It must be tough to relax on vacation if you know that you'll be killed if you don't relax. My first, modern-minded guess as to why Yahweh/Moses would want to impose such a heavy penalty on those who work on the Sabbath is that they wanted to remove any competitive advantage for those working on the holiday. Or maybe it's simply that the Sabbath is the day when everyone is supposed to bring their sacrifices to the priests to supply them and to solidify the group identity of the Israelites. Either reason would make sense.
Some of the Sabbath rules don't make much sense to a modern person living in temperate climes. You can't light a fire in any of your dwellings? That's fine so long as you can have gas or electricity, but orthodox Jews say that you cannot. So how are Jews supposed to survive in cold climes? The caveat to save life must pre-empt this rule.
Much of Ex. 35 and 36 is repeated verbatim from earlier chapters of Exodus.
After the priests' Yahweh-sanctioned massacre of the idolatrous partiers, Moses rallies the remaining Israelites to get to work creating the tabernacle. Having escaped Egypt and wandered around in the desert, and then endured a massacre by fanatical priests, the remaining people were no doubt ready for some stability and work. Moses's explicit instructions seem aimed at giving the people focus and purpose while they wandered after being sedentary in Egypt for 3 generations. His request for donations of luxury items and skilled labor are likewise heeded until they had more than enough. I imagine that, after the massacre, the people wanted to ingratiate themselves with the new ruling class of priests and artisans.
Bezazel (great name!) of the tribe of Judah was apparently a gold and metalsmith, and Oholiab (awkward name!) was a skilled weaver. Moses assigns them the task of teaching metalsmithing and textile work to the other Israelites, thus re-training people as skilled artisans.
In Ex. 38:8 we learn that Bezazel made the bronze washbasin from bronze mirrors donated by women whose job it was to serve at the entrance of the tabernacle. I wonder what kind of service they did. It was all very organized and an inventory undertaken by the Levite priests accounted for all the metals taken from the people including silver taken in taxes during the census. (Ex. 38:21-31)
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Anger Management
While Moses (and Joshua) are up on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights, the natives at the foot of the mountain grow restless and long for an idol to lead them in their travels. Aaron, Mr. High Priest, urges them to bring him their gold jewelery to melt into a idol of a golden calf, which will represent their god. Once this was done, he set up an altar in front of the calf to take sacrificial offerings and said that everyone would sacrifice and feast the next day.
Yahweh tells Moses to hightail it back down the mountain because the people have disobeyed Him and are out of control. Yahweh says he plans to destroy them all and then make a great nation out of Moses, but Moses talks him out of it. Yahweh sounds like an angry, retarded giant who needs to be guided into not harming people with his temper. (Ex.32:9-13)
Joshua hears noises down the mountain and thinks the people are preparing for war. Moses listens and says, no - they're partying. When Moses see the golden calf, he goes apeshit, melts it down, grinds it into powder and makes the people drink it in water. (?!) When he chides his brother, Aaron, for letting it happen, Aaron tries to blame the people. Ex. 32:13
The "tent of meeting" is set up in Ex. 33, where Moses allegedly meets with Yahweh in private to discuss things. It turns out that his young friend, Joshua, lives in the tent too. Weird. Ex. 33:11
Yahweh tells Moses to hightail it back down the mountain because the people have disobeyed Him and are out of control. Yahweh says he plans to destroy them all and then make a great nation out of Moses, but Moses talks him out of it. Yahweh sounds like an angry, retarded giant who needs to be guided into not harming people with his temper. (Ex.32:9-13)
Joshua hears noises down the mountain and thinks the people are preparing for war. Moses listens and says, no - they're partying. When Moses see the golden calf, he goes apeshit, melts it down, grinds it into powder and makes the people drink it in water. (?!) When he chides his brother, Aaron, for letting it happen, Aaron tries to blame the people. Ex. 32:13
"Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil."To make matters much, much worse, when Moses sees that the people are out of control, he collects the priestly caste and tells them to go through the camp massacring people for Yahweh and that this will distinguish them as blessed for killing their own. Just horrible. Ex. 32:27-29
27 Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”Moses goes back up to Yahweh, and learns that Yahweh plans to punish the Israelites more later for their sin, and that he struck them with a plague for the golden calf. Yahweh is so pissed that he tells Moses to take the people away to the land of milk and honey he promised to his ancestors, but that Yahweh himself will not accompany them because they are a "stiff-necked people" and he might get so pissed off at them that he will kill them. Yikes.
The "tent of meeting" is set up in Ex. 33, where Moses allegedly meets with Yahweh in private to discuss things. It turns out that his young friend, Joshua, lives in the tent too. Weird. Ex. 33:11
The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.Yahweh is pretty schizoid. He wants to be loved for being forgiving and all, but he has a tendency to be harshly punitive and to have real anger management issues. Ex. 34:
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,7maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Bloody, Bloody, Bloody
Exodus 29 is dripping with blood. The consecration of the priestly caste, an hereditary caste to be descended from Aaron, is a bloody affair indeed. The priests anoint the ark cover with blood, splash blood on the sides of it, get blood sprinkled on their garments, their earlobes, their thumbs and big toes. Doing this for seven days and then regularly in generations thereafter will make the sacrificial altar holy and then Yahweh will come around there to tell the Israelites what to do. The whole thing is pretty atavistic and bizarre.
The breast and thigh from every sacrificed animal goes to the priests. The organs and organ fat are burned on the altar and the rest is presumably given back to the presenter to eat. The consecration of priests is a week-long feast with loads of animals being sacrificed and lots of bread, oil and wine being offered up for the process.
In Exodus 30 the ritual items inventory and user manual continues. Fragrant incense must be burned every morning on the special incense altar. Aaron is reminded that the incense altar is only for incense, not for drink or grain or burnt offerings. Even here, blood must be spilled once a year. Ex.30:10
Not only does the priestly caste get a share of the meat and bread offered at the altar, they also get to levy taxes on the people. (Ex.30:11-16) It's a flat tax for adults age 20 and over, with the rich and the poor paying the same amount for the "upkeep of the temple". The people are reassured that paying this money will stop Yahweh from inflicting plagues on them and will atone for their lives, although what the great atonement is for, is not clear. Maybe it's for the fact that Jacob (Israel) was a jerk who stole his brother's birthright, lied to and tricked his father multiple times and stole his father's blessing. Maybe it's for the fact that so many of Israel's twelve sons conspired to harm Joseph because he was a favored son, and that, while some of them wanted to kill him, they ultimately decided just to throw him in a ditch and then sell him into slavery and lie about it to their parents. Or maybe it goes back to Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel - I'm really not sure but it is depressing.
Ritual hand and foot washing for the priests is prescribed in Ex.30:17-21. They have to wash their hands and feet before entering the tent of meeting or before approaching the altar "so that they will not die". Interestingly, Muslims all have to wash their hands and feet before entering a mosque, and I believe it also a part of morning ritual ablutions. I don't believe this is required of modern Jews or Christians, although observant Jews are supposed to wash hands before eating while reciting a prayer.
Now for something a little nicer: a recipes for fragrant, holy oil and incense! Apparently the shekel was both a unit of money and measurement. The oil and incense are proprietary blends and must not be used on anyone but priests nor anywhere but the temple! Anyone who does will be cut off from the people! (Ex.30:33&38)
Recipe for Holy Oil:
Grind into powder equal amounts of:
The breast and thigh from every sacrificed animal goes to the priests. The organs and organ fat are burned on the altar and the rest is presumably given back to the presenter to eat. The consecration of priests is a week-long feast with loads of animals being sacrificed and lots of bread, oil and wine being offered up for the process.
In Exodus 30 the ritual items inventory and user manual continues. Fragrant incense must be burned every morning on the special incense altar. Aaron is reminded that the incense altar is only for incense, not for drink or grain or burnt offerings. Even here, blood must be spilled once a year. Ex.30:10
Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin (or purification) offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the LORD.”All these offerings look an awful lot like Hindu and other pantheistic, pagan offerings - the only difference being that they are being made exclusively to one god who detests all other deities.
Not only does the priestly caste get a share of the meat and bread offered at the altar, they also get to levy taxes on the people. (Ex.30:11-16) It's a flat tax for adults age 20 and over, with the rich and the poor paying the same amount for the "upkeep of the temple". The people are reassured that paying this money will stop Yahweh from inflicting plagues on them and will atone for their lives, although what the great atonement is for, is not clear. Maybe it's for the fact that Jacob (Israel) was a jerk who stole his brother's birthright, lied to and tricked his father multiple times and stole his father's blessing. Maybe it's for the fact that so many of Israel's twelve sons conspired to harm Joseph because he was a favored son, and that, while some of them wanted to kill him, they ultimately decided just to throw him in a ditch and then sell him into slavery and lie about it to their parents. Or maybe it goes back to Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel - I'm really not sure but it is depressing.
Ritual hand and foot washing for the priests is prescribed in Ex.30:17-21. They have to wash their hands and feet before entering the tent of meeting or before approaching the altar "so that they will not die". Interestingly, Muslims all have to wash their hands and feet before entering a mosque, and I believe it also a part of morning ritual ablutions. I don't believe this is required of modern Jews or Christians, although observant Jews are supposed to wash hands before eating while reciting a prayer.
Now for something a little nicer: a recipes for fragrant, holy oil and incense! Apparently the shekel was both a unit of money and measurement. The oil and incense are proprietary blends and must not be used on anyone but priests nor anywhere but the temple! Anyone who does will be cut off from the people! (Ex.30:33&38)
Recipe for Holy Oil:
Recipe for Holy Incense:
- Liquid myrrh (500 shekels/6 grams)
- Fragrant cinnamon (250 shekels/3 grams)
- Fragrant calamus (250 shekels/3 grams)
- Cassia (500 shekels/6 grams)
- Olive oil (1 hin/gallon/3.8 liters)
Grind into powder equal amounts of:
- Gum resin
- Onycha
- Galbanum
- Pure frankincense
- Salt
Delightful!
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Yahweh Likes it Fancy
In Exodus 25 we learn that Yahweh has some opulent tastes. He'll come (down from the mountain) to live among the Israelites, but they have to build him a super-fancy, portable, gold-plated house to store the legal tablets. They will also have to make gem-encrusted breast-plates for his priests. Yahweh keeps saying that all these elaborate, detailed plans were previously revealed on the mountain.
There are some confusing issues here with the chronology of when the law was given (again), and with graven images. Yahweh gives the specs for the ark of the covenant in anticipation of giving the law. I guess this means future books. He also specifies that "cherubim" with wings are to be molded in gold on the ark's cover. How is that not a graven image?
Furthermore, in Ex.28:31-36 Yahweh is explicit about the almond flower style which should be used for the golden menorah and ceremonial cups. Buds, leaves and flowers are all detailed. In Ex. 26:1&31Yahweh says that the curtains of the tabernacle should have (the images of) cherubim woven into them.
The design for the altar requires bronze rather than gold, presumably because the altar is going to deal with burning animals and gold would melt. It's clear from the description of the utensils that the animals were meant to be roasted whole (hence the need to deal with ashes) and eaten (hence the meat forks). The sprinkling bowls must be for the sprinkling of animal blood on the atoners as per the earlier description of the blood fest. Ex.27
An eternal flame is to be kept burning all night in the form of oil being burned in the giant menorah outside the ark of the covenant. I wonder whether this had any influence on Zoroastrianism, or vice-versa.
And yes, there are sacred underwear: Ex. 28: 42 “Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. 43 Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.
Here is video which seeks to explain this week's parsha on the priestly vestments. What I'm getting from it, is that Jews are supposed to get over it and just keep trying to make the world a better place so that they can dress any way the like. Huh?
http://www.g-dcast.com/tetzaveh
There are some confusing issues here with the chronology of when the law was given (again), and with graven images. Yahweh gives the specs for the ark of the covenant in anticipation of giving the law. I guess this means future books. He also specifies that "cherubim" with wings are to be molded in gold on the ark's cover. How is that not a graven image?
Ex. 20:
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
Ex. 25:Ex. 28 has some especially florid depictions of pomegranates and bells that must adorn the high priest, lest he perish.
18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.
33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. 34 The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. 35 Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die.
Furthermore, in Ex.28:31-36 Yahweh is explicit about the almond flower style which should be used for the golden menorah and ceremonial cups. Buds, leaves and flowers are all detailed. In Ex. 26:1&31Yahweh says that the curtains of the tabernacle should have (the images of) cherubim woven into them.
The design for the altar requires bronze rather than gold, presumably because the altar is going to deal with burning animals and gold would melt. It's clear from the description of the utensils that the animals were meant to be roasted whole (hence the need to deal with ashes) and eaten (hence the meat forks). The sprinkling bowls must be for the sprinkling of animal blood on the atoners as per the earlier description of the blood fest. Ex.27
3 Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans.No mention has yet been made (that I can recall) of draining the blood from the animal before cooking it. One has to wonder whether the blood for the sprinkling was still taken from slaughtered animals and whether the blood sprinkling persisted up to or beyond the destruction of the second temple.
An eternal flame is to be kept burning all night in the form of oil being burned in the giant menorah outside the ark of the covenant. I wonder whether this had any influence on Zoroastrianism, or vice-versa.
And yes, there are sacred underwear: Ex. 28: 42 “Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. 43 Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die.
Here is video which seeks to explain this week's parsha on the priestly vestments. What I'm getting from it, is that Jews are supposed to get over it and just keep trying to make the world a better place so that they can dress any way the like. Huh?
http://www.g-dcast.com/tetzaveh
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
It's ok to kill certain people
Yahweh says you can kill a "sorceress" (Ex.22:18), a poor slob who screws animals (Ex.22:19), people with different religions (22:20), and people who attack or curse their parents (Ex. 21:17). If you have sex with an unmarried virgin you just have to pay her dowry, if you don't marry her. Israelites who desecrate the Sabbath or who do any work on the Sabbath day are to be put to death. (Ex. 31:14-16)
Giving the first-born of sons, cattle and sheep is again mentioned in Ex. 22:29-30. They should stay with their mothers seven days and on the eighth be given to Yahweh, which I'm guessing means hand them over to the priests for circumcision in the case of humans, and for sacrifice and the skimming of meat in the case of the animals. And because the Israelites are holy, they shouldn't eat carrion torn apart by wild animals.
Many passages in Genesis and Exodus entreat people to be kind to strangers, foreigners, widows and the fatherless. These must have been vulnerable populations then, as they are now, only moreso. The caveat is that these strangers have to abide by the rules of the Yahwehist society, including male circumcision, strict idol-free monotheism, and obeisance to the priestly caste. Ex. 22:28 exhorts the people not to curse the ruler of their people, another attempt to keep the peace among a population clearly prone to complaining.
Laudably, there are also passages which tell people not to be unfair to their enemies. I assume that this means other Yahwehists whom they happen not to like. There are a lot of common sense "be nice, be fair" edicts. "Don't take bribes now, I will retaliate against your wickedness!"
Then Yahweh tells them that an angel will guide them to their promised land and that Yahweh will smite all their enemies. Moses goes back up the mountain with Aaron and 70 elders and Moses gets the law from Yahweh, comes down and tells it to the people who accept it on the spot. Moses then writes it all down. (Really? With what? These are nomadic people.)
The covenant is confirmed with a creepy blood ritual involving young bull's blood being smeared on 12 pillars and sprinkled all over the people after Moses read them the book of the covenant. Half of the blood was put in bowls for some reason. Yuck. The book of the covenant at that time probably wasn't as long as the present-day Pentatech (5 books of Moses), but I'm thinking it was the material from the Ten Commandments through the last laws in Exodus 23.
After the blood-fest, Moses, Aaron and 70 elders got to go up the mountain and for the first time actually see Yahweh himself, who was on a pavement of lapis lazuli, and party with him. Then Yahweh asked Moses to go back up to the mountain yet again, so that Yahweh can give him tablets with the law (I thought Moses had already written them out) and this time Moses went alone with his "aide" Joshua. They spent six days and nights up there and then there was a fire on top of the mountain, or the volcano erupted. Moses then spent 40 days and 40 nights up there.
Where was Moses's wife all this time? Did she go back to Midian with her Dad or stay with Moses and the Israelites? I forget.
Giving the first-born of sons, cattle and sheep is again mentioned in Ex. 22:29-30. They should stay with their mothers seven days and on the eighth be given to Yahweh, which I'm guessing means hand them over to the priests for circumcision in the case of humans, and for sacrifice and the skimming of meat in the case of the animals. And because the Israelites are holy, they shouldn't eat carrion torn apart by wild animals.
Many passages in Genesis and Exodus entreat people to be kind to strangers, foreigners, widows and the fatherless. These must have been vulnerable populations then, as they are now, only moreso. The caveat is that these strangers have to abide by the rules of the Yahwehist society, including male circumcision, strict idol-free monotheism, and obeisance to the priestly caste. Ex. 22:28 exhorts the people not to curse the ruler of their people, another attempt to keep the peace among a population clearly prone to complaining.
Laudably, there are also passages which tell people not to be unfair to their enemies. I assume that this means other Yahwehists whom they happen not to like. There are a lot of common sense "be nice, be fair" edicts. "Don't take bribes now, I will retaliate against your wickedness!"
Then Yahweh tells them that an angel will guide them to their promised land and that Yahweh will smite all their enemies. Moses goes back up the mountain with Aaron and 70 elders and Moses gets the law from Yahweh, comes down and tells it to the people who accept it on the spot. Moses then writes it all down. (Really? With what? These are nomadic people.)
The covenant is confirmed with a creepy blood ritual involving young bull's blood being smeared on 12 pillars and sprinkled all over the people after Moses read them the book of the covenant. Half of the blood was put in bowls for some reason. Yuck. The book of the covenant at that time probably wasn't as long as the present-day Pentatech (5 books of Moses), but I'm thinking it was the material from the Ten Commandments through the last laws in Exodus 23.
After the blood-fest, Moses, Aaron and 70 elders got to go up the mountain and for the first time actually see Yahweh himself, who was on a pavement of lapis lazuli, and party with him. Then Yahweh asked Moses to go back up to the mountain yet again, so that Yahweh can give him tablets with the law (I thought Moses had already written them out) and this time Moses went alone with his "aide" Joshua. They spent six days and nights up there and then there was a fire on top of the mountain, or the volcano erupted. Moses then spent 40 days and 40 nights up there.
Where was Moses's wife all this time? Did she go back to Midian with her Dad or stay with Moses and the Israelites? I forget.
Monday, February 07, 2011
The Ten Commandments
There is nothing especially demarcating in Exodus 20, which suggests that the first ten commandments are the most important ones. Nowhere does Yahweh say that this commandment is more important than the next. Yahweh did not speak directly to the Israelites but rather to Moses and Aaron, and he even stipulated beforehand in Ex. 19:24 that the people and priests should not come up the mountain directly or else Yahweh would be pissed off and would punish them. Huh.
Yahweh insists several times that he is to be the one and only god and that the people are to create no idols or graven images to worship of him or any other god. This is an explicit demand for strict monotheism. Fear and threats are what Yahweh uses to try and enforce his message.
Preliminary details are given for how to worship Yahweh at a simple, earthen altar. It sounds like an altar for itinerant, pastoral people. It should have no fancy stone, which could be defiled with cutting, and no steps. Why no steps? Yahweh cares about your modesty! Ex. 20:26
Some rather draconian social control edicts follow.
Ex. 21:12 - Anyone who deliberately kills another will be put to death. (An eye for an eye.) If it's manslaughter (not deliberate), Yahweh says they shoudl run away and Yahweh will take care of them.
Basic rules for dealing with assault and battery in different circumstances are given, some of which afford some protection to slaves. The eye for an eye standard is confirmed in 21:24-25
Yahweh insists several times that he is to be the one and only god and that the people are to create no idols or graven images to worship of him or any other god. This is an explicit demand for strict monotheism. Fear and threats are what Yahweh uses to try and enforce his message.
Preliminary details are given for how to worship Yahweh at a simple, earthen altar. It sounds like an altar for itinerant, pastoral people. It should have no fancy stone, which could be defiled with cutting, and no steps. Why no steps? Yahweh cares about your modesty! Ex. 20:26
And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.Exodus 21 continues with the next order of business after the 10 commandments - how to treat Hebrew slaves, and daughters you sell into slavery. They have some rights! I am a bit worried about the use of that creepily ambiguous term, "redeemed" when talking about a daughter sold into slavery who is not wanted by her owner. Hopefully in this case it just means "returned".
Some rather draconian social control edicts follow.
Ex. 21:12 - Anyone who deliberately kills another will be put to death. (An eye for an eye.) If it's manslaughter (not deliberate), Yahweh says they shoudl run away and Yahweh will take care of them.
15 “Anyone who kills their father or mother is to be put to death.One really has to wonder about 21:16 inasmuch as Israel's sons kidnapped Joseph and sold him into slavery. This must be some retroactive attempt to stop that sort of thing from happening again.
16 “Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.
17 “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.
Basic rules for dealing with assault and battery in different circumstances are given, some of which afford some protection to slaves. The eye for an eye standard is confirmed in 21:24-25
eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.The property and theft laws do look like an attempt to make sound laws for the Israelites to settle grievances, now that they have left Egypt, where they were ostensibly under Egyptian law.
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Passover and Philistines
Exodus 13 prescribes the rules for the Passover feast. The first-born of all humans and animals belongs to Yahweh (and I'm assuming this means to the priestly caste who represents him on Earth). For seven days in the month of Aviv (Spring) no yeast, no leaven, is to be eaten and this is to be a yearly feast.
The use of the term "redeem" or "sacrifice" regarding the first-borns sons is a little confusing. Surely they are not meant to be sacrificed as an animal is sacrificed. Was it meant that they were to be sacrificed as servants of the priestly caste? Later on this was taken to mean that they were to be redeemed by being dedicated to the study of the Torah, I believe, although I think that among the ultra-Orthodox in Israel all the sons are sent to do nothing but study the Torah (and, conveniently, avoid military conscription). The redeeming of the first-born is meant to be the pay-back for Yahweh killing the first-born of the Egyptians, and leading the Israelites out of Egypt.
The first mention of the Philistines as warriors is in Ex. 13:17:
The use of the term "redeem" or "sacrifice" regarding the first-borns sons is a little confusing. Surely they are not meant to be sacrificed as an animal is sacrificed. Was it meant that they were to be sacrificed as servants of the priestly caste? Later on this was taken to mean that they were to be redeemed by being dedicated to the study of the Torah, I believe, although I think that among the ultra-Orthodox in Israel all the sons are sent to do nothing but study the Torah (and, conveniently, avoid military conscription). The redeeming of the first-born is meant to be the pay-back for Yahweh killing the first-born of the Egyptians, and leading the Israelites out of Egypt.
The first mention of the Philistines as warriors is in Ex. 13:17:
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”Then in Ex.15:14
14 The nations will hear and tremble;In Ex. 15:20-21, Moses's sister Miriam is called a prophet, and she leads the women in battle-song, "with timbrels and dancing". It's a pretty nasty song about smiting one's enemies. The Israelites also complain a lot. :-)
anguish will grip the people of Philistia.
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Blood, Clay, Man, Dust and the Plagues of Egypt
Exodus's plague of "blood" (Ex.7:14-22). In Biblical Hebrew the words for 'man' and 'red' and 'blood' and 'ground' or 'soil' or 'clay' come from the same root: a-d-m
Man: אָדָם
Soil/Clay/Ground: אֳדָמָה
Blood: דם
Red: אדום
It sounds likely to me that the Nile ran red with clay or iron, if the plague of blood or red even happened at all. In Exodus it is Yahweh telling *Aaron* (not Moses) to wave his magic wand over the water. I'm guessing that once the waters were contaminated, the frogs didn't want to be in there either, hence the plague of frogs. All the dead frogs must have attracted a lot of gnats and flies.
In Exodus 8:26, Moses says that the sacrifices of the Hebrews would be detestable to the Egyptians, and that they would stone the Hebrews if they knew of them. I wonder what was so detestable? Did the Egyptians not make animal sacrifices or were the Hebrews doing something else? This is unclear.
Man: אָדָם
Soil/Clay/Ground: אֳדָמָה
Blood: דם
Red: אדום
It sounds likely to me that the Nile ran red with clay or iron, if the plague of blood or red even happened at all. In Exodus it is Yahweh telling *Aaron* (not Moses) to wave his magic wand over the water. I'm guessing that once the waters were contaminated, the frogs didn't want to be in there either, hence the plague of frogs. All the dead frogs must have attracted a lot of gnats and flies.
In Exodus 8:26, Moses says that the sacrifices of the Hebrews would be detestable to the Egyptians, and that they would stone the Hebrews if they knew of them. I wonder what was so detestable? Did the Egyptians not make animal sacrifices or were the Hebrews doing something else? This is unclear.
26 But Moses said, “That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, as he commands us.”In Exodus 9, the Egyptian livestock die, presumably from drinking contaminated water. The Hebrews' livestock allegedly did not die, suggesting a different water source, or perhaps different types of livestock. The plague of boils sounds like plain old bubonic plague. Moses finally gets his chance to wave the magic wand when it comes to the plague of hail.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Exodus
It's silly, but I can't help reading Exodus without imagining Cecil B. DeMille's film, The Ten Commandments. The film takes an awful lot of liberties with what's in the actual text and makes an awful lot of embellishments. Since there exists an enormous parallel work of commentary and lore on the Five Books of Moses, in the Talmud and other commentaries, I wonder whether any of that was incorporated into the story. Moses's adoptive mother's name is never given, nor is it ever suggested that he was a respected member of the Egyptian court, let alone a prince.
Moses's encounter with Yahweh as the burning bush is also considerably less glorious in the text than in the film. Moses hems and haws about Yahweh's edict that he go and liberate the Hebrews from Egypt, which Yahweh suggests be done by trickery, not as a claim for permanent liberation. Ex. 3:18
So Moses leaves his father-in-law Jethro in Midian to return to Egypt. On the way there is a bizarre little episode in which God tries to kill Moses, but Moses is saved when his wife wipes their son's bloody foreskin on his feet. Ex.4:24-26
Just to step back a moment, the names for God in Exodus are pretty interesting. In Ex. 3:6, Yahweh introduces himself as the God, "Elohei" (cf. Allah) of each of Moses's patriarchal ancestors. Then it is noted that Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at "El-HaElohim". Does this mean "the gods"? I need to know more Biblical Hebrew grammar to understand this.
Aaron goes out and meets Moses in the dessert and they plan their exodus. The stick tricks work and the people believe them. When it's time to ask Pharaoh for a religious vacation, it is Moses and Aaron who go, presumably with Aaron doing the talking. They lie that Yahweh spoke to both of them.
In Ex. 6:2 God says he was known to the patriarchs as El Shaddai, The Great One, but I thought the Hebrew read Yahweh? Ok, I just checked, and yes, the Hebrew reads Yahweh/Jehovah, not El Shaddai. Weird. I guess the words read Yahweh but He didn't formally introduce himself? heh.
Ex. 6:13 reveals that Yahweh then commanded both Moses and Aaron to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Ex. 6:16-20 reveals that Levi's grandson Amram (Moses's and Aaron's Dad), married his father's sister, which I'm hoping means something different than his father's full-blood sister, which sounds like pretty appalling incest. Elisheba, or Elizabeth, was Aaron's wife. Ex. 6 ends with a genealogy of the early Levite leaders and the assertion that it was indeed Moses and Aaron of the Levite clan who led the Hebrews out of Egypt. Oh, and Moses complains to Yahweh once again that he shouldn't be the one to talk to Pharoah, since he stutters.
Moses's encounter with Yahweh as the burning bush is also considerably less glorious in the text than in the film. Moses hems and haws about Yahweh's edict that he go and liberate the Hebrews from Egypt, which Yahweh suggests be done by trickery, not as a claim for permanent liberation. Ex. 3:18
18 “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.’But in Ex. 4 we learn Moses doesn't want to do it, says the tribal elders won't believe him, claims that he sucks at public speaking (some have suggested that he was a stutterer), and finally asks that someone else do it. Just like Abraham and others before him, he argues with Yahweh. Like Christ after him, he essentially says, Take this cup from me. Yahweh insists He will help Moses, that He'll rig the deal, that He'll give Moses a magic stick that turns into a snake and enable him to do a magic leprosy trick so as to wow the Israelites into believing that He spoke to him. Yahweh reminds Moses how almighty He is, then tells Moses to get out of here and go back to Egypt. Moses keeps demurring so Yahweh gets pissed off at him and tells him that his brother Aaron can be his spokesman then, but to take the magic stick with him to do the tricks. It's actually pretty funny.
So Moses leaves his father-in-law Jethro in Midian to return to Egypt. On the way there is a bizarre little episode in which God tries to kill Moses, but Moses is saved when his wife wipes their son's bloody foreskin on his feet. Ex.4:24-26
24 At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses[a] and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it.[b] “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)Pretty dang weird. Here is the Hebrew. Not much more helpful. Why would Yahweh suddenly want to kill Moses after all this? Moses wasn't exactly being helpful, and since his son was born outside of Israel, I guess Yahweh was angry that he wasn't circumcized.
Just to step back a moment, the names for God in Exodus are pretty interesting. In Ex. 3:6, Yahweh introduces himself as the God, "Elohei" (cf. Allah) of each of Moses's patriarchal ancestors. Then it is noted that Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at "El-HaElohim". Does this mean "the gods"? I need to know more Biblical Hebrew grammar to understand this.
Aaron goes out and meets Moses in the dessert and they plan their exodus. The stick tricks work and the people believe them. When it's time to ask Pharaoh for a religious vacation, it is Moses and Aaron who go, presumably with Aaron doing the talking. They lie that Yahweh spoke to both of them.
In Ex. 6:2 God says he was known to the patriarchs as El Shaddai, The Great One, but I thought the Hebrew read Yahweh? Ok, I just checked, and yes, the Hebrew reads Yahweh/Jehovah, not El Shaddai. Weird. I guess the words read Yahweh but He didn't formally introduce himself? heh.
Ex. 6:13 reveals that Yahweh then commanded both Moses and Aaron to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Ex. 6:16-20 reveals that Levi's grandson Amram (Moses's and Aaron's Dad), married his father's sister, which I'm hoping means something different than his father's full-blood sister, which sounds like pretty appalling incest. Elisheba, or Elizabeth, was Aaron's wife. Ex. 6 ends with a genealogy of the early Levite leaders and the assertion that it was indeed Moses and Aaron of the Levite clan who led the Hebrews out of Egypt. Oh, and Moses complains to Yahweh once again that he shouldn't be the one to talk to Pharoah, since he stutters.
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