Pty od De helt error. ‘Aveibusing danger is one way of puting a subject, ee en Poecencr america ed trae fo include if tnceannes is mater out of plac, we moe spraichi¢thinagh order. Unclennen or drt otha wich mete mentee cates Suc teartemnce rset se chee See irente anfeeny net peeon an ‘separate areas of existence, eae 3 The Abominations of Leviticus Drtessnre is never an jolted event. It cannot occur except in view of a tystematie ordering of idea. Hence any piecemeal interpretation f the pollotion rules of another culture is bound to fall For the only way in which polltion ideas make sense is In reference to'a tora structure of thought whose keystone, boundaries, margins and internal lines are held in relation by al of separation. “Fo illutrate thir [tske # Roary old puzzle from biblical scholarship the abominations of Levtioa, and particularly the Gietary rues, Why should the camel. the hare and the rock badger be unclean? Why should some locus but not all, be un ‘lean? Why should he frog be lean and the mouse and the hippo ‘potamus unclean? What have chameleons, moles and eroeadt fn common that they should be Tisted together Levi. xi 27)? "To help follow the argument I fst quote the relevant versions ‘of Leviticus and Deuteronomy using the text ofthe New Revised Standard Translation. Deut. si0 in ewo, and chews the cud, |: You shall ot ext any abom- among the animale you may inable things 4, These are the ext, 7. Yet of those that chew animale you may eat: the ox, the cud or have the hoof coven the sep, the gow the hare, you shall not eat these: The the evlle, the rusbuck, the camel, the hare and the rock wild goat, the iber, the ante- badger, becuse they chew the lope and the mountainsheep. cud but do not part the hoof, {6 Brery animal that pars the are unclean fr you. 8. And the IBoof and as the hoot eloven swine, because it parts the hoot aPurity and Danger Bur doesnot chew the cud tunlesm for you “Thai fe you shall no at and tei a fates you shall nr touch, 9 OF al ae ate in the wate may ent these: whatever Fas fine aod cles you may en to And. whateret docs not fave fi and scales You shall not ett iis uncle for 1: You may ex al clean bre. ta, Bue thee are the ones sbich ‘you shall not ‘ats the Eagle, the valor, the onpey. tgrthe buzzard, the kite, ater heir ‘hinds. every taten te er Hind she otic, the night have; the aa gal the hawk, alter their Linde 6. the litle owl andthe gest ow, {he water hen ry. and the pe fan, the canon vulture snd the’ cormorant, 18. the mor, theberoa, afte heir hind he hoopoe and the bat... nd all ioged Insects are unica for yous they shall not be eaten. 2. All dean winged things you ray ex. see 8 2 These are the Uving things which you may es anon {he best that te onthe ea 5 Whatever pars the hoof and # corenfooted snd chews the fxd, smog the animale you nay ent Neverteles among hone that chew the cud or ptt fhe of, you shall not eat those: The’ camel, Betis Ht chews the cud but dot not pare thc oot is uniean you FF And the rock badger be Sau chow the end bu does ot prt he hoof, unclean vo yon And the bare, breast Ir Ghem the cd but does not pare the hoof, unclean 0 So. And he swine, Because put he boot and be covere food bn docs not chew the cud unclean to you 8. Of Ghee es you shall wot at, and their crcanes you tal fot ouch they ae uncles 0 you. Thee you may et of that are in he waters Every {ing in che war that b fast scales wheter In the sesso inthe river, you may cat to. But anything in the Sas or the ever chat as not fe and sae of he eating Creatures te waters ad of the living crear chat ae fa the wate an abomination topos They hal remain tm thominstio oyu othe ies you ball nr ea, 20d thee rts yous oven sbomination, Everything in che mtr hat hav ns ss ‘caeis an abomination oyu wp And thew you sll Bove 4m abomination among. the Vir they ba or be ete, they are an abomination: he cagle the ena, he Cpr, ser the kite, the son acto ing es hind ng. every raven storing tol ind, 16. he The Abominetions of Leviticus ‘ostrich and the night hawk the Sea gull, the aw according to its kind, 17. the ow, the cor rmorant, the ibis, #8. the water then, the pelican, the vultute, 1 the stork, the heron accord ing 10 ts kind, the hoopoe and the bat. 20. All winged inseces that go upon all fours are an sbomination to you. a1. Yet among the winged insects that goon all fours you may eat hose which have legs thove hele feet, with which to leap ‘upon the earth. 22, Of chem you may eat: the locust accord Ing to ite kind, the bald locust according to" it kind, the Cricket according to ie kind, fd the gratthopper according fo its kind. 25. But all other winged insects which have fou fect sre an abomination to yo 24, And by thete you shall be come unclean; whoever touches ‘helr carcass shall be unclean tnt the evening, a5, and who- rer cartin any part of thelr carcae shall wash his clothes tod be unclean until the even: ing. 26: Every animal which parts the hoo bute not coven footed or docs not chew the cd ix unclean to you: every fe who touches them shall Be Al thei tncean 27. Adal dat goon their pn mong the sonal that fp on all fear ar um clean fo your whoever touches {heir carne aall be unclean ‘onl the evening, 28. and he ho eats thelr cree sal vrs hin clothes tad’ be Sean ual the evelng, hey fre unclean to you, 3. And thes are unclean fo you among the swarming, age tat Sarm upon the eat; the wren, the mouse, the. great liar according toi Lindo. the gecto, the land crocolil the lined, the sand sad and the chameleon. 31. Thee ae Since to you stony all hat ‘arm; whoever tour them ten they ae dead shall be un Sean unl the erening” 92 ‘Red anything upon which any Gf then fale when they dea shall be uncer, 4 very swarming thing that Searms pon the tanh san Shomination, it shallot be Catena. Whatever oct on its ety and whatever gos on all tout, or whatever fae many feet all the swarming things ‘hat owarma upon the ett yoo ‘ball not est for they ae an Sominaien etatons given so far fall into one of two groups: cither the rales are meanings, arbitrary becaute their Intent fs disciplinary and not doctrinal, or they ate allege the view that religlout prescriptions are and vices, Adop of virtues largely devoid of symbolism, Maimonides suid 8Purity and Danger Tes Tay hat ures sl Bough evden of rene lie bat we cannot say why one afeting should es amb wh another isa sam, an wh 2 Sued number of thew should be bought. "Tae whe wou shemscicet Sd nse fr any ofthese eta rates ae In xy eyes devoid of wense = ‘As 2 mediaetal doctor of medicine, Maimonides was alo di posto believe dt the diary rules had » sound phsiogid Fri, hut we have alteady dvmised nthe second chapetthe Ieical approach to spmbelitm. For a moder vesion of the view thar the diery rules are not symbrlie, but eb, dnc plinary, sce Epatein’s English notes tothe Babylonian Talon fd lt his populae history of Jods (1955 ps 3)2 “Both sets of laws have one cominon aim. Hotness. While ‘he pontine precept have bcs onan for ie elton af tire and for the promotion of stove finer quis which Sings the ely sclgios and eta beg the neat receptor dened (o combat vie an sppre athe {endian instincts which sth ste mans sing {Grande hie The negate tego aware Hewes signed educational sims ani pupores oremon sng thee ithe probbiin of eating the fh of certain animal Saved 4 ‘clea. Ths law hat nobingtoteae shou eT ee ready ssocited in Spee wth the Heal of lies, Feat objet iy wan the let in scons the In enable ist ep forthe atainment of ine! ‘According to Profesor Stsn's The Distry Lass in Rabbinic and Patristic Literature, the ethical interpretation goes back to the time of lexander the Grest and the Hellenic influence 09 Jewisls culture. The fist century a, letters of Arsene teaches that not only are the Mossi rules a valuable discipline which ‘prevents the Jens trom thought ation and Inu, but they alto coincide with what natural reson would dictate for achieving the good! ife.'So the Hellenic inflence allows the aedical and ethical interpretations to run together, Philo held that Mose prince of tlcton was pdny to cho the most delicious meats “The Langiver sternly forbade all animals of land, sea ot air whose lsh isthe fitst and fatter like that of pg eed ses lev fh, knowing that shey seta trap forthe moat save of snes the taste and hat they produced glaony fn The Abominations of Leviticus (and here we ate led srnight into the medial interpretation) ‘an il dangerous to both sul and body, for glutony beget fdigeton, which inthe source ofall illaesses 8nd infmiies, ven ma ns i ei es ef ara he CO See ray ae aay ary setae tana Se = “Commence Soameeeia al there Soutarieohsnciac ect Sitter lame ea aia capa hon Sern smug i fen i nce, em, rg ete de ohare ey Sou cate eee cee resets ocean eu itis areas oa he Er ime ieanaey aeons cpione ence oe ag ne ule Coma signi et Se Cen sient Pale ett me penn ory rant eo rcParty and Danger Daftemen in 3 teened ay. Mickem says it more fan when he says of Leviticus: “ u “Chapters xt wo x are perhaps che lee atactive inthe whole Bible To the modern render there mach ithe tha ‘meaningless repubiv Taey ave conte ih Hoa -ow Eleanest in ropect of armas) of chin (in, kon Aiwases ant sated garments (4) 0 the nts forte pors: Sion ef sin dese i) of lepay and of various tebe or ‘ets of the burma by OF whet er cach tabjecs be exept tothe sntoploget? Wha can allthis Bove do wth tegons PB Piers generat poston i to be ert of the pricy and legal lect nthe i ot eel Sh toe arty forthe view thatthe ler in tbe Prssly Cole are arbiteary a ao So peste sara pind Soleo tose es erg SOL De cutee ae wnt oe vies ie Cena ene Png aimee sere Pee eee lees tee cance wea, gt itd aaa Se oe es Ie may be tue tht lawyers tend to think in predic and ea fed forms. Buti i paunble to argue that they tend to codify shetty ets? Pier sec ave srays insting on the leglinie sgiity of the prise ‘thors and poling to the lek of onde in te sting out of {he chapter to ju bis view thatthe ruler ae ‘Atbratins ft dectedly unexpected quality to fs ‘asthe Rev. Prot HJ Richards has pointed out to me: For Source ertibm atbute Leviticato the Prey sours, the ‘omminsat enerh of whore authors wa for order So the weight of sure ecm suppor i looking for another Inverpre> "AS for the idea hat che rule are llegorica of vies and vice, Profesor Stein derives this vigorous tation fom the The Abominations of Leviticus same early Alexandrian inflcnce on Jewish thought (p. 145 i}. Quoting the leer of Aisteas, he says thatthe High Priest, Blew “adie tat tot peopled the Biblia food resucans not tinue i Go she Crear of eeyeing why shold Hs law be a severe to cata sme Sima eve fom toack (ap Hin fe anoner sl inks the try wi ee fT id ter ag Drea pci charges by micane of alegre exes the ata eben Too, fue deep om. Mon dino uments the out a the weasel uf spect eosin ion for them (eas) On the eontay mice ave parcaaly Sontus Brome of thir destctencay and weasel the {ey symbol of mulkiou tledcarng,comesive trough the Eras gre bith through the mouth (6p Rather have {hes hot) te Ben peor te ike of junc ose devout thoughts and to form our character (662), The for inate the fwe ar allowed te et eal ame and Sean, as they lve by fom sal. Not the wid and ea foroue bide wh fll gon le and gents and even human lng Moby calling the Ito wlan, dzone the Sina not too lee dhe weak sod not co tur hee ton power (4s). Cloven oofod animale which pat thet fed yt she our ans ue beuny proper tat Ainincdam aod be chee vans righenuanas > Chews ing the cud the ater hand sande for memory Professor Stein gocs on to quote Phil us of allegory ro int prot the ditary rules "Fish with ing and scales, adie by the law, symbolise endue ne an all conta whilst the forbidden one ae sept ay by he curren, unable wo resi the fore ofthe stream. Reptiles, twigling slong by tealling thes Illy, signify perons who tevin themscies to thelr ever greedy’ desires and pasons, iseping thingy, however, which have loge above thelr fet 50 that they can leap, te ean because they symbolise the succes ‘of mora fle” ‘Christian teaching hae really followed the allegrising tad tion, The fe century episte of Bapnabus, written to convince the Jews thar thelr Taw fad found its fulfilment, rook the clean land unclean animals to refer to various types of men, leprosy tormean sin, et A mare recent example of tis eeaition isin "ee: Purity and Danger Bishop Chatloner's notes on the Westminster ible inthe begin ning of this century ‘Hoof divided and cheneth the cud. The viding ofthe hoot and chewing of the cud igify discretion between good snd sil, and medtaing on the law of God and where either of ‘hese is wanting, man is unclean. In ike manner fees were fepated unclean that had not fin and scaler? tha issue tose Ah not raise themselves up by prayer and cover themselves with the scales of Vietue” Footnote vet 3 ‘These are not so much interpretations at pious coimmentaris. ‘They fail as interpretations because they ate nether consistent nor comprehensive, A diferent explanation haa to be developed for each animal and there iv no end to the number of pose explanations ‘Another traditional approach, aio dating back to the letter of Aristeas, isthe view that what is forbidden to the Iraclites is forbidden solely to protect thera from foreign influence, For insta, Maimonides held chat they were forbidden to sethe the kid in the milk of ite dam becase this was a culic actin the religion of the Canaanite. This argument cannot be com prehensive, for it i not held that the Ieracites consistently ‘ejected al he elements of foreign eligios and invented some ‘hing etiely original for themselves, Maimonides accepted the view that some of the more mysterious commands of the law hhad as their object to make a tharp break with tices Thus the Ieaeites were forbidden to wear gata offing and wool, co plant deren tres together, ta have sexual intereourse with animals, to cook mest with milk, simply be ‘use these acts figured in the rts of their heathen neighbours So far, so good: the laws were enacted as bariers tothe spread of heathen seyles of ritual. But in that case why were some Ireathen practices allowed? And not only allowed i sacrbee be taken at practice common to heathens and Ivaelites=but sven an absolutely central place in the religion, Maimonides’ Answer, at any sate in The Guide tothe Peplened, was co justify ‘crifce asa transitional sage, regrettably heathen, but neces lowed Because it would be impractical to wean the Irae ites abruptly feom thei heathen past, This is an extraordinary Statement 10 come from the pen of x rabbinial scholar, and indeed in his serious tabbinial writings Maimonides didnot 8 The Abominations of Leviticus attempt co mairain the argument: on the contrary, he eee {ound sectice athe mow lnportant ato de Jew eigon. "At leat Maimonides saw the incooriteney and was led by icimo ni, Bo ners Caen ee foreign fauence argent one way oF the othe, according to {he hood of the moment, Profesor Hake and hi colenpuee have cleanly established that the Iaeltes took over some Canaanite slr of wortip, nd the Canaantes obviously had thi common wth Mean care (23) Dat ho explanation to epeesent lal as 4 sponge st oe moment Snd ab a repellent che nent, without explaining why it sored {Up this foregn clement bu replied that one. What i the vale cl saying thi seething Kien milk and copuating with cows se en Levitin se hy oe oe no foreign neighbours (1a) sce leek tock ver eer foreign test We ae el prpcxed to know when dhe apongetsthe right forthe wrong metaphor. The sme argument is equally posaing sn Bichredt (pp. ago) OF courte ne culture increstad out of toshing, The hnslter shorted fesy trom their neighbou, bt nt quite ely Some elements of foreign ealure were i. Compute withthe pringpls of patterning ow which they free consruting thelr univene; others mere compatible. For inane acne ogg tat the. Jv sonata Cresping things may bave been taken ovr from Zoroastrian, {Gea} Whatever the historical evidence for thin adoption of Pioceign element into Judai, we aball se hat there was in the paterning of thei cure 2 preformed compaity be- tween thi particla abomination snd the gener! principle on Ibich thie universe war constructed "Any interpretations wil fil which take the Donoes of the (ld 'Fetament in pecemedl fashion. The oxy sound approach isto forget hygiene, seer, mors and instinctive revlon, ven to Hovget the Cananites andthe Zorosan Mah and Sar with he ext Sin ach he inocion i ped by the command to be boly, 40 they mst be explined by that Command, There mist be contrraee beeweenbolinew and bomination which ill make sverall eae ofall the partial ‘olnes the atsbute of Godhead, I oot means ‘set apart’ ‘What eae dork mean? We sould start any eonnoloicl en auiry by weing she principe of power and danger. In the Old °| : Parity and Danger “Toxament we find bling a the source of all god hing tnd the wihdeal of Ming a the sure a dang ‘The Hlsing of Cod shes te fund pore for meno ive ‘God's work through the blesing ix estentnlly so create order, through which men's affairs prosper. Fertity of women live: tock and fields is promised a" a result ofthe Blesing and this 5s to be obtained by keeping covenant with Gor and obeerving All His precepts and ceremonies (Deut, xxv +4). Where the Dsssing’is withérawa and the power of the curse unleashed, there is barrennes, pestilence, confusion, For Moses sid ‘Bt if you wil not obey the woce af the Lard your God or be ‘arefolYodo all hi commandments sn ht ates which Command you to this day, then al thre carey shall Come pen you tnd overae you. Cars all you be inthe iy, Se ase shall ou ef held Crd hal your bar fd your koeading trough. Cursed shal be the frit of our Bondy andthe fru of your round, the inert of your ct, and the young uf your Rock. Cae shall you be wh you ‘ome in tnd cused shall you be when you fo out. The Lord wil send upon you cer, nd esa in all hae ou undertake t do, unl you ae dastoyel sad perh gic {Sn seoust of the el of Jour doings Becnse Fou have for, Saken me The Lod wil site yo with consumption, sd ‘elation, nd Ha a wth og and lasting and with tdew; they shall prste yu you Fish, Ante henves over your Bead shal be bras and the Src uder you sbal be rom "The Lod wll make the rain of Sour land powder and dus, from herve it all come down pon you wn you ae destroyed (Deu, xxv 1524) From this itis dear that the poitive and negative precepts are held to be eficaciws and not merely prone! eben {hem draws down prosperity, infingng them brings denget ‘Wie are thus ented to wea them inthe seme way a ne ea primitive ial avoidsnces mhowe beach estes danger to then The prec and ereronie aie ar focused onthe ea ofthe hots of God whieh men ms cet n chris own Lien, So this pa univene tn which men proper by conforming Ines and perish when they devate from iM ihere were 0 her clus we sould he able to nd et dhe Hebrew en of the holy by examining the precept by which men conform ° The Abomination: of Levitin ic this evidently not goodness in the nse ofan allembracing Tumane hindnes Juste anc moral goodies may well Mustrate holiness and form’ part off, but holines embraces other Hest wel fenced that ity root means separateness, the net idea that emerges i ofthe Hly a8 wholenes and cempletenen. Mac of Livi taken up mith stating tbe psa perfection that rege og rae eh empl and of ps Spprosching i The animal fered in strice must be witout tiinich, women most be purifedsfer childbirth, lepers should be imparted and situally ‘cleansed before being allowed to proc once they ae ested. All bly ncaa are del ing and disgslify fom approach tothe tomple. Priests may nly cme int conse with eth wen thee own oe hin di Bar the high pone muse ever ave contact with death Lest x hee 11. S0y © Anson, None af your descendants throughout Everton: who hava blemish may approach to offer the bread Elie Cat, 12 Fr o one who ha ah sal draw ewe, nan bind oc leer ob who basa alate fee or nb too lng por man whe basa nord foot ora ied ‘Mn, oor a bunch-hack, o dwar, or aman nth a detet In hisigh ora tcing cane ors, o rushed ete 2 no nn of te desea af Aeon te presto has 4 ‘an aml come near oer the Lands ting Oy fe In other word, he must be perfect a6 & man, if be isto be a PPThis much seltrated idea of physical completeness is also worked out in the socint sphere snd partielany in the warsiow ‘amp. The culture of the Israelites was brought ro the piteh of greatest intensity when they prayed and when they fought. The Etmy could not win without rhe blesing and to Keep the bles. in the camp they had to be specially hoy. So the camp was to be preserved front deflement like the Temple. Here agai all bodily discharges dinqualied a man feom entering the camp st they would disqualify a worshipper from approaching the iar. A wartor who had had an iatte of the body in the night Shovlel keep outside the camp all day and only return alter ‘unset, having wished, Natoral functions producing bodily draste were t0 be performed outside the timp (Dest. xx, orgy Ia short the idea of holiness was given an externah stPurity and Danger Bhs expreion nthe whtenem ofthe by ven a perfect ‘Wholenes is aso extended to signify completenes in 3 soci content, An important enterprise, once begun, muse not be left incomplete. This way of lacking wholenes also. disqualifea ‘man from fighting. Before @ battle the eapeins shall proclaim Deut se there tat Bae bl 4 nw hows and bas not him go back to his hou, lest he de the butte and anoter man dedicate i 6, What marie there that ‘as planted vineyad and fs nok enjoyed ia feale? et Min 0 Bick to his house, lst he die inthe bute ad sgather mah joy is fruit, 7. And what man te there that ha betrothed aide and aso aken her? Let him go back to hi house lest he die inthe bate and another man tke hee” eset emo, tt LLNEe ee giants mee i sy See weenie at ine SL enue care ‘ll shete cases a mana started 2 new important under hig wiht hy fond yey iy a coment exsenee To make breach nti presale fe" betre it has tained taniy or has Den al 1 voles a serous rk of wa! (WoL Hp 9) 1 we fallow Pedersen, then Bling and aces in war required a man o be mbol in body, mholelearted avd tealng ‘0 uncompleted schemes. Thre i a echo of this acta! panage in the New Testament parle of the man who gave grec ean and whose invited guest incurred his ange by mating exouses (Like xis, 1624: Mate xa See Black & Rowley ‘of, p36) One ofthe puss had bought s net far, ee a bought ten oxen and had not yet ted team, and one bad war "eda wife, I according othe old Law each could have valaly juste is refual by sefeence to Devt nay the parable ‘uppore Pedese’s view that intraption of new projec mas Ill’ be bad in ci aswel ar mary coments 2 The Abominations of Leviticus ‘ier precepts develo the ies of whole im anater dee sis The mip of fe py Gedy ane the new under taking ret te erection ahd complerenes of the nd tnd Ri ne, Oe reg xed ine 0 ci and ‘Stegorien Hybride and other confusions are abominated Le si ‘ag, And you sll not le with any beast and defile yourselé sth titer shal any woman ive herself to beat co lie Tih i Te is perversion? “The word ‘perversion’ ita significant mistransltion of the rare Hebrew word ithe, which has ati mesning mixing or com fusion.‘The same theme i taken up in Leviticus x04, 19 “You shall keep my satte. You shall not let your eae breed with 9 iferese Kind: you shall not sow your Bed with «wo Tinds of seed; nor shall there come epon’ you a garment of ‘och toade of two Kinds of sa” {All these injunctions are preface by the general command: "Be holy, for Tam holy” We ean concade that holies i exemple by completeness Hotness requires that invade shal conform othe as 0 hich they belong. And holiness rete ha diferent ses Sr thing hal not be conte. Anotier st of preps rees on hi as pint, Hlinss means keeping dine the eatgois of renin. Te deere Involves correct defn, discrimination and order Unde this head all the rule of sexual morality exemplify the holy. Incest fro efter (Le. av a) ar asi hie, che simple ene of night oriet, Montity docs nat confice with hain, Int holiness more ame spaating that which should be Separated than of protecting thenighof husbands and broshere. "Then tlm nner ses i of en which conte to holiness Developing the Hes of holiness ode, Se cousin, thst wpe ettude a sagen os Ih and conaision at double desing 2» agen olin "Thee ying fan wean cheating in weights abd measure all Kinds of dRembling toch a speaking il the dea a pre Sumably sing to thir fac, Dating your brother in Your ene (il presumably speaking nly to im) chee are 2Parity and Danger cleacly contradictions beaween what seems and what is, This hapter aio says uch abst generosity sn love but these we powive commands wile [tm conceit with negative fle "Welave now li a god bass fr spproaching the ave about dean and unclean meas. Tobe holy ito be whole, to be one hotness nity, integsey, perfection of the individual and ef the kind. The dietary let merely develop the metaphor ef hotness on the seme Tne Fit we should stock the Reds of ate, camel, sheep and gots whch were he lilo of he nels These amas were dean isxmch atcomract th them id ot te purifation before approaching the Temple, Livestock, IME the fn ance the tng of God Both ed anu livestock were erie by the blessing beth wee awn into the divin oder. The fame duty wat opreeive the Hesing For one ting he had to preserve the order of creation. So hybrids, st we have sen, her in the lds or inthe hens im the dothes made frm wool or flax. To some exent hen overated wih tic ld tcl i the sme wy 28 God fSveranted withthe. Men napeted the fe born of the fate, oblige them to keep the Sabbath Cale wore ter domesicted as save They had to be brought ino the rc order in omer to enjoy the Nessing, The aierence between Eatleand the wid bent thatthe wll bests have no coven nt to protect them. Tei ponible tht the Irs were ke ater pstoralite ho dot relish wil ge, The Nuc the South Sodan, for instance ppiy a sano of disapproval ofa sp wh iby hugo be den eng i eat Sign of poor heréaan, So it would be prcably. rn to thnk of she Inaelier a longing for forbidden mets finding the recone irksome. Drier i surely ight In ing the ules as an otro generaliaton of the abi, Coens heoied,cdvchetingungsaten ete a te prope id of food fora paoraline If they ast ex wilt ge tey ean St wikl game dar shares thre diaineve earaces afd & Shr the ine pec es, Thi ead of eney ‘hich permits scope for bunting anclope and wild gots and Tid sheep. Everything wold Be gute Resghlorwant eset ‘hot dat de legal nd ha sen i girly on ome border, lie cn. Some animals sent toe frinane seh a the here and the bye (or rock badgers how constant grinding of tele a Fh Aoi of Li Se mu aaatroaesene Racal perience g nuighst cameo Se geen eae ea outta nies enetee iim walsidig ees Beer nrmeremees {Spe of enon in amas tha they sll eonform fly 10 oes niser see cretion, Here thee fold lsicatonunfls ivied between patie femeieaes Sacto eeraae Eigth diate mare ee abeae enemas Sei eee oer arseeaeyesre Ret emaa geese :& Purity and Danger estore which fas eno lohan two bands nd which get on Stl fous ike a quadrped wlan 29) The fellows (7 59) Tren dipole On tome tataations ie would appear oni. presoely of creatures endowed with hands ind of front fe which te thelr hands for walling? the ‘rene the mouse the crotol, the shrew, various Hd of Tian the chameleon and male (ant ig), whose fortet te uncanely handle This feature ofthe hi loo nthe [New fevised Standard Tratlation which tes the word ‘pm inwead of hand, “Te lt Lind of clan animal that which rep, eras ox swarms upon the earth. This form of movement explicly fonuary to holnes (Levit, 4¢4i). Driver and White use Semarming” 1 wansate the Hebrew she, which is appli to tah those which coum inthe waters aod thote wick evar ‘on the ground. Whether we cll tteming, walng, excping, {anlingor warming, eis an indeterminate form of movement Sine the main animal categorie ae dened by thelr typial ‘movement, swarming’ whichis not 4 mode of propulsion po {o any particular element, cot actors the bane daneaon, Sra Hing ae et hy i orf ed nem Inhabie wate, though aot af repie go on dry Tan, chow ots qundrpede ome icf though no a beds Tae ino over in them, Recall wha the Prophecy of Haba says ‘out di form of He “For thou makese men like the fh of the #8 like ctaing ‘hinge that have no rar? (14), “The protoype and mode! of the swarming things is the worm, ‘As fh belong in the sa so worms belong in the realm of the ‘rave, with death and chaos “The ease of the locust is interesting and consistent, The tet of whether it is a clean and therefore edible kind is how it moves on the earth. Ife crawls ie is undean, clean (xt, v.21) In the Mishnah itis noted that a feog isnot listed with creeping things and conveys no unelesnness (Danby, 722) suggest that the frog's hop accounts for it not being Tited. If penguin lived in the Neat Esat I would expect them to be rule! unclean as winglets birds. Ifthe let of unclean birds could be retanslated from this point of view, it might well wir fut that they are anomalous because they swim and dive as 6 The Abominations of Leviticus well at they By, or in some other way they are not fully hid Tike Surely now it would be dificle xo maintain that ‘Be ye Holy" meats to more than ‘Be ye separate. Moses wanted che children Of fartel to Beep the commands of God constantly before their sind: Det 28 “18 You shal therefore lay thee words of mine In your Inst ain your tl and po eal bind them sgn on your hand abd they abl be ae fonts enween your eyes {pnd you shall tech then to your he slo tan when yor are sig in your Bose and wen yo a walling By Tae way, att when you le own ape hed you rae 20 Ad yor sal rte thd upon the doorpons of your ote ea ipon your gate” IE the proposed interpretation of the forbidden animals is corr, the Sactry le would bave been Ue signe which at ‘hey tum igpited meditation on the oneness, pity and om pisces of Cor. By roles of avoidance olan was given « Physiol cxptesion fa every encounter with the animal King fom and at every mesh Obsertace ofthe dietary rules would thor have been mesningfl pare ofthe gett cogil act of Tecnghtion and. wonhip mbich culminated in dhe sare in the Temple4 Magic and Miracle ee ee Sorte 3 Seo fee Debord pr eae a ah errr een rd etn eI tah hl oa ect ta gnc ae ar nes Need oe tr a om Sasa em ae eae ee Se pet poe gies tee pote jee eee nee ead Oo he pale a ena nase ee Besos eat eae eso Di en See Sor ee aetna ey hata erates Se IL Ith Wy Ses poe ae a oct a ase metaa ee ee ee ue arn ey eet cats feces hy rome a som mami Faeroe fac vey ie aot Set ge rey See area eae: aa ae ear e eae te incre oe nea a Re Renpan bn Preparer aim la ey hid cmp ee eeu ence eee i Magic and Miracle expended steady on defining and naming symbai actions Gti ne held to be efhexdor for steing the coune of Trent (Goody, Gluckman). ‘One ovine magic ha ensine a vague Hear term, esa tt never sigroily etn Ie lear th inthe $Sikion ot Maus’ “Thtn-te le tag the wort doer not “Sante a partes cs fst, rhe he whole compat Stal and ele of primitive peoples No spel focus encom eticay. We owe to Frere ili an hard. {Sg af the iden of magica the cca symbol ce Chapter i)’ Matnows furdher developed the hen serially ad gave ah eareny renewed ife For Maino mage takes gin 1B de eapenion ofan individual emotions Pusan, acon: tered hi face an ese the agen to samp hi foot oF Sate hi re sko Te him o nae iron ds for gain oF fevenge This physical enactment, almost tavluauary ‘at the Starr deluded wiht war for him the bo ofthe tragic nite Ge Nadel, ppg), MatiowsK! had noch original {ong lnc the erating fect of oxinary speech that Be ro- {ounalyinueneedconersporar inguiiet How cold he hare ren ulated apie i from other ite and cued magic tin Hind of poor mans whi, sed for gaining comely nd courage apse dnuting odds? Thi sate aeration wrevcan ay to the toor of Frazer, wove dace he “ied be Since Roberton Smith dew part! bewcen Roman Catho- fie ritual and primitive magic et os graeuly ke the ho. Foragi let ur ead mite a rftt onthe elton Brower ual ee ieee nthe minds ofthe mas of Dleer in the Tnioclebelring ages of Chintanity. Tete we Sind that the pub of mise es alway petted not necesaly Tepe on rit, cold be expected to erapeanyehere ne any tine in yerpomse 0 rintnus need or the demands of sie Te inhered more potenly In some material objec, place and Stet nr te i er stoma onl de wg a he rght ond or sprinkling of holy mater could not (ern ete The power o mints ierenton as eleved te exe be here wan no crtin way of barnesang Tema a {lrent and ashe nme Bota or Teton back or Ply tela’ Mano each ie diferca fom the ote, Each primitive Civerse hopes to hates some such marvellous power to the 9Purity and Danger ‘An analysis of concepts of pollution and taboo MARY DOUGLAS @ Routledge & Kegan PaulFi pubis n 1966 by Ronee @ Regan Pet ii 39 Sto Ste Laon WELE 7DD, 9 eth Sr, Bust, Ma. o2108 USA aol ene on Phe, On. CD LEN Seed prion sh cretin 1909 prin vgpo and 1978, apie aa ft pase tra paperback 1978 epee to78' Aerie th United Sates of Areca 1980 pei Bali, Pras, Ie, Binghamton, Neo York (© Mary Drogar 1056 No prof thr bok mayb roedned nan form witht permis rm the pub, pt forthe quttion fbi proage io ISBN 0 7300 8627 (6) CONTENTS Introduction page + +. Ritual Uncleannose 7 +. Secular Deflement °° 4 The Abominatons of Levitieus ga 4 Magic and Miracle 8 5. Primitive Worlds i. 6. Powers and Dangers on 2. Bxternal Boundaries 4 8. Tower Lines 9 9 The System at Wat with Teel gn vo, The System Shattered and Renewed 159 Bibliography 18 Indes 185