The Wilderness Years

ostriches, screech-owls, seagulls, any kind of hawk,

little owls, great owls, horned owls,

pelicans, barn owls, cormorants,

storks, any kind of heron, hoopoes and bats.

"All winged swarming creatures are unclean for you; they are not to be eaten;

but all clean flying creatures you may eat.

"You are not to eat any animal that dies naturally; although you may let a stranger staying with you eat it, or sell it to a foreigner; because you are a holy people for ADONAI your God. "You are not to boil a young animal in its mother's milk.

"Every year you must take one tenth of everything your seed produces in the field,

and eat it in the presence of ADONAI your God. In the place where he chooses to have his name live you will eat the tenth of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your cattle and sheep, so that you will learn to fear ADONAI your God always.

But if the distance is too great for you, so that you are unable to transport it, because the place where ADONAI chooses to put his name is too far away from you; then, when ADONAI your God prospers you,

you are to convert it into money, take the money with you, go to the place which ADONAI your God will choose,

and exchange the money for anything you want - cattle, sheep, wine, other intoxicating liquor, or anything you please - and you are to eat there in the presence of ADONAI your God, and enjoy yourselves, you and your household.

"But don't neglect the Levi staying with you, because he has no share or inheritance like yours.

At the end of every three years you are to take all the tenths of your produce from that year and store it in your towns.

Then the Levi, because he has no share or inheritance like yours, along with the foreigner, the orphan and the widow living in your towns, will come, eat and be satisfied - so that ADONAI your God will bless you in everything your hands produce.

"At the end of every seven years you are to have a sh'mittah.

Here is how the sh'mittah is to be done: every creditor is to give up what he has loaned to his fellow member of the community -he is not to force his neighbor or relative to repay it, because ADONAI's time of remission has been proclaimed.

You may demand that a foreigner repay his debt, but you are to release your claim on whatever your brother owes you.

In spite of this, there will be no one needy among you; because ADONAI will certainly bless you in the land which ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess -

if only you will listen carefully to what ADONAI your God says and take care to obey all these mitzvot I am giving you today.

Yes, ADONAI your God will bless you, as he promised you - you will lend money to many nations without having to borrow, and you will rule over many nations without their ruling over you.

"If someone among you is needy, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which ADONAI your God is giving you, you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from giving to your needy brother.

No, you must open your hand to him and lend him enough to meet his need and enable him to obtain what he wants.

Guard yourself against allowing your heart to entertain the mean-spirited thought that because the seventh year, the year of sh'mittah is at hand, you would be stingy toward your needy brother and not give him anything; for then he may cry out to ADONAI against you, and it will be your sin.

Rather, you must give to him; and you are not to be grudging when you give to him. If you do this, ADONAI your God will bless you in all your work, in everything you undertake -