Parsha Achrei Mot-Kedoshim (Leviticus 16:1-20:27)

Day 4 (Part 2): Leviticus 19:1-14

(Leviticus 19:1-3)

Hashem begins this portion by telling Moshe Rabbeinu to tell the Jewish people again to “be holy, because I, the LORD your God, am holy.”

Kedoshim means “holy ones.” The ones who keep Torah, abide by the laws, rules, and regulations set forth by Hashem. Kedoshim does not assume that Hashem’s holy people are perfect—we can never be perfectly holy, as only Hashem is perfect. But, there is the understanding that the Kedoshim are those who strive for holiness; who accept the yoke of heaven, and who are humble enough to perform teshuvah when we realize we have strayed.

The Kedoshim are Hashem’s holy ones, to whom He has given the Torah—His book of covenants, which are vows for the loving relationship He seeks with all humanity, but starts with the Jews. The Jews are the Kedoshim to whom Hashem gave His Torah.

Double Parsha: Achrei Mot-Kedoshim

Day 5: Leviticus 19:15-32

(Leviticus 19:15)

Hashem commands that His kedoshim should not render unfair decisions in any matter. Neither the poor nor the rich should be favored in judgments neither should the poor nor the rich be shown deferential treatment.

Showing deferential (or more respect) to the wealthy in judgment is strictly prohibited in Torah—this prohibition is tied with the command not to take bribes in order to favor the wealthy in decisions.

Instead, everyone is to be treated equally and both the poor and the wealthy have the right to be judged fairly.

Double Parsha: Achrei Mot-Kedoshim

Day 6 (Part 1): Leviticus 19:33-37

(Leviticus 19:33)

Just as Jews are to show reverence to the elderly out of fear and reverence for Hashem, so Jews are not to wrong nor harm the ger (righteous convert) when he or she resides among us. Instead, Jews are to treat the ger as if he or she was/is a citizen of the nation of Israel AND the ger should be loved as a Jew loves themselves BECAUSE we Jews were ger in Egypt AND BECAUSE Hashem is the LORD our God.

Here, ger is often translated to “stranger” but really it refers to a person who converted to Judaism; a person who takes the yoke of Heaven and willingly follows Torah.

Hashem commands respect and love to these individuals as fellow native born Jews because in Hashem’s eyes, that is how He sees them. Too, He is…

Leviticus 18:22-19:14

וְאֶ֨ת־זָכָ֔ר לֹ֥א תִשְׁכַּ֖ב מִשְׁכְּבֵ֣י אִשָּׁ֑ה תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה הִֽוא׃

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination.

וּבְכׇל־בְּהֵמָ֛ה לֹא־תִתֵּ֥ן שְׁכׇבְתְּךָ֖ לְטׇמְאָה־בָ֑הּ וְאִשָּׁ֗ה לֹֽא־תַעֲמֹ֞ד לִפְנֵ֧י בְהֵמָ֛ה לְרִבְעָ֖הּ תֶּ֥בֶל הֽוּא׃

23 And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto; it is perversion.

אַל־תִּֽטַּמְּא֖וּ בְּכׇל־אֵ֑לֶּה כִּ֤י בְכׇל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ נִטְמְא֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֥י מְשַׁלֵּ֖חַ מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃

Leviticus 19:15-32

לֹא־תַעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֙וֶל֙ בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט לֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי־דָ֔ל וְלֹ֥א תֶהְדַּ֖ר פְּנֵ֣י גָד֑וֹל בְּצֶ֖דֶק תִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט עֲמִיתֶֽךָ׃

15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor favour the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

לֹא־תֵלֵ֤ךְ רָכִיל֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔יךָ לֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד עַל־דַּ֣ם רֵעֶ֑ךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָֽה׃

16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

לֹֽא־תִשְׂנָ֥א אֶת־אָחִ֖יךָ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ הוֹכֵ֤חַ תּוֹכִ֙יחַ֙ אֶת־עֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֥א עָלָ֖יו חֵֽטְא׃

Leviticus 19:33-20:7

וְכִֽי־יָג֧וּר אִתְּךָ֛ גֵּ֖ר בְּאַרְצְכֶ֑ם לֹ֥א תוֹנ֖וּ אֹתֽוֹ׃

33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not do him wrong.

כְּאֶזְרָ֣ח מִכֶּם֩ יִהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֜ם הַגֵּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֗ם וְאָהַבְתָּ֥ לוֹ֙ כָּמ֔וֹךָ כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

34 The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

לֹא־תַעֲשׂ֥וּ עָ֖וֶל בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט בַּמִּדָּ֕ה בַּמִּשְׁקָ֖ל וּבַמְּשׂוּרָֽה׃