Parashah 30: K'doshim ·Holy people, Set-apart people· 19:1-20:27
19
Read with Parashah 29 in regular years; in leap years, read separately
1 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying, 2 “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel [God prevails], and tell them, ‘You shall be holy; for I, Adonai your God, am holy. *
3 † “ ‘Each one of you shall respect his mother and his father. You shall keep my Shab'totay ·Intermissions·. I am Adonai your God.
4 ‡ “ ‘Don’t turn to idols, § nor make molten deities for yourselves. I am Adonai your God.
5 “ ‘When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to Adonai, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. 6 It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day: and if anything remains until the third day, it shall be burned with fire. 7 * If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be accepted; 8 but everyone who eats it shall bear his depravity (moral evil), because he has profaned the holy thing of Adonai, and that soul shall be cut off from his people.
9 † “ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, ‡ § neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 * You shall not glean your vineyard, † ‡ neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. § * You shall leave them for the poor and for the foreigner. I am Adonai your God.
11 † “ ‘You shall not steal from, ‡ defraud, § or lie to one another.
12 * “ ‘You shall not swear by my name falsely, † and shall not profane את the name of your God. I am Adonai.
13 ‡ “ ‘You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him.
§ * “ ‘The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
14 † “ ‘You shall not curse the deaf, ‡ nor put a stumbling block before the blind; but you shall fear your God. I am Adonai.
(RY:5, LY:2) 15 § “ ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. * You shall not be partial to the poor, † nor show favoritism to the great; ‡ but you shall judge your neighbor uprightly.
16 §
“ ‘You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people.
*
“ ‘You shall not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am Adonai.
17 † “ ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. ‡ § You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear crime deserving peanlty, sin ·missing the goal· because of him.
18 * “ ‘You shall not take vengeance or revenge, † nor bear any grudge against the children of your people; ‡
but you shall 'ahav ·affectionately love· your neighbor as yourself. § I am Adonai.
19 “ ‘You shall keep my regulations.
* “ ‘You shall not cross-breed different kinds of animals.
† “ ‘You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed;
“ ‘Don’t wear a garment made of two kinds of material.
20 “ ‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed, or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 21 He shall bring his fault incurring guilt offering to Adonai, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, even a ram for a fault incurring guilt offering. 22 The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the fault incurring guilt offering before Adonai for his habitual sin ·missing the mark· which he has sinned ·deviated (from the standard goal)·: and the habitual sin ·missing the mark· which he has sinned ·deviated (from the standard goal)· shall be forgiven him.
(LY:3) 23 ‡ “ ‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. Three years they shall be forbidden to you. It shall not be eaten. 24 § But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to Adonai. 25 In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am Adonai your God.
26 “ ‘You shall not eat any meat with the blood still in it. * You shall not use enchantments, † ‡
nor practice sorcery.
27 §
“ ‘You shall not cut the hair on the sides of your head or clip off the edge of your beard.
28 *
“ ‘You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am Adonai.
29 “ ‘Don’t profane your daughter, to make her a prostitute; lest the land fall to prostitution, and the land become full of wickedness.
30 “ ‘You shall keep my Shab'totay ·Intermissions·, and † revere my sanctuary; I am Adonai.
31 ‡ “ ‘Don’t turn to those who are spirit-mediums, § nor to the sorcerers. Don’t seek them out, to be defiled by them. I am Adonai your God.
32 *
“ ‘You shall rise up before the silver haired, and honor the face of an elder old man, and you shall fear your God. I am Adonai.
(RY:6, LY:4) 33 “ ‘If a stranger lives as a foreigner with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 The stranger who lives as a foreigner with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall 'ahav ·affectionately love· him as yourself; for you lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery]. I am Adonai your God.
35 †
“ ‘You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measures of length, of weight, or of quantity. 36 ‡ You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah [0.63 bushels; 5.9 gal; 22 L], and a just hin [0.98 gal; 3.7 L]. I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery].
37 “ ‘You shall observe all my regulations, and all my judgments, and do them. I am Adonai.’ ”
* 19:2 . Quoted in Matt 5:48 † 19:3 . Lev 19:3 (#5.367): T. To revere your father and mother / R. To fear your father and mother ‡ 19:4 . Lev 19:4 (#2a.66): T. Not to turn to idolatry / R. Not to inquire into idolatry § 19:4 . Lev 19:4 (#2a.67): Not to make an idol for yourself or for others * 19:7 . Lev 19:7-8 (Lev 17:5-8) (#2b.139): Not to eat a sacrifice that has been left over (on the third day) † 19:9 . Lev 19:9 (Lev 19:9-10, 23:22) (#8.493): To leave the corner of the field unharvested ‡ 19:9 . Lev 19:9 (Lev 19:9-10) (#8.494): Not to gather the stalks that have fallen while reaping your field § 19:9 . Lev 19:9 (Lev 19:9-10, 23:22) (#8.495): T. This is not found in the straight forward text, it is implied / R. To leave the gleanings of the harvest, that is the corners of your field * 19:10 . Lev 19:10 (Lev 19:9-10) (#8.496): T. Not to gather the grapes left on the vine or on the ground after harvesting / R. Not to harvest the undeveloped or imperfect clusters of your vineyard † 19:10 . Lev 19:10 (Lev 19:9-10) (#8.497): T. Not to gather the grapes left on the vine or on the ground after harvesting / R. Not to gather individual fallen grapes while reaping your field ‡ 19:10 . Lev 19:10 (Lev 19:9-10) (#8.498): T. To leave the grapes left on the vine or on the ground after harvesting / R. To leave the undeveloped or imperfect clusters of your vineyard § 19:10 . Lev 19:10 (Lev 19:9-10, 23:22) (#8.499): T. To leave the gleanings of the vineyard, that is the corners of your field / R. To leave a corner of the field uncut for the poor * 19:10 . Lev 19:10 (Lev 19:9-10) (#8.500): To leave the fallen grapes of the vineyard for the poor and the proselyte † 19:11 . Lev 19:11 (#8.501): T. Not to steal from each other / R. Not to steal money stealthily ‡ 19:11 . Lev 19:11 (#9.559): T. Not to deal falsely with or defraud ·illegal acquisition of money by deception· each other / R. Not to falsely deny another’s claim to property / R. Not to deny possession of something entrusted to you § 19:11 . Lev 19:11 (#9.560): T. Not to lie to each other / R. Not to swear falsely in denial of another’s claim to property * 19:12 . Lev 19:12 (#3.229): T. Do not violate an oath; not to swear falsely by the name of Adonai / R. Not to swear falsely in God’s Name / Reason: For this would be profaning the name of your God † 19:12 . Paraphrase Quoted in Matt 5:33 ‡ 19:13 . Lev 19:13 (#8.502): T. Not to rob your neighbor / R. Not to rob openly § 19:13 . Lev 19:13 (#8.503): T Not to withhold the wages of a hired worker until morning / R. Not to delay payment of wages past the agreed time * 19:13 . Lev 19:13 (#8.504): T. This is not found in the straight forward text, it is implied / R. Not to withhold wages or fail to repay a debt † 19:14 . Lev 19:14 (#6.390): T. Not to curse a deaf person / R. Not to curse any other Israelite / R. Not to curse any upstanding Jew ‡ 19:14 . Lev 19:14 (#6.391): T. Not to place a stumbling block in front of a blind person / R. Not to cause the innocent to stumble on the way / R. Not to put a stumbling block before a blind man / R. Not to give a blind man harmful advice § 19:15 . Lev 19:15 (#10.586): T. Not to do injustice in a judgment / R. A judge must not pervert justice * 19:15 . Lev 19:15 (#10.587): Not to take pity on a poor man when judging † 19:15 . Lev 19:15 (#10.588): Not to show favoritism toward an important or wealthy man when judging ‡ 19:15 . Lev 19:15 (#10.589): T. To impart equal justice by not favoring one party over the other in disputes / R. To judge righteously § 19:16 . Lev 19:16-18 (#9.561): T. Not to gossip nor slander / R. Not to speak derogatorily of others R. Consider: “Evil talk kills three people: the speaker, the listener, and the one who is spoken of” - The Lubavitcher Rebbe / R. Consider: “Before you speak, you are the master of your words. After you speak, your words master you” (Talmud, Erachin 15A) * 19:16 . Lev 19:16-18 (#6.392): Not to stand by idly when life is in danger Directive: Consider that this command also says to “not gossip nor slander” † 19:17 . Lev 19:17 (Lev 19:17-18) (#6.393): T. Not to hate your brother in your heart / R. Not to hate fellow Jews ‡ 19:17 . Lev 19:17 (Lev 19:17-18) (#6.394): T. You are to rebuke and reprove your neighbor and thereby not bear a sin because of him / R. To rebuke and reprove a sinner § 19:17 . Lev 19:17 (Lev 19:17-18) (#6.395): T. This command is not found in the straightforward text, it is implied by not incurring guilt of sin due to hatred or grudge against your neighbor / R. Not to shame or embarrass any person of Israel * 19:18 . Lev 19:18 (Lev 19:17-18) (#6.396): Not to take revenge ·inflicting harm against someone for a wrong suffered at their hands· † 19:18 . Lev 19:18 (Lev 19:17-18) (#6.397): Not to bear a grudge ·persistent feeling of resentment or ill-will due to a past insult or injury· ‡ 19:18 . Lev 19:18 (Lev 19:17-18) (#6.398): T. To love your neighbor as you love yourself / R. To love Jews R. Example: To love is elaborated as having and expressing profound concern and affection for other Jews R. Consider: Rabbinical Oral Tradition teaches to love your neighbor applies to those only inside the covenant. Rabbi Yeshua teaches your neighbor are those around you whether in the covenant or outside the covenant (Luke 10:25-37) / R. Consider: Rabbi Hillel teaches “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah ·Teaching·; the rest is the explanation. Now go and learn” (Talmud: Shabbat 31A) § 19:18 . Quoted in Matt 5:43, 19:19, 22:39; Mark 12:31, 12:33; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14; James 2:8 * 19:19 . Lev 19:19 (#1.10): Not to crossbreed animals of different species † 19:19 . Lev 19:19 (#1.11): Not to sow different kinds of seed together ‡ 19:23 . Lev 19:23 (Lev 19:23-25) (#8.505): Not to eat fruit of a tree in the first three years from planting § 19:24 . Lev 19:24 (Lev 19:23-25) (#8.506): T. The fruit of fruit-bearing trees in the fourth year of planting will be holy (not to be eaten) / R. The fourth year crops must be totally for holy purposes like ma'aser sheni ·second tithe· * 19:26 . Lev 19:26 (#2a.68): T. Not to practice divination ·occultist method of fortune telling· or to believe in lucky charms / R. Not to engage in astrology † 19:26 . Lev 19:26 (#2a.68): T. Not to practice divination ·occultist method of fortune telling· or to believe in lucky charms / R. Not to engage in astrology ‡ 19:26 . Lev 19:26 (#2a.69): T. Not to practice sorcery ·magic with spirits· or fortunetelling / R. Not to be superstitious Note: Definition of Superstitious: A belief not based on knowledge or ominous significance of a circumstance or occurrence; a custom or act based on such a belief; an irrational fear of a mystery; any blindly accepted belief or notion. This dictionary definition of superstitious does not allow for blind faith § 19:27 . Lev 19:27 (Lev 19:27-28) (#2b.140): T. Not to nakaph ·violently strike / to round / shave· the sides of your head / R. Men shall not shave off the sides of their head, like the idolaters Consider: The Hebrew word used, nakaph, means to violently strike, also to round, mar, or trim. In the context of the following verse (v28) which rejects cutting or tattoos for the dead (both acts involving blood). It can be inferred this “cutting hair” is in regard to pagan rituals involving service unto the dead, the sun god, or other false deities R. Consider: The Rabbis interpret this command as having paz ·side-locks· * 19:28 . Lev 19:28 (Lev 19:26-28; Deut 14:1-2) (#2b.142): T. Not to tattoo or gash your body for the dead / R. Not to tattoo your skin T. Example: Like the pagan nations make marks on their bodies or cut themselves for the dead (1 King 18:28) † 19:30 . Lev 19:30 (Lev 26:2) (#1.12): Revere Adonai’s Sanctuary ‡ 19:31 . Lev 19:31 (#2a.70): T. Not to seek out spirit mediums to consult them / R. Not to preform ov ·medium with familiar spirits· § 19:31 . Lev 19:31 (#2a.71): T. Not to consult familiar spirits / R. Not to preform yidoni ·a person with familiar spirits, a knower· * 19:32 . Lev 19:32 (#5.368): T. To honor the older and wiser / R. To honor those who teach and know Torah ·Teaching· Example: Specificity referenced are those with gray hair and the face of an elder † 19:35 . Lev 19:35 (Lev 19:35-37) (#9.562): Not to commit injustice with scales and weights R. Note: Oral Tradition teaches this warns against unrighteousness in judging of measurements ‡ 19:36 . Lev 19:36 (Lev 19:35-37) (#9.563): T. To keep honest and accurate balance-scales, weights, and measures (both dry and liquid) / R. Each individual must ensure that his scales and weights are accurate