(Deuteronomy 23:9 - 23:14)
“When you set up camp while waging war against your enemies, avoid anything that is ritually impure. If one of your men is ritually impure because of a nocturnal emission, he must remove himself from camp for the day. He should stay away from camp until evening when he is to bathe himself, returning to camp at sunset.
“Establish a designated area outside of camp to be used as a latrine. Each man should have as part of his equipment a shovel so that when he urinates or defecates he can dig a hole for that purpose, then cover it up with dirt. The camp must be kept holy because Jehovah your god moves about in it as he protects you and defeats your enemies. He does not want to be exposed to anything indecent -- or else he may turn away from you!”
Notes
1. Jehovah continues his micromanagement of Israelite affairs, apparently thinking that his Chosen People are too stupid to figure out it needs to make a place where soldiers can relieve themselves. The reason for it, though, seems less for the sake of the Israelites than for Jehovah, who wants to make sure he will not offended by any unsanitary conditions. The Victorian dictum “cleanliness is next to godliness,” has its corollary here, “cleanliness (in the sense of maintaining ritual purity) is part of godliness.” And there is the threat that if Jehovah does not find everything squared away in camp, he will abandon the Israelites -- a rather petty threat for a presumed god to make.
2. Surely there is a certain impracticality in the rule that a soldier must absent himself from camp for a day if he has a nocturnal emission (colloquially, a wet dream, literally, an involuntary ejaculation occurring during sleep). One can imagine the scenarios. “Where is Captain Nehemiah? Why isn’t he attending our meeting of officers to discuss our strategy to defeat the Canaanites? Oh, he had a wet dream last night and won’t be able to come back to camp till after sunset.” or “Why can’t Benjamin perform guard duty today? He got out of it by saying he’s ritually impure because he supposedly had a nocturnal emission last night.” and “We don’t see much of our sergeant in camp these days. He keeps having wet dreams!” The situation seems patently ludicrous and one unlikely to further troop morale or personal dignity, being, at least to modern sensibilities, an embarrassing intrusion upon one’s privacy.
Showing posts with label ritual purity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ritual purity. Show all posts
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Friday, May 29, 2015
Purification of the Ritually Impure
(Book of Numbers 19:1 - 19:22)
Jehovah instructed Moses and Aaron, "Tell the Israelites that this is a ritual required by Jehovah: they must bring to you a red heifer [female calf] that is without flaw or defect, and has never been yoked. You should deliver it to Eleazar so that it can be taken outside of the camp and slaughtered in his presence. He will take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it 7 times in front of the Tabernacle. In his sight, the heifer should be burned, its hide, meat, blood, and internal organs. Onto the fire burning the heifer the priest should throw a length of cedar wood, a hyssop branch, and some wool yarn dyed scarlet.
"The priest must wash his clothes and bathe. He may then return to camp, but will be ritually impure until after sunset. The man who burns the heifer must also wash his clothes and bathe, and he, too, will remain ritually impure until after sunset. Someone who is ritually pure will collect the ashes of the burned heifer and deposit them in a ritually pure area outside of camp. These will be kept for the Israelite community to use with the cleansing water that is a part of the purification ritual. The person who collects the ashes of the heifer must wash his clothes and bathe and will remain ritually impure until after sunset.
"This will be a permanent law for the Israelites and for foreigners residing among them: those who have contact with a dead body will remain ritually impure for 7 days. They must purify themselves with water on the 3rd and the 7th days. If they do not do so, they cannot reclaim ritual purity, and if they do not properly purify themselves after having contact with a dead body, then they defile the Tabernacle of Jehovah and must be banished from the community of Israel. If the cleansing water has not been sprinkled upon them, they are impure and the impurity will remain with them.
"This is the law applicable when someone dies in a tent: anyone who has come into the tent where the dead person lies or who was in the tent when the person died will be ritually impure for 7 days. Every open container there without a lid or cover is also ritually impure. Anyone who touches a dead body in an open field, whether the person has been killed or died from natural causes, and anyone who touches a human bone or a grave will be ritually impure for 7 days.
"To cleanse the impure, ashes from the purification ritual should be placed in a jar and fresh water poured over them. A man who is ritually pure should dip a hyssop branch into the water and sprinkle it on the tent, its furnishings, and on all the people who were there, upon the person who touched the human bone, the person who touched the dead body of someone who was killed or died naturally, or someone who touched a grave. This person who is ritually pure should sprinkle the water on those who are impure on the 3rd and 7th days. Then, on the 7th day, those who are being cleansed should wash their clothes and bathe, and after sunset they will cleansed of their defilement.
"But those who become defiled and do not purify themselves, are to banished from the community because they have defiled the Tabernacle of Jehovah. Since the cleansing water has not been sprinkled upon them, they remain impure. This is a permanent law for the people. Those who sprinkled the purifying water must afterwards wash their clothes, and anyone who may touch the water used for purification will remain ritually impure until after sunset. And anyone and anything the defiled person may touch will remain ritually impure until after sunset."
Notes
1. While there may be symbolism in cleansing by the sprinkling of water mixed with the ashes of a slaughtered heifer, it is hard for the rational modern mind to find any cause-and-effect relationship here, as it is hard to see anything in the concept of ritual purity and purification save primitive superstition and rank nonsense. But it is easy to understand the bottom line: if you don't observe the common customs of the community, you will, at the very least, be kicked out of the community.
2. One wonders how much time and energy and resources were expended by the ancient Israelites upon the preservation and recovery of ritual purity. It did serve several important purposes, though -- making worshipers ever conscious of the laws placed upon them by Jehovah, as well as making the priesthood indispensable and endowing it with the power to interfere in practically every aspect of life.
Jehovah instructed Moses and Aaron, "Tell the Israelites that this is a ritual required by Jehovah: they must bring to you a red heifer [female calf] that is without flaw or defect, and has never been yoked. You should deliver it to Eleazar so that it can be taken outside of the camp and slaughtered in his presence. He will take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it 7 times in front of the Tabernacle. In his sight, the heifer should be burned, its hide, meat, blood, and internal organs. Onto the fire burning the heifer the priest should throw a length of cedar wood, a hyssop branch, and some wool yarn dyed scarlet.
"The priest must wash his clothes and bathe. He may then return to camp, but will be ritually impure until after sunset. The man who burns the heifer must also wash his clothes and bathe, and he, too, will remain ritually impure until after sunset. Someone who is ritually pure will collect the ashes of the burned heifer and deposit them in a ritually pure area outside of camp. These will be kept for the Israelite community to use with the cleansing water that is a part of the purification ritual. The person who collects the ashes of the heifer must wash his clothes and bathe and will remain ritually impure until after sunset.
"This will be a permanent law for the Israelites and for foreigners residing among them: those who have contact with a dead body will remain ritually impure for 7 days. They must purify themselves with water on the 3rd and the 7th days. If they do not do so, they cannot reclaim ritual purity, and if they do not properly purify themselves after having contact with a dead body, then they defile the Tabernacle of Jehovah and must be banished from the community of Israel. If the cleansing water has not been sprinkled upon them, they are impure and the impurity will remain with them.
"This is the law applicable when someone dies in a tent: anyone who has come into the tent where the dead person lies or who was in the tent when the person died will be ritually impure for 7 days. Every open container there without a lid or cover is also ritually impure. Anyone who touches a dead body in an open field, whether the person has been killed or died from natural causes, and anyone who touches a human bone or a grave will be ritually impure for 7 days.
"To cleanse the impure, ashes from the purification ritual should be placed in a jar and fresh water poured over them. A man who is ritually pure should dip a hyssop branch into the water and sprinkle it on the tent, its furnishings, and on all the people who were there, upon the person who touched the human bone, the person who touched the dead body of someone who was killed or died naturally, or someone who touched a grave. This person who is ritually pure should sprinkle the water on those who are impure on the 3rd and 7th days. Then, on the 7th day, those who are being cleansed should wash their clothes and bathe, and after sunset they will cleansed of their defilement.
"But those who become defiled and do not purify themselves, are to banished from the community because they have defiled the Tabernacle of Jehovah. Since the cleansing water has not been sprinkled upon them, they remain impure. This is a permanent law for the people. Those who sprinkled the purifying water must afterwards wash their clothes, and anyone who may touch the water used for purification will remain ritually impure until after sunset. And anyone and anything the defiled person may touch will remain ritually impure until after sunset."
Notes
1. While there may be symbolism in cleansing by the sprinkling of water mixed with the ashes of a slaughtered heifer, it is hard for the rational modern mind to find any cause-and-effect relationship here, as it is hard to see anything in the concept of ritual purity and purification save primitive superstition and rank nonsense. But it is easy to understand the bottom line: if you don't observe the common customs of the community, you will, at the very least, be kicked out of the community.
2. One wonders how much time and energy and resources were expended by the ancient Israelites upon the preservation and recovery of ritual purity. It did serve several important purposes, though -- making worshipers ever conscious of the laws placed upon them by Jehovah, as well as making the priesthood indispensable and endowing it with the power to interfere in practically every aspect of life.
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Treatment of Clothing with Tzaraath
(Leviticus 13:47 - 13:59)
"In regard to fabric and articles of clothing, whether of wool or linen, woven or knitted, or of leather, if the woven, knitted, or leather article has turned reddish or greenish with mould, it has been contaminated with tzaraath and must be shown to a priest. The priest should examine the affected article and store it in isolation for 7 days. On the seventh day, he should examine it again. If the mould has spread upon the woven or knitted cloth or piece of leather (irrespective of its use), then it is contaminated with tzaraath and is ritually impure. Whether the contaminated fabric be of wool or linen, woven or knitted, or of leather, it must be burned because it has tzaraath.
"However, if the priest examines it and finds that the mould on the woven or knitted clothing or article of leather has not spread, the priest should order the article washed and then stored in isolation for 7 more days. Afterwards, it will be reexamined by the priest. If the affected area is unchanged, even though the mould has not spread, it is still impure and must be burned, regardless of whether the contaminated area is on the inside or the outside of the fabric. But if, when the priest reexamines it, the mold has faded upon washing, then he should tear out the contaminated part of the woven or knitted fabric or leather article. If, after that, the mould reappears in the woven or knitted fabric or article of leather, it is obviously tsaraath and so the contaminated article must be burned. But if the mould has disappeared upon washing, then the woven or knitted clothing or article of leather should be washed again, at which time it will become ritually pure.
"These are the regulations concerning tzaraath in cloths of wool and linen, woven and knitted, and articles of leather, and the means by which the priest may determine whether they be ritually pure or impure."
Notes
1. Tzaraath in this context must refer to mould or mildew. It is curious, amusing even, that the Hebrews thought that mold and mildew that forms on clothes was the same thing as a skin disease and needed to be treated in the same manner. Odd that someone would find a spot of mildew on their robe and rush to have a priest examine it. Consider a modern person finding mildew on an old coat: Would he bring it to church and have the pastor look at it for fear that the garment might be ritually impure? One would think a person would simply brush off the mildew, wash and scrub the garment and think no more of it, at least have no thought that the matter would have any possible religious significance. Things were different in the ancient Hebraic world!
2. One gains the impression that, unlike their neighbors the Egyptians or, in a later period, the Greeks, the ancient Hebrews were not one for the daily bath or shower, nor were they disposed to wash their clothes frequently. When they bathed or washed their clothes, it seems as if it is only for a special occasion. This may be reason the may have suffered from skin diseases and found moulds and mildew on their clothes.
3. Fabrics that may be contaminated with tzaraath include wool and linen, as well as leather, but not cotton, which was probably unfamiliar to the Hebrews and, therefore, unlikely to have been worn by them. Cotton cultivation and cotton textiles date back to remote antiquity, but mostly in India, China, and Mexico. The Greeks were ignorant of cotton until the conquests of Alexander the Great in India. Dyed textiles and wool from animals other than sheep were traditionally not thought to be susceptible to contamination by tzaraath.
"In regard to fabric and articles of clothing, whether of wool or linen, woven or knitted, or of leather, if the woven, knitted, or leather article has turned reddish or greenish with mould, it has been contaminated with tzaraath and must be shown to a priest. The priest should examine the affected article and store it in isolation for 7 days. On the seventh day, he should examine it again. If the mould has spread upon the woven or knitted cloth or piece of leather (irrespective of its use), then it is contaminated with tzaraath and is ritually impure. Whether the contaminated fabric be of wool or linen, woven or knitted, or of leather, it must be burned because it has tzaraath.
"However, if the priest examines it and finds that the mould on the woven or knitted clothing or article of leather has not spread, the priest should order the article washed and then stored in isolation for 7 more days. Afterwards, it will be reexamined by the priest. If the affected area is unchanged, even though the mould has not spread, it is still impure and must be burned, regardless of whether the contaminated area is on the inside or the outside of the fabric. But if, when the priest reexamines it, the mold has faded upon washing, then he should tear out the contaminated part of the woven or knitted fabric or leather article. If, after that, the mould reappears in the woven or knitted fabric or article of leather, it is obviously tsaraath and so the contaminated article must be burned. But if the mould has disappeared upon washing, then the woven or knitted clothing or article of leather should be washed again, at which time it will become ritually pure.
"These are the regulations concerning tzaraath in cloths of wool and linen, woven and knitted, and articles of leather, and the means by which the priest may determine whether they be ritually pure or impure."
Notes
1. Tzaraath in this context must refer to mould or mildew. It is curious, amusing even, that the Hebrews thought that mold and mildew that forms on clothes was the same thing as a skin disease and needed to be treated in the same manner. Odd that someone would find a spot of mildew on their robe and rush to have a priest examine it. Consider a modern person finding mildew on an old coat: Would he bring it to church and have the pastor look at it for fear that the garment might be ritually impure? One would think a person would simply brush off the mildew, wash and scrub the garment and think no more of it, at least have no thought that the matter would have any possible religious significance. Things were different in the ancient Hebraic world!
2. One gains the impression that, unlike their neighbors the Egyptians or, in a later period, the Greeks, the ancient Hebrews were not one for the daily bath or shower, nor were they disposed to wash their clothes frequently. When they bathed or washed their clothes, it seems as if it is only for a special occasion. This may be reason the may have suffered from skin diseases and found moulds and mildew on their clothes.
3. Fabrics that may be contaminated with tzaraath include wool and linen, as well as leather, but not cotton, which was probably unfamiliar to the Hebrews and, therefore, unlikely to have been worn by them. Cotton cultivation and cotton textiles date back to remote antiquity, but mostly in India, China, and Mexico. The Greeks were ignorant of cotton until the conquests of Alexander the Great in India. Dyed textiles and wool from animals other than sheep were traditionally not thought to be susceptible to contamination by tzaraath.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Ritually Pure and Impure Creatures
(Leviticus 11:1 -11:47)
Jehovah told Moses and Aaron to instruct the Israelite community, "In regard to land animals, these are the ones that may be used for food: You may eat the meat of any animal that has both a split hoof and chews the cud, but not those that have a split hoof or chews the cud. For instance, the camel chews the cud, but does not have a split hoof; therefore, it is ritually impure. The hyrax chews the cud, but does not have a split hoof; it is impure. The rabbit chews the cud, but does not have a split hoof, so it, too, is ritually impure. The pig, though it has an evenly split hoof, does not chew the cud, and is, therefore, impure. You must not eat the meat or touch the carcasses of these animals, for to you they are ritually impure.
"In regard to marine animals, both of sea and stream, these are the ones that may be used as food: Any salt or fresh water creature that has both fins and scales may be eaten. But you must not eat any marine animal that does not have both fins and scales; whether they be small creatures that live in shallow water or creatures of the deep, they are abhorrent to you and must remain so. You must never eat their meat or touch their carcasses, for marine creatures without both fins and scales are ritually impure to you.
"The birds that are ritually impure and should not be eaten are: vultures, eagles, hawks, kites, ospreys, herons, ravens, seagulls, owls, storks, pelicans, herons, hoopoes, and also the bat.
"All flying insects that crawl on the ground are abhorrent to you and should not be eaten. An exception to these are winged insects that crawl on the ground, but have jointed legs that allow them to jump. Of these you may eat any variety of grasshopper, katydid, or cricket. Other winged insects that crawl on the ground are abhorrent to you. Such creatures will make you ritually impure so that if you have contact with their dead bodies you will remain impure until evening. If you pick up their dead bodies, you must wash your cloths afterwards, and you will remain impure until evening.
"Animals that do not have a completely divided hoof or do not chew the cud are ritually impure, and anyone having contact with their carcasses will be rendered impure until evening. Of land animals, those that walk on their paws are impure, and anyone having contact with their carcasses will remain impure until evening. If you pick up their carcasses, you must wash your cloths afterwards, and you will remain impure until evening, for to you these animals are ritually impure.
"Of land creatures, these are ritually impure to you: weasels, rats and mice, lizards, skinks, and geckos, crocodiles and chameleons. Anyone who touches the carcasses of these ritually impure land animals will be impure until evening.
“Anything that may have contact with the dead bodies of ritually impure creatures will be rendered ritually impure, whether it be an article of wood, cloth, leather, or burlap. Regardless of its use, the article should be washed in water. Although it will remain impure until evening, after that it will be ritually pure and may be reused. If the impure carcass falls into an earthenware vessel, the container will be rendered impure and must be smashed. Anything in the vessel is impure. If liquid from the vessel spills on any food, that food will become impure, and any beverage the vessel may contain will also be impure. Any object that comes into contact with the carcass of such an animal will be made impure. If this happens to be an earthen oven or a cooking pot, it should be broken -- it is ritually impure and must always be regarded by you as such. If, however, it is a spring or cistern, the water will remain ritually pure, although anyone who has contact with the carcass will still be rendered impure. If the carcass comes into contact with crop seeds, the seeds will still be pure unless they are wet, in which case they will become impure.
“If an animal that you are permitted to eat dies naturally and you have contact with its carcass, then you will be impure until evening. If you eat its meat or carry away its carcass, you must wash your clothes and you will remain ritually impure until evening.
“Crawling bugs are abhorrent and should never be eaten. Whether they slither on their bellies, have four feet, or are many legged, all such animals are abhorrent. Do not eat them or defile yourself by touching them. Do not make yourself ritually impure because of them.
"I am your god Jehovah. Sanctify yourself. Be holy, as I am. Don't defile yourself with these creepy, crawly things! I am Jehovah, who brought you out of Egypt in order that I might be your god. Therefore, you must be holy, because I am holy.
"These are my instructions concerning animals and birds, and all the creatures that swim in the sea or crawl on the ground. By them you may distinguish between those that are ritually pure and those that are impure, what animals may be eaten and what animals may not."
Notes
1. The animals reserved for human consumption, at least for the tribe of Israel, seem to be limited to livestock, cattle, sheep, and goats. Camels and pigs would have been wild animals and not, at that time, domesticated ones. It is likely that health reasons may have been a factor, perhaps a primary one in the selection. Many wild animals in ancient times may have known as carriers of parasites and vectors of human diseases. --- The Jehovah of Eden meant man to be a vegetarian. The Jehovah of Noah allowed man to be a meat eater. Now, the Jehovah of Moses sets up a regimen of what may be eaten and what must not be eaten.
2. Rabbits are technically not ruminants, that is, they do not chew the cud, as the biblical authors believed. They do rechew regurgitated food as well as eating some of their feces. Hyraxes, rodent-like animals one to two feet in length and indigenous to Africa and the Middle East, are not actually ruminants either, but often manifest chewing behavior that resembles chewing the cud.
3. Marine creatures acceptable for the dinner table seem to be limited to fish, no crabs or lobsters, shrimp, octopus. One would think that large fish such as sharks, whose skin is not scaly, and marine mammals such as whales and dolphins and seals would be off the menu as well.
4. The list of birds not to be eaten is considerable, but the exact species mentioned cannot be positively identified from the Hebrew. In fact, every Bible translation seems to have a different list of birds, sometimes including avian species not indigenous to the Middle East and those of which the ancient Hebrews would have had no knowledge. I have taken the liberty of condensing the list to include the most probable types of birds, which are all raptors or carrion eaters. It seems likely that Jehovah regarded these birds to be ritually impure because they ate animals that were impure. (Curious that the bat is included among the birds. They must have regarded it as a furry bird rather than, as we do, a flying mammal.)
5. Insects are generally not part of the approved diet, but ones that jump are, grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets. (I have used the word "grasshopper," most commonly used by Americans instead of "locust" which, though very biblical, is seldom used today. Grasshopper is, in fact a more general term embracing creatures of the Acrididae and Tettigoniidae families. Locusts, short-horned grasshoppers, are of the Acrididae family and are generally what we mean when we say “grasshopper.” Arboreal bush crickets, or katydids, belong to the Tettigoniidae family, and are sometimes termed long-horned grasshoppers. To make matters more confusing, cicadas, of the Cicadidae family, an entire different sort of insect, are often called locusts, but it is unlikely that they are referred to here.)
6. The abhorrent small, crawling or swarming creatures are not specifically named, but I assume the authors are talking about what we call bugs, which includes insects, spiders, worms, centipedes, etc. It might, however, include small mammals, since it mentions four-footed creatures. These, such as mice, have already been included, though, in the paragraph concerning land animals.
7. After being exposed to an impure animal, one is impure until evening, but there is no assertion that the impurity lasts beyond that time, even if one doesn't do as he is supposed to, such as wash his clothes. It must be remembered that the day, according to the Hebrews, begins at sundown, so evening is not, as we perceive it, the end of the day, but rather its beginning.
8. The impression given is that Jehovah and the Israelites are hardly animal lovers or nature worshipers. They seem to be the antithesis of the Egyptians who had a harmonious relationship with the wildlife about them, gave their gods animal heads, and, from the earliest times, kept animals as pets and companions. There is no reference here to pets, perhaps because the Hebrews had none, only livestock. But one ponders the compelling question, would Fido’s slobbering on you make you impure until sundown? And if your pet cat drank from your water cup, would that render the water ritually impure?
9. Ritual purity, incomprehensible to moderns and not really explainable in a material sense, is an important metaphysical concept that pervades most of Hebrew religious and social life. It is not unique to the Jewish religion, but is common in ancient and primitive religions.
Jehovah told Moses and Aaron to instruct the Israelite community, "In regard to land animals, these are the ones that may be used for food: You may eat the meat of any animal that has both a split hoof and chews the cud, but not those that have a split hoof or chews the cud. For instance, the camel chews the cud, but does not have a split hoof; therefore, it is ritually impure. The hyrax chews the cud, but does not have a split hoof; it is impure. The rabbit chews the cud, but does not have a split hoof, so it, too, is ritually impure. The pig, though it has an evenly split hoof, does not chew the cud, and is, therefore, impure. You must not eat the meat or touch the carcasses of these animals, for to you they are ritually impure.
"In regard to marine animals, both of sea and stream, these are the ones that may be used as food: Any salt or fresh water creature that has both fins and scales may be eaten. But you must not eat any marine animal that does not have both fins and scales; whether they be small creatures that live in shallow water or creatures of the deep, they are abhorrent to you and must remain so. You must never eat their meat or touch their carcasses, for marine creatures without both fins and scales are ritually impure to you.
"The birds that are ritually impure and should not be eaten are: vultures, eagles, hawks, kites, ospreys, herons, ravens, seagulls, owls, storks, pelicans, herons, hoopoes, and also the bat.
"All flying insects that crawl on the ground are abhorrent to you and should not be eaten. An exception to these are winged insects that crawl on the ground, but have jointed legs that allow them to jump. Of these you may eat any variety of grasshopper, katydid, or cricket. Other winged insects that crawl on the ground are abhorrent to you. Such creatures will make you ritually impure so that if you have contact with their dead bodies you will remain impure until evening. If you pick up their dead bodies, you must wash your cloths afterwards, and you will remain impure until evening.
"Animals that do not have a completely divided hoof or do not chew the cud are ritually impure, and anyone having contact with their carcasses will be rendered impure until evening. Of land animals, those that walk on their paws are impure, and anyone having contact with their carcasses will remain impure until evening. If you pick up their carcasses, you must wash your cloths afterwards, and you will remain impure until evening, for to you these animals are ritually impure.
"Of land creatures, these are ritually impure to you: weasels, rats and mice, lizards, skinks, and geckos, crocodiles and chameleons. Anyone who touches the carcasses of these ritually impure land animals will be impure until evening.
“Anything that may have contact with the dead bodies of ritually impure creatures will be rendered ritually impure, whether it be an article of wood, cloth, leather, or burlap. Regardless of its use, the article should be washed in water. Although it will remain impure until evening, after that it will be ritually pure and may be reused. If the impure carcass falls into an earthenware vessel, the container will be rendered impure and must be smashed. Anything in the vessel is impure. If liquid from the vessel spills on any food, that food will become impure, and any beverage the vessel may contain will also be impure. Any object that comes into contact with the carcass of such an animal will be made impure. If this happens to be an earthen oven or a cooking pot, it should be broken -- it is ritually impure and must always be regarded by you as such. If, however, it is a spring or cistern, the water will remain ritually pure, although anyone who has contact with the carcass will still be rendered impure. If the carcass comes into contact with crop seeds, the seeds will still be pure unless they are wet, in which case they will become impure.
“If an animal that you are permitted to eat dies naturally and you have contact with its carcass, then you will be impure until evening. If you eat its meat or carry away its carcass, you must wash your clothes and you will remain ritually impure until evening.
“Crawling bugs are abhorrent and should never be eaten. Whether they slither on their bellies, have four feet, or are many legged, all such animals are abhorrent. Do not eat them or defile yourself by touching them. Do not make yourself ritually impure because of them.
"I am your god Jehovah. Sanctify yourself. Be holy, as I am. Don't defile yourself with these creepy, crawly things! I am Jehovah, who brought you out of Egypt in order that I might be your god. Therefore, you must be holy, because I am holy.
"These are my instructions concerning animals and birds, and all the creatures that swim in the sea or crawl on the ground. By them you may distinguish between those that are ritually pure and those that are impure, what animals may be eaten and what animals may not."
Notes
1. The animals reserved for human consumption, at least for the tribe of Israel, seem to be limited to livestock, cattle, sheep, and goats. Camels and pigs would have been wild animals and not, at that time, domesticated ones. It is likely that health reasons may have been a factor, perhaps a primary one in the selection. Many wild animals in ancient times may have known as carriers of parasites and vectors of human diseases. --- The Jehovah of Eden meant man to be a vegetarian. The Jehovah of Noah allowed man to be a meat eater. Now, the Jehovah of Moses sets up a regimen of what may be eaten and what must not be eaten.
2. Rabbits are technically not ruminants, that is, they do not chew the cud, as the biblical authors believed. They do rechew regurgitated food as well as eating some of their feces. Hyraxes, rodent-like animals one to two feet in length and indigenous to Africa and the Middle East, are not actually ruminants either, but often manifest chewing behavior that resembles chewing the cud.
3. Marine creatures acceptable for the dinner table seem to be limited to fish, no crabs or lobsters, shrimp, octopus. One would think that large fish such as sharks, whose skin is not scaly, and marine mammals such as whales and dolphins and seals would be off the menu as well.
4. The list of birds not to be eaten is considerable, but the exact species mentioned cannot be positively identified from the Hebrew. In fact, every Bible translation seems to have a different list of birds, sometimes including avian species not indigenous to the Middle East and those of which the ancient Hebrews would have had no knowledge. I have taken the liberty of condensing the list to include the most probable types of birds, which are all raptors or carrion eaters. It seems likely that Jehovah regarded these birds to be ritually impure because they ate animals that were impure. (Curious that the bat is included among the birds. They must have regarded it as a furry bird rather than, as we do, a flying mammal.)
5. Insects are generally not part of the approved diet, but ones that jump are, grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets. (I have used the word "grasshopper," most commonly used by Americans instead of "locust" which, though very biblical, is seldom used today. Grasshopper is, in fact a more general term embracing creatures of the Acrididae and Tettigoniidae families. Locusts, short-horned grasshoppers, are of the Acrididae family and are generally what we mean when we say “grasshopper.” Arboreal bush crickets, or katydids, belong to the Tettigoniidae family, and are sometimes termed long-horned grasshoppers. To make matters more confusing, cicadas, of the Cicadidae family, an entire different sort of insect, are often called locusts, but it is unlikely that they are referred to here.)
6. The abhorrent small, crawling or swarming creatures are not specifically named, but I assume the authors are talking about what we call bugs, which includes insects, spiders, worms, centipedes, etc. It might, however, include small mammals, since it mentions four-footed creatures. These, such as mice, have already been included, though, in the paragraph concerning land animals.
7. After being exposed to an impure animal, one is impure until evening, but there is no assertion that the impurity lasts beyond that time, even if one doesn't do as he is supposed to, such as wash his clothes. It must be remembered that the day, according to the Hebrews, begins at sundown, so evening is not, as we perceive it, the end of the day, but rather its beginning.
8. The impression given is that Jehovah and the Israelites are hardly animal lovers or nature worshipers. They seem to be the antithesis of the Egyptians who had a harmonious relationship with the wildlife about them, gave their gods animal heads, and, from the earliest times, kept animals as pets and companions. There is no reference here to pets, perhaps because the Hebrews had none, only livestock. But one ponders the compelling question, would Fido’s slobbering on you make you impure until sundown? And if your pet cat drank from your water cup, would that render the water ritually impure?
9. Ritual purity, incomprehensible to moderns and not really explainable in a material sense, is an important metaphysical concept that pervades most of Hebrew religious and social life. It is not unique to the Jewish religion, but is common in ancient and primitive religions.
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