Summaries:
At the conclusion of the priestly ordination, Aaron makes a sin offering, a holocaust, and an offering for the people, and Aaron blesses the people (9). Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu incense the altar inappropriately and are struck dead by God. The conduct of priests is laid out (10). The Lord explains to Moses which animals are clean for eating and which are unclean. Hoofs + cloven-footed + chews cud = good. Fish = good, shellfish = bad. (For the rest of the list, see ch 11). Childbirth makes a woman unclean, and must be purified for 33-66 days. A son is to be circumcised on the either day, and brought before the priests along with an offering after the purification (12). Lots of rules and regulations regarding leprosy, including distinguishing types, purification, and sacrifices (13-14). Certain things make someone unclean, such as chronic flow from privates, seed emission, and menstrual cycles, and the Israelites should be aware of the uncleanness so they do not desecrate the Dwelling (15). God tells Moses of the one time in the year when Aaron may enter the sanctuary, on the Day of Atonement, and instructs him as to how it is to be done, including a sin offering for himself and family, a sin offering for the people, a goat that bears the sins of all the people and is lead away from the camp and killed, and fasting (16).
Reflections:
I've been spending some time thinking about what all this commotion of being "unclean" was really about. I'm sure there's a book I could read about it, but I was just doing some pure reflection. This is the instruction God gave, so it was meaningful. I think it can be tough to hear that a woman is "unclean" at child-birth or during menstrual periods, but what is/was the purpose for this distinction? My thought is that, in those times especially, physical cleanliness was a very important thing. Let's face it, what was the hygiene of the times? God looked after his people, and wanted them to realize the sanctity of their bodies and the importance of keeping them clean and properly purifying them. Also, God did not want the Sanctuary to be made unclean.
Anyway, I'm sure someone can enlighten me more, but I don't think anyone should misread these verses to think that God looks down on the uncleanness of something natural like childbirth. It is certainly deeper than this.
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When I studied Leviticus some years ago, the teacher asked this pointed question: what are the results of a woman being unclean? Well, she's largely cut off from the community. Perhaps most distinctly, she can no longer prepare food, since the food she would prepare would also be unclean. In short, a woman who is unclean is unable to perform her functions in the community. The flip side is that she doesn't HAVE to perform her ordinary functions. This is ancient Israelite maternity leave: for a month or two after a child is born, a mother doesn't have to do all her usual womanly things. She can just spend lots of quality time with her newborn child. Clever, Lord...
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