Editing Book of Leviticus (section)

== Themes ==

===Sacrifice and ritual===
Many scholars argue that the rituals of Leviticus have a theological meaning concerning Israel's relationship with its God. [[Jacob Milgrom]] was especially influential in spreading this view. He maintained that the priestly regulations in Leviticus expressed a rational system of theological thought. The writers expected them to be put into practice in Israel's temple, so the rituals would express this theology as well, as well as ethical concern for the poor.<ref>Milgrom (2004), pp. 8–16.</ref> Milgrom also argued that the book's purity regulations (chapters 11–15) have a basis in ethical thinking.<ref>Milgrom (1991), pp. 704–41.</ref> Many other interpreters have followed Milgrom in exploring the theological and ethical implications of Leviticus's regulations (e.g., Marx, Balentine), though some have questioned how systematic they really are.<ref>Watts (2013), pp. 40–54.</ref> Ritual, therefore, is not taking a series of actions for their own sake, but a means of maintaining the relationship between God, the world, and humankind.<ref>Balentine (1999) p. 150</ref>

===Kehuna (Jewish priesthood)===
{{main|Kohen}}

The main function of the priests is service at the altar, and only the sons of [[Aaron]] are priests in the full sense.<ref>Grabbe (2006), p. 211</ref> (Ezekiel also distinguishes between altar-priests and lower Levites, but in Ezekiel the altar-priests are sons of Zadok instead of sons of Aaron; many scholars see this as a remnant of struggles between different priestly factions in First Temple times, finding resolution by the Second Temple into a hierarchy of Aaronite altar-priests and lower-level Levites, including singers, gatekeepers and the like.)<ref>Grabbe (2006), p. 211 (fn. 11)</ref>

In chapter 10, God kills [[Nadab and Abihu]], the oldest sons of Aaron, for offering "strange incense". Aaron has two sons left. Commentators have read various messages in the incident: a reflection of struggles between priestly factions in the post-Exilic period (Gerstenberger); or a warning against offering incense outside the Temple, where there might be the risk of invoking strange gods (Milgrom). In any case, there has been a pollution of the sanctuary by the bodies of the two dead priests, leading into the next theme, holiness.<ref>Houston, p. 110</ref>

===Uncleanliness and purity===
Ritual purity is essential for an Israelite to be able to approach Yahweh and remain part of the community.<ref name="Kugler, Hartin, p.82"/> Uncleanliness threatens holiness;<ref>Davies, Rogerson, p. 101</ref> chapters 11–15 review the various causes of uncleanliness and describe the rituals which will restore cleanliness;<ref>Marx, p. 104</ref> one is to maintain cleanliness through observation of the rules on sexual behaviour, family relations, land ownership, worship, sacrifice, and observance of holy days.<ref name="Balentine 2002, p.8">Balentine (2002), p. 8</ref>

[[Yahweh]] dwells with Israel in the [[Tabernacle]]. All of the priestly ritual focuses on Yahweh and the construction and maintenance of a holy space, but sin generates impurity, as do everyday events such as childbirth and [[menstruation]]; impurity pollutes the holy dwelling place. Failure to purify the sacred space ritually could result in God's leaving, which would be disastrous.<ref>Gorman, pp. 10–11</ref>

=== Infectious diseases in chapter 13 ===
In chapter 13, God instructs Moses and Aaron on how to identify infectious diseases and deal with them accordingly. The translators and interpreters of the Hebrew Bible in various languages have never reached a consensus on these infectious diseases, or {{transliteration|hbo|[[tzaraath]]}} ({{lang|hbo|צרעת}}), and the translation and interpretation of the scriptures are not known for certain. The most common translation is that these infectious diseases are [[leprosy]];<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=studylight.org|title=Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable Leviticus13|url=https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcc/leviticus-13.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813024700/https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcc/leviticus-13.html|archive-date=13 August 2021|access-date=3 March 2021}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=biblestudytools.com|title=Encyclopedias – International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Tetter|url=https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/tetter/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003234904/http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/tetter/|archive-date=3 October 2014|access-date=3 March 2021}}</ref> however, what is described in chapter 13 does not represent a typical manifestation of leprosy. Modern dermatology shows that many of the infectious diseases in chapter 13 were likely [[Dermatophytosis|dermatophytoses]], a group of highly contagious skin diseases.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Kathryn P Trayes, Katherine Savage, James S Studdiford|title=Annular Lesions: Diagnosis and Treatment,Am Fam Physician.2018 Sep 1;98(5):283–291.|url=https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/0901/afp20180901p283.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027075215/https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/0901/afp20180901p283.pdf|archive-date=27 October 2020|access-date=3 March 2021}}</ref>

The infectious disease of the chin described in verses 29–37 seems to be [[Tinea barbae]] in men or [[Tinea faciei]] in women; the infectious disease described in verses 29–37 (as resulting in hair loss and eventual baldness) seems to be [[Tinea capitis]] ([[Favus]]). Verses 1–17 seem to describe [[Tinea corporis]].

The Hebrew word {{transliteration|hbo|bohaq}} in verses 38–39 is translated as '[[tetter]]' or '[[freckle]]s',<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> likely because translators did not know what it meant at the time, and thus, translated it incorrectly. Later translations identify it as talking about [[vitiligo]]; however, vitiligo is not an infectious disease. The disease, described as healing itself and leaving white patches after infection,{{citation needed|reason=verse needed|date=March 2022}} is likely to be [[Tinea versicolor|pityriasis versicolor]] (tinea versicolor).<ref name=":2" /> ''Tetter'' originally referred to an outbreak, which later evolved meaning ringworm-like lesions. Therefore, a common name for [[Athlete's foot|Tinea pedis]] (athlete's foot) was Cantlie's foot tetter.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Homei, A.; Worboys, M.|title=Fungal Disease in Britain and the United States 1850–2000: Mycoses and Modernity. Springer. 2013-11-11: 44. ISBN 978-1-137-37702-9|date=11 November 2013|publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-137-37702-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wVDyAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA44}}</ref> In addition, verses 18–23 describe infections after [[Scalding|scald]], and verses 24–28 describe infections after [[burn]].

===Atonement===
[[File:William Holman Hunt - The Scapegoat.jpg|thumb|''[[The Scapegoat (painting)|The Scapegoat]]'' (1854 painting by [[William Holman Hunt]])]]

Through sacrifice, the priest "makes atonement" for sin and the offeror receives forgiveness (but only if Yahweh accepts the sacrifice).<ref>Houston, p. 106</ref> Atonement rituals involve the pouring or sprinkling of blood as the symbol of the life of the victim: the blood has the power to wipe out or absorb the sin.<ref name="Houston107">Houston, p. 107</ref> The two-part division of the book structurally reflects the role of atonement: chapters 1–16 call for the establishment of the institution for atonement, and chapters 17–27 call for the life of the atoned community in holiness.<ref>Knierim, p. 114</ref>

===Holiness===
The consistent theme of chapters 17–26 is in the repetition of the phrase, "Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy."<ref name="Balentine 2002, p.8"/> Holiness in ancient Israel and the Hebrew Bible had a different meaning than in contemporary usage: it might have been regarded as the essence of Yahweh, an invisible but physical and potentially dangerous force.<ref>Rodd, p. 7</ref> Specific objects, or even days, can be holy, but they derive holiness from being connected with Yahweh—the seventh day, the tabernacle, and the priests all derive their holiness from him.<ref>Brueggemann, p. 99</ref> As a result, Israel had to maintain its own holiness in order to live safely alongside God.<ref>Rodd, p. 8</ref>

The need for holiness is for the possession of the Promised Land ([[Canaan]]), where the Jews will become a holy people: "You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt where you dwelt, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan to which I am bringing you{{nbsp}}[...] You shall do my ordinances and keep my statutes{{nbsp}}[...] I am the Lord, your God." (Leviticus 18:3).<ref>Clines, p.56</ref>