Leviticus 1-11, 19

The first few chapters of Leviticus are not the typical story telling chapters that we have seen in the Old Testament up to this point. Rather, its focus pertains to strict and elaborate sacrificial/dietary laws that are laid out in great detail. These laws bring up the idea of purity and impurity in Israeli culture, which simply comes down to our relationship with God. We are most pure when we are in close communion with God and we begin to become move more towards impurity as we damage our relationship with him, often through sin. It is for this reason that God wants us to retain that purity because it means we retain a close relationship with God. When we sin, or in other words give in to impurity, our relationship with God is hurt, however, this impurity is never permanent. One of the rituals mentioned in Leviticus 4 is “The Sin Offering,” which describes what one must do as an act of penance when they have realized they have committed a sinful act. The purpose of this act is to remind us of our relationship with God so that we may refrain from sin in the future and also act as penance for the sin committed. This helps reunite us in closeness with God, which is why God describes this ritual as the “most holy” in these chapters. It is for that reason that these “rituals” of reconciliation should not be seen as shameful or dishonorable, but rather a positive step towards re-entering communion with God. As Mary Douglas describes it in her book Purity and Danger, “Dirt offends against order. Eliminating it is not a negative movement, but a positive effort to organize the environment.” This reconciliation is a helpful reminder of who God is and the relationship we have to him, which is the purpose of all the laws described Leviticus, including the food laws. The food laws described in Leviticus 11, which entail the restrictions of what humans can and cannot eat, are meant to help us appreciate the beauty in God’s creation and the purpose he intended for it. Certain animals were provided by God for consumption while others were not, and for this reason, we can better appreciate the other purposes those animals may serve instead. These laws are meant to restrict the freedom of humans, but rather show us how we can maintain our connection with God.