6:1] The Eternal One spoke to Moses, saying: 2] Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If any men or women explicitly utter a nazirite’s vow, to set themselves apart for the Eternal, 3] they shall abstain from wine and any other intoxicant; they shall not drink vinegar of wine or of any other intoxicant, neither shall they drink anything in which grapes have been steeped, nor eat grapes fresh or dried. 4] Throughout their term as nazirite, they may not eat anything that is obtained from the grapevine, even seeds or skin.
5] Throughout the term of their vow as nazirite, no razor shall touch their head; it shall remain consecrated until the completion of their term as nazirite of the Eternal, the hair of their head being left to grow untrimmed. 6] Throughout the term that they have set apart for the Eternal, they shall not go in where there is a dead person. 7] Even if their father or mother, or their brother or sister should die, they must not become defiled for any of them, since hair set apart for their God is upon their head: 8] throughout their term as nazirite they are consecrated to the Eternal.
9] If someone dies suddenly nearby, defiling the consecrated hair, the [nazirite] shall shave the head at the time of becoming pure, shaving it on the seventh day. 10] On the eighth day that person shall bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 11] The priest shall offer one as a purgation offering and the other as a burnt offering, and make expiation on the person’s behalf for the guilt incurred through the corpse. That same day the head shall be reconsecrated; 12] and that person shall rededicate to the Eternal the term as nazirite, bringing a lamb in its first year as a penalty offering. The previous period shall be void, since the consecrated hair was defiled.
13] This is the ritual for the nazirite: On the day that the term as nazirite is completed, the person shall be brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 14] As an offering to the Eternal that person shall present: one male lamb in its first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; one ewe lamb in its first year, without blemish, for a purgation offering; one ram without blemish for an offering of well-being; 15] a basket of unleavened cakes of choice flour with oil mixed in, and unleavened wafers spread with oil; and the proper meal offerings and libations.
16] The priest shall present them before the Eternal and offer the purgation offering and the burnt offering. 17] He shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of well-being to the Eternal, together with the basket of unleavened cakes; the priest shall also offer the meal offerings and the libations. 18] The nazirite shall then shave the consecrated hair, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and take those locks of consecrated hair and put them on the fire that is under the sacrifice of well-being.
19] The priest shall take the shoulder of the ram when it has been boiled, one unleavened cake from the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and place them on the hands of the nazirite after the consecrated hair has been shaved. 20] The priest shall elevate them as an elevation offering before the Eternal; and this shall be a sacred donation for the priest, in addition to the breast of the elevation offering and the thigh of gift offering. After that the nazirite may drink wine.
21] Such is the obligation of a nazirite; except that those who vow an offering to the Eternal of what they can afford, beyond their nazirite requirements, must do exactly according to the vow that they have made beyond their obligation as nazirites.
22] The Eternal One spoke to Moses: 23] Speak to Aaron and his sons: Thus shall you bless the people of Israel. Say to them:
24] The Eternal bless you and protect you!
25] The Eternal deal kindly and graciously with you!
26] The Eternal bestow [divine] favor upon you and grant you peace!
27] Thus they shall link My name with the people of Israel, and I will bless them.
7:1] On the day that Moses finished setting up the Tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, as well as the altar and its utensils. When he had anointed and consecrated them, 2] the chieftains of Israel, the heads of ancestral houses, namely, the chieftains of the tribes, those who were in charge of enrollment, drew near 3] and brought their offering before the Eternal: six draught carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two chieftains and an ox for each one.
When they had brought them before the Tabernacle, 4] the Eternal One said to Moses: 5] Accept these from them for use in the service of the Tent of Meeting, and give them to the Levites according to their respective services.
6] Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites. 7] Two carts and four oxen he gave to the Gershonites, as required for their service, 8] and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the Merarites, as required for their service—under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. 9] But to the Kohathites he did not give any; since theirs was the service of the [most] sacred objects, their porterage was by shoulder.
10] The chieftains also brought the dedication offering for the altar upon its being anointed. As the chieftains were presenting their offerings before the altar, 11] the Eternal One said to Moses: Let them present their offerings for the dedication of the altar, one chieftain each day.
12] The one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab of the tribe of Judah. 13] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 14] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 15] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 16] one goat for a purgation offering; 17] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.
18] On the second day, Nethanel son of Zuar, chieftain of Issachar, made his offering. 19] He presented as his offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 20] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 21] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 22] one goat for a purgation offering; 23] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.
24] On the third day, it was the chieftain of the Zebulunites, Eliab son of Helon. 25] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 26] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 27] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 28] one goat for a purgation offering; 29] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.
30] On the fourth day, it was the chieftain of the Reubenites, Elizur son of Shedeur. 31] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 32] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 33] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 34] one goat for a purgation offering; 35] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.
36] On the fifth day, it was the chieftain of the Simeonites, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 37] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 38] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 39] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 40] one goat for a purgation offering; 41] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
42] On the sixth day, it was the chieftain of the Gadites, Eliasaph son of Deuel. 43] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 44] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 45] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 46] one goat for a purgation offering; 47] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.
48] On the seventh day, it was the chieftain of the Ephraimites, Elishama son of Ammihud. 49] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 50] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 51] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 52] one goat for a purgation offering; 53] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.
54] On the eighth day, it was the chieftain of the Manassites, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 55] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 56] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 57] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 58] one goat for a purgation offering; 59] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
60] On the ninth day, it was the chieftain of the Benjaminites, Abidan son of Gideoni. 61] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 62] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 63] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 64] one goat for a purgation offering; 65] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.
66] On the tenth day, it was the chieftain of the Danites, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 67] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 68] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 69] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 70] one goat for a purgation offering; 71] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
72] On the eleventh day, it was the chieftain of the Asherites, Pagiel son of Ochran. 73] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 74] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 75] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 76] one goat for a purgation offering; 77] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.
78] On the twelfth day, it was the chieftain of the Naphtalites, Ahira son of Enan. 79] His offering: one silver bowl weighing 130 shekels and one silver basin of 70 shekels by the sanctuary weight, both filled with choice flour with oil mixed in, for a meal offering; 80] one gold ladle of 10 shekels, filled with incense; 81] one bull of the herd, one ram, and one lamb in its first year, for a burnt offering; 82] one goat for a purgation offering; 83] and for his sacrifice of well-being: two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs. That was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.
84] This was the dedication offering for the altar from the chieftains of Israel upon its being anointed: silver bowls, 12; silver basins, 12; gold ladles, 12. 85] Silver per bowl, 130; per basin, 70. Total silver of vessels, 2,400 sanctuary shekels. 86] The 12 gold ladles filled with incense—10 sanctuary shekels per ladle—total gold of the ladles, 120.
87] Total of herd animals for burnt offerings, 12 bulls; of rams, 12; of yearling lambs, 12—with their proper meal offerings; of goats for purgation offerings, 12. 88] Total of herd animals for sacrifices of well-being, 24 bulls; of rams, 60; of he-goats, 60; of yearling lambs, 60. That was the dedication offering for the altar after its anointing.
89] When Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with [God], he would hear the Voice addressing him from above the cover that was on top of the Ark of the Pact between the two cherubim; thus [God] spoke to him.
Translation from The Torah: A Modern Commentary, copyright (c) 2016 by CCAR Press. All rights reserved. Translation of Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers; Deuteronomy from NJPS © 1962, 1985, 1999; CJPS © 2006. Used and adapted by CCAR Press with permission from The Jewish Publication Society and the University of Nebraska Press. No part of this translation may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or be transmitted without express written permission from the Central Conference of American Rabbis. For permission, please contact CCAR Press.