Parashah 24: Vayikra (He called) 1:1–5:26(6:7)

1 Adonai called to Moshe and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, ² “Speak to the people of Isra’el; say to them, ‘When any of you brings an offering to Adonai, you may bring your animal offering either from the herd or from the flock. ³ If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he must offer a male without defect. He is to bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, so that it can be accepted by Adonai. ⁴ He is to lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. ⁵ He is to slaughter the young bull before Adonai ; and the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to present the blood. They are to splash the blood against all sides of the altar, which is by the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁶ He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it in pieces. ⁷ The descendants of Aharon the cohen are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. ⁸ The sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to arrange the pieces, the head and the fat on the wood which is on the fire on the altar. ⁹ He is to wash the entrails and lower parts of the legs with water, and the cohen is to cause all of it to go up in smoke on the altar as a burnt offering; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai.

¹⁰ “‘If his offering is from the flock, whether from the sheep or from the goats, for a burnt offering, he must offer a male without defect. ¹¹ He is to slaughter it on the north side of the altar before Adonai; and the sons of Aharon, the cohanim, are to splash its blood against all sides of the altar. ¹² He is to cut it into pieces, and the cohen is to arrange them with the head and fat on the wood which is on the fire on the altar. ¹³ He is to wash the entrails and lower parts of the legs with water; and the cohen is to offer it all and make it go up in smoke on the altar as a burnt offering; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai.

(ii) ¹⁴ “‘If his offering to Adonai is a burnt offering of birds, he must offer a dove or a young pigeon. ¹⁵ The cohen is to bring it to the altar, snap off its head and make it go up in smoke on the altar; its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. ¹⁶ He is to remove the food pouch and its feathers from its neck and discard it on the pile of ashes just east of the altar. ¹⁷ He is to pull it open with a wing on each side, but without tearing it in half. The cohen is to make it go up in smoke on the altar, on the wood which is on the fire, as a burnt offering; it is an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai.

2 “‘Anyone who brings a grain offering to Adonai is to make his offering of fine flour; he is to pour olive oil on it and put frankincense on it. ² He is to bring it to the sons of Aharon, the cohanim. The cohen is to take a handful of fine flour from it, together with its olive oil and all its frankincense, and make this reminder portion go up in smoke on the altar as an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai. ³ But the rest of the grain offering will belong to Aharon and his sons; it is an especially holy part of the offerings for Adonai made by fire.

⁴ “‘When you bring a grain offering which has been baked in the oven, it is to consist of either unleavened cakes made of fine flour mixed with olive oil or matzah spread with olive oil. ⁵ If your offering is a grain offering cooked on a griddle, it is to consist of unleavened fine flour mixed with olive oil; ⁶ you are to break it in pieces and pour olive oil on it — it is a grain offering. (iii) ⁷ If your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pot, it is to consist of fine flour with olive oil.

⁸ “‘You are to bring the grain offering prepared in any of these ways to Adonai ; it is to be presented to the cohen, and he is to bring it to the altar. ⁹ The cohen is to remove the reminder portion of the grain offering and make it go up in smoke on the altar as an offering made by fire, a fragrant aroma for Adonai. ¹⁰ But the rest of the grain offering will belong to Aharon and his sons; it is an especially holy part of the offerings for Adonai made by fire.

¹¹ “‘No grain offering that you bring to Adonai is to be made with leaven, because you are not to cause any leaven or honey to go up in smoke as an offering made by fire to Adonai. ¹² As an offering of firstfruits you may bring these to Adonai, but they are not to be brought up onto the altar to make a fragrant aroma. ¹³ You are to season every grain offering of yours with salt — do not omit from your grain offering the salt of the covenant with your God, but offer salt with all your offerings.

¹⁴ “‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to Adonai, you are to bring as the grain offering from your firstfruits kernels of grain from fresh ears, dry-roasted with fire. ¹⁵ Put olive oil on it, and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. ¹⁶ The cohen is to cause the reminder portion of it, its grits and olive oil, with all its frankincense, to go up in smoke; it is an offering made by fire for Adonai.