פָּרָשַׁת אַחֲרֵי מוֹת

Parshat Acharei Mot, "after the death," opens after the death of Aharon's sons Nadav and Avihu, and teaches how a person may come close to Hashem's holiness without dying, and how Bnei Yisrael keep themselves and their land pure. Perek 16 is the service of Yom Kippur. Aharon may enter the Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies) only once a year, in plain linen garments, with ketoret (incense) whose cloud covers the Kaporet (the cover of the Ark). He brings a bull for himself and his household and two goats from the people, one for Hashem and one for Azazel, chosen by lot; he sprinkles their blood inside, confesses the sins of Bnei Yisrael over the live goat, and it carries them away into the wilderness. The tenth day of the seventh month becomes an eternal statute: a Shabbat of complete rest on which Bnei Yisrael afflict themselves, and Hashem atones for them and purifies them from all their sins.

Perek 17 requires that animals slaughtered for offering be brought to the entrance of the Ohel Moed (Tent of Meeting), not offered in the open field to the se'irim (goat-demons), and forbids eating blood, for the life of the flesh is in the blood, which Hashem gave to atone on the altar. Perek 18 - Bnei Yisrael is warned not to follow the ways of Mitzrayim (Egypt) or Kenaan (Canaan), lists the arayot (forbidden relationships), and forbids passing children to the Molech. The nations of Kenaan made the land tamei (impure) with these acts, and the land spit them out; it will not bear such acts from Bnei Yisrael either. Perek 16 is the Torah reading at Shacharit on Yom Kippur, and perek 18 is the reading at Mincha. Acharei Mot is usually read together with Kedoshim as a double parsha.