Study Desk

Adonai said to Moshe, "Speak to the cohanim, the sons of Aharon; tell them: ‘No cohen is to make himself unclean for any of his people who dies,

except for his close relatives — his mother, father, son, daughter and brother;

he may also make himself unclean for his virgin sister who has never married and is therefore dependent on him.

Rather, they are to be holy for their God and not profane the name of their God. For they are the ones who present Adonai with offerings made by fire, the bread of their God; therefore they must be holy.

"‘A cohen is not to marry a woman who is a prostitute, who has been profaned or who has been divorced; because he is holy for his God.

Rather, you are to set him apart as holy, because he offers the bread of your God; he is to be holy for you, because I, Adonai , who makes you holy, am holy.

no one descended from Aharon the cohen who has such a defect may approach to present the offerings for Adonai made by fire; he has a defect and is not to approach to offer the bread of his God.

"Tell Aharon and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the people of Isra'el which they set apart as holy for me, so that they will not profane my holy name; I am Adonai .

or who has touched a reptile or insect that can make him unclean, or a man who is unclean for any reason and who can transmit to him his uncleanness —

The cohanim must observe this charge of mine; otherwise, if they profane it, they will bear the consequences of their sin for doing so and die in it; I am Adonai , who makes them holy.

They are not to profane the holy things of the people of Isra'el that they have set apart for Adonai

in order for you to be accepted, you must bring a male without defect from the cattle, the sheep or the goats.

If a bull or lamb has a limb which is too long or short, you may offer it as a voluntary offering; but for a vow it will not be accepted.

and you are not to receive any of these from a foreigner for you to offer as bread for your God, because their deformity is a defect in them — they will not be accepted from you.'"

"When a bull, sheep or goat is born, it is to stay with its mother for seven days; but from the eighth day on, it may be accepted for an offering made by fire to Adonai .

"‘Work is to be done on six days; but the seventh day is a Shabbat of complete rest, a holy convocation; you are not to do any kind of work; it is a Shabbat for Adonai , even in your homes.

"‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, between sundown and complete darkness, comes Pesach for Adonai .

On the fifteenth day of the same month is the festival of matzah; for seven days you are to eat matzah.

Bring an offering made by fire to Adonai for seven days. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work.'"

On the day that you wave the sheaf, you are to offer a male lamb without defect, in its first year, as a burnt offering for Adonai .