Miguel Forero – A Rood Awakening

Parashot Acharei Mot / Kedoshim

Parashah Acharei Mot

Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30

In Leviticus, chapter 16, we are presented with the ritual of sacrifices that will be carried out every Yom Kippur. This day is the only day of the year when the priest entered the Holy of Holies.
In this communal ritual, Aaron would place both hands on the head of a live goat and confess all the iniquities of the children of Israel “to make atonement once a year for all the sins of Israel.”
This was an extremely solemn day, and in this parashah we have the opportunity to see how it was originally conceived in the Creator’s instructions to Israel. Let’s see what we can learn from this:

Questions for Reflection:

How can we incorporate the principle of reconciliation, so central to Yom Kippur, into our daily lives?

How do we bring about this reconciliation with the Creator year after year now that we cannot take part in that ritual?

If Yeshua paid for all our sins, does that mean we will never sin again? Is it still necessary to afflict our souls and fast on Yom Kippur?

How do Jews observe this day if they do not believe in Yeshua and cannot perform the ritual of atonement?

Parashah Kedoshim

Leviticus 14:1 15:33

The idea of holiness (separation) implies differentiation: the dimension of what is set apart is entirely separate from what is common, ordinary, profane. What is set apart is singular, unique, inspires respect (or fear) and can even be terrible or frightening, because its presence highlights imperfection. As the Set Apart One, Yehovah is distinct, sacred, separate as the only one of His kind; therefore, He is worthy of worship and adoration because He is without equal, without rival, and remains as Master, Creator, and Supreme Authority in relation to the world and its creatures.

That being the case, then, to be set apart means that we must separate ourselves from everything that is worldly, trivial, common, or evil. In other words, to be set apart means absolute goodness and moral perfection. It is impossible for Yehovah to condone sin or injustice of any kind or degree, because to do so would deny the distinction between the kadosh (holy) and the profane and thus undermine the very nature of holiness itself. The set apart—kadosh—is the opposite of the profane. It is the same as the nature of light dispelling darkness and giving no place to it. They cannot coexist in any way or in any proportion.

When Creation was complete, Yehovah set aside the seventh day, not because it had any intrinsic value that made it different from the other days of the week. No. Yehovah designated it as a day of rest and set it apart from the others. Did the Shabbath deserve this? Of course not. It was by virtue of its Creator’s decision that it acquired that characteristic.

Similarly, when we are “chosen” by Yehovah, His purpose is that we be set apart. But unlike the Shabbath, which had no will of its own to accept or reject such a choice, we do have a will, and it is our decision to start down that path or remain as we were before.

Parashot Tazria-Metzora

Parashah Tazria

Leviticus 12:1 – 13:59

The name of the portion, TAZRIA, is related to the Hebrew root ZARAH, which means “seed”; therefore, an alternative translation of “When a woman conceives” could be “WHEN A WOMAN CARRIES A SEED”.

Yehovah our Father knows very well the work of His Hands, and that is why He gives instructions that, although they may not be entirely understandable, have their reason for being, are appropriate, and must be obeyed. The Creator’s care for His creatures is once again evident in providing these commandments, so that those mothers who decide to heed this ordinance may find a great blessing for themselves and their children.

However, it is curious that in this passage different instructions are given for when a woman gives birth to a boy or a girl. We will try to answer some common questions about this.

The term tzara’at covers various skin disorders, such as eczema, psoriasis, and ringworm (the latter caused by different bacteria on the skin of the scalp, causing ulcers, scabs, itching, etc., and leading to hair loss). The purpose of isolation, in addition to providing the person with time for reflection, was also to allow them to rest and to prevent contamination of those who came into contact with them when the disease was contagious.

Tzara’at is a representation of the sin that dwells within us. Even though we have submitted our lives to Yeshua, we will have to fight a battle for the rest of our lives against the tendencies, appetites, inclinations, customs, and passions of the “flesh,” that is, the sinful nature that dwells within us, which, if we are not careful, will take us by surprise and lead us to break fellowship with our Father Yehovah.

Today we know that many skin diseases have a nervous origin, which is why there is a great need for rest. The priest examined the sick person after seven days, and if he was healthy, he was allowed to rejoin the community. We can assume that the sick person, finding himself detached from all his responsibilities and other tasks, had time for deep reflection that would lead him to make resolutions to correct his mistakes and align himself with the Torah—the instructions of Yehovah.

Parashah Metzora

Leviticus 14:1 15:33

Metzora is the name of the weekly portion of the Torah found in the book of Leviticus (Vayikra), specifically in chapters 14 and 15, and means “he who has leprosy”. This parashah deals mainly with the laws relating to the purification of people and objects affected by tzara’at, a skin disease commonly translated as “leprosy” in the Bible, although its exact meaning is uncertain.

The context of the Metzora portion focuses on the detailed prescriptions for dealing with tzara’at in both people and houses. It describes the purification rituals that must be followed by those who have been affected by this disease, as well as the actions that priests must take to purify the sick and cleanse their belongings.

In addition to the laws concerning tzara’at, the laws of purification related to seminal emission, menstruation, and other types of bodily discharge are also addressed.

Metzora offers us a powerful reflection on the importance of purity, both physical and spiritual, in our lives. Through the narrative of the purification of the leper, we find a call to examine our own impurities and seek restoration of both body and soul. In this sense, the figure of Yeshua emerges as the highest paradigm of purification, offering not only physical healing but also spiritual redemption. His life and teachings remind us of the intrinsic connection between physical cleanliness and purity of heart, inviting us to seek not only the cure for our physical ailments but also the inner renewal that can only come through grace and forgiveness.

As we contemplate Metzora in light of the figure of Yeshua, we are challenged to recognize that the purification of our physical bodies is only the first step on the path to true spiritual transformation. Just as the leper had to be purified in order to be reintegrated into the community, we too must constantly seek the purification of our souls, freeing ourselves from sin and selfishness. In Yeshua we find the perfect example of how physical healing and spiritual redemption go hand in hand, reminding us that our physical health is intrinsically linked to the health of our spirit. May we, like the purified leper, experience the fullness of life that comes from being restored in body and soul by the grace of the One who is the very source of all purity and healing.

Parashah Vayikra

Vayikra, means: And He called. The book begins with the letter vav, a conjunction that gives us the idea of continuity with the story of the Exodus. To comprehend this book it is important to understand the problem that it is trying to resolve. The Hebrew word for offering is korbán, whose root is the Hebrew word karav, which means to approach. That is to say that a person brings a korbán with the purpose of approaching Yehováh.

Just imagining the scene where all the sacrifices we are about to study were carried out, produces an unconscious rejection in us; thinking about the priests cutting the animal’s jugular vein to collect its blood and then opening it up to remove its organs, and carrying out all the other procedures, makes us want to go to the New Testament where we see that Yeshua has put an end to the system of sacrifices.

However, it is very important to discover that the purpose of Yehováh was not simply to order sacrifices in order to perceive the smell of burnt flesh, but that by such means He was showing the people of Israel the need for a Messiah who would make atonement for all of us. Then we begin to understand that the “fragrant aroma” was in a sense a shadow of the significance that the work of Yeshua would have for the Father, because in him he was reconciling his people and redeeming what had been lost.

As we begin our journey through this book, let us not lose sight of the fact that, regardless of our personal preferences, what we are going to find are the procedures ordained by Yehovah for relating to Him. As we can verify from the dawn of humanity, Yehovah instructed human beings to present offerings to Him, as we see recorded in the story of Cain and Abel. Later we see that this practice spread as humanity dispersed and generated civilizations and cultures that practiced the offering of sacrifices to their deities. Today it is not possible to present sacrifices of any kind because the House of Yehovah does not exist, and neither Jews nor Christians can perform them because such a practice results in a violation of the Torah.

Parashah Ki Tisa

Our portion for this week begins with instructions regarding the census. This fact has an important significance because it allows us to see the equality of all souls before our Creator and Father: there is no difference in terms of economic status, ancestry, education, appearance, training, connections or experience.
The census was taken to determine the potential of the nations to go to war; and this offering or tax was no guarantee of their lives or that they would be successful in battle. Whether they won or lost, Yehovah decreed that Israel should pay a ransom for their own souls during the census, thus showing the seriousness with which Yehovah regarded the loss of human life.
The payment was to be made annually, and was practiced until the time of the Babylonian exile under Nebuchadnezzar, when it was suspended. It was later re-established by Nehemiah when they returned from exile, but Hadrian, the Roman emperor, prohibited it in 135 CE. Now that Yisrael has returned to its land, this practice was re-established on March 23, 1997.

WE ARE NOT BETTER THAN AARON

Despite having made the decision to follow Yeshua, we still retain within us the impulse to do what seems good in our own eyes, something we have been accustomed to doing for so many years, and we easily tend to reject the guidelines provided by our Father Yehovah in an almost natural way.

We fill ourselves with reasoning and act exactly as Eve did in Eden: “we see things, they seem good to us, we find them pleasant, and we proceed to act” without giving much importance to our actions and much less to their consequences.

Such was the case of Aaron. Fortunately he repented in time and the forgiveness for him and his family was so complete that he was kept in the position he had received of being second only to Moses and, even more, he was appointed High Priest in the service of Yehovah!

When there is true repentance and actions that demonstrate it, Yehovah forgives and moves forward with His plan for us. This is wonderful grace.

But let’s not forget the lesson: A serious commitment to obedience is required of us; it is what our Father expects. In the process of obeying, there will always be a multitude of rationalizations such as: “It seems that I am the only one who is into this, because most people do something else”; or … “I feel weird acting this way”, etc. But Yehovah hopes that our will controls such impulses and thoughts and that we intelligently decide to follow his instructions, commandments, laws, decrees, statutes, testimonies and so on. By acting in this way, we will be showing him that we trust in his words, that we consider ourselves his people and above all that we really love him.

Parashah Mishpatim

Yehováh delivered the Royal Law on Mount Sinai. It is very important to understand that when we use the expression “The Royal Law”, it is because we are referring to the Law of the King or of the Kingdom, that is to say that it belongs to the Royalty of Yehováh; that is why it is of an unparalleled category.
Later in these chapters, Yehovah, the King, begins to hand down more detailed ordinances through Moses, which have to do with the new condition of a people who until now did not know what it was to be free. No. It is not the total absence of an authority that makes us free, but obedience to the laws established by that Supreme Authority.

The instructions we receive from Yehováh our Father encourage us to look out for the needs of others, rather than protecting our own. This philosophy clashes with that of the present world, where the permanent emphasis is on demanding respect for “our rights” to the point of totally ignoring our duties or obligations.

As we progress through the Torah, you will notice that nowhere does Yehovah, our Father, instruct us to adopt such a position; on the contrary, he will always be reminding us of the importance of taking care of those around us: parents, family, friends, etc., who may be in need.

The best role model for us is Yeshua, who modeled a role of servant or caretaker not only with his disciples but with all his contemporaries, when he healed them, provided them with food, instructed them and prayed for them, even to the point of death. Think about it: If Yeshua had demanded his rights, where would you and I be?

Parashah Bo – Go

The Exodus is an event in the history of the world that demonstrates Yehovah‘s control over the nations. It is a great lesson in how our Father is not only the Creator but also the day-to-day Governor of the Universe, even in things that we might consider irrelevant to Him. This event shows us that Yehovah can intervene in the most powerful realms, demonstrating that He Was, Is and Will Be.

The Commandment of Yehováh leaves no room for doubt. Pesach (Passover) is a celebration that we must observe if we consider ourselves part of His people.

Like the observance of Shabbat, which it is a sign that we are His children, the commemoration of Pesach is another credential that identifies us as those rescued by Him. Yehovah Elohim gives us clear instructions regarding this, and even if we find ourselves in the diaspora—outside the land of Israel—we must make our best effort to obey or at least demonstrate our desire to do so.

In fact, no one can truly celebrate Pesach today due to the absence of the House of Yehovah (the Temple). However, what we can do is remember this celebration, as it serves as an educational way to teach new generations about the great works of our Creator and Father, Yehovah.

Parashah vaYeji – He lived

We are about to finish reading the book of the Beginning: Genesis. Being already in the last moments of his life, Jacob gave clear instructions to his sons regarding his burial. His body was to be taken to Canaan to be placed in the cave of Machpelah that his grandfather Avraham had acquired years before.

The Scriptures record three properties that the Israelites acquired for money from the Canaanites: the first, the burial cave purchased by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite; the second, that acquired by Jacob from Hamor; and the third one acquired by King David, the threshing floor of Araunah as recorded in 2Samuel 24. 24; these three places testify to the legal ownership of the land by the people of Israel and their right to possess it, although it is much more conclusive that it was Yehovah who promised it to them as an inheritance.

Let us pay special attention to the blessing on Joseph, for we are living in the most exciting time in history, witnessing the fulfillment of many prophecies; so that what was foreseen to happen, has almost been fulfilled.

Yehovah, our Father, is about to finish his plan to achieve his goal: The restoration of all things to their original order. Yes, all this history leads to the restoration of His sovereignty and authority throughout the Universe.

In these days Yehovah is awakening all of us who are descendants of the lost tribes and He is also beginning to awaken Yahudah, whom we know as: the Jews. They are our brothers and one day we will finally be together, as foreseen in Ezekiel 37 and in many other parts of Scripture.

We need to learn from them what so many centuries of maintaining their identity have taught them; but they also need to learn from us who is the true Messiah: Yeshua, to whom we too must return. I am not talking about the westernized Jesus, but the authentic Messiah, the Yahudite, the one with Hebrew roots, the one who modeled keeping the Torah without abolishing it, the one who kept the Shabbat and the Feasts of Yehovah, the one who came to seek and save what was lost.

Parashah Vayeshev – He continued living

As we delve into this portion, we embark on one of the most captivating stories, showcasing how Yehovah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, exercises absolute control over every detail of human life. It also provides us with an intimate view of the profound transformation in the character of those who choose to remain faithful to Him and demonstrate integrity in fulfilling their responsibilities.

The account of Judah’s life appears as a parenthesis within the larger narrative of Joseph, yet these two stories are intricately parallel. While Joseph was being prepared to ascend as governor—a journey spanning 13 years—and another 8 years passed before his first encounter with his brothers, making a total of 21 years, everything recounted about Judah unfolded during this same period. This parallel narrative reveals the interconnectedness of their paths and the divine orchestration behind their stories.

This passage of Scripture reminds us that through faithfulness and dedication, we can achieve significant goals, even in the face of challenging circumstances. It highlights the importance of recognizing God’s presence in our lives and trusting His plan, even when the path before us is unclear. Vayeshev emphasizes that faith and perseverance not only guide us through adversity but also lead to profound personal transformation and the fulfillment of a greater purpose in life.

Parashah Tol’dot – Generations

The animosity that we are witnessing between the people of Israel and their Arab neighbors dates back to the time of the patriarchs. When Rebecca (Rivka) gave birth to Esau (Esav) and Jacob (Ya’akov), problems and rivalries began. Esau wanted to kill Jacob; and such an attitude was seen multiple times throughout the history of Israel. When the House of Judah was taken into captivity, Esau’s descendants not only mocked, but those who tried to escape were captured in order to kill them or hand them over to the enemies, as it is related in the book of the prophet Obadiah 1:11-14.

We often say that history is cyclical, that is, it repeats itself over and over again. When we read carefully the stories that our Father Yehovah wanted us to know, we realize that what happened to the patriarchs, are shadows of what would happen to the rest of Yehovah’s people; in this way He is letting us know the end, from the beginning.

When reading these portions we need to do so by giving flight to our imagination in order to recreate each circumstance and to be able to dimension the transcendence of each event. In doing so, we will find “hidden pearls” that will enrich our lives and motivate us to remain faithful to the covenant we have made with our Father Yehovah and with Yeshua our Messiah.

Parashah Lech Lecha

The story of Abram begins when he lived in the land of the Chaldeans. From there he was called by Yehovah to go out after Him, to a land that would be shown to him. However, it was his father Terah who took the initiative to set out on this journey, taking with him Abram, his wife and Lot who was the son of Haran, who died at an early age in Ur. Their first station was in a place called Haran and Terah stayed there until the day of his death, but Abram continued his journey to reach the land of Canaan.

This portion (Parashah) of Scripture allows us to take a glimpse of the pilgrimage of our father Abram, for whom it was not easy to leave behind the stability that represented remaining settled in one place surrounded by his entire family.

At the conclusion of this reading, we find Abram – exalted father, transformed into Abraham – father of multitudes. As we read carefully, we will discover the changes in Abraham’s character throughout his journey.

Abraham was the first Hebrew (Hebrew word that comes from: heber and means: to cross over to the other side), a figure that becomes for us a model. Those of us who know Yehovah and his Torah, are called to “cross over to the other side”, that is to say, to leave the system of the world to enter the Kingdom of Heaven governed by Him.

Abraham’s determined and diligent obedience is challenging, because as soon as he received the command of circumcision as a sign of the covenant, he carried it out that very day: Genesis 17:23.

This is the kind of obedience we are called to live: with decision, diligence and firm will in spite of how difficult this may be; for taking this last sign of the covenant as an example, it would be one thing to circumcise boys on the 8th day; and quite another (and painful by the way), to circumcise adult men and older men.

All posts by : Miguel Forero