3. And for his virgin sister who is near to him, who has had no husband; for her he may defile himself.
4. He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
5. “‘They shall not shave their heads, neither shall they shave off the corners of their beards, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
6. They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the offerings of יהוה made by fire, the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.
7. “‘They shall not marry a woman who is a prostitute, or profane; neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband: for he is holy to his God.
8. You shall sanctify him therefore; for he offers the bread of your God: he shall be holy to you: for I יהוה, who sanctify you, am holy.
9. “‘The daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the prostitute, she profanes her father: she shall be burned with fire.
10. “‘He who is the high priest among his brothers, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor tear his clothes;
11. Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
12. Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. I am יהוה.
13. “‘He shall take a wife in her virginity.
14. A widow, or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a prostitute, these he shall not marry: but a virgin of his own people shall he take as a wife.
15. He shall not profane his seed among his people: for I am יהוה who sanctifies him.’”
16. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
17. “Say to Aaron , ‘None of your seed throughout their generations who has a blemish, may approach to offer the bread of his God.
18. For whatever man he is that has a blemish, he shall not draw near: a blind man, or a lame, or he who has a flat nose, or any deformity,
19. Or a man who has an injured foot, or an injured hand,
20. Or hunchbacked, or a dwarf, or one who has a defect in his eye, or an itching disease, or scabs, or who has damaged testicles;
21. No man of the seed of Aaron the priest, who has a blemish, shall come near to offer the offerings of יהוה made by fire. Since has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.
22. He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
23. He shall not come near to the veil, nor come near to the altar, because he has a blemish; that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am יהוה who sanctifies them.’”
24. So Moses spoke to Aaron , and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel.
Chapter 22
1. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
2. “Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am יהוה.
3. Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your seed throughout your generations approaches the holy things, which the children of Israel make holy to יהוה, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am יהוה.
4. “‘Whoever of the seed of Aaron is a leper or has an issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goes from him;
5. Or whoever touches any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatever uncleanness he has;
6. The person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his body in water.
7. When the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread.
8. That which dies of itself, or is torn by animals, he shall not eat, defiling himself by it. I am יהוה.
9. “‘They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it, and die therein, if they profane it. I am יהוה who sanctifies them.
10. “‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.
11. But if a priest buys a slave, purchased by his money, he shall eat of it; and such as are born in his house, they shall eat of his bread.
12. If a priest’s daughter is married to an outsider, she shall not eat of the heave offering of the holy things.
13. But if a priest’s daughter is a widow, or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to her father’s house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s bread: but no stranger shall eat any of it.
14. “‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest.
15. The priests shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to יהוה,
16. And so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt, when they eat their holy things: for I am יהוה who sanctifies them.’”
17. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
18. “Speak to Aaron , and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their freewill offerings, which they offer to יהוה for a burnt offering;
19. That you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without blemish, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats.
20. But whatever has a blemish, that you shall not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.
21. Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to יהוה to accomplish a vow, or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
22. Blind, injured, maimed, having a wart, festering, or having a running sore, you shall not offer these to יהוה, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to יהוה.
23. Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
24. That which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, or cut, you shall not offer to יהוה; neither shall you do thus in your land.
25. Neither from the hand of a foreigner shall you offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them. There is a blemish in them. They shall not be accepted for you.’”
26. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
27. “When a bull, or a sheep, or a goat, is born, then it shall remain seven days with its mother; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to יהוה.
28. Whether it is a cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day.
29. “When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to יהוה, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.
30. It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the morning. I am יהוה.
31. “Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am יהוה.
32. You shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am יהוה who makes you holy,
33. Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am יהוה.”
Chapter 23
1. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
2. “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The set feasts of יהוה, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my set feasts.
3. “‘Six days shall work be done: but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no manner of work. It is a Sabbath to יהוה in all your dwellings.
4. “‘These are the set feasts of יהוה, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim in their appointed season.
5. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is יהוה’s Passover.
6. On the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread to יהוה. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
7. In the first day you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work.
8. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to יהוה seven days. In the seventh day is a holy convocation: you shall do no regular work.’”
9. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
10. “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap its the harvest, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest:
11. And he shall wave the sheaf before יהוה, to be accepted for you. On the next day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
12. On the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb without blemish a year old for a burnt offering to יהוה.
13. The meal offering with it shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire to יהוה for a sweet savor; and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
14. You shall eat neither bread, nor roasted grain, nor fresh grain, until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God. This is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
15. “‘You shall count from the next day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be completed:
16. Even to the next day after the seventh Sabbath you shall number fifty days; and you shall offer a new meal offering to יהוה.
17. You shall bring out of your habitations two loaves of bread for a wave offering made of two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour. They shall be baked with yeast, for first fruits to יהוה.
18. You shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to יהוה, with their meal offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet aroma to יהוה.
19. You shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
20. The priest shall wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before יהוה, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to יהוה for the priest.
21. You shall make proclamation on the same day: there shall be a holy convocation to you; you shall do no regular work. This is a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
22. “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap into the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest: you shall leave them for the poor, and for the foreigner. I am יהוה your God.’”
23. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
24. “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest to you, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
25. You shall do no regular work; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to יהוה.’”
26. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
27. “However on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation to you, and you shall afflict yourselves; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to יהוה.
28. You shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before יהוה your God.
29. For whoever it is who shall not deny himself in that same day; shall be cut off from his people.
30. Whoever it is who does any manner of work in that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people.
31. You shall do no manner of work: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
32. It shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, and you shall deny yourselves. In the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall keep your Sabbath.”
33. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
34. “Speak to the children of Israel, and say, ‘On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tents for seven days to יהוה.
35. On the first day shall be a holy convocation: you shall do no regular work.
36. Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to יהוה. On the eighth day shall be a holy convocation to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to יהוה. It is a solemn assembly; you shall do no regular work.
37. “‘These are the appointed feasts of יהוה, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to יהוה, a burnt offering, and a meal offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, each on its own day;
38. Besides the Sabbaths of יהוה, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to יהוה.
39. “‘So on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruits of the land, you shall keep the feast of יהוה seven days: on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.
40. You shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before יהוה your God seven days.
41. You shall keep it a feast to יהוה seven days in the year: it is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall keep it in the seventh month.
42. You shall dwell in booths seven days. All who are native-born in Israel shall dwell in booths,
43. That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am יהוה your God.’”
44. Moses declared to the children of Israel the appointed feasts of יהוה.
Chapter 24
1. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
2. “Command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.
3. Outside of the veil of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, shall Aaron keep it in order from evening to morning before יהוה continually: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.
4. He shall keep in order the lamps on the pure gold lampstand before יהוה continually.
5. “You shall take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes of it: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake.
6. You shall set them in two rows, six on a row, on the pure gold table before יהוה.
7. You shall put pure frankincense on each row, that it may be to the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire to יהוה.
8. Every Sabbath day he shall set it in order before יהוה continually. It is on the behalf of the children of Israel an everlasting covenant.
9. It shall be for Aaron and his sons; and they shall eat it in a holy place: for it is most holy to him of the offerings of יהוה made by fire by a perpetual statute.”
10. The son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the Israelite woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp.
11. The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him to Moses . His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan .
12. They put him in custody, until the will of יהוה should be declared to them.
13. יהוה spoke to Moses , saying,
14. “Bring out of the camp him who cursed; and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
15. You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.
16. He who blasphemes the name of יהוה, he shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him: the foreigner as well as the native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.
17. “‘He who strikes any man mortally shall surely be put to death.
18. He who strikes a animal mortally shall make it good, life for life.
19. If anyone injures his neighbor; as he has done, so shall it be done to him:
20. Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has injured someone, so shall it be done to him.
21. He who kills an animal shall make it good; and he who kills a man shall be put to death.
22. You shall have one kind of law, for the foreigner as well as the native-born: for I am יהוה your God.’”
23. Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they brought forth him who had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones. The children of Israel did as יהוה commanded Moses .
Haftarah - Ezekiel 44:15-44:31
15. But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who performed the duty of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister to me; and they shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood, says the Lord יהוה :
16. they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my instruction.
17. It shall be that, when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come on them, while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within.
18. They shall have linen turbans on their heads, and shall have linen breeches on their waists; they shall not clothe themselves with anything that makes them sweat.
19. When they go out into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they minister, and lay them in the holy rooms; and they shall put on other garments, that they not sanctify the people with their garments.
20. Neither shall they shave their heads, nor allow their locks to grow long; they shall only cut off the hair of their heads.
21. Neither shall any of the priests drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.
22. Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her who is put away; but they shall take virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.
23. They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
24. In a controversy they shall stand to judge; according to my ordinances shall they judge it: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts; and they shall make my Sabbaths holy.
25. They shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves.
26. After he is cleansed, they shall reckon to him seven days.
27. In the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, says the Lord יהוה .
28. They shall have an inheritance: I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.
29. They shall eat the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs.
30. The first of all the first fruits of every thing, and every offering of everything, of all your offerings, shall be for the priest: you shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, to cause a blessing to rest on your house.
31. The priests shall not eat of anything that dies of itself, or is torn, whether it is bird or animal.
Etz Chaim
It is a tree of life for those who cling to it,
and those who uphold it are happy.
Its ways are pleasant and all of its paths peaceful.
Return us to You, Lord, so that we shall return,
Renew our days, as of old.