Leviticus“and he called”

Clean and Uncleano Rituallyo Makes a distinction between the clean and

uncleano Separated for a period of timeo Must purify ones self

Holiness CodeLeviticus 17-26

• “In the context of the history of religious ideas, the Holiness Code is an early example of the interpretive application of authoritative tradition.” (Wright, 363)

o explains, adapts, updates, and reformulates the Priestly Torah

How does it do this?• Holiness of G-d?

o P • “Through those who are near me I will show myself

holy, and before all the people I will be glorified.” (Lev 10:3b)

o H – shows how certain behaviors make God’s name unholy• “The LORD spoke to Moses saying: Direct Aaron and

his sons to deal carefully with the sacred donations of the people f Israel, which they dedicate to me, so that they may not profane my holy name; I am the LORD.” (Lev 22:2)

Lev 11• Yes

o Land animals: Divided hoofs, cleft-footed and chews the cudo Sea creatures: fins and scaleso Air creatures: does not specifyo Winged creatures: winged insects that walk on all fours that have

jointed legs above their feet - locusts, bald locusts, cricket, grasshopper,

o Swarming creatures: does not specify

• No – shall not eat or toucho Land animals: Those that chew the cud or have divided hoofs

• Camel, rock badger, hare, pig,o Sea creatures: lobster, crab, shellfisho Air creatures: Eagle, vulture, osprey, buzzard, kite, raven, ostrich,

nighthawk, sea gull, hawk, little owl, cormorant, great owl, water hen, desert owl, carrion vulture, stork, heron, hoopoe, bat

o Winged creatures: all other winged creatureso Swarming creatures: weasel, mouse, great lizard, gecko, land crocodile,

lizard, sand lizard, chameleon

Lev 11(P)

Lev 20:22-26 ( an addendum to Lev 11)

• “You shall keep all of my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them. So that the land to which I bring to you settle in may not vomit you out, You shall not follow the practices of the nation that I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. But I have said to you: You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the LORD your G-d; I have separated you from the peoples. You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; you shall not bring abomination on yourselves by animal or by bird or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean. You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples to be mine.”

Why these animals?• Categorization and Evaluation of Different Kinds

of Interpretations of the Laws of Clean and Unclean Animals in Lev 11 by Jiri Moskala (2002)

• Food for Thought: Systems of Categorization in Lev 11 by Naphtali S. Meshel (2008)

Christians and Kashrut/Kosher

• Mark 7:19• Acts 10:12-15; 15

Kosher?The most common symbol of kosher certification, from the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations, New York.

Other Symbols of Kosher.

Specific instructions on Priestly

garments

Lev 13Leprosy

• “The person who has the leprous disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair on his head be disheveled; and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, “Unclean, unclean.” He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (v. 45-46)

The Scapegoat

Lev 17:11• The blood makes the atonement

Lev 18:22• ‘You shall not not lie with a male as with a

woman; it is an abomination”

• Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13: Who is Doing What to Whom? By Jerome T. Walsh (2001)

• Context of Holiness Code

Lev 19 Various Rules of

Conduct

“You shall not heart in yourHeart anyone of your kin;you shall reprove yourNeighbors; or you willIncur guilt yourself. YouShall not take vengeance orbear a grudge against anyOf your people; but youShall love your neighborAs yourself; I am the LORD.(19:17-18)

19:27

Lev 19.28Lev 20.13

20.9

The Penalties for Violations

• death

Holiness of Places• Sanctuary, the camp, the land

• Graduation of holiness

• New Testament “tearing of the curtain”