Torah Pearls #29 – Acharei Mot (Leviticus 16:1-18:30)

Before projecting off into some distant future, I figure all the ceremonies were reminders of events that had already happened. Have to start at the beginning, if you want to project after that fine, but what is the most likely interpretation considering the Torah herself?

Le 16:22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

Bear iniquity alive in the wilderness? Could it be the goat to azazel was to represent Israel herself who bore her iniquity for 40 years in the wilderness, alive?

Nu 14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities , even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

Isn’t that the most likely picture?

Notice how Qayn also suffered a similar fate, again, alive, even protected, much like Israel was protected under the cloud in the wilderness.

Ge 4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear . 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

Also, in the wilderness, the Priests, the guardians of the Mishkan, bear the iniquity of the Priesthood itself and the iniquity of the children of Israel.

Nu 18:1 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.

For 40 years, alive in the wilderness, Israel bore her iniquity.

I would argue, Yehovah was offering them time to repent and be forgiven. Although they may not have entered the land, it doesn’t mean they were not given opportunity to repent and be found upright with God before their deaths, many of whom I assume will take their place in the Time to Come with Moshe who also wasn’t allowed into the land at that time.

In conclusion: accepted goat represents bad behaviours we have overcome, azazel goat represents bad behaviours we need work on. We have a very merciful Elohym.

How do you know it’s false? Without praying to find out truth? God forgive you and bless you with eternal peace of Christ. Read the Bereshit, the first 7 words talks about the crucified Son of Man.

The scapegoat is innocent but the blame for others is put upon him.

Shalom, When speaking about placing the sin on top of the “scapegoat” or Azazel (to the desert) has anyone thought that the sin returns to whence it came?

Contemporary English Version ( Leviticus 16:8)
where I will show you which goat will be sacrificed to me and which one will be sent into the desert to the demon Azazel.

Wasn’t the day of atonement instituted for the sin of the golden calves

Enoch 8:1. And Azâzêl taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals 〈of the earth〉 and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures. 2. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. Semjâzâ taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, Armârôs the resolving of enchantments, etc.

Enoch 9:6. Thou seest what Azâzêl hath done, who hath taught all unrighteousness on earth and revealed the eternal secrets which were (preserved) in heaven, which men were striving to learn.

God told them what to do, and to Azazel in particular, he said, Enoch 10:4-6 “Bind Azazel hand and foot and cast him into the darkness, and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him in it, and place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there forever, and cover his face that he may not see light. On the great day of judgement, he shall be cast into the lake of fire.

Enoch 10:8 “The whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel; so to him ascribe all sin.”

all need to avoid christendom. a false concept in total.

Shalom Nehemiah!
I click to vote and it says, invalid Data. keep up the great work, Yehovah Elohiym commissions you to continue.

I think that the interpretation that Barabbas associates with the scapegoat is correct. Barabbas and the scapegoat may symbolize the sinfulness of everyone other than Messiah, so because Messiah was slain we are not slain, and the wilderness may represent this time which we experience on this fallen earth (as opposed to the Age To Come). Therefor the slain goat represents the sinless Messiah and the sins are placed on the other goat which escapes death. Why this is difficult for Christians is because we know Messiah took our sins on Himself, but I simply think that is not the perspective being described when it says our sins are on the scapegoat, rather that scapegoat symbolizes those who actually committed sins.

It also helps what Nehemia says that symbolism does not necessarily apply in every single detail, so in Christian terms we must “rightly divide the word of God”.

At about 48:00 Nehemia asks Keith about those who consider the Torah done away with, in context of the expectation that all people not commit sexual abomination. There is a simple answer, because there is no Christian I know of who says sexual abomination laws are inactive in the New Covenant. Those who disregard Torah still hold to the New Testament which, in itself, is very clear that those who commit sexual sin will not inherit the Kingdom Of God.

Now, I’m just clarifying, because I understand that Messiah does teach us to keep Torah. Paul says Torah is beautiful, beneficial, spiritual, and true, but that we are not saved via keeping Torah; and he also wrote that we are saved by Grace via Trust In Messiah, unto good works which were before ordained, and it’s obvious that Torah is where those works were ordained; so keeping Torah is the result of Salvation, but not the source of Salvation.

I would like for Nehemiah to involve himself in this particular Q & A. Some interpretations use the words “remission” and “atonement”, indicating there is a separation between man and Jehovah that must be addressed, and a cleansing that requires a blood sacrifice. Perhaps the term “sin” was based on an interpretation from the Hebrew. It will take a Hebrew scholar who also understands the cultural dynamic and the intent behind the sacrificial system and the Hebrew root of the term “sin” so freely used, and that which is required by Jehovah to address “sin”, perhaps without understanding the multiple layers cited in the Tanak. I’m guessing there are fine points here I am missing. I would like some clarity.

Nowhere. That is actually a slight interpolation of Hebrews 9:22 (the “for sin” part is added).

However, Leviticus 17:11 comes close.

My comment has nothing to do with the two goats nor Day of Atonement. There are two more chapters in the portion. Question from CH 17 – were the Hebrews not allowed to eat beef Were beef, lamb and goat meat only for sacrifices, not for food (every day supper)? Question from CH 18 – is “uncover nakedness” a euphemism for sexual intercourse? Need clarification of the meaning, since it was not even read, much less discussed. Thank you. Why was there no place to comment except as reply to another comment? Are you forcing people to facebook?

I just want to tell you that I feel delighted with the teachings of you three, as if I were there seating together with you. Thankyou very much. May YEHOVAH bless you for helping people to understand His Word. Big embrace from Bogotá, Colombia. I wish there were Karaites in Bogota. I have been following your teachings, Nehemia, many years ago.☺

Nehemiah can you please confirm any details about the two goats. Did they have to be twin goats? Same age? Or it does not matter, any two goats would do? Surely there were some qualifications?

Hmmm…is there a connection with the story of Ishmael and Isaac?

yes this is what I had heard. I tried to send this comment but it wouldn’t let me. 🙂

there is actually in the apocrypha book of enoch, a reference to Azazel being the chief angel that fell. if we look at it this way, the devil was given the reign of the cursed world, so this atonement goes to him whom Yehovah now calls satan. i guess we could say that his angelic name was azazel and when he caused the fall his name was changed to Satan (Adversary). this would make this verse make sense

Lev 16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell for Azazel, shall be set alive before the LORD, to make atonement over him, to send him away for Azazel into the wilderness. (Tanakh-1917)

of course these books are apocrypha so it is still unconfirmed, just relating the information.

It occurred to me that, from the perspective of a Christian, Yeshua fullfills the position of both goats in the sacrifice. First, he was led off to be the sin offering, crucified with all of his blood spilled out over the ark of the covenant. Then , resurrected, he went offf to fulfill the atonement. To the Fathers side instead of the desert.
Thank you all for your work and diligent study!

I call Holy what Yehovah calls Holy, He did not call church of seplecure Holy, neither do I.

Jesus and BarAbbas is a contrast comparison to the Goats, The innocent, Jesus executed, the guilty BarAbbas is set free. Innocent pays the price for the guilty.

The book on the Yom Kippur war??? Where does one find that?

How many times my heart is lifted up in worship to Yehovah when I hear your teachings from the Hebrew Scriptures that are such a beautiful picture of what Yehovah did for us in Yehoshua. The two goats…one of them has his blood spilled for sin, i.e., a picture of the One who suffered death in my place and provides forgiveness; and the second goat, a picture of One taking my sins far away and they are not remembered anymore.
Two pictures of the work of salvation that my Lord Yehovah in Yehoshua did this for me. Isaiah talks about these things, too. I love these verses about Yehovah Elohim; He is our Savior. There is no other.

Isa 43:3
3 For I am Yehovah, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
NIV

Isa 43:10-11
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor will there be one after me.
11 I, even I, am Yehovah,
and apart from me there is no savior.
NIV

Thank you so much for opening up to me more and more this wonderful Being, the Lord Yehovah, and his great love for mankind, that He was willing to suffer so much for us. I love the pictures in the Tanahk…pictures that Yehovah gave to us to let us know what He was planning to do in accomplishing/finishing forever His great work of redemption! So blessed!

May I suggest that the ACTS of perversion in Canaan were encouraged with the preoccupation that was provided through rituals, aphrodisiac abuse and drunkenness, en masse. The “culture” wrote the List provided by Moshe and may I suggest that the only thing more perverse than the ACTS of reprobate sexual conduct was the IDOLATRY and forms of worship that fomented such behavior. Sexual perversion was the prevalent symptom of an underlying issue. It would be wise to understand the spiritual environment that was in place to result in such degradation. Why ? May I suggest that the same “environment” is growing, GLOBALLY.

Holy is a legal term, and is only defined by Yehovah, not by men, nor institutions of men outside the Torah. Most is in Leviticus, and can learn from Mishna, as are 10 levels of holiness. Where does Yehovah call a burial site or grave Holy? Where in New Testment is holy used in term of a burial sight. No one person is called Holy in the Tanak, the people of Israel as a whole are called Holy. There is a HOly One of Israel, this is most likely in the Hebrew Holy Echad, no a numeric one. We should not call a person, place thing Holy, which Yehovah does not call.

My date posted is all ones…hmmm even 2017 added equals 10 which added equals one…interesting.

I remember the story about Peters vision…the three times that the vision appeared was the three Gentiles arriving at his door. But, the meaning was one that the Gentiles were to be preached to that God was calling them to Torah. The two goats could be two purposes…sin meant death for the goat on the alter where his blood was spilled and the second goat takes the sins but lives….Yeshua accomplished both.

2 aposotles bothered to quote from book of Enoch where it says a lot about azazel. I know is not Scripture but gives some insight about the `mysterious` azazel

What do you think the sacrifices are for, and who is the Blemish free lamb who gave His life on the High Feast of Pesach? Hag Pesach was practiced for centuries until the Blemish free lamb, who taught and upheld every jot and title of the Torah of His Father, rode into Yerushalayim who gave His life so we may live. As Hebrews we can return to, and live according to Aveenu Shebashamayim ways without the fear of death. We have the Torah of Moshe and the Testimony of Yeshua.

Thanks, Nehemiah. We can’t get too bogged down in symbolism…but my input goes back to my early years in Christian day-school; the scapegoat may or may not live a long life(and left to it’s own devices), or meet some untimely demise (even goats fall off cliffs or fall prey to carnivores), or, like the evil ones, await judgment at a later time. At least it makes one think of the things of YHVH, and ultimately, we’re in His hands.

Where in the Tanach does it say, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission for sin.”?

I would like to suggest an interpretation of Azza-Zel to augment what you have all said. It has been suggested that the name ‘El Shadday’ is a proto-Hebrew term. I would like to suggest that Azza-Zel is also a proto-Hebrew or proto-Semitic term of similar origin, possibly related to the biblical Hebrew words `Azzah (fortified place) and Tseil (Shadow). Azza-Zel could mean ‘Fortress of Shadow(s)’. The 2 goats could represent how, after death, the soul is purified by the glory of God. The one goat whose blood is brought into the Temple represents the purified soul returning to God, and the goat sent into the desert represents how one’s sins are removed from the soul in Azza-Zel. Yeshua often spoke of ‘The Outer Darkness’, and I think that was what he called the Azza-Zel – a place where the soul is purified and cleansed of sin before entering into the eternal Presence of God in heaven. The goat being sent into the desert symbolised our sins being sent to Azza-Zel after death (and left there)

Does Satan really dies in the desert? Not according to Revelation. But also if your interested to learn more about the person Satan then check out Dr. Miryam Brand “Understanding Sin and Evil”. It’s very eye opening. It paints a total different picture on teachings that we grew up with.

A few answers to Nehemiah questions I can tell based on why Christians don’t read Torah is churches are telling members, upon my asking them, why they don’t read is due to Jesus/ YSHVH did complete requirements of law! This has been proven false by YHVH to me so I no longer claim Christianity but a child of The Most High of Abraham, Isaac and Yaakov.
Also I’ve been learning great amount of research facts that the all seeing eye, on money and in historic books (Google, no copyright) a very lengthy trail on illuminati and marxists alongvwith jesuit priests masked symbols for worship to satan.
Ecen colleges, churches and politics (government affiliations like UN) All have same symbol eye.
What I’ve learned in time with YHVH is by rereading Tanakh, Brit Hadashah over and over aloud. Prophet messages like Jeremiah state this conspiracy.

May YHVH aid us all to His pergect plan as we reason together Amein!

Shalom and blessings to you all and thank you for your openness in every study of TORAH

Enjoying the different perspectives of you three in these studies. Laughing a little because I guess I didn’t realize how much other Christian denominations throw the OT out with the bath water. My traditional Christian perspective has always included the search for “the truth” about God in all 66. Although admit in my experience not much time spent in Leviticus in general! And feel as though I have been reading the OT with sunglasses on by not having the expertise to explore and apply the full richness of Hebrew context and history (including His Name and its meaning). So Blessed by your studies – thank you!

It seems that for atonement one goat is killed, and the sins are sent away on the other which recalls the statement in the Psalms 103:12 “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west”.

Your discussion about the scape goat was inconclusive. Here is my take on the matter. Sin is transferred from Israel and put on the live scape goat which is taken away from the congregation to the desert. It bares sin and is taken to a hostile environment which mostly will result in its death. Why couldn’t this represent satan? Sin originated with him. He is responsible and he is led away from a sinless camp to the desert where he dies.

Thank you for pointing this out. The error should be fixed now.

The episodes are a blessing thank you but the download link on this page for this episode Acharei Mot – Leviticus 16:1-18:30 wrongly downloads a duplicate of the previous episode Metzora – Leviticus 14:1-15:33

It was something like a couple of months ago now when I was first reading “Shattering The Conspiracy…” and was reviewing youtube excerpts of Nehmeia’s work. I encountered his wall here and started to review these too. I watched this clip at night then started reading from my prior place in the book. Nehemia provides a perspective that clashes strongly with Friedman’s “Who Wrote The Bible?” I was reading on from this, to pages 144-5, which raises the 1973 war events, and had to admire YHWH’s hand for the timing of these things. I have experienced YHWH’s hand in my own life/death battles and I cannot deny what I see. God is certainly not dead.