Sacrificing to the god of self

Once again we have a double Parsha this week. Doubles like this occur because there are fifty-four individual weekly readings but only fifty-two weeks in the year. In addition, during the prescribed Biblical Moedim (Feasts) such as Pesach (Passover), which we have just completed, there are special readings and therefore the regular cycle is suspended for these moedim and therefore need to be made-up by being added to other weeks.

Mitzrayim (Egypt) and Canaan must have been quite the countries. Obviously after reading Parsha Achare Mot we can see that there was rampant sexual sin taking place in them. I say rampant because from the context of verses 18.1-30 HaShem gave bnei Yisrael a pretty stern warning against following there example. Now I have always thought of Canaan as being a wild place but that was never how I pictured Mitzrayim. Yes I knew they were ungodly but it never struck me that these kinds of abominations being described were practiced there. Mitzrayim seemed like such a civilized society. Take a look at some of the things that were going on:

INCEST: Vayikra {18:6} None of you shall approach to any who are close relatives to him, to uncover [their] nakedness: I am HaShem.

PERVERSION: Vayikra {18:12} You shall not uncover the nakedness of your ab's (father’s) sister: she is your ab's near kinswoman. {18:13} You shall not uncover the nakedness of your em’s (mother’s) sister: for she is your em’s near kinswoman. {18:14} You shall not uncover the nakedness of your ab's brother, you shall not approach to his wife: she is your aunt. {18:15} You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law: she is your son's wife; you shall not uncover her nakedness. {18:16} You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife: it is your brother's nakedness. {18:17} You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter; you shall not take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

ADULTERY: Vayikra {18:20} You shall not lie carnally with your neighbour's wife, to defile yourself with her.

CHILD SACRIFICE: Vayikra {18:21} You shall not give any of your seed to make them pass through [the fire] to Molech; neither shall you profane the name of your G-D: I am HaShem.

HOMOSEXUALITY: Vayikra {18:22} You shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

BESTIALITY: Vayikra {18:23} You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself therewith; neither shall any ishah (woman) stand before a animal, to lie down thereto: it is perversion.

The list we have been presented are all sexual sins except for child sacrifice, how did it get included in this list? Sad to say child sacrifice is a sexual sin as well. Couples had children solely for the purpose of offering them as sacrifices. Are you aware that this type of conception is taking place in Canada and most other countries today, for the same purpose? Children are being conceived for the sole purpose of offering them as sacrifices in satanic religious ceremonies! What is even more disturbing is that our modern world is supposedly a civilized society, yet Canada as a nation is also guilty of every one of the above abominations. Worse yet, just of the top of my head I can add PORNOGRAPHY and CHILD MOLESTATION to our list of sexual sin. What is even more disturbing is that probably every one of these sexual sins is being committed in HaShem’s kehilot (congregations) as well, yes even child sacrifice. Every time a believer in a Congregation has an abortion, and they are having them, they are sacrificing to the god of self, it is a sexual sin! What do you think is in store for us, His elect, if this is what HaShem had in store for the Canaanites?

Devarim (Deuteronomy) {20:17} but you shall utterly destroy them: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Cana'anite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Yebusite; as HaShem your G-D has commanded you; {20:18} that they not teach you to do after all their abominations, which they have done to their gods; so would you sin against HaShem your G-D.

It is very interesting to see how Parsha Achare Mot ends with the warning against following the abominations of the Mitzrayim and Canaanites and how Parasha Kadoshim begins:

Vayikra {19:1} HaShem spoke to Moshe, saying, {19:2} Speak to all the congregation of the Bnei Yisrael, and tell them, You shall be kadosh (holy, separate, different); for I HaShem your G-D am kadosh.

Once a month we at Congregation Melech Yisrael have what is called a Havdallah service. Havdallah means separate and it is celebrated every motsi Shabbat (end of the Sabbath). Although it is celebrated every week at home, we celebrate it as a congregational family once a month together in our synagogue.

The liturgy service is quite short, only fifteen minutes or so, and it is followed by an elaborate covered dish meal. In the summer we have the meal first due to Shabbat ending quite late at that time of year. Havdallah is very powerful service. Why? Because its sole purpose is to remind us that we are leaving the holiness of the Shabbat, HaShem’s island in time and entering into the profanity of the world system. Its focus, through the use of Scripture and symbolism, is that as believers in Mashiach (Messiah) Yeshua we are not to be like the rest of the world, rather we are to be separate, different and the world is supposed to recognize us such. This principle certainly complements what Parsha Achare Mot is saying.

As you enter into the work week, think about this: If you were to be put on trial for being a believer, a follower of Mashiach Yeshua, would there be enough evidence to find you guilty?

Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber is the spiritual leader of Congregation Melech Yisrael in Toronto, Canada.

Copyright 2004