Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Parashah 26: Sh’mini (Eighth) 9:1–11:47

1 On the eighth day, Moshe called Aharon, his sons and the leaders of Isra’el,

2 and said to Aharon, “Take a male calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them beforeAdonai.

3 Then tell the people of Isra’el, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering and a calf and a lamb, both a year old and without defect, for a burnt offering,

4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice beforeAdonai; also a grain offering mixed with olive oil — because todayAdonaiis going to appear to you.’”

5 They brought what Moshe had ordered before the tent of meeting, and the whole community approached and stood beforeAdonai.

6 Moshe said, “This is whatAdonaihas ordered you to do, so that the glory ofAdonaiwill appear to you.”

7 Moshe told Aharon, “Approach the altar, offer your sin offering and burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and the people. Then present the offering of the people and make atonement for them, asAdonaiordered.”

8 So Aharon approached the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself.

9 The sons of Aharon presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar; then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar.

10 But the fat, the kidneys and the covering of the liver of the sin offering he made go up in smoke on the altar, asAdonaihad ordered Moshe.

11 The meat and the skin were burned up completely outside the camp.

12 Next he slaughtered the burnt offering; Aharon’s sons brought him the blood, and he splashed it against all sides of the altar.

13 They brought him the burnt offering, piece by piece, and the head; and he made them go up in smoke on the altar.

14 He washed the inner organs and the lower parts of the legs and made them go up in smoke on top of the burnt offering on the altar.

15 Then the people’s offering was presented. He took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, slaughtered it and offered it for sin, like the earlier sin offering.

16 The burnt offering was presented, and he offered it in the prescribed manner.(ii)

17 The grain offering was presented; he took a handful of it and made it go up in smoke on the altar, in addition to the morning’s burnt offering.

18 He slaughtered the ox and the ram, the people’s sacrifice as peace offerings; Aharon’s sons brought him the blood, which he splashed against all sides of the altar,

19 and the fat of the ox and of the ram — the fat tail, the fat which covers the inner organs, the kidneys and the covering of the liver.

20 They put the fat on the breasts, and he made the fat go up in smoke on the altar.

21 The breasts and right thigh Aharon waved as a wave offering beforeAdonai, as Moshe had ordered.

22 Aharon raised his hands toward the people, blessed them and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering and the peace offerings.

23 Moshe and Aharon entered the tent of meeting, came out and blessed the people. Then the glory ofAdonaiappeared to all the people!(iii)

24 Fire came forth from the presence ofAdonai, consuming the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

1 But Nadav and Avihu, sons of Aharon, each took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and offered unauthorized fire beforeAdonai, something he had not ordered them to do.

2 At this, fire came forth from the presence ofAdonaiand consumed them, so that they died in the presence ofAdonai.

3 Moshe said to Aharon, “This is whatAdonaisaid:

‘Through those who are near me I will be consecrated,

and before all the people I will be glorified.’”

Aharon kept silent.

4 Moshe called Misha’el and Eltzafan, sons of ‘Uzi’el Aharon’s uncle, and told them, “Come here, and carry your cousins away from in front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.”

5 They approached and carried them in their tunics out of the camp, as Moshe had said.

6 Then Moshe told Aharon and his sons El‘azar and Itamar, “Don’t unbind your hair or tear your clothes in mourning, so that you won’t die and so thatAdonaiwon’t be angry with the entire community. Rather, let your kinsmen — the whole house of Isra’el — mourn, because of the destructionAdonaibrought about with his fire.

7 Moreover, don’t leave the entrance to the tent of meeting, or you will die, becauseAdonai’s anointing oil is on you.”

8 Adonaisaid to Aharon,

9 “Don’t drink any wine or other intoxicating liquor, neither you nor your sons with you, when you enter the tent of meeting, so that you will not die. This is to be a permanent regulation through all your generations,

10 so that you will distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean;

11 and so that you will teach the people of Isra’el all the lawsAdonaihas told them through Moshe.”

(iv)

12 Moshe said to Aharon and to El‘azar and Itamar, his remaining sons, “Take the grain offering left from the offerings forAdonaimade by fire, and eat it without leaven next to the altar, because it is especially holy.

13 Eat it in a holy place, because it is your and your sons’ share of the offerings forAdonaimade by fire; for this is what I have been ordered.

14 The breast that was waved and the thigh that was raised you are to eat in a clean place — you, your sons and your daughters with you; for these are given as your and your children’s share of the sacrifices of the peace offerings presented by the people of Isra’el.

15 They are to bring the raised thigh and the waved breast, along with the offerings of fat made by fire, and wave it as a wave offering beforeAdonai; then it will belong to you and your descendants with you as your perpetual share, asAdonaihas ordered.”

(v)

16 Then Moshe carefully investigated what had happened to the goat of the sin offering and discovered that it had been burned up. He became angry with El‘azar and Itamar, the remaining sons of Aharon, and asked,

17 “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering in the area of the sanctuary, since it is especially holy? He gave it to you to take away the guilt of the community, to make atonement for them beforeAdonai.

18 Look! Its blood wasn’t brought into the sanctuary! You should have eaten it there in the sanctuary, as I ordered.”

19 Aharon answered Moshe, “Even though they offered their sin offering and burnt offering today, things like these have happened to me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have pleasedAdonai?”

20 On hearing this reply, Moshe was satisfied.

1 (vi)Adonaisaid to Moshe and Aharon,

2 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘These are the living creatures which you may eat among all the land animals:

3 any that has a separate hoof which is completely divided and chews the cud — these animals you may eat.

4-6 But you are not to eat those that only chew the cud or only have a separate hoof. For example, the camel, the coney and the hare are unclean for you, because they chew the cud but don’t have a separate hoof;

7 while the pig is unclean for you, because, although it has a separate and completely divided hoof, it doesn’t chew the cud.

8 You are not to eat meat from these or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.

9 “‘Of all the things that live in the water, you may eat these: anything in the water that has fins and scales, whether in seas or in rivers — these you may eat.

10 But everything in the seas and rivers without both fins and scales, of all the small water-creatures and of all the living creatures in the water, is a detestable thing for you.

11 Yes, these will be detestable for you — you are not to eat their meat, and you are to detest their carcasses.

12 Whatever lacks fins and scales in the water is a detestable thing for you.

13 “‘The following creatures of the air are to be detestable for you — they are not to be eaten, they are a detestable thing: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey,

14 the kite, the various kinds of buzzards,

15 the various kinds of ravens,

16 the ostrich, the screech-owl, the seagull, the various kinds of hawks,

17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,

18 the horned owl, the pelican, the barn owl,

19 the stork, the various kinds of herons, the hoopoe and the bat.

20 “‘All winged swarming creatures that go on all fours are a detestable thing for you;

21 except that of all winged swarming creatures that go on all fours, you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, enabling them to jump off the ground.

22 Specifically, of these you may eat the various kinds of locusts, grasshoppers, katydids and crickets.

23 But other than that, all winged swarming creatures having four feet are a detestable thing for you.

24 “‘The following will make you unclean; whoever touches the carcass of them will be unclean until evening,

25 and whoever picks up any part of their carcass is to wash his clothes and be unclean until evening:

26 every animal that has a separate but incompletely divided hoof or that doesn’t chew the cud is unclean for you; anyone who touches them will become unclean.

27 Whatever goes on its paws, among all animals that go on all fours, is unclean for you; whoever touches its carcass will be unclean until evening;

28 and whoever picks up its carcass is to wash his clothes and be unclean until evening — these are unclean for you.

29 “‘The following are unclean for you among the small creatures that swarm on the ground: the weasel, the mouse, the various kinds of lizards,

30 the gecko, the land crocodile, the skink, the sand-lizard and the chameleon.

31 They are unclean crawling creatures; whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean until evening.

32 Anything on which one of them falls when dead will become unclean — wooden utensil, article of clothing, leather, sacking — any utensil used for work; it must be put in water, and it will be unclean until evening; then it will be clean.(vii)

33 If one of them falls into a clay pot, whatever is in it will become unclean, and you are to break the pot.

34 Any food permitted to be eaten that water from such a vessel gets on will become unclean, and any permitted liquid in such a vessel will become unclean.

35 Everything on which any carcass-part of theirs falls will become unclean, whether oven or stove; it is to be broken in pieces — they are unclean and will be unclean for you;

36 although a spring or cistern for collecting water remains clean. But anyone who touches one of their carcasses will become unclean.

37 If any carcass-part of theirs falls on any kind of seed to be sown, it is clean;

38 but if water is put on the seed and a carcass-part of theirs falls on it, it is unclean for you.

39 “‘If an animal of a kind that you are permitted to eat dies, whoever touches its carcass will be unclean until evening.

40 A person who eats meat from its carcass or carries its carcass is to wash his clothes; he will be unclean until evening.

41 “‘Any creature that swarms on the ground is a detestable thing; it is not to be eaten —

42 whatever moves on its stomach, goes on all fours, or has many legs — all creatures that swarm on the ground; you are not to eat them, because they are a detestable thing.

43 You are not to make yourselves detestable with any of these swarming, crawling creatures; do not make yourselves unclean with them, do not defile yourselves with them.

44 For I amAdonaiyour God; therefore, consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy; and do not defile yourselves with any kind of swarming creature that moves along the ground.(Maftir)

45 For I amAdonai, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. Therefore you are to be holy, because I am holy.

46 “‘Such, then, is the law concerning animals, flying creatures, all living creatures that move about in the water, and all creatures that swarm on the ground.

47 Its purpose is to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, and between the creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.’”

Haftarah Sh’mini: Sh’mu’el Bet (2 Samuel) 6:1–7:17 (A); 6:1–19 (S)

Suggested readings for Parashah Sh’mini from the B’rit Hadashah: Mark 7:1–23; Acts 5:1–11; 10:1–35; 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1; Galatians 2:11–16; 1 Kefa (1 Peter) 1:14–16

Parashah 27: Tazria (She conceives) 12:1–13:59

[In regular years read with Parashah 28, in leap years read separately]

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “Tell the people of Isra’el: ‘If a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy, she will be unclean for seven days with the same uncleanness as inniddah, when she is having her menstrual period.

3 On the eighth day, the baby’s foreskin is to be circumcised.

4 She is to wait an additional thirty-three days to be purified from her blood; she is not to touch any holy thing or come into the sanctuary until the time of her purification is over.

5 But if she gives birth to a girl, she will be unclean for two weeks, as in herniddah; and she is to wait another sixty-six days to be purified from her blood.

6 “‘When the days of her purification are over, whether for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or dove for a sin offering to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to thecohen.

7 He will offer it beforeAdonaiand make atonement for her; thus she will be purified from her discharge of blood. Such is the law for a woman who gives birth, whether to a boy or to a girl.

8 If she can’t afford a lamb, she is to take two doves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; thecohenwill make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe and Aharon,

2 “If someone develops on his skin a swelling, scab or bright spot which could develop into the diseasetzara‘at, he is to be brought to Aharon thecohenor to one of his sons who arecohanim.

3 Thecohenis to examine the sore on his skin; if the hair in the sore has turned white, and the sore appears to go deep into the skin, it istzara‘at, and after examining him thecohenis to declare him unclean.

4 If the bright spot on his skin is white, but it does not appear to go deep into the skin, and its hair has not turned white, then thecohenis to isolate him for seven days.

5 On the seventh day thecohenis to examine him again, and if the sore appears the same as before and has not spread on the skin, then thecohenis to isolate him for seven more days.(LY: ii)

6 On the seventh day thecohenis to examine him again, and if the sore has faded and hasn’t spread on the skin, then thecohenis to declare him clean — it is only a scab, so he is to wash his clothes and be clean.

7 But if the scab spreads further on the skin after he has been examined by thecohenand declared clean, he is to let himself be examined yet again by thecohen.

8 Thecohenwill examine him, and if he sees that the scab has spread on his skin, then thecohenwill declare him unclean; it istzara‘at.

9 “If a person hastzara‘at, he is to be brought to thecohen.

10 Thecohenis to examine him, and if he sees that there is a white swelling in the skin which has turned the hair white and inflamed flesh in the swelling,

11 then it is chronictzara‘aton his skin, and thecohenis to declare him unclean; he is not to isolate him, because it is already clear that he is unclean.

12 If thetzara‘atbreaks out all over the skin, so that, as far as thecohencan see, the person withtzara‘athas sores everywhere on his body, from his head to his feet;

13 then thecohenis to examine him, and if he sees that thetzara‘athas covered his entire body, he is to pronounce the person with the sores clean — it has all turned white, and he is clean.

14 But if one day inflamed flesh appears on him, he will be unclean.

15 Thecohenwill examine the inflamed flesh and declare him unclean; the inflamed flesh is unclean; it istzara‘at.

16 However, if the inflamed flesh again turns white, he is to come to thecohen.

17 Thecohenwill examine him, and if he sees that the sores have turned white, then thecohenis to declare clean the person with the sores; he is clean.

(LY: iii)

18 “If a person has on his skin a boil that heals

19 in such a way that in place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish-white bright spot, it is to be shown to thecohen.

20 Thecohenis to examine it; if he sees that it appears to be more than skin-deep, and its hair has turned white, then thecohenis to pronounce him unclean — the disease oftzara‘athas broken out in the boil.

21 But if thecohenlooks at it and doesn’t see any white hairs in it, and it isn’t more than skin-deep but appears faded, thecohenis to isolate him for seven days.

22 If it spreads on the skin, thecohenis to declare him unclean; it is the disease.

23 But if the bright spot stays where it was and has not spread, it is the scar of the boil; and thecohenis to declare him clean.

(RY: ii, LY: iv)

24 “Or if someone has on his skin a burn caused by fire; and the inflamed flesh where it was burned has become a bright spot, reddish-white or white,

25 then thecohenis to examine it; and if he sees that the hair in the bright spot has turned white and that it appears to be deeper than the skin around it, it istzara‘at; it has broken out in the burn, and thecohenis to declare him unclean; it is a sore fromtzara‘at.

26 But if thecohenexamines it and sees no white hair in the bright spot, and it is no lower than the skin around it but looks faded, then thecohenis to isolate him for seven days.

27 On the seventh day thecohenis to examine him; if it has spread on the skin, then thecohenis to declare him unclean; it is a sore fromtzara‘at.

28 But if the bright spot stays where it was and has not spread on the skin but appears faded, it is a swelling due to the burn; and thecohenis to declare him clean; because it is only a scar from the burn.

(LY: v)

29 “If a man or woman has a sore on the head or a man in his beard,

30 then thecohenis to examine the sore; if he sees that it appears to be deeper than the skin around it, with yellow, thin hair in it, then thecohenis to declare him unclean; it is a crusted area, atzara‘atof the head or beard.

31 If thecohenexamines the diseased crusted area and sees that it appears not to be deeper than the skin around it, and without any black hair in it, then thecohenis to isolate for seven days the person with the diseased crusted area.

32 On the seventh day thecohenis to examine the sore, and if he sees that the crusted area hasn’t spread, that it has no yellow hair in it, and that the crusted area is not deeper than the skin around it;

33 then the person is to be shaved, except for the crusted area itself, and thecohenis to isolate him for seven more days.

34 On the seventh day thecohenis to examine the crusted area; and if he sees that the crusted area has not spread on the skin and does not appear to be deeper than the skin around it, then thecohenis to declare him clean; he is to wash his clothes and be clean.

35 But if the crusted area spreads after his purification,

36 then thecohenis to examine him; and if he sees that the crusted area has spread on the skin, thecohenis not to look for yellow hair; he is unclean.

37 But if the crusted area’s appearance doesn’t change, and black hair grows up in it, then the crusted area is healed; he is clean; and thecohenis to declare him clean.

(RY: iii, LY: vi)

38 “If a man or woman has bright spots on his skin, bright white spots;

39 then thecohenis to examine them. If he sees that the bright spots on the skin are dull white, it is only a rash that has broken out on the skin; he is clean.

40 “If a man’s hair has fallen from his scalp, he is bald; but he is clean.

41 If his hair has fallen off the front part of his head, he is forehead-bald; but he is clean.

42 But if on the bald scalp or forehead there is a reddish-white sore, it istzara‘atbreaking out on his bald scalp or forehead.

43 Then thecohenis to examine him; if he sees that there is a reddish-white swelling on his bald scalp or forehead, appearing liketzara‘aton the rest of the body,

44 he is a person withtzara‘at; he is unclean; thecohenmust declare him unclean; the sore is on his head.

45 “Everyone who hastzara‘atsores is to wear torn clothes and unbound hair, cover his upper lip and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’

46 As long as he has sores, he will be unclean; since he is unclean, he must live in isolation; he must live outside the camp.

47 “Whentzara‘atinfects an article of clothing, whether it be a woolen or a linen garment,

48 on the threads or the woven-in parts of either linen or wool, or on a hide or item made of leather;

49 then if the stain on the garment, hide, threads, woven-in parts or leather item is greenish or reddish, it is an infection oftzara‘atand is to be shown to thecohen.

50 Thecohenis to examine the stain and isolate the article that has the infection for seven days.

51 On the seventh day he is to examine the stain; if the stain has spread on the garment, threads, woven-in parts or leather, whatever its use, the infection is a contagioustzara‘at; the garment is unclean.

52 He is to burn the garment, threads, woven-in parts of either wool or linen, or item of leather having the infection; for it is a contagioustzara‘at; it must be burned up completely.

53 But if, when thecohenexamines it, he sees that the infection has not spread on the garment or in the threads, woven-in parts or leather item,

54 then thecohenis to order that the article having the infection be washed and isolated for seven more days.(RY: iv, LY: vii)

55 Thecohenis to examine it after the stain has been washed, and if he sees that the stain has not changed color, then, even though the stain has not spread, it is unclean; you are to burn it up completely — it is rotten, no matter whether the spot is on the outside or on the inside.

56 If thecohenexamines it and sees that the stain has faded after being washed, then he is to tear the stain out of the garment, leather, threads or woven-in parts.(LY: Maftir)

57 If it appears again in the garment, threads, woven-in parts or leather item, it is contagious, and you are to burn up completely the article that had the stain.

58 But if the infection is gone from the garment, threads, woven-in parts or leather item that you washed, then it is to be washed a second time, and it will be clean.

59 This is the law concerning infections oftzara‘atin a garment of wool or linen, or in the threads or the woven-in parts, or in any leather item — when to declare it clean and when to declare it unclean.

Haftarah Tazria: M’lakhim Bet (2 Kings) 4:42–5:19

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah Tazria: Mattityahu (Matthew) 8:1–4, 11:2–6; Mark 1:40–45; Luke 2:22–24; 5:12–16; 7:18–23

Parashah 28: M’tzora (Person afflicted with tzara‘at) 14:1–15:33

[In regular years read with Parashah 27, in leap years read separately]

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “This is to be the law concerning the person afflicted withtzara‘aton the day of his purification. He is to be brought to thecohen,

3 and thecohenis to go outside the camp and examine him there. If he sees that thetzara‘atsores have been healed in the afflicted person,

4 then thecohenwill order that two living clean birds be taken for the one to be purified, along with cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop leaves.

5 Thecohenis to order one of the birds slaughtered in a clay pot over running water.

6 As for the live bird, he is to take it with the cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird slaughtered over running water,

7 and sprinkle the person to be purified from thetzara‘atseven times. Next he is to set the live bird free in an open field.

8 He who is to be purified must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and bathe himself in water. Then he will be clean; and after that, he may enter the camp; but he must live outside his tent for seven days.

9 On the seventh day he is to shave all the hair off his head, also his beard and eyebrows — he must shave off all his hair; and he is to wash his clothes and bathe his body in water; and he will be clean.

10 “On the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, one female lamb in its first year without defect and six-and-a-half quarts of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with olive oil, and two-thirds of a pint of olive oil.

11 Thecohenpurifying him is to place the person being purified with these items beforeAdonaiat the entrance to the tent of meeting.

12 Thecohenis to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering with the two-thirds-pint of olive oil, then wave them as a wave offering beforeAdonai.(LY: ii)

13 He is to slaughter the male lamb at the place in the sanctuary for slaughtering sin offerings and burnt offerings, because the guilt offering belongs to thecohen, just like the sin offering; it is especially holy.

14 Thecohenis to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.

15 Next, thecohenis to take some of the two-thirds-pint of olive oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand,

16 dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and sprinkle from the oil with his finger seven times beforeAdonai.

17 Then thecohenis to put some of the remaining oil in his hand on the tip of the right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand, on the big toe of his right foot and on the blood of the guilt offering.

18 Finally, thecohenis to put the rest of the oil in his hand on the head of the person being purified; and thecohenwill make atonement for him beforeAdonai.

19 Thecohenis to offer the sin offering and make atonement for the person being purified because of his uncleanness; afterwards, he is to slaughter the burnt offering.

20 Thecohenis to offer the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar; thus thecohenwill make atonement for him; and he will be clean.

(RY: v, LY: iii)

21 “If he is poor, so that he can’t afford to do otherwise, he is to take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved, to make atonement for him; two quarts of fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering; two-thirds of a pint of olive oil;

22 and two doves or two young pigeons, such as he can afford, the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.

23 On the eighth day, he will bring them to thecohenfor his purification, to the entrance of the tent of meeting beforeAdonai.

24 Thecohenis to take the lamb of the guilt offering and the two-thirds of a pint of olive oil and wave them as a wave offering beforeAdonai.

25 He is to slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and thecohenis to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.

26 Thecohenis to take some of the olive oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand,

27 and sprinkle with his right hand some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times beforeAdonai.

28 Thecohenis to put some of the oil in his hand on the tip of the right ear of the person being purified, on the thumb of his right hand, on the big toe of his right foot — in the same place as the blood of the guilt offering.

29 Finally, thecohenis to put the rest of the oil in his hand on the head of the person being purified, to make atonement for him beforeAdonai.

30 He is to offer one of the doves or young pigeons, such as the person can afford,

31 whatever his means suffice for — the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering — with the grain offering; thus thecohenwill make atonement beforeAdonaifor the person being purified.

32 Such is the law for the person who hastzara‘atsores if he cannot afford the usual elements used for his purification.”

(RY: vi, LY: iv)

33 Adonaisaid to Moshe and Aharon,

34 “When you have entered the land of Kena‘an which I am giving you as a possession, and I put an infection oftzara‘atin a house in the land that you possess,

35 then the owner of the house is to come and tell thecohen, ‘It seems to me that there may be an infection in the house.’

36 Thecohenis to order the house emptied before he goes in to inspect the infection, so that everything in the house won’t be made unclean; afterwards, thecohenis to enter and inspect the house.

37 He will examine the infection; and if he sees that the infection is in the walls of the house, with greenish or reddish depressions that seem to go in deeper than the surface of the wall,

38 he is to go out of the house to its door and seal up the house for seven days.

39 Thecohenwill come again on the seventh day and examine the house; if he sees that the infection has spread over its walls,

40 he is to order them to remove the infected stones and throw them into some unclean place outside the city.

41 Next, he is to have the inside of the house thoroughly scraped, and the scraped-off plaster is to be discarded outside the city in an unclean place.

42 Finally, other stones must be set in the place of the first stones and other plaster used to replaster the house.

43 If the infection returns and breaks out in the house after the stones have been removed and the house scraped and plastered;

44 then thecohenis to enter and examine it. If he sees that the infection has spread in the house, it is a contagioustzara‘atin the house; it is unclean.

45 He must break down the house and take its stones, timber and plaster out of the city to an unclean place.

46 Moreover, whoever enters the house at any time while it is sealed up will be unclean until evening.

47 Whoever lies down or eats in the house must wash his clothes.

48 If thecohenenters, examines and sees that the infection has not spread in the house since it was plastered; then he is to declare the house clean; because the infection is cured.

49 “To purify the house, he is to take two birds, cedar-wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop leaves.

50 He is to slaughter one of the birds in a clay pot over running water.

51 He is to take the cedar-wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the live bird and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.

52 He will purify the house with the blood of the bird, the running water, the live bird, the cedar-wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn.

53 But he is to set the live bird free outside the city in an open field; thus will he make atonement for the house; and it will be clean.

(LY: v)

54 “Such is the law for all kinds oftzara‘atsores, for a crusted area,

55 fortzara‘atin a garment, for a house,

56 for a swelling, for a scab and for a bright spot,

57 to determine when it is clean and when it is unclean. This is the law concerningtzara‘at.”

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe and Aharon,

2 “Tell the people of Isra’el, ‘When any man has a discharge from his body, the discharge is unclean.

3 The discharge is unclean no matter whether it continues flowing or has stopped; it is still his uncleanness.

4 Every bed which the person with the discharge lies on is unclean, and everything he sits on is unclean.

5 Whoever touches his bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

6 Whoever sits on anything the person with the discharge sat on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

7 Anyone who touches the body of the person with the discharge is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

8 If the person with the discharge spits on someone who is clean, the latter is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

9 Any saddle that the person with the discharge rides on will be unclean.

10 Whoever touches anything that was under him will be unclean until evening; he who carries those things is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

11 If the person with the discharge fails to rinse his hands in water before touching someone, that person is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

12 If the person with the discharge touches a clay pot, it must be broken; if he touches a wooden utensil, it must be rinsed in water.

13 “‘When a person with a discharge has become free of it, he is to count seven days for his purification. Then he is to wash his clothes and bathe his body in running water; after that, he will be clean.

14 On the eighth day, he is to take for himself two doves or two young pigeons, come beforeAdonaito the entrance of the tent of meeting and give them to thecohen.

15 Thecohenis to offer them, the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; thus thecohenwill make atonement for him on account of his discharge beforeAdonai.

(RY: vii, LY: vi)

16 “‘If a man has a seminal emission, he is to bathe his entire body in water; he will be unclean until evening.

17 Any clothing or leather on which there is any semen is to be washed with water; it will be unclean until evening.

18 If a man goes to bed with a woman and has sexual relations, both are to bathe themselves in water; they will be unclean until evening.

19 “‘If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she will be in her state ofniddahfor seven days. Whoever touches her will be unclean until evening.

20 Everything she lies on or sits on in her state ofniddahwill be unclean.

21 Whoever touches her bed is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

22 Whoever touches anything she sits on is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

23 Whether he is on the bed or on something she sits on, when he touches it, he will be unclean until evening.

24 If a man goes to bed with her, and her menstrual flow touches him, he will be unclean seven days; and every bed he lies on will be unclean.

25 “‘If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days not during her period, or if her discharge lasts beyond the normal end of her period, then throughout the time she is having an unclean discharge she will be as when she is inniddah— she is unclean.

26 Every bed she lies on at any time while she is having her discharge will be for her like the bed she uses during her time ofniddah; and everything she sits on will be unclean with uncleanness like that of her time ofniddah.

27 Whoever touches those things will be unclean; he is to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water; he will be unclean until evening.

28 “‘If she has become free of her discharge, she is to count seven days; after that, she will be clean.(LY: vii)

29 On the eighth day, she is to take for herself two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to thecohenat the entrance to the tent of meeting.

30 Thecohenis to offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering; thus thecohenwill make atonement for her beforeAdonaion account of her unclean discharge.

(Maftir)

31 “‘In this way you will separate the people of Isra’el from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in a state of uncleanness for defiling my tabernacle which is there with them.

32 “‘Such is the law for the person who has a discharge; for the man who has a seminal emission that makes him unclean;

33 for the woman inniddahduring her menstrual period; for the person, man or woman, with a discharge; and for the man who has sexual relations with a woman who is unclean.

Haftarah M’tzora: M’lakhim Bet (2 Kings) 7:3–20

B’rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah M’tzora: Mattityahu (Matthew) 9:20–26; Mark 5:24b–34; Luke 8:42b– 48; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 13:4

Parashah 29: Acharei Mot (After the death) 16:1–18:30

[In regular years read with Parashah 30, in leap years read separately]

1 Adonaispoke with Moshe after the death of Aharon’s two sons, when they tried to sacrifice beforeAdonaiand died;

2 Adonaisaid 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 beforeAdonaiat the entrance to the tent of meeting.

8 Then Aharon is to cast lots for the two goats, one lot forAdonaiand the other for ‘Az’azel.

9 Aharon is to present the goat whose lot fell toAdonaiand offer it as a sin offering.

10 But the goat whose lot fell to ‘Az’azel is to be presented alive toAdonaito 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 beforeAdonaiand, with his hands full of ground, fragrant incense, bring it inside the curtain.

13 He is to put the incense on the fire beforeAdonai, 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 beforeAdonaiand 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.(RY: ii, LY: iii)

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 beforeAdonaifrom all your sins.

31 It is aShabbatof complete rest for you, and you are to deny yourselves.

“This is a permanent regulation.

32 Thecohenanointed and consecrated to becohenin 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 thecohanimand 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 asAdonaihad ordered him.

1 (LY: iv)Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “Speak to Aharon and his sons and to all the people of Isra’el. Tell them that this is whatAdonaihas 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 toAdonaibefore the tabernacle ofAdonai, 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 toAdonai, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to thecohen, and sacrifice them as peace offerings toAdonai.

6 Thecohenwill splash the blood against the altar ofAdonaiat the entrance to the tent of meeting and make the fat go up in smoke as a pleasing aroma forAdonai.

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.’

(RY: iii, LY: v)

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 toAdonai, 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.”

1 Adonaisaid to Moshe,

2 “Speak to the people of Isra’el; tell them, ‘I amAdonaiyour God.

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 amAdonaiyour God.

5 You are to observe my laws and rulings; if a person does them, he will have life through them; I amAdonai.

(LY: vi)

6 “‘None of you is to approach anyone who is a close relative in order to have sexual relations; I amAdonai.

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 ofniddah.

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 God; I amAdonai.

(RY: iv, LY: vii)

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 amAdonaiyour God.’”

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]