After the Death [of Nadav and Avihu] (Acharei Mot)
Set-Apart, Holy People (Kedoshim)

We are the set-apart people - a cut above, holy people of Yahweh.

James 1:22 - Don’t deceive yourselves by only hearing what the Word says, but do it!

Can we be holy? Does that really mean that we have to be perfect?  Are we to walk around with a pious attitude? Hide our faults? We are commanded to be holy, but we are imperfect. It's only through His redemption that we can be made perfect in His eyes.

Leviticus 19:3-8 - "Every one of you is to honor his father and mother, and you are to keep my Sabbaths; I am Adonai your God."
4 “Do not turn to idols, and do not cast metal gods for yourselves; I am Adonai your God."
5 “When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to Adonai, offer it in a way that will make you accepted. 6 It is to be eaten the same day you offer it and the following day; but if any of it remains until the third day, it is to be burned up completely. 7 If any of it is eaten on the third day, it will have become a disgusting thing and will not be accepted; 8 moreover, everyone who eats it will bear the consequences of profaning something holy meant for Adonai — that person will be cut off from his people."

Luke 24:21 - And we had hoped that he would be the one to liberate Isra’el! Besides all that, today is the third day since these things happened

Matthew 5:43-48 - “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Love your neighbor — and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. 46 What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! 47 And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! 48 Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

How can we be set apart, a cut above, holy if we are common, ordinary, doing as everyone else does?

Luke 15:15-24 (From the story of the Prodigal Son) - “So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him any.
17 “At last he came to his senses and said, ‘Any number of my father’s hired workers have food to spare; and here I am, starving to death! 18 I’m going to get up and go back to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers.” ’ 20 So he got up and started back to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran and threw his arms around him and kissed him warmly. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son — ’ 22 but his father said to his slaves, ‘Quick, bring out a robe, the best one, and put it on him; and put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet; 23 and bring the calf that has been fattened up, and kill it. Let’s eat and have a celebration! 24 For this son of mine was dead, but now he’s alive again! He was lost, but now he has been found!’ And they began celebrating.

Did you know that the fattened calf was a Peace Offering, because the father was thankful for the son's return?

Colossians 1:18 - Also he is head of the Body, the Messianic Community — he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might hold first place in everything.

Leviticus 19:9-11 - "When you harvest the ripe crops produced in your land, don’t harvest all the way to corners of your field, and don’t gather the ears of grain left by the harvesters. 10 Likewise, don’t gather the grapes left on the vine or fallen on the ground after harvest; leave them for the poor and the foreigner; I am Adonai your God. 11 “‘Do not steal from, defraud or lie to each other...."

Leviticus 19:14 - “Do not speak a curse against a deaf person or place an obstacle in the way of a blind person; rather, fear your God; I am Adonai."

God sees all, and sees even the things done when nobody else knows. He will judge what we do in secret. Whether we do good or bad when nobody is looking, God will judge our behavior and reward or punish us accordingly.

Matthew 6:6 - But you, when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you openly.

Leviticus 19:23 - When you enter the land and plant various kinds of fruit trees, you are to regard its fruit as forbidden — for three years it will be forbidden to you and not eaten.

Ephesians 5:1 - So imitate God, as his dear children; 2 and live a life of love, just as also the Messiah loved us, indeed, on our behalf gave himself up as an offering, as a slaughtered sacrifice to God with a pleasing fragrance. 

Our children imitate us - we should imitate the attributes of our Father in Heaven.