TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 15
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1Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:
אוַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃
2Speak to B'nei Yisrael and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you to settle in,
בדַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם׃
3and would present an offering by fire to Hashem from the herd or from the flock, be it burnt offering or sacrifice, in fulfillment of a vow explicitly uttered, or as a freewill offering, or at your fixed occasions, producing an odor pleasing to Hashem:
גוַעֲשִׂיתֶם אִשֶּׁה לַיהֹוָה עֹלָה אוֹ־זֶבַח לְפַלֵּא־נֶדֶר אוֹ בִנְדָבָה אוֹ בְּמֹעֲדֵיכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַיהֹוָה מִן־הַבָּקָר אוֹ מִן־הַצֹּאן׃
4The person who presents the offering to Hashem shall bring as a meal offering: a tenth of a measure of choice flour with a quarter of a hin of oil mixed in.
דוְהִקְרִיב הַמַּקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹ לַיהֹוָה מִנְחָה סֹלֶת עִשָּׂרוֹן בָּלוּל בִּרְבִעִית הַהִין שָׁמֶן׃
5You shall also offer, with the burnt offering or the sacrifice, a quarter of a hin of wine as a libation for each sheep.
הוְיַיִן לַנֶּסֶךְ רְבִיעִית הַהִין תַּעֲשֶׂה עַל־הָעֹלָה אוֹ לַזָּבַח לַכֶּבֶשׂ הָאֶחָד׃
6In the case of a ram, you shall present as a meal offering: two-tenths of a measure of choice flour with a third of a hin of oil mixed in;
ואוֹ לָאַיִל תַּעֲשֶׂה מִנְחָה סֹלֶת שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרֹנִים בְּלוּלָה בַשֶּׁמֶן שְׁלִשִׁית הַהִין׃
7and a third of a hin of wine as a libation—as an offering of pleasing odor to Hashem.
זוְיַיִן לַנֶּסֶךְ שְׁלִשִׁית הַהִין תַּקְרִיב רֵיחַ־נִיחֹחַ לַיהֹוָה׃
8And if it is an animal from the herd that you offer to Hashem as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice, in fulfillment of a vow explicitly uttered or as an offering of well-being,
חוְכִי־תַעֲשֶׂה בֶן־בָּקָר עֹלָה אוֹ־זָבַח לְפַלֵּא־נֶדֶר אוֹ־שְׁלָמִים לַיהֹוָה׃
9there shall be offered a meal offering along with the animal: three-tenths of a measure of choice flour with half a hin of oil mixed in;
טוְהִקְרִיב עַל־בֶּן־הַבָּקָר מִנְחָה סֹלֶת שְׁלֹשָׁה עֶשְׂרֹנִים בָּלוּל בַּשֶּׁמֶן חֲצִי הַהִין׃
10and as libation you shall offer half a hin of wine—these being offerings by fire of pleasing odor to Hashem.
יוְיַיִן תַּקְרִיב לַנֶּסֶךְ חֲצִי הַהִין אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ־נִיחֹחַ לַיהֹוָה׃
11Thus shall be done with each ox, with each ram, and with any sheep or goat,
יאכָּכָה יֵעָשֶׂה לַשּׁוֹר הָאֶחָד אוֹ לָאַיִל הָאֶחָד אוֹ־לַשֶּׂה בַכְּבָשִׂים אוֹ בָעִזִּים׃
12as many as you offer; you shall do thus with each one, as many as there are.
יבכַּמִּסְפָּר אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּ כָּכָה תַּעֲשׂוּ לָאֶחָד כְּמִסְפָּרָם׃
13Every citizen, when presenting an offering by fire of pleasing odor to Hashem, shall do so with them.
יגכָּל־הָאֶזְרָח יַעֲשֶׂה־כָּכָה אֶת־אֵלֶּה לְהַקְרִיב אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ־נִיחֹחַ לַיהֹוָה׃
14And when, throughout the ages, a stranger who has taken up residence with you, or one who lives among you, would present an offering by fire of pleasing odor to Hashem—as you do, so shall it be done by
ידוְכִי־יָגוּר אִתְּכֶם גֵּר אוֹ אֲשֶׁר־בְּתוֹכְכֶם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם וְעָשָׂה אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ־נִיחֹחַ לַיהֹוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּ כֵּן יַעֲשֶׂה׃
15the rest of the congregation. There shall be one law for you and for the resident stranger; it shall be a law for all time throughout the ages. You and the stranger shall be alike before Hashem;
טוהַקָּהָל חֻקָּה אַחַת לָכֶם וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם כָּכֶם כַּגֵּר יִהְיֶה לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה׃
16the same ritual and the same rule shall apply to you and to the stranger who resides among you.
טזתּוֹרָה אַחַת וּמִשְׁפָּט אֶחָד יִהְיֶה לָכֶם וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר אִתְּכֶם׃
17Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying:
יזוַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃
18Speak to B'nei Yisrael and say to them: When you enter the land to which I am taking you
יחדַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם בְּבֹאֲכֶם אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מֵבִיא אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה׃
19and you eat of the bread of the land, you shall set some aside as a gift to Hashem:
יטוְהָיָה בַּאֲכָלְכֶם מִלֶּחֶם הָאָרֶץ תָּרִימוּ תְרוּמָה לַיהֹוָה׃
20as the first yield of your baking, you shall set aside a loaf as a gift; you shall set it aside as a gift like the gift from the threshing floor.
כרֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵכֶם חַלָּה תָּרִימוּ תְרוּמָה כִּתְרוּמַת גֹּרֶן כֵּן תָּרִימוּ אֹתָהּ׃
21You shall make a gift to Hashem from the first yield of your baking, throughout the ages.
may-ray-SHEET a-ri-so-tay-KHEM ti-t'-NU la-do-NAI t'-ru-MAH l'-do-RO-tay-KHEM
כאמֵרֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵיכֶם תִּתְּנוּ לַיהֹוָה תְּרוּמָה לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם׃
15:21 You shall make a gift to Hashem from the first yield of your baking
The commandment to separate a portion of dough for the Kohanim, known as challah (חלה), went into effect only once the people entered the Land of Israel. This dough is given to the Kohanim, since they did not receive their own portion of land through which they could sustain themselves. The job of the Kohanim is to educate the people and work in the Beit Hamikdash, thereby providing the Nation with spiritual sustenance. In turn, they are provided with physical sustenance from the portions of the other tribes. Such is one’s existence in Eretz Yisrael – the physical and spiritual are continuously intertwined.
22If you unwittingly fail to observe any one of the commandments that Hashem has declared to Moshe—
כבוְכִי תִשְׁגּוּ וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ אֵת כָּל־הַמִּצְוׂת הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה׃
23anything that Hashem has enjoined upon you through Moshe—from the day that Hashem gave the commandment and on through the ages:
כגאֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֲלֵיכֶם בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה מִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה וָהָלְאָה לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם׃
24If this was done unwittingly, through the inadvertence of the community, the whole community shall present one bull of the herd as a burnt offering of pleasing odor to Hashem, with its proper meal offering and libation, and one he-goat as a sin offering.
כדוְהָיָה אִם מֵעֵינֵי הָעֵדָה נֶעֶשְׂתָה לִשְׁגָגָה וְעָשׂוּ כָל־הָעֵדָה פַּר בֶּן־בָּקָר אֶחָד לְעֹלָה לְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַיהֹוָה וּמִנְחָתוֹ וְנִסְכּוֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט וּשְׂעִיר־עִזִּים אֶחָד לְחַטָּת׃
25The Kohen shall make expiation for the whole Israelite community and they shall be forgiven; for it was an error, and for their error they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to Hashem and their sin offering before Hashem.
כהוְכִפֶּר הַכֹּהֵן עַל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנִסְלַח לָהֶם כִּי־שְׁגָגָה הִוא וְהֵם הֵבִיאוּ אֶת־קָרְבָּנָם אִשֶּׁה לַיהֹוָה וְחַטָּאתָם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה עַל־שִׁגְגָתָם׃
26The whole Israelite community and the stranger residing among them shall be forgiven, for it happened to the entire people through error.
כווְנִסְלַח לְכָל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם כִּי לְכָל־הָעָם בִּשְׁגָגָה׃
27In case it is an individual who has sinned unwittingly, he shall offer a she-goat in its first year as a sin offering.
כזוְאִם־נֶפֶשׁ אַחַת תֶּחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה וְהִקְרִיבָה עֵז בַּת־שְׁנָתָהּ לְחַטָּאת׃
28The Kohen shall make expiation before Hashem on behalf of the person who erred, for he sinned unwittingly, making such expiation for him that he may be forgiven.
כחוְכִפֶּר הַכֹּהֵן עַל־הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַשֹּׁגֶגֶת בְּחֶטְאָה בִשְׁגָגָה לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה לְכַפֵּר עָלָיו וְנִסְלַח לוֹ׃
29For the citizen among the Israelites and for the stranger who resides among them—you shall have one ritual for anyone who acts in error.
כטהָאֶזְרָח בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכָם תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה לָכֶם לָעֹשֶׂה בִּשְׁגָגָה׃
30But the person, be he citizen or stranger, who acts defiantly reviles Hashem; that person shall be cut off from among his people.
לוְהַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּיָד רָמָה מִן־הָאֶזְרָח וּמִן־הַגֵּר אֶת־יְהֹוָה הוּא מְגַדֵּף וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מִקֶּרֶב עַמָּהּ׃
31Because he has spurned the word of Hashem and violated His commandment, that person shall be cut off—he bears his guilt.
לאכִּי דְבַר־יְהֹוָה בָּזָה וְאֶת־מִצְוָתוֹ הֵפַר הִכָּרֵת תִּכָּרֵת הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא עֲוׂנָה בָהּ׃
32Once, when the Israelites were in the wilderness, they came upon a man gathering wood on the Shabbat day.
לבוַיִּהְיוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיִּמְצְאוּ אִישׁ מְקֹשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת׃
33Those who found him as he was gathering wood brought him before Moshe, Aharon, and the whole community.
לגוַיַּקְרִיבוּ אֹתוֹ הַמֹּצְאִים אֹתוֹ מְקֹשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶל כָּל־הָעֵדָה׃
34He was placed in custody, for it had not been specified what should be done to him.
לדוַיַּנִּיחוּ אֹתוֹ בַּמִּשְׁמָר כִּי לֹא פֹרַשׁ מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ׃
35Then Hashem said to Moshe, “The man shall be put to death: the whole community shall pelt him with stones outside the camp.”
להוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה מוֹת יוּמַת הָאִישׁ רָגוֹם אֹתוֹ בָאֲבָנִים כָּל־הָעֵדָה מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה׃
36So the whole community took him outside the camp and stoned him to death—as Hashem had commanded Moshe.
לווַיֹּצִיאוּ אֹתוֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָה אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וַיִּרְגְּמוּ אֹתוֹ בָּאֲבָנִים וַיָּמֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃
37Hashem said to Moshe as follows:
לזוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃
38Speak to B'nei Yisrael and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner.
da-BAYR el b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL v'-a-mar-TA a-lay-HEM v'-a-SU la-HEM tzee-TZIT al kan-FAY vig-day-HEM l'-do-ro-TAM v'-na-t'-NU al tzee-TZIT ha-ka-NAF p'-TEEL t'-KHAY-let
לחדַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִת עַל־כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם לְדֹרֹתָם וְנָתְנוּ עַל־צִיצִת הַכָּנָף פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת׃
15:38 A cord of blue
The biblical blue color techelet (תכלת) is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Rashi explains that this color, worn on the fringes known as tzitzit (ציצית) placed on the corners of four-cornered garments, is meant to remind us of the sky, and, by extension, of Hashem and His constant presence in our lives. For close to fifteen hundred years, the source of this special blue dye had been lost to the world. In an exciting discovery in recent years, marine biologists together with Talmudic researchers have identified the source of techelet as a small snail found off the coast of northern Israel, near Haifa. Today, for the first time in centuries, people are once again wearing techelet on their tzitzit. From even the smallest sea creature, we continue to see the wonders of the Bible come to life in Eretz Yisrael.
39That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of Hashem and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge.
לטוְהָיָה לָכֶם לְצִיצִת וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוׂת יְהֹוָה וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם וְלֹא־תָתֻרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּם זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם׃
40Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God.
מלְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוׂתָי וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים לֵאלֹהֵיכֶם׃
41I Hashem am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, Hashem your God.
מאאֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם׃