Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Leviticus 11 specifies clean and unclean animals.  Today we do not concern ourselves with these laws.  They are considered dietary and not needed in our modern society.  The list of unclean includes the camel, rock badger, rabbit, pig, vultures, kites, falcons, eagles, ravens, and crows.  Certain sea creatures and insects are also unclean as well as all crawling animals like lizards.

The restrictions on pork and other meats may continue to be good for humans.  Medicine directs us to avoid many of these that God originally made unclean for us.  Most Americans still maintain insect prohibition and expand it to all the family.

The teaching in Leviticus 12 about the cleansing of a woman after childbirth also deals with the subject of blood and purification.  Blood must be shed to cancel out sin.  Blood also makes a person unclean if they meet blood except in the case of making offerings to Jehovah.  Once again, a provision is made for someone that cannot afford a lamb.

Skin disease is discussed in Leviticus 13.  The law gives medical advice as well as nutritional information.  Much of this does not seem very important to modern people.  We must understand that this is instructions to the people who do not have medical doctors.  Medicine in that age was trial and error.  The isolation of certain people with specific symptoms is to prevent the contagious conditions being spread throughout the community.

The end of this chapter deals with mold in much the same manner.  USDA & FDA regulations were not available.  These are the Israeli equivalent to these rules.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger