The sixth section of the Book of Leviticus opens as G‑d addresses Moses after (Acharei, in Hebrew) the death of his brother Aaron’s two oldest sons (which was recounted in the third section, Shemini). G‑d gives Moses the laws regarding the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This is followed by a list of various types of behavior that G‑d has forbidden to the Jewish people as a result of having made them into “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” at the Giving of the Torah.

The seventh section of the Book of Leviticus continues the theme of the preceding section. The Jewish people, having been made into “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” at the Giving of the Torah, must adhere to a specific code of conduct in order to fulfill this role properly. Thus, this section opens as G‑d instructs Moses to tell the Jewish people that they must be “holy” (Kedoshim, in Hebrew), i.e., that they must hold themselves to this standard of conduct.