Acharei Mot (Hebrew: אַחֲרֵי מוֹת, "After the death") is the sixth Torah portion of Leviticus, covering Leviticus 16:1–18:30. It describes the Yom Kippur service and laws of sexual morality.
Yom Kippur Service
After the death of Nadab and Abihu, God tells Moses to tell Aaron: "He shall not come at all times into the holy place within the veil... that he die not; for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat" (Leviticus 16:2). On Yom Kippur (the tenth day of the seventh month), Aaron brings a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He takes two goats: one for the Lord, one for Azazel (עֲזָאזֵל). He casts lots over the goats. The goat for the Lord is offered as a sin offering. Aaron enters the Holy of Holies with incense; the cloud of incense covers the mercy seat. He sprinkles the blood of the bull and the goat on the mercy seat and before it. He confesses the sins of Israel over the live goat (the scapegoat) and sends it into the wilderness to Azazel. "And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited" (Leviticus 16:22). Aaron washes, changes garments, and offers the burnt offerings. "For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord" (Leviticus 16:30). Yom Kippur is "a Sabbath of rest" (Shabbat Shabbaton).
Blood and Sacrifice
God commands: "No soul of you shall eat blood... for the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls" (Leviticus 17:11). All slaughter must be at the door of the Tabernacle. "Any man also of the children of Israel... that eats any manner of blood; I will even set My face against that soul that eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people" (Leviticus 17:10).
Forbidden Relations (Arayot)
God commands: "After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein you dwelt, shall you not do; and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall you not do" (Leviticus 18:3). The parasha lists forbidden sexual relations (עֲרָיוֹת, arayot): with close relatives (mother, father's wife, sister, daughter, aunt, daughter-in-law, etc.), with a woman and her daughter, with a woman during her menstrual period, with a neighbor's wife, with a man as with a woman (homosexuality), and with an animal. God says: "You shall not walk in the ordinances of the nation... but you shall do My judgments" (Leviticus 18:3–4).
Major themes
- Atonement: Yom Kippur as the day of atonement for all Israel.
- Scapegoat: The ritual of sending sins away into the wilderness.
- Holiness: "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (Leviticus 19:2).
- Sexual morality: The arayot as the boundary of Israelite identity.
- Blood: The sanctity of blood as the life force.
Rashi
Rashi explains that the Yom Kippur service was given "after the death" of Nadab and Abihu, to warn Aaron not to enter the Holy of Holies improperly. On the scapegoat, Rashi says it was a bribe to Satan (the accuser).
Ramban
Ramban explains that the arayot prohibitions are rational laws that even the nations recognize, but Israel is held to a higher standard.
Midrashic interpretations
- Vayikra Rabbah 20:1: The Yom Kippur service atones for all of Israel.
- Vayikra Rabbah 20:12: The scapegoat represents the removal of sin from the community.
- Tanhuma, Acharei Mot 9: The arayot are the boundary that distinguishes Israel.
Haftarah
The haftarah (Ezekiel 22:1–16) condemns Jerusalem for its bloodshed and sexual immorality: "You have become guilty in your blood that you have shed" (Ezekiel 22:4). It connects to the themes of blood and forbidden relations.
References
- Leviticus 16:1 – 18:30 (Masoretic Text)
- Rashi, Commentary on the Torah
- Ramban, Commentary on the Torah
- Vayikra Rabbah (Midrash)
- Tanhuma, Acharei Mot
- The JPS Torah Commentary: Leviticus (Baruch A. Levine, 1989)
- Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary (JPS, 2001)
- Sefaria.org, "Acharei Mot" (parasha)
Scholars and rabbis have long debated the nuances of this text. The medieval commentators Rashi, Ramban, Ibn Ezra, and Sforno each offer distinct perspectives, ranging from grammatical analysis to theological reflection. Modern academic scholarship adds historical and literary context, comparing the text with ancient Near Eastern parallels.
In contemporary study, this material is explored through the lenses of halakha, aggadah, and Jewish thought. Synagogues and study groups worldwide engage with these texts weekly, finding new relevance in ancient words. The enduring vitality of this parasha lies in its ability to speak to every generation.
For a full Hebrew text and parallel translations, consult Sefaria.org. The JPS Torah Commentary series provides scholarly annotation. Contributions to expand this article are welcome.
These questions are designed to guide individual study and group discussion. Teachers and students are encouraged to add their own.