Bits of Torah Truths, פרשת שמיני, Parashat Shemini, The Path that governs our Choices

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This week we read the following according to the Torah, Vayikra / Leviticus 10:16-17, ואת שעיר החטאת דרש דרש משה והנה שרף ויקצף על־אלעזר ועל־איתמר בני אהרן הנותרם לאמר 10:16 Then Moses inquired about the goat of sin offering, and it had already been burned! He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and said, מדוע לא־אכלתם את־החטאת במקום הקדש כי קדש קדשים הוא ואתה נתן לכם לשאת את־עון העדה לכפר עליהם לפני יהוה 10:17 “Why did you not eat the sin offering in the sacred area? For it is most holy, and He has given it to you to remove the guilt of the community and to make expiation for them before the LORD. The role of the priest in the Tabernacle was to stand in substitute (in our place) to make atonement on our behalf before God. Parashat Shemini describes the importance of the sin offering where the priest consumes a portion of the sin offering in order to bear the guilt of the people and to make expiation for them before the Lord God Almighty. Ibn Ezra states the following concerning this verse (Ibn Ezra on Leviticus 10:17 Part 1) “in the holy place at the entrance to the Tent of Assembly, as it is written [9:31]. and He (God) has given it to you to pardon [literally: carry away]: When you eat the sin-offering, God will carry away the sin of the congregation; or You shall carry off the sin (meaning, their sins shall be forgiven through you — this explains the concluding clause, “to atone…”)” Rashi also states the following concerning this verse, Rashi on Leviticus 10:17 Part 3 “‘ואתה נתן לכם לשאת וגו‎ AND HE HATH GIVEN IT TO YOU TO BEAR [THE INIQUITY] etc., — for only if the priests eat it are the owners of the sin-offering (the entire Congregation in the case of the goat for the New Moon) atoned for (Sifra, Shemini, Chapter 2 4).” Moshe’s words “seeing that He gave it to you to bear the guilt of the community, and to obtain atonement for them!” describes the sacrificial animal in the case of the goat offering for the New Moon. This describes the offering that repeats itself month after month throughout the ages. The function of that offering was to obtain atonement for trespasses committed involving entering or being in the holy precincts while in a state of ritual impurity, or trespasses involving consumption of parts of such offerings which had become ritually impure for some reason after their being slaughtered. The sages interpreted this verse to refer to sins committed in connection to holiness. This is said to be involved with one’s ability to stand and face HaShem. If we are living in sin, we cannot stand before the Lord with peace in our hearts. These Scriptures teach us the Lord God of Israel cares and loves us to the extent of providing a way to draw near and make atonement by the hand of the priest. Without our High Priest (Yeshua the Messiah) it is not possible to find atonement according to God’s Word!

BTT_Parashat Shemini-2018

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Dr. Duane D. Miller received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of Akron Ohio. He is currently a Chemical Engineering Researcher. Duane’s research expertise has focused upon functional materials development for the control, conversion, and release of process gases in Energy production technologies. His R&D interests include computational chemistry, developing novel technologies for converting biomass to fuels and studying their fundamental interactions during the chemical conversion process. His past experience includes sorbent development for pre- and post-combustion CO2 and SO2 capture, selective absorption of H2S from methane streams, O2 capture for oxy-fuel combustion, photocatalytic reduction of alcohols, NOx reduction catalysis, the development of oxygen carriers to combust fossil fuels (CH4 and coal) for the chemical looping combustion processes, and the extraction of rare earth elements using patent pending sorbents. His research expertise has focused on operando-characterization using Infrared, Raman, and UV-Vis spectroscopy to observe the nature of the catalytic active sites and reaction intermediates under realistic reaction conditions, allowing direct correlation of molecular/electronic structures with catalyst performance during Gas-Solid / Liquid-Solid Adsorption and Photocatalytic Processes with real time online analysis of reaction products using ICP-MS and mass spectrometry. His current work involves a multi-disciplinary approach to developing, understanding, and improving the catalytic gasification of coal and methane, high temperature chemical looping combustion, and the catalytic decomposition and gasification of biomass and coal using novel microwave reactor.​ He has been studying the Hebrew Scriptures and the Torah for 20+ years and sharing what he has learned. The studies developed for MATSATI.COM are freely to be used by everyone, to God be the Glory!