Va Yikra -and he called

Rabbi Jack sent another post so I thought I better share. Shabbot Tov, -Brother Bradley Avi

"Do Not Hold My Sins Against Them"


Parashat HaShavua VaYikra / And He Called

This Week's Reading List:
VaYikra / Leviticus 1:1-6:7
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 43:21-44:23
Ivrim / Hebrews 10:1-18
There are two very important points being made in this week’s Torah Parasha that I would like to share with you. The first one I found is in the following two passages of Scripture.
Vayikra {1:1} HaShem called to Moshe (Moses), and spoke to him out of the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting), saying, {1:2} "Speak to bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel), and tell them, 'When anyone of you offers a korban (draw near / offering) to HaShem, you shall offer your offering of the cattle, of the herd and of the flock. {1:3} If his offering is an Olah (Burnt) korban of the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall offer it at the door of the Ohel Moed, that he may be accepted before HaShem.
Vayikra {2:1} "'When anyone offers a korban of a meal-offering to HaShem, his korban shall be of fine flour and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. {2:2} He shall bring it to Aharon's (Aaron’s) sons the cohenim (priests) ; and he shall take his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense; and the cohen (priest) shall burn the memorial of it on the altar, a korban made by fire, of a sweet savour to HaShem.
In both of these Scripture portions taken from Parasha Vayikra we see the word “When” used in relation to the offering of the korbanot (plural of korban). From this we can see that offerings to HaShem for sin or otherwise, such as thanksgiving offerings, were not optional. HaShem knows that none of us are immune from sin, it being a part of our fallen nature, and therefore the bringing of korbanot was not an “If” but a “When” .
Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) {7:20} Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.
Shaliach Shaul (The Emissary Paul) reiterated this statement in the Brit Chadasha when he said.
Romim (Romans) {3:23} for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of G-d,...
Today, because there is no longer a korban system or a Bet HaMikdash (Temple) for them to be offered in, many believers, especially those in the churches, think that the “sacrificial system” has been done away with. The fact is that it has not! Yeshua is now our once and for all korban. Seeing as He is now in Heaven and sitting at the right hand of the Father, if we sin, confess and call upon His name, then He becomes the appropriate korban for the sin we committed.
The point is that confession and repentance should be an important part of a Believer’s life. Just like the offering of the korbanot were not optional during Tabernacle and Temple periods, so too confession and repentance, with the incorporation of Yeshua HaMashiach as our once and for all korban, is not optional today. Believers must live a life of confession and repentance. “When” we sin, because we will all do so, we must bring an acceptable korban to HaShem – that is Yeshua HaMashiach!
The second point is taken from this Scripture passage:
Vayikra {4:1} HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying, {4:2} Speak to bnei Yisrael, saying, If anyone shall chata (sin) unwittingly, in any of the things which HaShem has commanded not to be done, and shall do any one of them: {4:3} if the anointed cohen shall chata so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer for his sin, which he has sinned, a young bull without blemish to HaShem for a sin-offering.
Being in leadership brings with it great responsibility. Here we read that the sins of the Cohen brought guilt upon all the people. I take this to apply to all congregational leadership even unto this day. The leaders are the ones that represent the congregation to Yeshua. They are the ones responsible for what they teach and what they preach. Worse yet, the consequences of their sin is visited upon those that they lead – the flock they are responsible for! If a leader is fornicating, then there will be fornication among the congregants. If a leader is involved in pornography, then there will likely be people in the congregation hooked on the same sin. The relationship leaders have with their wife and family will reflect on the condition of the congregation. The way leaders treats the check-out person at the grocery store will reflect in the spiritual condition of the congregation; likewise, if leaders teach heresies, then the spiritual condition of the congregation will be affected. The sins of the leadership will be visited upon the congregation. Just like the sin of Cohen brought guilt on the people. I, therefore, encourage everyone in leadership to lives exemplary lives, if not for their own sake for the sake of those that they lead.
Since I am also not perfect, there is a prayer that I receipt in the event that I may sin in some way, either in something I may have done or said either intentionally or unintentionally. I do not want my sin to reflect upon the congregation. That prayer is: “Father, please do not hold my sins against those whom I lead.”
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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber