Read Leviticus 5 here or at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraphs:
5:1-10 {s} The law of the trespass offering (asham) atoned by blood
5:11-13 {s} The law of the trespass offering (asham) atoned by grain
5:14-16 {p} The law of the ram of the trespass offering (asham) in regard to the holy things
5:17-19 {p} The law of the ram of the trespass offering (asham) when in ignorance of the law
And it shall be, when he is guilty in any of these matters, that he shall confess that he has sinned in that thing; and he shall bring his trespass offering to YHVH for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats as a sin offering. Lev 5:5a
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins … Eph 2:1
According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, sin is “either a positive act in which a known divine law is violated, or it is the voluntary neglect to obey a positive divine command, or a rule of duty clearly implied in such command. Sin comprehends not action only, but neglect of known duty, all evil thoughts, purposes, words and desires, whatever is contrary to God’s commands or law.” Sin is the whole kit and kaboodle of unrighteousness in any form.
A trespass is a specific type of sin, when any injury or offense is done to another.
The Hebrew Root Word parable for trespass is Strong’s H817 אשם asham, a concrete noun meaning, “that by which anyone contracts guilt; an offense;” also, the sacrifice for such, “trespass offering,” also translated “guilt offering;” from Strong’s H816 אשם asham, a primitive root meaning, “to be guilty.” The 3-letter root is aleph + shin + mem.
aleph א = the ox head, thus strength, power, leader
shin ש = two front teeth, thus sharp, press, eat, two, again
mem מ ם = the water, thus chaos, mighty, blood
When the wind blows (shin, in the sense of breath that comes through the teeth, so also, wind, or spirit) over a land, it draws the moisture (mem) out of it, leaving behind a desolate ruin; thus powerful (aleph) desolation (shin + mem). That desolation is the fruit wrought in our hearts and lives by guilt.
Did you see that YHVH considers touching an unclean thing a trespass; i.e. an injury done to another (Lev 5:2-3)? Who is being injured? Why, the one doing the touching, of course! God not only does not want us to injure our neighbor, He also does not want us to injure ourselves.
If there are questions, these are good resources:
Leviticus 5 and 6, Asham: The trespass offering
Leviticus 1 through 5, The parables of the offerings
Yeshua has freed me from sin and guilt
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