בָּנִ֣ים אַתֶּ֔ם לַֽיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם לֹ֣א תִתְגֹּֽדְד֗וּ וְלֹֽא־תָשִׂ֧ימוּ קָרְחָ֛ה בֵּ֥ין עֵינֵיכֶ֖ם לָמֵֽת׃

You are children to the Lord your God, and this lofty status obligates you to abstain from practices that are common among the nations that surround you. You shall not stab or cut yourselves with knives as a sign of mourning, and you shall not pluck the hair from the center of your head and thereby place a bald spot between your eyes for the dead.

כִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וּבְךָ֞ בָּחַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה מִכֹּל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ס)

God does not want His children to mutilate their bodies and render themselves unsightly, for you are a holy people dedicated to the Lord your God, and you the Lord chose to be His people of distinction from all the peoples that are on the face of the earth.

לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל כָּל־תּוֹעֵבָֽה׃

You shall not eat any item considered an abomination. According to some, this includes items that are despicable in the eyes of the surrounding nations as well.

זֹ֥את הַבְּהֵמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאכֵ֑לוּ שׁ֕וֹר שֵׂ֥ה כְשָׂבִ֖ים וְשֵׂ֥ה עִזִּֽים׃

These are the animals that you may eat: an ox, a sheep, and a goat;

אַיָּ֥ל וּצְבִ֖י וְיַחְמ֑וּר וְאַקּ֥וֹ וְדִישֹׁ֖ן וּתְא֥וֹ וָזָֽמֶר׃

in addition to the aforementioned domestic animals, you may also eat a deer, a gazelle, a fallow deer , a wild goat, an oryx, an aurochs, and a mouflon sheep.

וְכָל־בְּהֵמָ֞ה מַפְרֶ֣סֶת פַּרְסָ֗ה וְשֹׁסַ֤עַת שֶׁ֙סַע֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י פְרָס֔וֹת מַעֲלַ֥ת גֵּרָ֖ה בַּבְּהֵמָ֑ה אֹתָ֖הּ תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃

Any animal that has hooves , and unlike the horse and donkey, which have only one hoof on each foot, the animal has two hooves on each foot and they are entirely split, and it also brings up the cud among the animals, that you may eat.

אַ֣ךְ אֶת־זֶ֞ה לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמַּֽעֲלֵ֣י הַגֵּרָ֔ה וּמִמַּפְרִיסֵ֥י הַפַּרְסָ֖ה הַשְּׁסוּעָ֑ה אֶֽת־הַ֠גָּמָל וְאֶת־הָאַרְנֶ֨בֶת וְאֶת־הַשָּׁפָ֜ן כִּֽי־מַעֲלֵ֧ה גֵרָ֣ה הֵ֗מָּה וּפַרְסָה֙ לֹ֣א הִפְרִ֔יסוּ טְמֵאִ֥ים הֵ֖ם לָכֶֽם׃

However, these you shall not eat from those that bring up the cud, or from those with a split hoof, creatures that have only one of the characteristics of kosher animals but not both: The camel, and the hare, and the hyrax because they bring

וְאֶת־הַ֠חֲזִיר כִּֽי־מַפְרִ֨יס פַּרְסָ֥ה הוּא֙ וְלֹ֣א גֵרָ֔ה טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶ֑ם מִבְּשָׂרָם֙ לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֔לוּ וּבְנִבְלָתָ֖ם לֹ֥א תִגָּֽעוּ׃ (ס)

and the pig too you shall not eat, because it has hooves, and its hooves are split, but it does not bring up the cud, it is impure for you; from their meat of all these impure animals you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch.

אֶת־זֶה֙ תֹּֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמָּ֑יִם כֹּ֧ל אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃

This you may eat from all that is in the water: Anything that has fins, the limb by means of which it swims through the water, and scales that cover its body, you may eat;

וְכֹ֨ל אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֵֽין־ל֛וֹ סְנַפִּ֥יר וְקַשְׂקֶ֖שֶׂת לֹ֣א תֹאכֵ֑לוּ טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃ (ס)

and anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; it is impure for you. This prohibition is not limited to fish, but includes all aquatic creatures lacking fins and scales.

כָּל־צִפּ֥וֹר טְהֹרָ֖ה תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃

All pure birds you may eat.

וְזֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־תֹאכְל֖וּ מֵהֶ֑ם הַנֶּ֥שֶׁר וְהַפֶּ֖רֶס וְהָֽעָזְנִיָּֽה׃

This is that which you may not eat from them: The griffon vulture, the bearded vulture, and the lappet-faced vulture;

וְהָרָאָה֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣אַיָּ֔ה וְהַדַּיָּ֖ה לְמִינָֽהּ׃

the glede, the buzzard, and the kite, various birds of prey, after its kinds;

וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־עֹרֵ֖ב לְמִינֽוֹ׃

every raven after its kinds;

וְאֵת֙ בַּ֣ת הַֽיַּעֲנָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַתַּחְמָ֖ס וְאֶת־הַשָּׁ֑חַף וְאֶת־הַנֵּ֖ץ לְמִינֵֽהוּ׃

the ostrich, the swift, the seagull, and the sparrow hawk after its kinds;

אֶת־הַכּ֥וֹס וְאֶת־הַיַּנְשׁ֖וּף וְהַתִּנְשָֽׁמֶת׃

the little owl, the short-eared owl, and the barn owl, all nocturnal birds of prey;

וְהַקָּאָ֥ת וְאֶֽת־הָרָחָ֖מָה וְאֶת־הַשָּׁלָֽךְ׃

the eagle owl, the roller, and the fish owl;

וְהַ֣חֲסִידָ֔ה וְהָאֲנָפָ֖ה לְמִינָ֑הּ וְהַדּוּכִיפַ֖ת וְהָעֲטַלֵּֽף׃

the stork, the heron

וְכֹל֙ שֶׁ֣רֶץ הָע֔וֹף טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶ֑ם לֹ֖א יֵאָכֵֽלוּ׃

Every flying swarming creature, small, winged creatures that creep on the ground and also fly, is impure for you; they shall not be eaten.

כָּל־ע֥וֹף טָה֖וֹר תֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃

All pure flying creatures, including any flying creature that does not appear on the list provided here, you may eat. Some commentaries explain this verse as adding to what is stated above (verse 11) by indicating that grasshoppers may also be eaten.

לֹ֣א תֹאכְל֣וּ כָל־נְ֠בֵלָה לַגֵּ֨ר אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֜יךָ תִּתְּנֶ֣נָּה וַאֲכָלָ֗הּ א֤וֹ מָכֹר֙ לְנָכְרִ֔י כִּ֣י עַ֤ם קָדוֹשׁ֙ אַתָּ֔ה לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ לֹֽא־תְבַשֵּׁ֥ל גְּדִ֖י בַּחֲלֵ֥ב אִמּֽוֹ׃ (פ)

You shall not eat any unslaughtered carcass, an animal that died in any manner other than proper ritual slaughter; to the stranger who is within your gates, a resident alien, who lives in the land but is not integrated into national life because he has not accepted upon himself all the commandments, you may give it and he will eat it; or you may sell it to a foreigner, as you are a holy people for the Lord your God. You shall not cook a kid in its mother’s milk; cooking a kid in the milk from which it was to receive its nurture is seen as cruel.

עַשֵּׂ֣ר תְּעַשֵּׂ֔ר אֵ֖ת כָּל־תְּבוּאַ֣ת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ הַיֹּצֵ֥א הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה שָׁנָ֥ה שָׁנָֽה׃

You shall tithe the entire crop of your sowing, your produce that comes out in the field year by year. The tithes are determined according to the year of the Sabbatical cycle, as will be explained below. The Sages learned from this verse that the produce of one year cannot be set aside as tithe for the produce of a different year.

וְאָכַלְתָּ֞ לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ בַּמָּק֣וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר֮ לְשַׁכֵּ֣ן שְׁמ֣וֹ שָׁם֒ מַעְשַׂ֤ר דְּגָֽנְךָ֙ תִּֽירֹשְׁךָ֣ וְיִצְהָרֶ֔ךָ וּבְכֹרֹ֥ת בְּקָרְךָ֖ וְצֹאנֶ֑ךָ לְמַ֣עַן תִּלְמַ֗ד לְיִרְאָ֛ה אֶת־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

You shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place which He will choose to rest His name there, in close proximity to the Temple, the tithe of your grain, your wine, and your oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and your flocks, so that you will learn to fear the Lord your God all the days. The dispersal of the nation across the country, with no regular communication, may cause the people to lose sight of their unique essence. Therefore every farmer must come at least once a year to the Temple. Staying in the holy city together with his family, as they consume a tenth of their annual yield, will strengthen his and his family’s identification as members of the Jewish people, and will revitalize them as they return to their homes and regular lives.

וְכִֽי־יִרְבֶּ֨ה מִמְּךָ֜ הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ כִּ֣י לֹ֣א תוּכַ֘ל שְׂאֵתוֹ֒ כִּֽי־יִרְחַ֤ק מִמְּךָ֙ הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר יִבְחַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לָשׂ֥וּם שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם כִּ֥י יְבָרֶכְךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

If the way is too great for you, as you are unable to carry it, your tithe, from your home to Jerusalem, because the place that the Lord your God will choose to place His name there is too far from you, when the Lord your God blesses you, and the population will not be concentrated in one area; rather, it will be dispersed over a spacious country, and you will have abundant crops;

וְנָתַתָּ֖ה בַּכָּ֑סֶף וְצַרְתָּ֤ הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔ וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ׃

you shall be permitted to exchange it for silver, by selling the tithe to someone else or by redeeming it on your own, and you shall bind the silver in your hand, and you shall go to the

וְנָתַתָּ֣ה הַכֶּ֡סֶף בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּ֨ה נַפְשְׁךָ֜ בַּבָּקָ֣ר וּבַצֹּ֗אן וּבַיַּ֙יִן֙ וּבַשֵּׁכָ֔ר וּבְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּֽשְׁאָלְךָ֖ נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְאָכַ֣לְתָּ שָּׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֖ אַתָּ֥ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃

You shall spend the silver for whatever your heart desires, for cattle, or for sheep, or for wine, or for other intoxicating drink, or for whatever food your heart shall wish to purchase, and you shall eat it there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household.

וְהַלֵּוִ֥י אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַֽעַזְבֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין ל֛וֹ חֵ֥לֶק וְנַחֲלָ֖ה עִמָּֽךְ׃ (ס)

The Levite who is within your gates, your cities, you shall not forsake him, as he has no portion or inheritance with you, and as a result he typically has no produce of his own.

מִקְצֵ֣ה ׀ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֗ים תּוֹצִיא֙ אֶת־כָּל־מַעְשַׂר֙ תְּבוּאָ֣תְךָ֔ בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הַהִ֑וא וְהִנַּחְתָּ֖ בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃

Therefore, at the end of every three years, when you separate the various tithes, you shall take out all the tithe of your crop in that year, and, as opposed to the tithes of the two previous years, which were brought by the owner of the produce to Jerusalem, this year you shall deposit it for the needy within your gates . The Sages also derived from here the obligation, once in three years, to remove from one’s house all the tithes of the previous three years which for one reason or another did not reach their intended recipient. This commandment is discussed later at greater length (26:12).

וּבָ֣א הַלֵּוִ֡י כִּ֣י אֵֽין־לוֹ֩ חֵ֨לֶק וְנַחֲלָ֜ה עִמָּ֗ךְ וְ֠הַגֵּר וְהַיָּת֤וֹם וְהָֽאַלְמָנָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָ וְאָכְל֖וּ וְשָׂבֵ֑עוּ לְמַ֤עַן יְבָרֶכְךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (ס)

The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your gates, all of whom have no property or independent source of income, and are therefore in need of the tithe, they shall come, and they shall eat and be satisfied, so that, as a result, the Lord your God will bless you in all your endeavors that you do.