1 YAHUVEH spoke with Moshe after the death of Aharon’s two sons, when they
tried to sacrifice before YAHUVEH and died;
2 YAHUVEH said to Moshe, “Tell your brother Aharon not to come at just any time
into the Holy Place beyond the curtain, in front of the ark-cover which is on
the ark, so that he will not die; because I appear in the cloud over the
ark-cover.
3 “Here is how Aharon is to enter the Holy Place: with a young bull as a sin
offering and a ram as a burnt offering.
4 He is to put on the holy linen tunic, have the linen shorts next to his bare
flesh, have the linen sash wrapped around him, and be wearing the linen turban —
they are the holy garments. He is to bathe his body in water and put them on.
5 “He is to take from the community of the people of Isra’el two male goats for
a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.
6 Aharon is to present the bull for the sin offering which is for himself and
make atonement for himself and his household.
7 He is to take the two goats and place them before YAHUVEH at the entrance to
the tent of meeting.
8 Then Aharon is to cast lots for the two goats, one lot for YAHUVEH and the
other for ‘Az’azel.
9 Aharon is to present the goat whose lot fell to YAHUVEH and offer it as a sin
offering.
10 But the goat whose lot fell to ‘Az’azel is to be presented alive to YAHUVEH
to be used for making atonement over it by sending it away into the desert for ‘Az’azel.
11 “Aharon is to present the bull of the sin offering for himself; he will make
atonement for himself and his household; he is to slaughter the bull of the sin
offering which is for himself.
12 He is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before YAHUVEH
and, with his hands full of ground, fragrant incense, bring it inside the
curtain.
13 He is to put the incense on the fire before YAHUVEH, so that the cloud from
the incense will cover the ark-cover which is over the testimony, in order that
he not die.
14 He is to take some of the bull’s blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the
ark-cover toward the east; and in front of the ark-cover he is to sprinkle some
of the blood with his finger seven times.
15 “Next, he is to slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the
people, bring its blood inside the curtain and do with its blood as he did with
the bull’s blood, sprinkling it on the ark-cover and in front of the ark-cover.
16 He will make atonement for the Holy Place because of the uncleannesses of the
people of Isra’el and because of their transgressions — all their sins; and he
is to do the same for the tent of meeting which is there with them right in the
middle of their uncleannesses.
17 No one is to be present in the tent of meeting from the time he enters the
Holy Place to make atonement until the time he comes out, having made atonement
for himself, for his household and for the entire community of Isra’el. (LY: ii)
18 Then he is to go out to the altar that is before YAHUVEH and make atonement
for it; he is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and
put it on all the horns of the altar.
19 He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, thus
purifying it and setting it apart from the uncleannesses of the people of
Isra’el.
20 “When he has finished atoning for the Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the
altar, he is to present the live goat.
21 Aharon is to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over
it all the transgressions, crimes and sins of the people of Isra’el; he is to
put them on the head of the goat and then send it away into the desert with a
man appointed for the purpose.
22 The goat will bear all their transgressions away to some isolated place, and
he is to let the goat go in the desert.
23 “Aharon is to go back into the tent of meeting, where he is to remove the
linen garments he put on when he entered the Holy Place, and he is to leave them
there.
24 Then he is to bathe his body in water in a holy place, put on his other
clothes, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the
people, thus making atonement for himself and for the people. (
25 He is to make the fat of the sin offering go up in smoke on the altar.
26 “The man who let go the goat for ‘Az’azel is to wash his clothes and bathe
his body in water; afterwards, he may return to the camp.
27 “The bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood
was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, is to be carried outside the
camp; there they are to burn up completely their hides, meat and dung.
28 The person burning them is to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water;
afterwards, he may return to the camp.
29 “It is to be a permanent regulation for you that on the tenth day of the
seventh month you are to deny yourselves and not do any kind of work, both the
citizen and the foreigner living with you.
30 For on this day, atonement will be made for you to purify you; you will be
clean before YAHUVEH from all your sins.
31 It is a Shabbat of complete rest for you, and you are to deny yourselves.
“This is a permanent regulation.
32 The cohen anointed and consecrated to be cohen in his father’s place will
make the atonement; he will put on the linen garments, the holy garments;
33 he will make atonement for the Especially Holy Place; he will make atonement
for the tent of meeting and the altar; and he will make atonement for the
cohanim and for all the people of the community.
34 This is a permanent regulation for you, to make atonement for the people of
Isra’el because of all their sins once a year.” Moshe did as YAHUVEH had ordered
him.
17
1 YAHUVEH said to Moshe,
2 “Speak to Aharon and his sons and to all the people of Isra’el. Tell them that
this is what YAHUVEH has ordered:
3 ‘When someone from the community of Isra’el slaughters an ox, lamb or goat
inside or outside the camp
4 without bringing it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to present it as an
offering to YAHUVEH before the tabernacle of YAHUVEH, he is to be charged with
blood — he has shed blood, and that person is to be cut off from his people. 5
The reason for this is so that the people of Isra’el will bring their sacrifices
that they sacrifice out in the field — so that they will bring them to YAHUVEH,
to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to the cohen, and sacrifice them as
peace offerings to YAHUVEH.
6 The cohen will splash the blood against the altar of YAHUVEH at the entrance
to the tent of meeting and make the fat go up in smoke as a pleasing aroma for
YAHUVEH.
7 No longer will they offer sacrifices to the goat-demons, before whom they
prostitute themselves! This is a permanent regulation for them through all their
generations.’
8 “Also tell them, ‘When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the
foreigners living with you offers a burnt offering or sacrifice
9 without bringing it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to sacrifice it to
YAHUVEH, that person is to be cut off from his people.
10 When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the foreigners living
with you eats any kind of blood, I will set myself against that person who eats
blood and cut him off from his people.
11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the
altar to make atonement for yourselves; for it is the blood that makes atonement
because of the life.’
12 This is why I told the people of Isra’el, ‘None of you is to eat blood, nor
is any foreigner living with you to eat blood.’
13 “When someone from the community of Isra’el or one of the foreigners living
with you hunts and catches game, whether animal or bird that may be eaten, he is
to pour out its blood and cover it with earth.
14 For the life of every creature — its blood is its life. Therefore I said to
the people of Isra’el, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any creature, because
the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it will be cut off.’
15 “Anyone eating an animal that dies naturally or is torn to death by wild
animals, whether he is a citizen or a foreigner, is to wash his clothes and
bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening; then he will be clean.
16 But if he doesn’t wash them or bathe his body, he will bear the consequences
of his wrongdoing.”
18
1 YAHUVEH said to Moshe,
2 “Speak to the people of Isra’el; tell them, ‘I am YAHUVEH your ELOHIM.
3 You are not to engage in the activities found in the land of Egypt, where you
used to live; and you are not to engage in the activities found in the land of
Kena‘an, where I am bringing you; nor are you to live by their laws.
4 You are to obey my rulings and laws and live accordingly; I am YAHUVEH your
ELOHIM.
5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have
life through them; I am YAHUVEH.
6 “‘None of you is to approach anyone who is a close relative in order to have
sexual relations; I am YAHUVEH.
7 You are not to have sexual relations with your father, and you are not to have
sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother — do not have sexual
relations with her.
8 You are not to have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that is your
father’s prerogative.
9 You are not to have sexual relations with your sister, the daughter of your
father or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere. Do not
have sexual relations with them.
10 You are not to have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or with your
daughter’s daughter. Do not have sexual relations with them, because their
sexual disgrace will be your own.
11 You are not to have sexual relations with your father’s wife’s daughter, born
to your father, because she is your sister; do not have sexual relations with
her.
12 You are not to have sexual relations with your father’s sister, because she
is your father’s close relative.
13 You are not to have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, because she
is your mother’s close relative.
14 You are not to disgrace your father’s brother by having sexual relations with
his wife, because she is your aunt.
15 You are not to have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; because she
is your son’s wife. Do not have sexual relations with her.
16 You are not to have sexual relations with your brother’s wife, because this
is your brother’s prerogative.
17 “‘You are not to have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter,
nor are you to have sexual relations with her son’s daughter or her daughter’s
daughter; they are close relatives of hers, and it would be shameful.
18 You are not to take a woman to be a rival with her sister and have sexual
relations with her while her sister is still alive.
19 You are not to approach a woman in order to have sexual relations with her
when she is unclean from her time of niddah.
20 You are not to go to bed with your neighbor’s wife and thus become unclean
with her.
21 “‘You are not to let any of your children be sacrificed to Molekh, thereby
profaning the name of your ELOHIM; I am YAHUVEH.
22 “‘You are not to go to bed with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.
23 “‘You are not to have sexual relations with any kind of animal and thus
become unclean with it; nor is any woman to present herself to an animal to have
sexual relations with it; it is perversion.
24 “‘Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, because all the
nations which I am expelling ahead of you are defiled with them.
25 The land has become unclean, and this is why I am punishing it — the land
itself will vomit out its inhabitants.
26 But you are to keep my laws and rulings and not engage in any of these
disgusting practices, neither the citizen nor the foreigner living with you;
(LY: Maftir)
27 for the people of the land have committed all these abominations, and the
land is now defiled.
28 If you make the land unclean, it will vomit you out too, just as it is
vomiting out the nation that was there before you.
29 For those who engage in any of these disgusting practices, whoever they may
be, will be cut off from their people.
30 So keep my charge not to follow any of these abominable customs that others
before you have followed and thus defile yourselves by doing them. I am YAHUVEH
your ELOHIM.’”
Haftarah Acharei Mot: Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 22:1–19 (A); 22:1–16 (S)
B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Acharei Mot: Romans 3:19–28; 9:30
–10:13; 1 Corinthians 5:1–13 with 2 Corinthians 2:1–11; Galatians 3:10–14;
Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 7:23–10:25
Parashah 30: K’doshim (Holy people) 19:1–20:27
[In regular years read with Parashah 29, in leap years read separately]
19
1 YAHUVEH said to Moshe,
2 “Speak to the entire community of Isra’el; tell them, ‘You people are to be
holy because I, YAHUVEH your ELOHIM, am holy.
3 “‘Every one of you is to revere his father and mother, and you are to keep my
Shabbats; I am YAHUVEH your ELOHIM.
4 “‘Do not turn to idols, and do not cast metal ELOHIMs for yourselves; I am
YAHUVEH your ELOHIM.
5 “‘When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to YAHUVEH, offer it in a way
that will make you accepted.
6 It is to be eaten the same day you offer it and the following day; but if any
of it remains until the third day, it is to be burned up completely.
7 If any of it is eaten on the third day, it will have become a disgusting thing
and will not be accepted;
8 moreover, everyone who eats it will bear the consequences of profaning
something holy meant for YAHUVEH — that person will be cut off from his people.
9 “‘When you harvest the ripe crops produced in your land, don’t harvest all the
way to corners of your field, and don’t gather the ears of grain left by the
harvesters.
10 Likewise, don’t gather the grapes left on the vine or fallen on the ground
after harvest; leave them for the poor and the foreigner; I am YAHUVEH your
ELOHIM.
11 “‘Do not steal from, defraud or lie to each other.
12 Do not swear by my name falsely, which would be profaning the name of your
ELOHIM; I am YAHUVEH.
13 Do not oppress or rob your neighbor; specifically, you are not to keep back
the wages of a hired worker all night until morning.
14 “‘Do not speak a curse against a deaf person or place an obstacle in the way
of a blind person; rather, fear your ELOHIM; I am YAHUVEH.
15 “‘Do not be unjust in judging — show neither partiality to the poor nor
deference to the mighty, but with justice judge your neighbor.
16 “‘Do not go around spreading slander among your people, but also don’t stand
idly by when your neighbor’s life is at stake; I am YAHUVEH.
17 “‘Do not hate your brother in your heart, but rebuke your neighbor frankly,
so that you won’t carry sin because of him.
18 Don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather,
love your neighbor as yourself; I am YAHUVEH.
19 “‘Observe my regulations. “‘Don’t let your livestock mate with those of
another kind, don’t sow your field with two different kinds of grain, and don’t
wear a garment of cloth made with two different kinds of thread.
20 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a woman who is a slave intended for
another man, and she has neither been redeemed nor given her freedom, there is
to be an investigation. They are not to be put to death, because she was not
free. 21 In reparation he is to bring a ram as a guilt offering for himself to
the entrance of the tent of meeting.
22 The cohen will make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering
before YAHUVEH for the sin he committed, and he will be forgiven for the sin he
committed.
23 “‘When you enter the land and plant various kinds of fruit trees, you are to
regard its fruit as forbidden — for three years it will be forbidden to you and
not eaten.
24 In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, for praising YAHUVEH.
25 But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, so that it will produce even
more for you; I am YAHUVEH your ELOHIM.
26 “‘Do not eat anything with blood. Do not practice divination or
fortune-telling.
27 Don’t round your hair at the temples or mar the edges of your beard.
28 Don’t cut gashes in your flesh when someone dies or tattoo yourselves; I am
YAHUVEH.
29 “‘Do not debase your daughter by making her a prostitute, so that the land
will not fall into prostitution and become full of shame.
30 “‘Keep my Shabbats, and revere my sanctuary; I am YAHUVEH.
31 “‘Do not turn to spirit-mediums or sorcerers; don’t seek them out, to be
defiled by them; I am YAHUVEH your ELOHIM.
32 “‘Stand up in the presence of a person with gray hair, show respect for the
old; you are to fear your ELOHIM; I am YAHUVEH.
33 “‘If a foreigner stays with you in your land, do not do him wrong.
34 Rather, treat the foreigner staying with you like the native-born among you —
you are to love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt; I
am YAHUVEH your ELOHIM.
35 “‘Don’t be dishonest when measuring length, weight or capacity.
36 Rather, use an honest balance-scale, honest weights, an honest bushel
dry-measure and an honest gallon liquid-measure; I am YAHUVEH your ELOHIM, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt.
37 Observe all my regulations and rulings, and do them; I am YAHUVEH.’”
20
1 YAHUVEH said to Moshe,
2 “Say to the people of Isra’el, ‘If someone from the people of Isra’el or one
of the foreigners living in Isra’el sacrifices one of his children to Molekh, he
must be put to death; the people of the land are to stone him to death.
3 I too will set myself against him and cut him off from his people, because he
has sacrificed his child to Molekh, defiling my sanctuary and profaning my holy
name.
4 If the people of the land look the other way when that man sacrifices his
child to Molekh and fail to put him to death,
5 then I will set myself against him, his family and everyone who follows him to
go fornicating after Molekh, and cut them off from their people.
6 “‘The person who turns to spirit-mediums and sorcerers to go fornicating after
them — I will set myself against him and cut him off from his people.
7 Therefore consecrate yourselves — you people must be holy, because I am
YAHUVEH your ELOHIM. (RY: vii, LY: vi)
8 Observe my regulations, and obey them; I am YAHUVEH, who sets you apart to be
holy.
9 “‘A person who curses his father or mother must be put to death; having cursed
his father or his mother, his blood is on him.
10 “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife, that is, with the wife
of a fellow countryman, both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to
death.
11 The man who goes to bed with his father’s wife has disgraced his father
sexually, and both of them must be put to death; their blood is on them.
12 If a man goes to bed with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to
death; they have committed a perversion, and their blood is on them.
13 If a man goes to bed with a man as with a woman, both of them have committed
an abomination; they must be put to death; their blood is on them.
14 If a man marries a woman and her mother, it is depravity; they are to be put
to death by fire, both he and they, so that there will not be depravity among
you.
15 If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and
you are to kill the animal.
16 If a woman approaches an animal and has sexual relations with it, you are to
kill the woman and the animal; their blood will be on them.
17 If a man takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter,
and has sexual relations with her, and she consents, it is a shameful thing;
they are to be cut off publicly — he has had sexual relations with his sister,
and he will bear the consequences of their wrongdoing.
18 If a man goes to bed with a woman in her menstrual period and has sexual
relations with her, he has exposed the source of her blood, and she has exposed
the source of her blood; both of them are to be cut off from their people.
19 You are not to have sexual relations with your mother’s sister or your
father’s sister; a person who does this has had sexual relations with his close
relative; they will bear the consequences of their wrongdoing.
20 If a man goes to bed with his uncle’s wife, he has disgraced his uncle
sexually; they will bear the consequences of their sin and die childless.
21 If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is uncleanness; he has disgraced his
brother sexually; they will be childless.
22 “‘You are to observe all my regulations and rulings and act on them, so that
the land to which I am bringing you will not vomit you out. (LY: vii)
23 Do not live by the regulations of the nation which I am expelling ahead of
you; because they did all these things, which is why I detested them.
24 But to you I have said, “You will inherit their land; I will give it to you
as a possession, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am YAHUVEH your ELOHIM,
who has set you apart from other peoples. (Maftir)
25 Therefore you are to distinguish between clean and unclean animals and
between clean and unclean birds; do not make yourselves detestable with an
animal, bird or reptile that I have set apart for you to regard as unclean. br>
26 Rather, you people are to be holy for me; because I, YAHUVEH, am holy; and I
have set you apart from the other peoples, so that you can belong to me.
27 “‘A man or woman who is a spirit-medium or sorcerer must be put to death;
they are to stone them to death; their blood will be on them.’”