Some Questions to Ponder:

 

  1. From all the readings for this Shabbat, what verse or verses touched your heart and fired your imagination?

Vayiqra (Leviticus) ‎‎15:25 And a woman whose flow of blood flows for many days, outside of the time of her menstrual separation, or she has a discharge after her menstrual separation, then all the days she has her unclean discharge, she shall be unclean just like the days of her menstrual separation.

 

I was touched when I examined the connection between these verses on impurity with the rest of the Torah portion on Yom HaKippurim. My Beloved made the connections sweet: Giberet Batsheva indicated that they both dealt with the proceedure for having intimate relations. The first dealt with blood and other emissions and the second dealt with what it takes to enter the Holy of Holies.

 

Dr. Elisheva: Hakham Tsfet’s work this week was remarkable. His overall concept drew me particularly to one set of passages in the Ashlamatah of Ezekiel.  11 I improved you by the perfection of the words of the Torah, inscribed on two stone tablets, and given by the hand of Moses; and I sanctified you by the holiness of My great name. To me, the phrase “improved you” means he gave us the ability to learn and demonstrate moral excellence.

 

  1. What are the main topics and divisions of the Torah Seder for this Shabbat?

Vayikra (Leviticus) 15:25-33 Sexual purity

Vayikra (Leviticus) 15:34-16:34 National purity

 

  1. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 15:25?

MANY DAYS –  How many days is “many days” ?

 

OUTSIDE OF THE TIME OF HER MINSTRAL SEPARATION – Are these days a part of her natural cycle?

 

OR SHE HAS A DISCHARGE – When is this referring to, during her cycle or after her natural cycle?

 

AFTER HER MENSTRUAL SEPARATION – If she has a discharge after the natural flow what condition does this place her in?

 

  1. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 16:2?

And the Lord said to Moses: Speak to your brother Aaron, that he should not come [at all times into the Holy] – How is this connected to the death of Aaron’s sons?

 

so that he should not die - What are the consequences for coming in anytime?

 

for I appear...in a cloud – How often does HaShem appear in a cloud?

 

  1. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 16:1?

And the Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons - What does this teach us [when it specifies “after the death of Aaron’s two sons”]?

 

  1. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 16:3?

WITH THIS בְּזֽאת –– what does this Hebrew phrase teach us?

 

WITH THIS SHALL AARON ENTER [THE HOLY] – What does this teach us about when one can enter the Holy of holies?

 

  1. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 16:8?

And Aaron shall place lots upon the two he-goats – What was the procedure for this?

 

Azazel – What does this word mean?

 

  1. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 16:23?

AND AARON SHALL COME INTO THE TENT OF MEETING – Is this sentence in the correct order of the High Priest’s duties on the Day of Atonement?

 

AND…SHALL COME INTO THE TENT OF MEETING – Why does Aaron come into the Tent of Meeting at this time?

 

[AARON SHALL…] REMOVE THE LINEN GARMENTS – Why are the linen garments removed at this time?

 

AND THERE, HE SHALL STORE THEM AWAY – What does the phrase “store them away” imply?

 

  1. What questions were asked of Rashi regarding Vayiqra 16:32?

And the Kohen [Gadol] who is anointed – What do we learn from this statement?

 

or who is invested - What additional information do we learn from this statement? (those who wear the special clothes are High Priests, not just those who are anointed).

 

to serve in his father’s stead – What do we learn from this pasuk?

 

  1. How is Vayiqra 15:25 related to Vayiqra 16:34?

Both speak of the procedure for intimacy.

 

Verse 25 brings definition to uncleanliness and verse 34 brings atonement and reconciliation of uncleanliness.

 

  1. How is the Torah Seder related to our reading of Psalm 80:1-20 both by verbal tally and thematically?

The verbal tally between the Torah and the Psalm is: Dwell / Sits - ישב, Strong’s number 03427

 

Vayikra (Leviticus) 15:25  And if a woman have an issue of her blood <01818> many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.

26  Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth <03427> (8799) upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.

 

Tehillim (Psalm) 80:1 To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest <03427> between the cherubims, shine forth.

 

Thematically, They both speak of the prayers of the righteous and their atonement. All sitting is for the purposes of judgment.

 

 

  1. How is the Torah Seder related both by verbal tally and thematically to our Ashlamatah of Ezekiel 16:9ff.?

The verbal tally between the Torah and the Ashlamata is: Blood - דם, The Strong’s number is 01818.

 

Vayikra (Leviticus) 15:25  And if a woman have an issue of her blood <01818> many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.

26  Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth <03427> (8799) upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.

 

Yehezechel (Ezekiel) 16:9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood <01818> from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

 

Thematically, They both speak of special garments, the Tabernacle, and about atonement.

 

  1. How are the readings for this Shabbat intimating to us that a new month is dawning upon us?

The Torah portion speaks about a woman’s period which has the same cycle time as the moon.

 

The special Ashlamata speaks of the New Moon.

 

  1. Since we already have celebrated Yom Kippur why does the ordinary Lectionary makes revisit again the day of Yom HaKippurim? What is the purpose?

We revisit this passage because we need to reflect on the intimacy we experienced during Shemini Atzeret and recall that Yom Kipput made that possible. Further we can understand that the triennial cycle puts the Torah in chronological order.

 

His Eminence suggests that we read this because the atonement of Yom Kippur extends to Chanukah which is a second chance to celebrate Succoth. Those who are near (Jews) celebrate Succoth. Those who are far off (Gentiles) celebrate at Chanukah. The chanukiyah is on the front of the house opposite the menora to invite the Gentiles in. Just as Yonah is read at Yom Kippur to speak to the Gentiles. There is a time of Atonement on Yom Kippur with an appeal procees that ends on Hoshana Rabba, during Succoth. Thus Chanukah, which is a second chance to celebrate Succoth, also contains an element of atonement that is available for the Gentile.

 

  1. How is the reading of II Tsefet 1:3-4 related to each of the readings for this Shabbat?

Torah Seder:

The Yom Kippur service judges us and acquits us of the past years sins.  Hakham Tsefet tells us that we have been given all things for a life of moral excellence (study/worship/mitzvot/and Halachot). In essence we are left without excuse and Hakham Tsefet teaches us the severity of rebellious actions be teaching us that the life of moral excellence is attainable if we follow the examples and teachings of the Torah and the Mesorah.

 

Tehillim:

While G-d is clearly the Shepherd of Yisrael, Messiah is often pictures as a Shepherd.  The Mesorah of Messiah is a Shepherd that teaches us the value and practical side of the Torah.  Therefore, the Torah and its Mesorah are a shepherd of sorts to Yisrael.

 

Yechezel:

Uses symbolic language of G-d to teach us that we are adorned with costly jewels and attire.  What are those jewels and attire? The Torah and its Mesorah! Again, Hakham Tsefet’s words resound with the adornments of Torah and Mesorah in that we have been given all things (the Torah AND is explanation, the Mesorah) for a life of righteous practice (study/worship/mitzvot/halakhot).  However, we must STUDY to learn all of these principles and how to implement them in our lives.   

 

  1. What important overall principles are taught in 1 Tsefet 1:3-4?

That the purpose of our lives is to show righteous/generous practice (study/worship/mitzvot/halakhot).

 

That we should strive for moral excellence in everything we do.

 

a.      We have been given everything we need to succeed in our part of Divine destiny.

 

b.     A seed of Divine nature has been implanted within each of us and it is our duty to nurture it and bring it to fruition.

 

c.      Through study/prayer/worship and righteous/generous acts we rise above the world and evil has no hold on us.

 

Moral excellence is NOT cultural holiness or the holiness at taught by the world’s Pagan system.   Real moral excellence is following to the best of one’s abilities the Torah and the Mesorah.

 

  1. In Vayiqra 16, what further information are we provided with as to why the sons of Aharon died?

They died because they did not come in to the Holy of Holies on the tenth day of the seventh month with the proper clothing and with the proper blood preparation.

 

Though one may have great zeal to serve G-d, nevertheless, there are ways to properly do it so as to not endanger oneself by not fulfilling His will. In the case of Aarons sons we are told that to enter the Holy of Holies it must only be on the seventh month and the tenth day of that month (Yom Kippur), also he must be the anointed Cohen Gadol. Also we learned that the offering of strange fire might have had something to do with the incense (cloud) which HaShem would dwell in over the Ark of the Covenant.

 

His Eminence, Hakham Haggai, teaches us that since Ahraon’s sons died, we know that they sinned. What was their sin? His Eminence tells us that since the rules for going into the Holy of Holies had not yet been given, did not know and they should have asked, since they did not ask, they therefore acted presumptuously!

 

  1. In your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the above readings for this Sabbath, what is the prophetic message for this week?

Seek to live in purity in order to be intimate with HaShem and our spouse.