Torah Portion for 06/17/2023

In Leviticus 17:1-16, Yahweh commands Moses to tell Aaron, his sons, and the children of Israel that anyone who kills an animal and does not bring it as an offering to Yahweh will be considered guilty of shedding blood and will be cut off from their people. They are instructed to bring their offerings to the tent of appointment and the priest will sprinkle the blood on the altar and burn the fat as a pleasing aroma to Yahweh. The people are warned not to offer sacrifices to demons. It is also forbidden to eat blood, as the life of the flesh is in the blood and Yahweh has given it as a means of atonement. Those who eat blood will be cut off from their people. Additionally, if someone catches an animal that is to be eaten, they must pour out its blood and cover it with dust, for the life of all flesh is in its blood. Eating a carcass or animal torn by a beast will Leviticus, chapter 17, verses 1-16. And Yahweh spoke to Moshe, saying, Speak to Aaron, to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, This is the word which Yahweh hath commanded, saying, Any man from the house of Israel, who slays a bull, or a lamb, or a goat, in the camp, or who slays it outside the camp, and does not bring it to the door of the tent of appointment, to bring an offering to Yahweh before the dwelling-place of Yahweh, blood-guilt is reckoned to that man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people, in order that the children of Israel bring their slaughterings, which they slaughter in the open field. And they shall bring them to Yahweh, at the door of the tent of appointment, to the priest, and slaughter them as slaughterings of peace-offerings to Yahweh. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood on the slaughter-place of Yahweh, at the door of the tent of appointment, and shall burn the fat for a sweet fragrance to Yahweh. And let them no longer slaughter their slaughterings to demons, after whom they hoard. This is a law forever for them throughout their generations. And say to them, Any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among you, who offers an ascending offering, or slaughtering, and does not bring it to the door of the tent of appointment, to do it to Yahweh, that man shall be cut off from among his people. And any man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among you, who eats any blood, I shall set my face against that being who eats blood, and shall cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the slaughter-place, to make atonement for your lives. For it is the blood that makes atonement for the life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, No being among you eats blood, nor does any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood. And any man from the children of Israel, or from the strangers who sojourn among you, who hunts and catches any beast or bird which is eaten, shall pour out its blood and cover it with dust, for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood is for its life, and I said to the children of Israel, Do not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Anyone eating it is cut off. And anyone who eats a carcass, or what was torn by a beast, be he a native or a stranger, he shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. Then he shall be clean, and if he does not wash or bathe his body, then he shall bear his crookedness.