TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 17

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:

אוַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃

2Speak to Aharon and his sons and to all B'nei Yisrael and say to them: This is what Hashem has commanded:

בדַּבֵּר אֶל־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל־בָּנָיו וְאֶל כָּל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹר׃

3if anyone of the house of Yisrael slaughters an ox or sheep or goat in the camp, or does so outside the camp,

גאִישׁ אִישׁ מִבֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁחַט שׁוֹר אוֹ־כֶשֶׂב אוֹ־עֵז בַּמַּחֲנֶה אוֹ אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁחַט מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה׃

4and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to Hashem, before Hashem's Mishkan, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man: he has shed blood; that man shall be cut off from among his people.

v'-el PE-takh O-hel mo-AYD LO he-vee-O l'-hak-REEV kor-BAN la-do-NAI lif-NAY mish-KAN a-do-NAI DAM yay-kha-SHAYV la-EESH ha-HU DAM sha-FAKH v'-nikh-RAT ha-EESH ha-HU mi-KE-rev a-MO

דוְאֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֹא הֱבִיאוֹ לְהַקְרִיב קָרְבָּן לַיהֹוָה לִפְנֵי מִשְׁכַּן יְהֹוָה דָּם יֵחָשֵׁב לָאִישׁ הַהוּא דָּם שָׁפָךְ וְנִכְרַת הָאִישׁ הַהוּא מִקֶּרֶב עַמּוֹ׃

17:4   And does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting

Model of the Second Beit Hamikdash, Israel Museum, Jerusalem

Once the Mishkan is constructed, and again after the Beit Hamikdash is built in Yerushalayim, it becomes forbidden to offer sacrifices anywhere else. This is because Hashem wants the acts of worshipping Him to bring unity among the people, and is also designed to minimize the danger of changes being introduced to the manner of worship. In addition, the mandate that sacrifices be brought only in the Beit Hamikdash requires everyone to travel to Yerushalayim at least three times a year. God’s system ensures that everyone will have the triannual opportunity to be uplifted by the holiness of the Beit Hamikdash and the holy city of Yerushalayim.

5This is in order that the Israelites may bring the sacrifices which they have been making in the open—that they may bring them before Hashem, to the Kohen, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and offer them as sacrifices of well-being to Hashem;

הלְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יָבִיאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־זִבְחֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר הֵם זֹבְחִים עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה וֶהֱבִיאֻם לַיהֹוָה אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵן וְזָבְחוּ זִבְחֵי שְׁלָמִים לַיהֹוָה אוֹתָם׃

6that the Kohen may dash the blood against the mizbayach of Hashem at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and turn the fat into smoke as a pleasing odor to Hashem;

ווְזָרַק הַכֹּהֵן אֶת־הַדָּם עַל־מִזְבַּח יְהֹוָה פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהִקְטִיר הַחֵלֶב לְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַיהֹוָה׃

7and that they may offer their sacrifices no more to the goat-demons after whom they stray. This shall be to them a law for all time, throughout the ages.

זוְלֹא־יִזְבְּחוּ עוֹד אֶת־זִבְחֵיהֶם לַשְּׂעִירִם אֲשֶׁר הֵם זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם חֻקַּת עוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה־זֹּאת לָהֶם לְדֹרֹתָם׃

8Say to them further: If anyone of the house of Yisrael or of the strangers who reside among them offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice,

חוַאֲלֵהֶם תֹּאמַר אִישׁ אִישׁ מִבֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִן־הַגֵּר אֲשֶׁר־יָגוּר בְּתוֹכָם אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲלֶה עֹלָה אוֹ־זָבַח׃

9and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to offer it to Hashem, that person shall be cut off from his people.

טוְאֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לֹא יְבִיאֶנּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֹתוֹ לַיהֹוָה וְנִכְרַת הָאִישׁ הַהוּא מֵעַמָּיו׃

10And if anyone of the house of Yisrael or of the strangers who reside among them partakes of any blood, I will set My face against the person who partakes of the blood, and I will cut him off from among his kin.

יוְאִישׁ אִישׁ מִבֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִן־הַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם אֲשֶׁר יֹאכַל כָּל־דָּם וְנָתַתִּי פָנַי בַּנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֹכֶלֶת אֶת־הַדָּם וְהִכְרַתִּי אֹתָהּ מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּהּ׃

11For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have assigned it to you for making expiation for your lives upon the mizbayach; it is the blood, as life, that effects expiation.

יאכִּי נֶפֶשׁ הַבָּשָׂר בַּדָּם הִוא וַאֲנִי נְתַתִּיו לָכֶם עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לְכַפֵּר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם כִּי־הַדָּם הוּא בַּנֶּפֶשׁ יְכַפֵּר׃

12Therefore I say to B'nei Yisrael: No person among you shall partake of blood, nor shall the stranger who resides among you partake of blood.

יבעַל־כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ מִכֶּם לֹא־תֹאכַל דָּם וְהַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם לֹא־יֹאכַל דָּם׃

13And if any Israelite or any stranger who resides among them hunts down an animal or a bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth.

יגוְאִישׁ אִישׁ מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִן־הַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם אֲשֶׁר יָצוּד צֵיד חַיָּה אוֹ־עוֹף אֲשֶׁר יֵאָכֵל וְשָׁפַךְ אֶת־דָּמוֹ וְכִסָּהוּ בֶּעָפָר׃

14For the life of all flesh—its blood is its life. Therefore I say to B'nei Yisrael: You shall not partake of the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Anyone who partakes of it shall be cut off.

ידכִּי־נֶפֶשׁ כָּל־בָּשָׂר דָּמוֹ בְנַפְשׁוֹ הוּא וָאֹמַר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דַּם כָּל־בָּשָׂר לֹא תֹאכֵלוּ כִּי נֶפֶשׁ כָּל־בָּשָׂר דָּמוֹ הִוא כָּל־אֹכְלָיו יִכָּרֵת׃

15Any person, whether citizen or stranger, who eats what has died or has been torn by beasts shall wash his clothes, bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening; then he shall be clean.

טווְכָל־נֶפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר תֹּאכַל נְבֵלָה וּטְרֵפָה בָּאֶזְרָח וּבַגֵּר וְכִבֶּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם וְטָמֵא עַד־הָעֶרֶב וְטָהֵר׃

16But if he does not wash [his clothes] and bathe his body, he shall bear his guilt.

טזוְאִם לֹא יְכַבֵּס וּבְשָׂרוֹ לֹא יִרְחָץ וְנָשָׂא עֲוׂנוֹ׃