8 LEVITICUS

The book of Leviticus may be seen as the center of the Pentateuch. It deals with the question of God’s Presence in Israel from the cultic and priestly perspective. Usually it is structured according to supposed collections of instructions:

1. Sacrificial Laws (1:1–7:38)
2. Priestly Instructions (8:1–10:20)
3. Laws on Clean and Unclean (11:1–15:33)
4. The Day of Atonement (16:1–34)
5. Holiness Code (17:1–26:46)
6. Additional Laws (27:1–34)

1. What are the main legal collections in Leviticus according to Rendtorff? What is his view on the so-called “Holiness Code”?
2. Describe main phases of the burnt offering according to Lev 1:1–17.
3. Give examples of three clean and three unclean animals. What were the specific prohibitions with regard to the unclean animals?
4. What procedures were part of the Ritual of Atonement according to Lev 16? What was the main purpose of the ritual?
5. What should be the reason for the sanctification (or holiness) of the Israelites according to Lev 19:1–19? What specific areas of life are explicitly mentioned in this text?
6. What is the relationship between the Sabbath Year and the Year of Jubilee in Lev 25? What was characteristic for these special years?
7. What are some differences in similar laws in the legal codes of the Pentateuch? Describe on specific cases, for example the law regarding the slaves, the Decalogue, or other legal texts.

The Purity and Danger by Mary Douglas, first published in 1966, became one of the most influential books in the humanities. The chapter devoted to the concept of purity in Leviticus has exercised similar influence in the area of biblical studies. Even though certain aspects of Douglas’ theory have been criticized by other scholars, and later also by Douglas herself, it remains a “must read” for all serious students of the Bible and religion in general. Read it, and try to summarize Douglas’ main points.