after God enters the Tabernacle and everyone must get out, for their own safety?” To answer this and to help understand the seemingly strange and rather grotesque imagery of the sacrifices in the Leviticus, approach the book as one would a parable, like one tackles the parables of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus).

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Let’s make God in our own image? How idol hands are the devil’s workshop (Isaiah 43:21–44:23)

Jeff March 12, 2022

There’s a domain that is ours and a domain that is not ours. And we need to respect those boundaries to live in harmony. When our relationship with God is damaged, we have to listen and obey when God tells us where we went wrong and how to repent and make it right. That is, if our goal is fellowship with Him. In this exploration of the parallel passage to the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra (“and He called,” Lev. 1:1–6:7), we discover how the whole goal of the Dwelling Place’s being with mankind, whether it was in the Garden of Eden, the…

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How our lives can become a ‘soothing aroma to the LORD’ (Leviticus 1–5)

Jeff March 20, 2021

The Creator of the heavens and the Earth wants to live among humankind, but there humankind is too attached with the muck-and-mire ways of this world. Heaven’s solution is acted out in the imagery and ceremony of Israel’s Tabernacle and in the work of the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). Discover in the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra (“and He called,” Leviticus 1:1-6:7) how our heart’s cry determines whether we are a “soothing aroma” as Heaven transforms us.

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‘We have such a high priest’: Sacrifice of praise and a bridled tongue (Leviticus 1–5)

Daniel March 28, 2020

Why does the New Testament have such a large discussion about the Israel’s high priest and the offerings of the Tabernacle (Hebrews 4–14) in connection with Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ)? In the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra/Vayiqra (“and He called”), covering Lev. 1:1–6:7, we have the “what” and “why” the various qorbanot (“offerings” aka “sacrifices”) in the Tabernacle services that were revealed to all the children of Israel. In the next Torah reading, God reveals to the Levites and priests how the sacrifices are to be processed and presented to HaShem (the Name). Heaven has communicated this through the Torah, Prophets and…

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Leviticus 1:1–6:7: Lessons on faith, grace and worship from Tabernacle offerings

Daniel March 17, 2018

Many think that the Tabernacle and Temple services were about works that pay for entrance into the Father’s presence and that the regimens of faith — prayer and repentance — made the Tabernacle obsolete. But what the Bible actually teaches about the Tabernacle is quite different from this common view. God’s presence can’t abide with impurity, and the book of Vayiqra (Leviticus) shows us God’s prescription to make us pure and ready to live in His presence. The animal and grain קרבנות qorbanot (offerings/sacrifices) described in the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra/Vayiqra (“and He called,” Leviticus 1:1-6:7) were symbolic of the supplicant’s…

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Entering God’s Presence via the sacrifice of a contrite heart (Leviticus 1:1–6:7)

Jeff April 1, 2017

None of the sacrifices or offerings of the Tabernacle or Temple of ancient Israel (recorded in Torah reading וַיִּקְרָא Vayiqra/Vayikra, Lev. 1:1–6:7) apply to us today, yet all of them apply to us today. That paradox comes to us because forgiveness for diverging from the Creator’s plan has always come to mankind the same way: the old way of life must die. Offerings of blood and food never accomplished that — and never were meant to. So then, what’s the deal with all the detailed instructions in the Bible about killing animals, pouring and sprinkling blood, burning carcasses and bringing in…

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Getting back into the LORD’s presence (Leviticus 1:1–6:7)

Jeff March 19, 2016

Ever been homesick? Or finally woken up to the reality, “There’s no place like home!” The Torah reading ויקרא Vayiqra/Vayikra (“and he called,” Leviticus 1:1–6:7) flows from the end of the second book of the Pentateuch (Exodus 40:35), which ends with the exclusion of Moshe and everyone else from God’s Presence in the newly dedicated Tabernacle. The third book of the Pentateuch gives us God’s instructions for how we return to His Presence. The entire book of Leviticus, called Vayiqra in Hebrew, teaches that true worship is not about entering a building but entering God’s Presence every day of our lives.

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Meanings of the burnt, grain and peace offerings (Leviticus 1–3)

Richard August 16, 2014

The entire book of Leviticus is about the function of Israel’s high priest. Yeshua (Jesus) is our High Priest, and as we study Leviticus, we learn more about what Yeshua is doing for us in God’s presence. Leviticus 1-3 starts with instructions about how to give free will offerings to God. These are not offerings of punishment but offerings of gratitude and love of God. We also learn how the High Priest prepares and gives these offerings to God. We can see the New Testament fulfillment in Yeshua as we read through Hebrews 5.

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