Feb 18 Response

In Jewish tradition, purity was of large importance. Purity is seen as the societal goal of self improvement and the elimination of any disturbances. For a person to be considered pure, they are to be free of malicious thoughts, desires, or actions. Purity in the Old Testament seems to fit into several distinct categories and laws. If our bodies are touched by impure things, then we cannot reach complete purity and holiness. Mary Douglas points out in the exercpt that when people act impurely, we act without structure or like dirt. She says there are no ‘roots’ and says there’s a ceiling with little room to grow. Humans have the responsibility of maintaining the dirt that God brought Adam from. 

God expects purity because it is a sign of the humans’ covenant with God. When God entered into the covenant with humans, he expected us to live faithfully and keep His commands. In the book of Leviticus, all of the different laws presented give rules by which humans can follow. Fitting with humans’ task to “make and order” creation, the following of rules helps to maintain order and keep things in their “categories.”

Food laws are related to purity involving the function of animals and the environment they are located in. As animals have God’s blessing and he tasked humans with their care and to be stewards of creation, there are laws governing their consumption. These laws help to create boundaries between the pure and impure, what humans can and cannot eat. For example, lobster is forbidden because they can walk on land and also swim underwater. This is deemed “impure.” Mary Douglas says that food laws are a way of honoring the structure and boundaries of our bodies because they serve as a temple that we live in and should take care of.