Read Parshat Emor in English

And the Lord said unto Moses: Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them: There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people;

except for his kin, that is near unto him, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother;

and for his sister a virgin, that is near unto him, that hath had no husband, for her may he defile himself.

He shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.

They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corners of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God; for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, the bread of their God, they do offer; therefore they shall be holy.

They shall not take a woman that is a harlot, or profaned; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband; for he is holy unto his God.

Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God; he shall be holy unto thee; for I the Lord, who sanctify you, am holy.

And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the harlot, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire. {S}

And the priest that is highest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head go loose, nor rend his clothes;

neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;

neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord.

And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

A widow, or one divorced, or a profaned woman, or a harlot, these shall he not take; but a virgin of his own people shall he take to wife.

And he shall not profane his seed among his people; for I am the Lord who sanctify him. {S}

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

Speak unto Aaron, saying: Whosoever he be of thy seed throughout their generations that hath a blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.

For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath any thing maimed, or anything too long,

or a man that is broken-footed, or broken-handed,

or crook-backed, or a dwarf, or that hath his eye overspread, or is scabbed, or scurvy, or hath his stones crushed;

no man of the seed of Aaron the priest, that hath a blemish, shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire; he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.

He may eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.

Only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not My holy places; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.

So Moses spoke unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they hallow unto Me, and that they profane not My holy name: I am the Lord.

Say unto them: Whosoever he be of all your seed throughout your generations, that approacheth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from before Me: I am the Lord.

What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath an issue, he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any one that is unclean by the dead; or from whomsoever the flow of seed goeth out;

or whosoever toucheth any swarming thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;

the soul that toucheth any such shall be unclean until the even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his flesh in water.

And when the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he may eat of the holy things, because it is his bread.

That which dieth of itself, or is torn of beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the Lord.

They shall therefore keep My charge, lest they bear sin for it, and die therein, if they profane it: I am the Lord who sanctify them.

There shall no common man eat of the holy thing; a tenant of a priest, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

But if a priest buy any soul, the purchase of his money, he may eat of it; and such as are born in his house, they may eat of his bread.

And if a priest's daughter be married unto a common man, she shall not eat of that which is set apart from the holy things.

But if a priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father's bread; but there shall no common man eat thereof.

And if a man eat of the holy thing through error, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give unto the priest the holy thing.

And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they set apart unto the Lord;

and so cause them to bear the iniquity that bringeth guilt, when they eat their holy things; for I am the Lord who sanctify them.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them: Whosoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that bringeth his offering, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their free-will-offerings, which are brought unto the Lord for a burnt-offering;

that ye may be accepted, ye shall offer a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not bring; for it shall not be acceptable for you.

And whosoever bringeth a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the Lord in fulfilment of a vow clearly uttered, or for a freewill-offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scabbed, or scurvy, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord.

Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing too long or too short, that mayest thou offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

That which hath its stones bruised, or crushed, or torn, or cut, ye shall not offer unto the Lord; neither shall ye do thus in your land.

Neither from the hand of a foreigner shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these, because their corruption is in them, there is a blemish in them; they shall not be accepted for you. {S}

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; but from the eighth day and thenceforth it may be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and its young both in one day.

And when ye sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, ye shall sacrifice it that ye may be accepted.

On the same day it shall be eaten; ye shall leave none of it until the morning: I am the Lord.

And ye shall keep My commandments, and do them: I am the Lord.

And ye shall not profane My holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the Lord who hallow you,

that brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: The appointed seasons of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons.

Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work; it is a sabbath unto the Lord in all your dwellings.

These are the appointed seasons of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.

In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is the Lord’s passover.

And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.

In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.

And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses saying:

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye are come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest.

And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you; on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt-offering unto the Lord.

And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savour; and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.

And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the offering of your God; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. {S}

And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete;

even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall present a new meal-offering unto the Lord.

Ye shall bring out of your dwellings two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah; they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baked with leaven, for first-fruits unto the Lord.

And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams; they shall be a burnt-offering unto the Lord, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace-offerings.

And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before the Lord, with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.

And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no manner of servile work; it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corner of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest; thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of horns, a holy convocation.

Ye shall do no manner of servile work; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord. {S}

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; there shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God.

For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from his people.

And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any manner of work in that same day, that soul will I destroy from among his people.

Ye shall do no manner of work; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

It shall be unto you a sabbath of solemn rest, and ye shall afflict your souls; in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye keep your sabbath.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month is the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the Lord.

On the first day shall be a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.

Seven days ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord; on the eighth day shall be a holy convocation unto you; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord; it is a day of solemn assembly; ye shall do no manner of servile work.

These are the appointed seasons of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to bring an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt-offering, and a meal-offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, each on its own day;

beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto the Lord.

Howbeit on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruits of the land, ye shall keep the feast of the Lord seven days; on the first day shall be a solemn rest, and on the eighth day shall be a solemn rest.

And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook, and ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days.

And ye shall keep it a feast unto the Lord seven days in the year; it is a statute for ever in your generations; ye shall keep it in the seventh month.

Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are home-born in Israel shall dwell in booths;

that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the appointed seasons of the Lord.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

'Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.

Without the veil of the testimony, in the tent of meeting, shall Aaron order it from evening to morning before the Lord continually; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations.

He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the Lord continually.

And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth parts of an ephah shall be in one cake.

And thou shalt set them in two rows, six in a row, upon the pure table before the Lord.

And thou shalt put pure frankincense with each row, that it may be to the bread for a memorial-part, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the Lord continually; it is from the children of Israel, an everlasting covenant.

And it shall be for Aaron and his sons; and they shall eat it in a holy place; for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the Lord made by fire, a perpetual due.’’ {S}

And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp.

And the son of the Israelitish woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him unto Moses. And his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.

And they put him in ward, that it might be declared unto them at the mouth of the Lord.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:

'Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying: Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.

And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him; as well the stranger, as the home-born, when he blasphemeth the Name, shall be put to death.

And he that smiteth any man mortally shall surely be put to death.

And he that smiteth a beast mortally shall make it good: life for life.

And if a man maim his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him:

breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he hath maimed a man, so shall it be rendered unto him.

And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; and he that killeth a man shall be put to death.

Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for the home-born; for I am the Lord your God.’’

And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and they brought forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stoned him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.