Vayikra ויקרא

1. Vayikraויקרא “and He called” Leviticus 1:1-5:19

2. Vayikra “The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.”  (Leviticus 1:1) • ToratCohanim (The Law of the Priests)- oldest name • SeferKadosh(Book of Holiness) It is in Vayikra that we learn about Holiness: Holy offerings and sacrifices Holy places (the Temple) Holy people (the priests—Cohanim) Holy food (kashrut) Holy finances (tithing) Holy days (Biblical fasts and festivals)

3. ELS- Equidistant Letter Sequencing Yaakov Ramsel- Messianic Rabbi Leviticus Lev is the Hebrew word for Heart Every 50 letters left to right Every 50 letters left to right Every 50 letters right to left Every 49 letters right to left B’reisheet Shemot Bamidbar Devarim haroT, haroT, haroT haroT, haroT, haroT Torah, Torah, Torah Torah, Torah, Torah Vayikra Every 7 letters YHVH

4. What about the sacrifices? ParshaVayikra outlines the following offerings and sacrifices: The burnt or ascending offerings (olah), which were completely burned by fire on the altar (Leviticus 1:3–17) The meal offerings (minchah), which were prepared with choice flour, olive oil, and frankincense (Leviticus 2); The sacrifices of well-being or peace offerings (zebachshelamim), which were eaten by the person doing the offering after the Cohanim had received their part.  Other parts were burned on the altar (Leviticus 3); The sin offerings (chattat), which atoned for unwitting sin or sins of ignorance (Leviticus 4:1–26) The guilt offerings (asham), which atoned for unwittingly being remiss about something sacred or for dealing deceitfully in regards to a deposit or pledge. Guilt offerings also involved restitution to the priest and to the victim (Leviticus 4:27–5:26 [6:7]).

5. QorVan Two related Hebrew words, qarov(near) and qrav(battle), which come from the same Hebrew root Q-R-V, shed light on offerings to the Lord. קָרַב to come near, approach, enter into, draw near THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SIN!!!! The Bible does not reject sacrifices but that sacrifices must be done with the proper heart or attitude behind it. "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD?  To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”  (1 Samuel 15:22) [Hbr 10:4 KJV] 4 For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

6. Drawing near Hosea 14:2 “Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render [as] bullocks [the offering of] our lips.” • The Rabbis have taught that when the Temple would be destroyed that the righteous requirement unto God would be the 3 T’s: • Tzaddaqa- Charity • Teshuvah- Repentance • Tephilim- Prayer/Praise • Not all sacrifices were for sin or atonement- • The animal in the garden • Abel • Noach • Avraham, Y’itsaq, Y’aakov • NONE OF THESE WERE FOR SIN! All of them freewill offerings of praise, thanksgiving , and peace. • It is these freewill offerings that our portion describes as, sweet smelling savor or aroma unto the Lord. The Hebrew phrase is nichowachrayach and it means a restful or quiet spirit. Nichowach is quietness or peacefulness while rayach has it’s root in Ruach which means, spirit, as in Ruach HaQodesh or the Holy Spirit.

7. Sweet Savor [Gen 8:20-21 KJV] 20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour (RuachNichowachReyach); and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart [is] evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. How costly was this sacrifice?

8. Sacrifices Still Exist Today! • Praise & Worship- Especially when you don’t feel like it • Giving of your money- Tithes & offerings are a sacrifice as we draw near to Him • Giving of your time- In service, in prayer, in charitable deeds, etc. • Fasting- when you fast you give up food/water to draw nearer to God • Vows- The Torah speaks of making vows as being a sacrifice like the Nazerite Vow

9. Drawing near Hosea 14:2 “Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render [as] bullocks [the offering of] our lips.” Yeshua was a willing voluntary sacrifice, John 10:17-18 “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.” Ephes. 4:10 “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)” It is through this nichowachrayach (sweet aroma offering) that the Ruach of God would rest upon His people. It is always two fold. The sacrifice ascends and the blessing of YHVH descends and rests on the giver of the offering. One act produces the other. John 16:7 “It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” Just as the nichowachrayach implies, there is a resting of a spirit that takes place. An abiding of the Ruach as a result of this act of worship.John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

10. Drawing near Gen. 48:14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid [it] upon Ephraim's head, who [was] the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh [was] the firstborn. Lev. 1:4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. We pray and praise in the name of Yeshua because He is the ascending sweet aroma and we are identified with Him before the Father. Ephes. 2:6-7 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Yeshua Messiah: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Yeshua Messiah. Yeshua is our CorbanOlah- the ascending gift/offering that allows us to draw near. We as believers today still have an obligation to keep covenant with our God by offering up Qorbanot (offerings/sacrifices). The root of this word is Qof, Resh, Beth which means to “draw near.” When we praise Him with all of our heart it is a nichowachreyach to the Father and then the Comforter descends and rests upon us

11. Sacrifice of Praise! [Hbr 13:15-16 NIV] 15 Through Yeshua, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is [pleased.] (nichowach- tranquil, rested, at peace) How costly is your sacrifice?

12. Drawing near Isaiah 43:21-22 “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.” Isaiah 43:23-24 “Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.” Israel was only bringing the required sacrifices but not the willing ones that were just for praise and worship and thanksgiving. Is this our approach today? Psalm 73:28 But [it is] good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. Jer. 30:18,19, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents… And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry… their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them. and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who [is] this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.

13. 3 Stages of Entering in • Outer courts- where the majority of people are. You enter by the blood of the Lamb and are washed cleaned by the water of His word & spirit • Inner courts/Holy or set-apart place- a fewer amount of people get inside here. You enter through pressing in past a veil covered with cherubim. A spiritual veil. • Holiest of Holies- The set-apart place from the set-apart place. Very small amount of people enter here. You enter by pressing in another veil covered with Cherubim with incense/prayer. Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice.”

14. [Mat 5:23-24 KJV] 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

15. 3 Stages of Olive Oil The Rashbam (DH ha'Reichayim) explains that the process of pressing olives for oil consisted of three stages: CRUSHING - the olives were crushed in a machine called a "Mamal" or "Mifrachta," GRINDING - what was left of the olives was ground to a pulp. PRESSING - the pulp was then placed inside of "Netzarim" (a.k.a. "Akalim") and left under the weight of the pressing beam ("Korah") while the oil that was left in the pulp drained out.

16. 2 Cor. 12:2 I knew a man in Messiah above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. Third Heaven The throne of God. The place where YHVH abides. The true temple rests Second Heaven The Heavenlies/The place where Good and Evil Angels wage war- The High places of Spiritual Wickedness etc. First Heaven Visible Universe/Sky/Stratosphere Stars, Planets, Clouds etc.

17. Our prayers being hindered [Dan 10:12-13 KJV] 12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days:but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Two related Hebrew words, qarov(near) and qrav(battle), which come from the same Hebrew root Q-R-V, shed light on offerings to the Lord.

18. KravMaga

19. Equipped for battle Lev. 16:24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people. It is in the Holy Place that we are suited for battle… Ephesians 6:10-18 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

20. Equipped for battle The Levitical priests/Cohen had 7 pieces of garments- 7 Holy Garments (bigdeikodesh) Priestly undergarments (michnasayim) Priestly tunic (ketonet) Priestly sash (avnet) Priestly turban (mitznefet) High priest has a gold plate Priestly robe (me'il) Ephod Priestly breastplate (hoshen)

21. Equipped for battle 7 pieces of armor or battle gear-Armor of God helmet of salvation breastplate of righteousness belt of truth Shod your feet with the preparedness of the gospel shield of faith sword of the spirit (word of God) Prayer 7 Gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinth. 12 /Charisma gifts Word of wisdom/knowledge (wisdom, knowledge, understanding) Faith Healing Miracles Prophecy Discerning of spirits Tongues (interpretation) Where do these 7 gifts come from?

22. …praying at all times in the Spirit