Acharei Mot“After the death”

The 29th Torah Portion Reading6th reading in the Book of Leviticus

Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30Malachi 3: 4-24John 7:1-52

Acharei Mot

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Acharei MotThe Shadows of the Messiah

Titles of Messiah

• The Mighty One - Yom Kippur Machzor• The Son Who Was Bound - Yom Kippur Machzor• The Perfect One - Yom Kippur Machzor

Death and Yom Kippur

Leviticus 16:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

Death and Yom Kippur

Why does the Torah introduce the laws of Yom Kippur by mentioning the deaths of Nadab and Abihu?

Jewish tradition closely associates Yom Kippur with death.

The entire Torah portion which describes the ceremonies for Yom Kippur is called Acharei Mot which means "after death."

Death and Yom Kippur

Why is the death of the righteous Nadab and Abihu mentioned in conjunction with the chapter of the Yom Kippur service? Because, just as Yom Kippur brings atonement, so the death of the righteousbrings atonement. (y.Yoma 1:1)

Holiest Day of the Year

Leviticus 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Holiest Day of the Year

Leviticus 16 describes the Sanctuary ceremony for Yom Kippur, a ceremony that involves the intersection of three spheres of holiness. On the holiest day of the year (the Day of Atonement), the holiest man in the world (the high priest of Israel) went into the holiest place in the world (the holy of holies) .

AtonementLeviticus 16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

Atonement

In the ritual context of Israel's worship system, the worshipers, the priesthood, and even the Tabernacle and its furnishings all require atonement in order to stand in the presence of God. Without such covering, they would not survive the encounter with the consuming presence of God..

The Linen Garments

Leviticus 16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

Atonement of Messiah

With two handfuls of incense and a shovel full of glowing coals from the altar, the high priest entered into the darkness of God's throne room.

The suffering and the death of the righteous Messiah also accomplished atonement - not in the Sanctuary on earth but in the heavenly Sanctuary.

Atonement of Messiah

Hebrews 9:11-12 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

ScapegoatLeviticus 16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

Like the Messiah, the azazel goat carried the sin and iniquity of Israel. Like the Messiah, the = azazel goat died while bearing the sin of the people. He bore away the sin and uncleanness of Israel.

The Fall of Israel’s EnemiesThe rabbis assigned symbolic meanings to the two goats.

The goat designated as a sin offering for the LORD represents Jacob and the children of Israel.

The goat designated for azazel represents Esau and the nations that subjugate and afflict the people of Israel.

Fallen AngelLeviticus 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

The Scarlet Cloth

Leviticus 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat ……

The Last Forty Years

Leviticus 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat ……

The Talmud reports that in some years the lot "for the LORD" came up in the right hand, and in some years it did not. During some years, the red cloth turned white, but in other years it did not.

The Last Forty Years

By recording that these signs and omens began to manifest forty years prior to the Temple's destruction, the Talmud unwittingly points toward the death of the Messiah. Forty years prior to the destruction of the Temple the Master died, rose, and ascended.

Yom Kippur The Epistle of Barnabas

The Epistle of Barnabas reports several authentic Jewish practices regarding the azazel-goat. According to the epistle, the two goats needed to be completely identical. The azazel goat was associated with accursedness. The priests encircled the head of the azazel-goat with scarlet wool. The one takes the goat into the wilderness, removes the scarlet wool from its head, and places it on a shrub. All of these details find corroboration in the Mishnah.

Judgment Day

Leviticus 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

Judgment DayDaniel 7:9-10 9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Forgiveness for Sins

Leviticus 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

The Final Judgment

Leviticus 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

The SignatureThe Messiah's death and resurrection is far more efficacious than that of the ceremonies of Yom Kippur. Whereas the sacrifices for sin on the Day of Atonement lasted only for a year and then had to be offered again, Messiah's sacrifice was a one-time event with eternal consequence. Whereas the Day of Atonement rituals cleansed only in regard to the Sanctuary on earth, Messiah's sacrifice cleanses in regard to the eternal, heavenly Sanctuary. Whereas the Yom Kippur sacrifices could cleanse the flesh on an external level but could not "make the worshiper perfect in conscience," the blood of Messiah cleanses the "conscience from dead works to serve the living God.