This week we read 2 Parashats as this is a 12 month year not a 13 month year. We just finished reading the ordination of the Aaron and his Sons. We then read about the death of Nadab and Abihu due to presenting strange fire before the Lord in the HOLY of HOLIES. We then get the food laws and what is clean and unclean. This week we pick up with more clean and unclean laws. We begin with child birth and how long the mother is unclean after giving birth. There are different rules for the mother based on the sex of the child that was born. There is a lot going on here which I may cover at another time.
We then go into Skin Diseases and all the protocols for this disease. We hear about different types of Skin Disease with the worst being Leprosy. We read about things that become contaminated like clothing and housing. We then read about bodily discharges and sexual intercourse and the protocol for being made ceremonially clean.
According to Jewish teaching a person would become a leper because they had a haughty spirit. They would think they were better than everyone else. They feel they don’t have to follow the rules everyone else does. These people have turned their back on the community. Because they have walked away they are to be separated from the community. Here is the interesting thing the Priest is set apart from the community as he takes on a position to stand in the gap for the community. A special sacrifice would be made and blood from a RAM would be placed on the right earlobe, right thumb, and right big toe. This would set the Priest apart taking him out of the community so he can be closer to God. The Leper when he is clean and able to come back into the community he would also bring a special sacrifice. A RAM would be sacrificed and the blood would be placed on the right earlobe, right thumb, right big toe. A person who chose to be separated has to go through the same process as the Priest.
Have you been separated from the community? Are you ready to comeback home? If so there is room at the table. We are waiting for you.
Notice every where we read in the Bible it talks about being ceremonially clean. No one is ever truly clean under the Law. We are only clean now because of the BLOOD of JESUS. You may feel unclean but today you can be cleaned up by the perfect sacrifice. Today you can be clean and made new not just ceremonially but completely clean.
