Feb 4: Leviticus 13:40 – 14:57
Ok,
a bit of rather gross stuff today – oozing sores and mildew.
The
sores described in verse 14:42 are very similar to the sores of leprosy. While
leprosy isn’t highly contagious, it can be spread to people who are nearby for
a decent length of time through coughs and sneezes. With so many people in a
relatively tight space that could be a problem. But given the repercussions of
going to the priest with such a sore makes me wonder if people were more likely
to hide their infections as long as possible. Was there a group of people who
had to live outside the camp, or was this a more limited issue? And can you
imagine the difficulties a priest had dealing with the purification ritual with
a live bird (check out Lev 14:3 – 7 if you haven’t yet)?
Then
there is the mildew issue. Which of us
HASN’T had an issue with mildew in our homes? I wondered about the environment
in the desert, though. Mildew in our area grows in humid environments, but I
did some research and found that it can be prevalent in the desert, too. Some
of these ‘cures’ may seem extreme, but homes in those days were small and
didn’t necessarily have good ventilation. Mildew can cause respiratory problems
and disease, so it was important to deal with it quickly and effectively. But I
wonder how many of the Israelites actually had stone homes in these times –
weren’t they still traveling in tents? Perhaps they didn’t have to deal with
too many of these issues other than mildew on their clothes. The rules
pertaining to homes must have been guidance for the future (which might have
given them hope of living in an actual home sometime soon).
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment