In Leviticus 11, we come to the laws forbidding
and permitting the eating of certain animals. Why certain animals made the cut
(forgive the pun) and were considered clean, and other animals did not make the
grade and were considered unclean, remains a bit of a mystery. Friedman says,
The reasons for these particular inclusions and
exclusions have never been worked out persuasively. Explanations based on
health and hygiene are difficult to defend, both because the text never states
this and because such explanations cannot be consistently applied to the
cases…. Ultimately, since no single underlying principle has been discovered
that accounts for all the distinctions, it appears likely that there is a
convergence of two or probably more factors. It could be a combination of a
principle (such as likeness to humans) and completely idiosyncratic factors (a
distaste, phobia, or even allergy on the part of some individual in an
authoritative position).
For the larger purpose of coming to an understanding of
Leviticus, it is important for now to note the fact of distinction and how seriously and pervasively it is developed here
in regard to a basic function of life.[1]
Another important point that Friedman makes is
that:
There is no differentiation of species of water creatures
in the entire Tanak…. A more likely
explanation is that the list of permitted and forbidden animals came from the
Jerusalem priesthood, and before the invention of refrigeration it would have
been extremely rare for anyone in Jerusalem to have an opportunity to eat fish.[2]
Personally, I am grateful for Jesus who upended all of these kosher laws when he said in Mark 7:18-23,
Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “It is what comes out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.
In Leviticus 12, we find an entire chapter on
menstruation and the procedure for purification after a woman’s period. This is
the first time this subject appears in the Torah. For a woman, this is a
natural occurrence. For a man, an issue of blood is a sign that something is
wrong. As Friedman points out, this is a mysterious and intimidating subject
even for a male who understands the biology of it. I think the negative tone of
this passage confirms, if we needed any confirmation, that at least this part
of Leviticus was written by a man. If women had been in charge and were writing
these laws, do you think they would have made the time for purification of
females double that of any man?
Once again, Jesus upended the law when he touched a woman who had an issue of blood and healed her (Mark 5:25-34). I believe that Jesus, by his words and actions, changed attitudes towards women in general.
Leviticus 13 deals with various skin diseases.
Friedman has this interesting comment on this subject….
When one has a visible problem on his or her skin…it is a
special distress: embarrassing, frightening. One feels ugly. One does not know how
long it will last. One wonders if others are making fun or pitying or feeling
disgusted. The laws in this section convey that it is not that the person has
done something wrong, that it is not
something intrinsic in the person’s
behavior. Being impure because of a skin condition does not mean that one has
done something wrong any more than being impure because one happens to be
menstruating means that one has done something wrong. The issue is that a
qualified person (a priest) should identify the condition, steps should be
taken to prevent it from spreading, and the afflicted person should become well
and return to the community. We no longer treat these conditions through
priests at the Temple, but we can still learn from this to be sensitive to the
added distress, embarrassment, and vulnerability that are felt by those who
suffer from illnesses that affect their appearance.[3]
While what Friedman says is true, how persons with skin diseases (the word “leprosy” covers a number of skin conditions) were treated in ancient times certainly would have made them feel more uncomfortable and ostracized
from society. Leviticus 13:45-46 says,
The person who has the leprous disease shall wear torn
clothes and let the hair of 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.
Jesus dealt with such people on more than one
occasion, and in at least one instance, Jesus broke the law in the way he went
about healing the person. I am going to be preaching on this text, Mark
1:40-45, hopefully next Sunday. When I post it next week, you can listen to the
sermon here: http://willvaus.com/mark. This text in Mark also connects with the procedure for purification
after healing from leprosy in Leviticus 14.
For now, let me just say that I am grateful for Jesus who reaches out and touches us in our sickness and imperfection and uncleanness and makes us whole and pure.
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