Day#1: Leviticus 21:1-15 (Study Notes)
Parsha: Emor
Day#1: Leviticus 21:1-15
Emor, when translated from Hebrew to English, means “to say” or “to speak.” However, this is not the simple notion of talking without reason. The deeper connotation of Emor is that HaKadosh Baruch Hu is holding a deep, intimate conversation with His Kedoshim. Unlike generals in an army spitting out orders, Hashem is lovingly speaking to His bride. This conversation is of the most Holy and intimate topics—Priestly service and Holy Days.
Beyond mere duties that we must or must not partake in, HaKadosh Baruch Hu is portraying details about our divine marital vows. Like lines in a ketubah, each command is a promise—a vow, that if kept will lead to the most loving and intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Such a relationship brings blessing and shalom. It breaks the cycles of abuse, darkness, and terror that is held dear to many of those outside of the covenant. It is a conversation filled with calls to holiness for our good and for the sake of Hashem’s glory. It is with such a call that this parsha begins.
After ending the last Parsha, Kedoshim, with the command for His holy people to be holy because He is holy, HaKadosh Baruch Hu through Moshe Rabbeinu again commands His Kedoshim not to defile ourselves. This week’s Parsha, Emor, begins with HaKadosh Baruch Hu communicating specifically to the Priests.
(Leviticus 21:1)
The first verse reiterates the commandment that the priests are not to defile themselves. More specifically, the Priests are not to defile themselves for any dead person “among his kin.” Here, “kin” means any of his fellow Jews. Unlike other religions that call upon a priest when a person dies, Jews keep our priests away from the dead so as not to defile the priest.
(Leviticus 21:2)
If a Priest is not the High Priest, Hashem makes an exception—the priest is allowed to defile himself for the sake of his immediate family members. These family members include: his mother, his father, his sons, his daughters, and his virgin sister.
(Leviticus 21:3)
If the priest’s sister is married when she dies, the priest is not allowed to defile himself for her sake. The reasoning stems from the fact that when a Jewish woman marries, the husband takes over as the male caretaker and decision-maker in her life. The husband becomes responsible for approving or nullifying any vows she makes as is he responsible for taking care of the woman in her death.
(Leviticus 21:4)
If Aaron or his sons (or the succeeding Priests) are married, he may not defile himself through contact with the dead bodies of his wife’s family. Even though he is the son-in-law, neither Aaron nor his sons can treat their wife’s family as their own family.
These are distinct commands that can be used to nullify the claims of false gods and prophets. Some in particular claim to be a Priest, King, and god equal to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. To prove such claims there are stories of said priest-king-god contacting the dead and raising them to life. Such acts may sound like miracles, but for a Priest, especially a supposed High Priest, contacting the dead is an utter violation of Hashem’s vows which He clearly communicates with His Priests here in Leviticus.
It is true there are stories of the prophets like Eliyahu HaNavi and Elisha HaNavi raising the dead, but these men were prophets, not priests—in Judaism there is great distinction between the two. They are not the same roles, though at times HaKadosh Baruch Hu does call people (like Moshe Rabbeinu) to fulfill both functions.
(Leviticus 21:5-6)
Beyond not having contact with the dead, HaKadosh Baruch Hu commands that His holy Priests remove themselves even from the rituals of mourning for the dead. Specifically,
The Priests are not allowed to: Shave smooth any part of their head—the true translation means “dishevel their hair.” Relating to commands given previously, this prohibition can also be understood as the Priests should not uncover the nakedness of their head. Their heads are to remain covered in honor of their position before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, whose presence remains above their head at all times.
The Priests are also not to cut the side-growths of their beard—previously we learned that leaving the beard long could be connected to strength and wisdom. Strength and wisdom are two characteristics that are much needed for the Holy Priests of Hashem. Along with the side growths of their beard, we can likely infer they are not to cut the side growths of their head during mourning either. These payas, we stated in the last Parsha, might be seen as similar to tzitzits —reminders to keep all commandments at all times.
The Priests of HaKadosh Baruch Hu are not permitted to make gashes in their flesh for the dead, as was common among pagan prophets and leaders of foreign religious sects. We saw an example of the self-inflicted wounds when Eliyahu HaNavi was fighting the false prophets of Baal. (1Kings 18).
(Leviticus 21:6)
Instead of following the practices of pagans and false gods, the Holy Priests of HaKadosh Baruch Hu are to remain holy. They are not to defile themselves as defiling themselves actually profanes the very name of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, something that is worthy of death (as we will learn in the very last portion of this Parsha). Both of these acts of defilement (following false gods & practicing pagan rituals) are prohibited BECAUSE, as HaKadosh Baruch Hu clearly communicates, the Priests “offer the LORD’s offerings by fire, the FOOD of their God, and so they must be holy.”
Though HaKadosh Baruch Hu does not have a physical body (and thus does not actually ‘eat’ the sacrifices) this is not the first mention of the sacrifices being the LORD’s food. We first saw this phrase used in the discussion of the well-being offerings at the end of Leviticus chapter 3. In chapter 3:16, we learned specifically that it is the fat that is the LORD’s food, which is the law for all time. The fat is always to be turned to smoke by the fire that is on the altar.
We noted previously that though Hashem does not have a physical body, He is present in the fire. It is the fire that comes forth from the Holy Presence of HaKadosh Baruch Hu and consumes the sacrifices on the altar. This fire, we learned previously, was the image given to Abraham in Genesis 15.
The pillar of fire and smoking pot was HaKadosh Baruch Hu moving between the pieces. This manifestation of Himself was Hashem’s way of promising that Abraham nor his descendants would ever become like the pieces if we could not keep our vows. Rather, HaKadosh Baruch Hu would provide the means to atone for our shortcomings.
The promised means of atonement and expiation came as the provisions of “rams in the bush”—the animal sacrifices, which HaKadosh Baruch Hu consumes with His fire and turns to smoke for the expiation and forgiveness of sin. The consuming fire thus eats the fat as food, which feeds the flame.
We have also noted that since the sacrifices are the LORD’s food, no blood can remain in the sacrifice parts that are burned on the altar and whose fat turns to smoke—the prohibition against consuming blood goes for Himself as well.
Here in Leviticus 21, we learn that since the priests offer such holy sacrifices, they are not to defile themselves by going near dead bodies of people nor partake in the mourning rituals for a deceased Jewish person. We can understand this prohibition by understanding that death comes as a consequence of sin, as declared at the end of Genesis 3.
Since HaKadosh Baruch Hu is utterly holy, sin cannot stand in His presence and survive. So, to keep the Priests from all ending up like Aaron’s son in Leviticus 10, HaKadosh Baruch Hu repeatedly calls them to be holy AND provides the guidebook of what He expects them to do to fulfill the general obligation of “be holy.”
(Leviticus 21:7-8)
HaKadosh Baruch Hu through Moshe Rabbeinu adds to the list of priestly prohibitions against defilement by declaring that the priests cannot marry:
A woman defiled by harlotry.
A woman divorced from her husband.
We can understand these prohibitions by understanding that the Priests are the extension of HaKadosh Baruch Hu among the holy chosen people. Just as HaKadosh Baruch Hu will not be the promised husband (Isaiah 54) to His Jewish people who go astray and practice spiritual harlotry, so the holy Priests cannot marry a harlot. Too, just as HaKadosh Baruch Hu will not honor His marriage vows with a chosen Jew who has turned their back on Hashem (I.e. has divorced themselves from Hashem, their Ishi), so Priests of HaKadosh Baruch Hu cannot marry a divorcee.
It should be stated that HaKadosh Baruch Hu declares He has never written a decree of divorce to any of His people (Isaiah 50:1). Though He may cut out some of His people for a time, when a Jew is cut out we are not eternally cut off, lest we willing choose to be. If, however, the children of Jacob will perform teshuvah, HaKadosh Baruch Hu promises to take us back and marry us as Negev land—without bride price, He will be our Ishi and He will redeem us with mercy, grace, compassion, righteousness and love (Isaiah 59:20, Hosea 2:20-25).
(Leviticus 21:9)
HaKadosh Baruch Hu continues: Just as parents should not let their daughters become harlots, so the daughters of the Priests should not defile herself with harlotry. If a Priest’s daughter does commit harlotry, not only is the land at risk of being filled with harlotry (as we learned in the last Parsha), but in practicing harlotry, a Priest’s daughter also defiles her father, a Priest, which in turn defiles HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
Thus, one way all Jewish women can honor our fathers is by finding an honorable Jewish husband and not turning to the depraved. For men, this stands true as well. Seeking godly Jewish wives is commanded, instead of turning to the depraved, like Hosea’s wife, Gomer; or like King Solomon.
King Solomon was most righteous at the beginning of his reign. However, we learn in 1 Kings 11 that he married over 700 wives and 300 concubines—many who were of pagan decent. These wives turned King Solomon’s heart away from HaKadosh Baruch Hu. In turn, King Solomon began building shrines to false gods and goddesses. His spiritual adultery rightfully enraged HaKadosh Baruch Hu. As a consequence of King Solomon’s grave sins, HaKadosh Baruch Hu tore the kingdom away from Solomon and gave it to one of his servants—Jeroboam.
After King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam reigned. He also did what was displeasing to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, which led to a revolt of the Jewish people, and the split of the Jewish nation into the Northern and Southern kingdoms. HaKadosh Baruch Hu left only one Tribe faithful to the Southern Kingdom, in honor of the promise He made to King David—that his throne is established forever. The rest of the 10 Tribes split to North. After the split that resulted from spiritual harlotry, harlotry spread throughout the land, as we read would happen here in Leviticus 21.
Additionally, the split of the Kingdom led to a split in leadership as well. Unlike the Southern Kingdom, whose prophet Isaiah was married to a godly prophetess, the Northern Kingdom’s prophet, Hosea was commanded by HaKadosh Baruch Hu TO MARRY a harlot. This command was given to Hosea as the warning of the coming judgement against the Northern Kingdom for their spiritual harlotry.
While the Southern Kingdom also had a wicked king, King Ahaz, HaKadosh Baruch Hu promised to preserve the Southern kingdom through the birth of King Hezekiah—the prince of peace, the mighty G-d is planning grace, and a peaceable ruler (Isaiah 9:3-6). The birth of the godly prince (earthly King with HaKadosh Baruch Hu as King of All the Universe) was in keeping with the promise made by HaKadosh Baruch Hu to King David—that his line would continue forever (2 Samuel 7:8-29). Thus, through the birth of a righteous king, the Southern king survived in spite of Ahaz’s wickedness.
HaKadosh Baruch Hu continues His commands to the Priests by saying: If a daughter of a Priest becomes a harlot, like Gomer (or Solomon), she must be put in the fire and burned alive—this was the judgment of the Northern Kingdom due to their spiritual adultery. The fire into which the Northern Kingdom was thrown manifested in the Assyrian exile and the disappearance of “the lost 10 Tribes of Israel.” Though these ten tribes be lost, however, HaKadosh Baruch Hu promises that in the end of days, He will again reunite the North and South into one Jewish Kingdom, again under a Davidic king (if not under King David himself, resurrected). (Ezekiel 37:15-28).
(Leviticus 21:10-15)
After Moshe Rabbeinu communicates the above-stated priestly commands, he relays the commands for the High Priest (in every generation), as they were given to him by HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
Hashem communicates to Moshe Rabbeinu that BECAUSE the High Priest is “exalted above his fellow priests,” he will have additional laws to follow (ie additional vows to keep).
HaKadosh Baruch Hu reiterates that the exaltation of the High Priest is proven through:
The anointing oil that is upon him—this oil is the specially crafted oil discussed in Exodus 30:22-33. This oil has a specific recipe and anyone who attempts to replicate it or use it on a layperson will die. The ritual anointing of the High Priest with this oil is discussed in Leviticus chapter 8, which we learned about several Parsha studies ago.
The High Priest is ordained to wear the sacred vestments, which includes the turban with the gold frontlet inscribed with “Holy unto Hashem” (Exodus 28 & 39).
Furthermore, because the Turban of the High Priest contains the plate of distinction and because his head is marked with the anointing oil, the High Priest is marked as HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s special possession—specifically, he is marked as “Mine, the LORD’S.”
This exalted status and title comes with a limitation on who the High Priest can marry. A High Priest can only marry a virgin of his own kin. There have been several interpretations of this passage. Some argue that ”kin” here refers to a woman from any Israelite tribe. But, others argue the meaning of ‘kin’ is likely that a High Priest must only marry a woman from the Priestley tribe—ie, a Levite.
This understanding comes from the command later to the three daughters whose father had no sons. They were commanded to marry in their own tribes so that the God-ordained tribal distributions would not be disrupted. (Numbers 36). Since this held true for non-exalted women, how much more so would it be true for the highly exalted High Priest?
(Leviticus 21:10)
Because of his exalted status, the High Priest:
Shall Not Bear his head—again the precise translation is more like he shall not “dishevel his hair.” Interestingly, the same word is used for the woman who is being interrogated for adultery (Numbers 5:11-31). The transition usually reads that her head is “uncovered.” (Numbers 5:18). But, the real translation is that her hair is disheveled. The passage in Numbers is used to justify the command for married Jewish women to keep their heads covered at all times. Considering the same word is used to communicate that a High Priest should also keep his head covered at all times, we can possibly draw a comparison. Just as a woman’s covered head indicates she is faithfully married, so a High Priest should always keep his head covered indicating he is a faithful servant to Hashem—the Ishi of all Jewish people.
Shall not tear or rend his clothes—these clothes of the High Priest are sacred vestments. They are not to be defiled through mourning rituals, including rending them. These sacred vestments are so holy the can cause a person to be consecrated if they are touched—render the person unfit for ordinary activities. They too become holy unto HaKadosh Baruch Hu. Such garments must not be destroyed, torn, or defiled in any way.
Because the High Priest is prohibited from performing the above stated mourning rituals, he is therefore forbidden from entering where a dead body is or otherwise engaging with a Jew who is deceased.
(Leviticus 21:11)
We then learn that HaKadosh Baruch Hu bestows such honor and exalted status upon the High Priest that the High Priest is not allowed to defile himself even for his own father or mother who returns to the dust. In this instance, we can understand that honoring HaKadosh Baruch Hu must come before honoring our earthly parents. If we must chose between Hashem and our parents, serving and honoring HaKadosh Baruch Hu always comes first.
(Leviticus 21:12)
HaKadosh Baruch Hu then communicates that the High Priest is not to leave nor go outside of the sanctuary. He must eat, sleep, dwell, and remain in the sanctuary. If the High Priest leaves the sanctuary, he risks defiling himself on his exit and the sanctuary upon his return. If such defilement were to occur, then the very dwelling place of HaKadosh Baruch Hu would be defiled and profaned. Since sin and defilement cannot exist in the presence of the all-holy HaKadosh Baruch Hu, such defilement could lead to the destruction of the Tabernacle, or Temple—as was the case for the Tabernacle in Shiloh, The First temple, and the Second Temple.
In every case, prior to the destruction of HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s Holy Dwelling Place, the leaders led the people into grave spiritual adultery. Because the leaders would not perform teshuvah, neither would the people. So, HaKadosh Baruch Hu removed His presence and called for exile. (Read the prophecies of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah).
Though such destruction was foretold to come as a consequence of sin, HaKadosh Baruch Hu also foretells of the day when all sins of all Jews will be forgiven, forgotten, and removed eternally. In this day, the long days of our suffering will cease, the Holy Temple will be restored and all Jews will be gathered back to our homeland—The Holy land of Zion. This time will come when teshuvah is performed by all Jews and accepted by HaKadosh Baruch Hu. May it come speedily in our days!
Am Yisrael Chai!
Kimberly Davis