Its Yom Kippur in the Sanctuary.

And the High Priest does a lottery.

Two goats. One as a sin offering to God; the second sent to "Azazel"

What is Azazel? Why this lottery? What does it mean?

Our chapter describes the nature of various bodily fluids, some natural, others involuntary, and speaks of the Tum'ah that they create and the rites of purification.

Today we speak about various perspectives about the nature and effects of "Tum'ah" and whether sometimes God prefers Israel even in an impure state of being.

Why is the Tzara'at of houses contained in a separate section to the Tzaraat of skin and clothing?

We explore two opposite and yet complementary dynamics in Hazal's explanation of this plague.

Is Tzaraat (sometimes translated incorrectly as leprosy) a medical ailment or a spiritual one?

The Tanakh speaks of several instances of people afflicted by Tzaraat. What causes this condition?

A woman who births a child contracts impurity! Why?

And she has to bring a sin offering?

What sin did she incur?

We will frame this episode in the broader framework of these chapters, which will go some way to answering these questions.

In this chapter we hear the laws of forbidden foods - Kosher animals, fish, birds and insects.

But why are some animals forbidden and others allowed? Is there a logic to the particular animals that are banned for consumption? And why do non-kosher animals engender ritual impurity?

On what should have been the happiest day, tragedy strikes in the Mishkan. Nadav and Avihu, young priests - Aharon's sons - bring foreign fire and are struck down - by fire - before God.

Why did they break the protocol of the Temple?

What motivated them flout the laws and recklessly disregard the Temple service?

"The Eighth Day" is the day "that God will appear" to the nation. It is purported to be the day in which the Tabernacle/Mishkan reaches its climax - God's fire will descend to the nation.

But we reach into the silent gaps in this story through Midrash and Rashi and speak of the hidden drama in this narrative; one of apprehension, guilt and brotherhood.

Today we try to get to the essence of the Miluim, the 7-day consecration of the Priests. We will discover that they are almost becoming part of the architecture of the Temple itself!

As Prof Yechezkel Kaufman pointed out, the Temple is a world of silence. There are no prayers or curses or incantations. Just silence. What should we make of this?