The Wilderness Years

for there will always be poor people in the land. That is why I am giving you this order, 'You must open your hand to your poor and needy brother in your land.'

"If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, he is to serve you for six years; but in the seventh year, you are to set him free.

Moreover, when you set him free, don't let him leave empty-handed;

but supply him generously from your flock, threshing-floor and winepress; from what ADONAI your God has blessed you with, you are to give to him.

Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and ADONAI your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this order today.

But if he says to you, 'I don't want to leave you,' because he loves you and your household, and because his life with you is a good one;

then take an awl, and pierce his ear through, right into the door; and he will be your slave forever. Do the same with your female slave.

Don't resent it when you set him free, since during his six years of service he has been worth twice as much as a hired employee. Then ADONAI your God will bless you in everything you do.

"All the firstborn males in your herd of cattle and in your flock you are to set aside for ADONAI your God; you are not to do any work with a firstborn from your herd or shear a firstborn sheep.

Each year you and your household are to eat it in the presence of ADONAI your God in the place which ADONAI will choose.

But if it has a defect, is lame or blind, or has some other kind of fault, you are not to sacrifice it to ADONAI your God;

rather, eat it on your own property; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, like the gazelle or the deer.

Just don't eat its blood, but pour it out on the ground like water.

"Observe the month of Aviv, and keep Pesach to ADONAI your God; for in the month of Aviv, ADONAI your God brought you out of Egypt at night.

You are to sacrifice the Pesach offering from flock and herd to ADONAI your God in the place where ADONAI will choose to have his name live.

You are not to eat any hametz with it; for seven days you are to eat with it matzah, the bread of affliction; for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste. Thus you will remember the day you left the land of Egypt as long as you live.

No leaven is to be seen with you anywhere in your territory for seven days. None of the meat from your sacrifice on the first day in the evening is to remain all night until morning.

You may not sacrifice the Pesach offering in just any of the towns that ADONAI your God is giving you;

but at the place where ADONAI your God will choose to have his name live - there is where you are to sacrifice the Pesach offering, in the evening, when the sun sets, at the time of year that you came out of Egypt.

You are to roast it and eat it in the place ADONAI your God will choose; in the morning you will return and go to your tents.

For six days you are to eat matzah; on the seventh day there is to be a festive assembly for ADONAI your God; do not do any kind of work.

"You are to count seven weeks; you are to begin counting seven weeks from the time you first put your sickle to the standing grain.

You are to observe the festival of Shavu'ot [weeks] for ADONAI your God with a voluntary offering, which you are to give in accordance with the degree to which ADONAI your God has prospered you.

You are to rejoice in the presence of ADONAI your God - you, your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, the L'vi'im living in your towns, and the foreigners, orphans and widows living among you - in the place where ADONAI your God will choose to have his name live.

Remember that you were a slave in Egypt; then you will keep and obey these laws.