וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כִּ֣י תָבֹ֗אוּ אֶל־אֶ֙רֶץ֙ מוֹשְׁבֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶֽם׃

The following commandment is addressed not to the adult individuals then assembled in the wilderness, but rather to the children of Israel as a people, since only their descendants would enter the land. Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you will come into the land of your dwellings that I am giving to you,

וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם אִשֶּׁ֤ה לַֽיהוָה֙ עֹלָ֣ה אוֹ־זֶ֔בַח לְפַלֵּא־נֶ֙דֶר֙ א֣וֹ בִנְדָבָ֔ה א֖וֹ בְּמֹעֲדֵיכֶ֑ם לַעֲשׂ֞וֹת רֵ֤יחַ נִיחֹ֙חַ֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה מִן־הַבָּקָ֖ר א֥וֹ מִן־הַצֹּֽאן׃

and you will perform of your own free will a fire offering to the Lord, either in the form of a burnt offering or a peace offering to fulfill a vow, or if you bring a particular animal as a pledge, a gift offering, or at your appointed times, to create a pleasing aroma to the Lord, from the cattle, or from the flock;

וְהִקְרִ֛יב הַמַּקְרִ֥יב קָרְבָּנ֖וֹ לַֽיהוָ֑ה מִנְחָה֙ סֹ֣לֶת עִשָּׂר֔וֹן בָּל֕וּל בִּרְבִעִ֥ית הַהִ֖ין שָֽׁמֶן׃

the one who presents his offering to the Lord shall present a meal offering. He must bring a meal offering from the world of vegetation to accompany his animal offering, in accordance with these measurements: One-tenth of an ephah of high-quality flour made from ground wheat kernels, mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil. In contemporary terms, one-tenth of an ephah is more than 2 L, and a hin is somewhat larger than 1 L.

וְיַ֤יִן לַנֶּ֙סֶךְ֙ רְבִיעִ֣ית הַהִ֔ין תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה עַל־הָעֹלָ֖ה א֣וֹ לַזָּ֑בַח לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָאֶחָֽד׃

And in addition, you shall also bring wine to be poured upon the altar as the libation: One-fourth of a hin you shall make these amounts of flour, oil, and wine with the burnt offering or for the peace offering, for one sheep. As explained in the coming verses, the amounts change in accordance with the type of animal brought as an offering.

א֤וֹ לָאַ֙יִל֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה מִנְחָ֔ה סֹ֖לֶת שְׁנֵ֣י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֑ים בְּלוּלָ֥ה בַשֶּׁ֖מֶן שְׁלִשִׁ֥ית הַהִֽין׃

Or for an offering consisting of a ram, which is an older animal from the same species as the sheep, in the second year of its life, you shall perform a meal offering consisting of two-tenths of an ephah of high-quality flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil.

וְיַ֥יִן לַנֶּ֖סֶךְ שְׁלִשִׁ֣ית הַהִ֑ין תַּקְרִ֥יב רֵֽיחַ־נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיהוָֽה׃

And you shall present wine as the libation: One-third of a hin, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

וְכִֽי־תַעֲשֶׂ֥ה בֶן־בָּקָ֖ר עֹלָ֣ה אוֹ־זָ֑בַח לְפַלֵּא־נֶ֥דֶר אֽוֹ־שְׁלָמִ֖ים לַֽיהוָֽה׃

When you render a young bull a burnt offering, or a peace offering, to fulfill a vow or a peace offering to the Lord,

וְהִקְרִ֤יב עַל־בֶּן־הַבָּקָר֙ מִנְחָ֔ה סֹ֖לֶת שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה עֶשְׂרֹנִ֑ים בָּל֥וּל בַּשֶּׁ֖מֶן חֲצִ֥י הַהִֽין׃

one shall present with the young bull a meal offering: Three-tenths of an ephah of high-quality flour, which is three times as large as the meal offering for a sheep, mixed with one-half a hin of oil, twice the amount brought with a sheep.

וְיַ֛יִן תַּקְרִ֥יב לַנֶּ֖סֶךְ חֲצִ֣י הַהִ֑ין אִשֵּׁ֥ה רֵֽיחַ־נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיהוָֽה׃

And you shall present wine as the libation: One-half a hin as a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

כָּ֣כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֗ה לַשּׁוֹר֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ד א֖וֹ לָאַ֣יִל הָאֶחָ֑ד אֽוֹ־לַשֶּׂ֥ה בַכְּבָשִׂ֖ים א֥וֹ בָעִזִּֽים׃

In general, so shall be done for one bull, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or for a kid.

כַּמִּסְפָּ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ כָּ֛כָה תַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָאֶחָ֖ד כְּמִסְפָּרָֽם׃

According to the number of offerings that you shall do, so shall you do for each according to their number. The meal offerings and libations that accompany these offerings shall correspond to the number and type of animals that are offered.

כָּל־הָאֶזְרָ֥ח יַעֲשֶׂה־כָּ֖כָה אֶת־אֵ֑לֶּה לְהַקְרִ֛יב אִשֵּׁ֥ה רֵֽיחַ־נִיחֹ֖חַ לַֽיהוָֽה׃

Every native shall do these in this precise manner, to present a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. There are fixed amounts for the meal offerings and libations brought with the offerings.

וְכִֽי־יָגוּר֩ אִתְּכֶ֨ם גֵּ֜ר א֤וֹ אֲשֶֽׁר־בְּתֽוֹכְכֶם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וְעָשָׂ֛ה אִשֵּׁ֥ה רֵֽיחַ־נִיחֹ֖חַ לַיהוָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשׂ֖וּ כֵּ֥ן יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃

If a stranger will reside with you as a full-fledged convert who has become a member of the nation or one who is already living in your midst for your generations, and will perform a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord, as you do, so he shall do. There is no difference between an Israelite from birth and a convert who has joined the nation.

הַקָּהָ֕ל חֻקָּ֥ה אַחַ֛ת לָכֶ֖ם וְלַגֵּ֣ר הַגָּ֑ר חֻקַּ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם כָּכֶ֛ם כַּגֵּ֥ר יִהְיֶ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

The verse addresses the assembly: There shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who resides, an eternal statute for your generations; like you, so the stranger shall be before the Lord. With regard to obligations toward God, such as these rules regarding meal offerings and libations that accompany offerings, the law applies equally to Israelites from birth and to converts.

תּוֹרָ֥ה אַחַ֛ת וּמִשְׁפָּ֥ט אֶחָ֖ד יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם וְלַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֥ר אִתְּכֶֽם׃ (פ)

One law and one ordinance shall be for you and for the stranger who resides with you. This principle goes beyond the specific topic at hand, as it refers to all the statutes and ordinances given to the children of Israel. These laws apply to all members of the nation, whether they are Israelites from birth or converts who have joined the nation.

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The next commandment will also take effect only after the Israelites enter the land. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

דַּבֵּר֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם בְּבֹֽאֲכֶם֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֛י מֵבִ֥יא אֶתְכֶ֖ם שָֽׁמָּה׃

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come to the land that I am bringing you there,

וְהָיָ֕ה בַּאֲכָלְכֶ֖ם מִלֶּ֣חֶם הָאָ֑רֶץ תָּרִ֥ימוּ תְרוּמָ֖ה לַיהוָֽה׃

it shall be, when you eat from the bread of the land, you shall separate from it a gift for the Lord.

רֵאשִׁית֙ עֲרִסֹ֣תֵכֶ֔ם חַלָּ֖ה תָּרִ֣ימוּ תְרוּמָ֑ה כִּתְרוּמַ֣ת גֹּ֔רֶן כֵּ֖ן תָּרִ֥ימוּ אֹתָֽהּ׃

From the first of your kneading basket you shall separate a loaf [ halla ] as a gift. Due to this verse, the portion separated from the dough is known as ḥalla . Like the gift from the threshing floor, the portion known as teruma that is set aside from produce for the priests, so shall you separate it, the ḥalla from the dough.

מֵרֵאשִׁית֙ עֲרִסֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם תִּתְּנ֥וּ לַיהוָ֖ה תְּרוּמָ֑ה לְדֹרֹ֖תֵיכֶֽם׃ (ס)

From the first of your kneading basket you shall give to the Lord a gift for your generations.

וְכִ֣י תִשְׁגּ֔וּ וְלֹ֣א תַעֲשׂ֔וּ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַמִּצְוֺ֖ת הָאֵ֑לֶּה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶֽׁה׃

If you act unwittingly and do not observe all these commandments that the Lord spoke to Moses,

אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֑ה מִן־הַיּ֞וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה וָהָ֖לְאָה לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶֽם׃

everything that the Lord commanded to you at the hand of Moses, from the day that the Lord commanded and onward for your generations. According to the tradition of the Sages, the unwitting act described here, which leads to a neglect of all the commandments, refers to the specific, fundamental sin of idolatry. This was the first prohibition Israel received in the Ten Precepts: “I am the Lord your God…. You shall have no other gods before Me.” These verses discuss a situation where one transgresses this prohibition unwittingly, as can happen in complicated cases or situations involving a lack of clarity in one’s thoughts or action. However, in a case where one worshipped idols intentionally, atonement cannot be achieved by means of an offering.

וְהָיָ֗ה אִ֣ם מֵעֵינֵ֣י הָעֵדָה֮ נֶעֶשְׂתָ֣ה לִשְׁגָגָה֒ וְעָשׂ֣וּ כָל־הָעֵדָ֡ה פַּ֣ר בֶּן־בָּקָר֩ אֶחָ֨ד לְעֹלָ֜ה לְרֵ֤יחַ נִיחֹ֙חַ֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וּמִנְחָת֥וֹ וְנִסְכּ֖וֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט וּשְׂעִיר־עִזִּ֥ים אֶחָ֖ד לְחַטָּֽת׃

It shall be, if from the eyes of the congregation it was performed unwittingly, as a result of an erroneous ruling by the court, then the entire congregation, meaning the court, which represents the entire congregation of Israel, shall render one young bull as a burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord, and its meal offering and its libation according to the ordinance, and one goat as a sin offering. This is different from a comparable case of a communal sin as a result of an erroneous ruling with regard to other sins, in which case the congregation brings a bull as a sin offering.

וְכִפֶּ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן עַֽל־כָּל־עֲדַ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְנִסְלַ֣ח לָהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־שְׁגָגָ֣ה הִ֔וא וְהֵם֩ הֵבִ֨יאוּ אֶת־קָרְבָּנָ֜ם אִשֶּׁ֣ה לַֽיהוָ֗ה וְחַטָּאתָ֛ם לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה עַל־שִׁגְגָתָֽם׃

The priest shall atone for the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and it will be forgiven for them, as it was an unwitting act, and when they became aware of their error they brought their offering, a fire offering to the Lord, and their sin offering before the Lord, for their unwitting act.

וְנִסְלַ֗ח לְכָל־עֲדַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֣ר בְּתוֹכָ֑ם כִּ֥י לְכָל־הָעָ֖ם בִּשְׁגָגָֽה׃ (ס)

The entire congregation of the children of Israel shall be forgiven. Even if the sin was not actually performed by every member of the congregation, an erroneous ruling on the part of the upper echelon of the nation’s leadership, which is then acted upon by the general public, is considered a transgression of the entire congregation. Therefore, the offering brought by the court serves to atone for both its own sin and that of the entire nation, and also for the stranger that resides in their midst, since he too is part of the congregation, as it was an unwitting transgression for the entire people.

וְאִם־נֶ֥פֶשׁ אַחַ֖ת תֶּחֱטָ֣א בִשְׁגָגָ֑ה וְהִקְרִ֛יבָה עֵ֥ז בַּת־שְׁנָתָ֖הּ לְחַטָּֽאת׃

After discussing an unwitting sin of idolatry performed by the congregation as a result of a mistaken ruling by the court, the Torah continues with a case of the same sin committed unwittingly by an individual: If one person will sin unwittingly, he shall present a female goat in its first year as a sin offering. For an ordinary sin offering, one may bring either a female lamb or a female goat. However, for the specific transgression of idolatry one must bring a goat, as is the case for other offerings connected with this sin.

וְכִפֶּ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן עַל־הַנֶּ֧פֶשׁ הַשֹּׁגֶ֛גֶת בְּחֶטְאָ֥ה בִשְׁגָגָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לְכַפֵּ֥ר עָלָ֖יו וְנִסְלַ֥ח לֽוֹ׃

The priest shall atone for the unwitting person, when he sins unwittingly, before the Lord, to atone for him; and it shall be forgiven for him.

הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְלַגֵּ֖ר הַגָּ֣ר בְּתוֹכָ֑ם תּוֹרָ֤ה אַחַת֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם לָעֹשֶׂ֖ה בִּשְׁגָגָֽה׃

The native of the children of Israel and for the stranger that resides in their midst: There shall be one law for you, for one who acts unwittingly.

וְהַנֶּ֜פֶשׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה ׀ בְּיָ֣ד רָמָ֗ה מִן־הָֽאֶזְרָח֙ וּמִן־הַגֵּ֔ר אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה ה֣וּא מְגַדֵּ֑ף וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מִקֶּ֥רֶב עַמָּֽהּ׃

The aforementioned offerings atone for an individual or a community that committed the sin of idolatry due to an error of judgment or as a result of a habitual, unthinking action. In contrast, the person that will act high-handedly, purposely and with malicious intent, whether native or stranger, it is the Lord that he blasphemes, and that person shall be excised from among his people, wherever he is. This punishment is inflicted by God and it is not within the jurisdiction of the court.

כִּ֤י דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ בָּזָ֔ה וְאֶת־מִצְוָת֖וֹ הֵפַ֑ר הִכָּרֵ֧ת ׀ תִּכָּרֵ֛ת הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא עֲוֺנָ֥ה בָֽהּ׃ (פ)

Because he scorned the word of the Lord by committing the transgression, and he violated His commandment; as a result, that person shall be excised; his iniquity is upon him.

וַיִּהְי֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַֽיִּמְצְא֗וּ אִ֛ישׁ מְקֹשֵׁ֥שׁ עֵצִ֖ים בְּי֥וֹם הַשַּׁבָּֽת׃

In connection with the descriptions of high-handed sins like idolatry and blasphemy, the Torah relates an incident that illustrates how the children of Israel responded to a serious public violation of one of the commandments that occurred in their midst during their wanderings in the wilderness: The children of Israel were in the wilderness and they found a man gathering wood on the Sabbath day.

וַיַּקְרִ֣יבוּ אֹת֔וֹ הַמֹּצְאִ֥ים אֹת֖וֹ מְקֹשֵׁ֣שׁ עֵצִ֑ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃

Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to the entire congregation, and testified that he had desecrated Sabbath in a high-handed manner.

וַיַּנִּ֥יחוּ אֹת֖וֹ בַּמִּשְׁמָ֑ר כִּ֚י לֹ֣א פֹרַ֔שׁ מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂ֖ה לֽוֹ׃ (ס)

They placed him in custody, because it had not been explicated what precisely should be done to him. It was clear that he was liable to receive the death penalty, as the verse states explicitly: “You shall observe the Sabbath, as it is sacred for you; its desecrators shall be put to death.” However, it was necessary to determine the precise manner in which he was to be executed.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מ֥וֹת יוּמַ֖ת הָאִ֑ישׁ רָג֨וֹם אֹת֤וֹ בָֽאֲבָנִים֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה מִח֖וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃

The Lord said to Moses: The man shall be put to death by stoning; the entire congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.

וַיֹּצִ֨יאוּ אֹת֜וֹ כָּל־הָעֵדָ֗ה אֶל־מִחוּץ֙ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיִּרְגְּמ֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ בָּאֲבָנִ֖ים וַיָּמֹ֑ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה׃ (פ)

The entire congregation took him outside the camp, and they stoned him with stones, and he died, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֥ם צִיצִ֛ת עַל־כַּנְפֵ֥י בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָ֑ם וְנָֽתְנ֛וּ עַל־צִיצִ֥ת הַכָּנָ֖ף פְּתִ֥יל תְּכֵֽלֶת׃

Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: They shall make for themselves a fringe consisting of a group of hanging threads on the corners of their garments for their generations, and in addition, they shall put on the fringe of the corner a sky-blue thread.

וְהָיָ֣ה לָכֶם֮ לְצִיצִת֒ וּרְאִיתֶ֣ם אֹת֗וֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֺ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־תָתֻ֜רוּ אַחֲרֵ֤י לְבַבְכֶם֙ וְאַחֲרֵ֣י עֵֽינֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֥ם זֹנִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃

It shall be for you a fringe, and you shall see it and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and perform them. The garments with fringes shall serve as a reminder of God’s commandments and you shall not rove after your heart and after your eyes, after which you stray. The combination of a lusting heart and seeing eye is a dangerous one, as it can lead one to violate the Torah’s laws.

לְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכְּר֔וּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֶת־כָּל־מִצְוֺתָ֑י וִהְיִיתֶ֥ם קְדֹשִׁ֖ים לֵֽאלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

So that you shall remember and perform all My commandments throughout your daily lives and mundane pursuits, and be holy to your God in all your ways, thoughts, and actions.

אֲנִ֞י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם אֲשֶׁ֨ר הוֹצֵ֤אתִי אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים אֲנִ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃ (פ)

I am the Lord your God, who took you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God. By taking the children of Israel out of Egypt, God consecrated them as His servants. In order to ensure that they preserve this sanctity by observing the commandments, the Israelites are in need of these fixed signs on their garments.