In Laws #332-334, we see examples of the word "blemish," being defined in Lev.
21:17-20 as anyone who is blind, lame, flat nose, has a broken bone or whose growth is stunted. Even temporary blemishes such as a healing wound scab was condemned from entering into the Tabernacle.
The idea of an imperfect human or animal not being a sufficient offering, either for service or sacrifice may rub some people the wrong way. But this Law is not about the validity of the flawed individual. It's actually about the perfection of the Most High we serve and therefore, the perfect worship He deserves to match His perfection. I think we all agree that if we could offer Him perfect worship, we would. But because we are flawed, we cannot. If we could offer him perfection we would, but we cannot.
All we have is our flawed selves to offer Him. Know that in terms of mercy for our flaws, His grace is sufficient. That being said, in no way should we diminish worship for Him because of our blemish. But let these Laws, which seem to denounce us because of imperfection, be a reflection not of our flawed condition but of how perfect our worship must be towards Him. Worship is to be flawless, even when the worshipper is not.
Monday, September 12, 2016
*Laws #321-335 ~ BOOK EIGHT: THE BOOK OF SERVICE (Laws of Entering The Temple)
*Omitted (should not have been added to the Laws)
**Changed (a misinterpretation of the Law or based on the wrong scripture)
***No Longer Kept (No longer applicable today)
***Law #321 A Kohen must not enter the Temple intoxicated
Lev. 10:9 “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, though, nor
thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye
die: it shall be a statute forever through your generations.”
To better understand why the priest was commanded not to
drink before service, verse 10 goes on to say, “…that ye may put difference
between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean and that ye may teach
the children of Israel all the statutes which the Most High has spoken unto
them by the hand of Moses.”
Because the Levite is no longer in place, this Law can no
longer be kept but the concept is still the same. Do not compromise yourself to the point of
not being able to decipher right from wrong and clean from unclean,
particularly when you should be in the mind to teach, mentor or lead. This is a lesson we can all apply in our
lives.
***Law #322 A Kohen must not enter the Temple with Long Hair
& ***#323 A Kohen must not enter the Temple with torn clothes
Lev. 10:6 “And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and
unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest
ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the
whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Most High has kindled.
The commands here are for the Kohen not to enter the Temple
with a bald head or torn garments.
***Law #324 A Kohen must not enter the Temple
indiscriminately
Lev. 16:2 “And the Most High said unto Moses, speak unto
Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the
vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will
appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
The Law is for the priest not to enter into the holy place
indiscriminately or whenever he wants to.
Verse 3 says he must enter with a sin offering and a burnt
offering. Verse 4 says he must be clean
and in holy attire. We see there was an
order of doing things in the place the Most High established or else the price
to pay was death.
***Law#325 A Kohen must not leave the Temple during service
Lev. 10:7 “And ye shall not go out from the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Most
High is upon you…”
The Kohen must not leave during service.
***Law #326 To send the impure from the Temple
Num. 5:2 “Command the children of Israel, that thy put out
of the camp every leper, and every one that has an issue, and whosoever is
defiled by the dead.
The command is for the Kohan to send the impure out of the
Temple. Verse 3 says both male and
female. The idea of coming as you are,
not so much in the old days. Quite
possibly the reason for so many tainted ministries is because everyone is
allowed to come as they are instead of seeing the standard set and following
after that standard.
***Law #327 Impure people must not enter the Temple
Num. 5:3 “Both male and female shall ye put out, without the
camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof
I dwell.
The command is for impure people to be put out of the Temple
by the Kohan. We see a repeat of Law #326. This is a Law that can be omitted.
***Law #328 Impure people must not enter the Temple Mount area
Deut. 23:1 “He that is wounded in the stones or has his
privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Most High.”
***Law #329 Impure Kohanim must not do service in the temple
Lev. 22:2 “Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they
separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that
they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am
the Most High.
The command is that the unclean Kohanim must not do service
in the Temple. Same idea as Law #328. If they are not allowed in the Temple, they
are not allowed to do service in the Temple.
The emphasis in this Law is that they not only stay out of the Temple if
unclean but stay separated from the holy things of the Nation.
***Law #330 An impure Kohen, following immersion, must wait
until after sundown before returning to service
Lev. 22:7 “And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and
shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.”
The Law says after immersion, a now clean Kohen must wait
until after sundown to return to service.
The scripture specifically say, he shall be clean after sundown and then
return to service.
***Law #331 A Kohen must wash his hands and feet before
service
Ex. 30:19 “For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and
their feet thereat:”
Kohen must wash hands and feet before service
***Law #332 A Kohen with a physical blemish must not enter
the sanctuary or approach the altar
Lev 21:23 “Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come
nigh unto the altar, because he has a blemish; that he profane not my
sanctuaries: for I the Most High do sanctify them.”
Kohen with a physical blemish must not enter the sanctuary
or approach the altar
***Law #333 A Kohen with a physical blemish must not serve
& ***Law #334 A
Kohen with a temporary blemish must t not serve
Lev. 21:17-20 “Speak to Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of
thy seed in their generations that has any blemish, he shall not approach: a
blind man, or a lame or he that has a flat nose, or anything superfluous, or a
man that is broken-footed or broken-handed or crookbacked or a dwarf, or that
has a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy or scabbed or has his stones broken.”
We see greater detail of Law #322 and what “blemish” means.
They shall not approach, those of the seed of Aaron. Meaning, they shall not serve. Maimonide’s List includes another Law #334,
even Kohen with a temporary blemish may not serve. This Law is derived from the types of
blemishes we see in the scriptures; scabs, broken bones (temporary) to flat
nose or dwarf (permanent)
***Law #335 One who is not a Kohen must not serve
Num. 18:4 “And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the
charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the
tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.”
The command is that one must be Kohen to serve in the
Temple.
Blemished?
In Laws #332-334, we see examples of
the word "blemish," being defined in Lev. 21:17-20 as anyone
who is blind, lame, flat nose, has a broken bone or whose growth is
stunted. Even temporary blemishes such as a healing wound scab was
condemned from entering into the Tabernacle.
We will see more examples in Lev. 22.
The idea of an imperfect human or animal not being a
sufficient offering either for service or sacrifice may rub some people the
wrong way. But this Law is not about the validity of the flawed
individual. It's actually about the flawless perfection of the Most High
we serve and therefore, the perfect worship he deserves to match His
perfection. I think we all agree that if we could offer Him perfect
worship, we would. But because we are flawed, we cannot. If we
could offer him perfection we would, but we cannot.
All we have is our flawed selves to offer
Him. Know that in terms of mercy for our flaws, His grace is
sufficient. That being said, in no way should we be discouraged to worship because of our blemish. But let these Laws which seem to denounce us
because of our imperfection, be a reflection not of our flawed condition but
of how perfect our worship should be towards Him. Our worship is to
be flawless, even when the worshipper is not.*Laws #307-320 ~ BOOK EIGHT: THE BOOK OF SERVICE (Laws of The Temple Vessels and Employees)
*Omitted (should not have been added to the Laws)
**Changed (a misinterpretation of the Law or based on the wrong scripture)
***No Longer Kept (No longer applicable today)
The following Laws pertain to the Tabernacle and its
components (oil, incense, Ark, etc.) and employees and instructions on how all
should be handled in service. You’ll
find that they all have *** in front of them, indicating they can no longer be
kept in today’s world, as there is no Tabernacle or Temple in which to keep the
Most High’s service. Note, how important
not reproducing the anointing oil and incense is to the Most High. This means, the anointing oil and incense was
meant for one place and for one people.
Not for 100,000 “temples” across the world to mass produce and use in their
own individual services. None-the-less, these Laws can be a reference for how
the holy priests of Israel were to honor their positions in the tabernacle and
Temple. Many churches have attempted to
imitate this order in their buildings but the true Levites, scattered today,
can never be replaced.
*** Law #307 To prepare the anointing oil
Ex. 30:31 “And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel,
saying, this shall be a holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
The command is to prepare the anointing oil.
***Law #308 Not to reproduce the anointing oil & ***309 Not
to anoint with anointing oil
Ex. 30:32 “Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured, neither
shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and
it shall be holy unto you.”
The commands are two; to not reproduce the anointing oil for
other purposes and not to anoint a person with anointing oil.
***Law #310 Not to reproduce the incense formula
Ex. 30:37 “And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye
shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be
unto thee holy for the Most High.”
The command is not to reproduce the incense formula for
other purposes.
***Law #311 Not to burn anything on the Golden Altar besides
incense (Ex. 30:9)
Ex. 30:9 “Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor
burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering
thereon (upon the lamps the Aaron light vs. 8)
The command is not to burn anything on the golden alter
besides incense.
***Law #312 The Levites must transport the ark on their
shoulders
Num. 7:9 “But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because
the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon
their shoulders.
The command here is that the Levites only transport the Ark
on their shoulders
***Law #313 Not to remove the staves from the ark
Ex. 25:15 “The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they
shall not be taken from it.
The Law is not to remove the staves from the Ark
***Law #314 The Levites must work in the Temple
“Num. 18:23 “But the Levites shall do the service of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be
a statue forever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel
they have no inheritance.
The Law says the Levites must work in the Temple. It was their responsibility and had the
Tabernacle/Temple existed today, according to scripture this would still be the
case for the Levite, “forever.” However,
the Nation is scattered and the present day Levite tribe specifically is not
identified among the Israelite descendants.
***Law #315 No Levite must do another’s work of either a
Kohen or a Levite
Num. 18:3 “And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of
all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary
and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
The Law states that no Levite does the work of another
Levite/Kohan
***Law #316 To dedicate the Kohen for service
Lev. 21:8 “Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he
offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord,
which sanctify you, am holy.”
The Law is to dedicate the Kohan for service
**/***#317 The kohanic work shifts must be equal during
holidays
Deut. 18:6-8 “If a Levite come from any of thy gates out of
all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto
the place which the Most High shall choose; Then he shall minister in the name
of the Most High, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before
Him. They shall have like portions to
eat, beside that which comes of the sale of his patrimony.”
According to Maimonide’s List, the Law here says the Kohan’s
work shifts must be equal on holidays. However it doesn’t quite say that in
scripture. It says the coming Levite
shall minister as all his brethren and they shall eat equal portions, so we do
see equality among them. There’s no
mention of holidays. This no is no
longer observable but if it where it would need to be changed. The true Law is for the Kohen to eat equal
portions.
***Law #318 The Kohanim must wear their priestly garments
during service
Ex. 28:2 “Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy
brother for glory and for beauty.”
Kohanim must wear priestly garments during service. Verse 3 goes on to say, “…to consecrate him,
that he may minister unto Me in the priest’s office.”
***Law #319 Not to tear the priestly garments
Ex. 28:32 “And there shall be a hole in the top of it
(priestly robe), in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round
about the hole of it, as it were the hole of a habergeon, that it be not rent.
This Law is no longer observable today, as no Levitical
priest is identified to wear this garment and no temple exists to work in.
***Law #320 the breastplate must not be loosened from the
Ephod
Ex. 27:28 “And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings
thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above
the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from
the ephod.
The breastplate of the priestly garment must not be loosened
from the ephod.
Monday, September 5, 2016
A REMINDER...
A REMINDER:
ALL LAWS NOTED WITH * INDICATE THEY’RE NEEDING TO BE
OMMITTED FROM THE LIST OF 613 LAWS DUE TO EITHER BEING ADDED ERRONEOUSLY OR A REPEAT
OF A PREVIOUS LAW IN THE JEWISH MAIMONIDE’S LIST.
ALL LAWS NOTED WITH ** INDICATE THE SCRIPTURE BEHIND THEM
STATES DIFFERENTLY THAN THE INTERPRETATION GIVEN IN MAIMONIDE’S LIST AND EITHER
THE STATED LAW NEEDS TO BE CHANGED OR THE SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE NEEDS TO BE
CHANGED.
ALL LAWS NOTED WITH *** WERE EITHER ONE TIME
LAWS OR LAWS THAT CAN NO LONGER BE KEPT DUE TO THE PRESENT CONDITION AND GEOGRAPHICAL
STATE OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL OR THE OCCUPATION OF OTHER NATIONS IN THE
LAND/DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE. IT’S
IMPORTANT TO NOTE, ALTHOUGH THESE LAWS CAN NO LONGER BE OBSERVED, THEY ARE
STILL VALID LAWS AT THE TIME OF DOCUMENTATION.
TODAY’S SCATTERED JEWS HOWEVER, NEED NOT FOCUS ON KEEPING THEM IN
THIS PRESENT DAY BUT INSTEAD, REMEMBER THEIR IMPORTANCE AT THE TIME THE NATION
OF ISRAEL WERE IN THE LAND.
*Laws #301-306 ~ BOOK EIGHT: THE BOOK OF SERVICE (Laws of The Temple)
*Omitted (should not have been added to the Laws)
**Changed (a misinterpretation of the Law or based on the wrong scripture)
***No Longer Kept (No longer applicable today)
***Law #301 To build a sanctuary
Ex. 25:8 “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell
among them
The Law here is to build a sanctuary. This Law was a
one-time Law that no longer needs to be fulfilled.
***/**Law #302 Not to build the altar with stones hewn by
metal
Ex. 20:22 “And the Most High said unto Moses, Thus thou
shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you
from heaven…”
The Law says not to build the altar of stones hewn by metal,
according to Maimonide’s. However, the
actual scripture that commands this is found in verse 25, so the reference
needs to be changed. Vs. 25 says “…thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for
if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.” None the less, this
Law was a one-time Law that no longer needs to be fulfilled. Moreover, the Temple is no longer in
existence
***/**Law #303 Not to climb steps to the altar
Ex. 20:23 “Ye shall not make with me god’s of silver,
neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.”
Per Maimonide’s the Law here is not to climb the steps to
the altar. Clearly, the scripture
doesn’t match. Verse 26 is the correct
verse reference “Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar…”
***Law #304 To show reverence in the Temple
Lev. 19:30 “Ye shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence my
sanctuary: I am the Most High.”
We’re commanded to show reverence to the Temple (The
previous Command to keep the Sabbath is found in Ex. 23:12 Law #87 - Laws of
the Sabbath). This Law can no longer be
kept, as the Temple is no longer in existence to reverence.
***/**Law #305 To guard the Temple area
Num. 18:2 “And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the
tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee,
and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before
the tabernacle of witness.”
The Law says to guard the Temple area. Since the Temple is no longer in place to be
guarded, this Law can no longer be kept.
*Law #306 Not to leave the Temple unguarded
Num. 18:5 “And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary,
and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children
of Israel.
Not to leave the Temple unguarded is a repeat command of #305
and should not have been added to the Laws.
It needs to be omitted.
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