Torah Portion for 07/08/2023

In Leviticus 21:1-24, Yahweh instructs Moses to tell the priests, the sons of Aaron, that they should not be defiled by the dead, except for immediate family members. They should not shave their heads or beards, or make cuttings in their flesh. They are set apart for Yahweh and should not marry a whore or a defiled woman. The daughter of a priest who engages in prostitution is to be burned. The high priest, who is anointed and wears special garments, should not unbind his head, tear his garments, or come near a dead body. He should not defile himself for his parents or leave the set-apart place. He should take a wife from his own people to preserve his offspring. Aaron is told that no offspring with defects should bring offerings to Yahweh, and they should not approach the holy places. Moses relays these instructions to Aaron, his sons, and all the children of Israel Leviticus chapter 21 verses 1 through 24. And Yahweh spoke to Moshe, Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them, No one is to be defiled for the dead among his people, except for his relatives who are nearest to him, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother, and for his maiden sister, who is near to him, who has had no husband, for her he is defiled. A leader does not defile himself among his people to profane himself. They do not make any bald place on their heads, and they do not shave the corner of their beard, and they do not make a cutting in their flesh. They are set apart to their Elohim, and they do not profane the name of their Elohim, for they bring the fire offerings of Yahweh, and the bread of their Elohim, and shall be set apart. They do not take a woman who is a whore, or a defiled woman, and they do not take a woman put away from her husband, for he is set apart to his Elohim. And you shall set him apart, for he brings the bread of your Elohim, he is set apart to you, for I, Yahweh, setting you apart, am set apart. And when the daughter of any priest profanes herself by whoring, she profanes her father, she is burned with fire. And the high priest among his brothers, on whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who is ordained to wear the garments, does not unbind his head, nor tear his garments, nor come near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother, nor go out of the set-apart place, nor profane the set-apart place of his Elohim, for the sign of dedication of the anointing oil of his Elohim is upon him. I am Yahweh. And let him take a wife in her maidenhood, a widow or one put away, or a defiled woman, or a whore, these he does not take. But a maiden of his own people he does take as a wife, and he does not profane his offspring among his people, for I am Yahweh who sets him apart. And Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, Speak to Aaron, saying, No man of your offspring, throughout their generations, who has any defect, is to draw near to bring the bread of his Elohim. For any man who has a defect is not to draw near. A man blind or one lame, or disfigured or deformed, a man who has a broken foot or broken hand, or is a hunchback or a dwarf, or a man who has a defect in his eye or eczema or scab or is a eunuch. No man among the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect is to come near to bring the offerings made by fire to Yahweh. He has a defect. He does not come near to bring the bread of his Elohim. He does eat the bread of his Elohim, both the most set-apart and the set-apart only. He does not go near the vale or approach the slaughter-place, because he has a defect, lest he profanes my set-apart places. For I am Yahweh who sets them apart. Thus Moshe spoke to Aaron and his sons and to all the children of Israel.