Vayikra (Leviticus) - Chapter 17

17:1 Mar-Yah spoke to Mosha, saying, 17:2 "Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the B'nai Yisrael, and say to them: 'This is the thing which Mar-Yah has commanded, 17:3 Whatever man there is of the house of Yisrael, who kills a bull, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or who kills it outside the camp, 17:4 and has not brought it to the door of the Tabernacle, to offer it as an offering to Mar-Yah before the tabernacle of Mar-Yah: blood shall be imputed to that man. He has shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people. 17:5 This is to the end that the B'nai Yisrael may bring their sacrifices, which they sacrifice in the open field, that they may bring them to Mar-Yah, to the door of the Tabernacle, to the priest, and sacrifice them for sacrifices of peace offerings to Mar-Yah. 17:6 The priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of Mar-Yah at the door of the Tabernacle, and burn the fat for a pleasant aroma to Mar-Yah. 17:7 They shall no more sacrifice their sacrifices to the goat idols, after which they play the prostitute. This shall be a statute forever to them throughout their generations.'

17:8 "You shall say to them, 'Any man there is of the house of Yisrael, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, 17:9 and does not bring it to the door of the Tabernacle, to sacrifice it to Mar-Yah; that man shall be cut off from his people.

17:10 "'Any man of the house of Yisrael, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who eats any kind of blood, I will set my face against that soul who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people. 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life. 17:12 Therefore I have said to the B'nai Yisrael, "No person among you shall eat blood, and neither shall any stranger who lives as a foreigner among you eat blood."

17:13 "'Whatever man there is of the B'nai Yisrael, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who takes in hunting any animal or bird that may be eaten; he shall pour out its blood, and cover it with dust. 17:14 For as to the life of all flesh, its blood is with its life: therefore I said to the B'nai Yisrael, "You shall not eat the blood of any kind of flesh; for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off."

17:15 "'Every person that eats what dies of itself, or that which is torn by animals, whether he is native-born or a foreigner, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the evening: then he shall be clean. 17:16 But if he does not wash them, or bathe his flesh, then he shall bear his iniquity.'"