Hebrew Bible: the (P) source, Leviticus, and Numbers

09/26/2011

(P) Source -- geneologies, Creation, flood and circumcision accounts

Exodus 25-40 -- Tabernacle (P)

• Think of it as a La-z-boy or a tent
• the place where God's presence resided
• visually like a cloud

Leviticus 1-16 -- Purity vs. Impurity (P)
Leviticus 17-26 -- Holiness Code (H)
Leviticus 27-(end) -- (P)
Numbers -- all (P), yet (P) most likely incorporates (J) and (E) narratives

Two purposes of the (P) source narratives

1. Authors wanted everyone to know what it meant to be "pure."
1. impurities
1. necrophilia (nearness to dead things)
2. eating an animal found dead
3. pigs
4. childbirth
5. menstrual cycles, etc., etc...
2. ways to become pure
1. sacrifices
2. priests!  without them, nothing can be acceptable to God
3. Leviticus 16:  Qapparah festival ("purification" in Hebrew)
1. basis for Yom Kippur
2. once a year a high priest (originally Aaron) would atone for the sins of the entire community
3. two goats:  one is sacrified, and the other is released into the wild at the mercy of Ahazel
1. Ahazel was a demon most likely
2. why was this included in the final biblical composition?
4. the festival was highly participatory and emotionally powerful
2. Authors included supportive narratives.
1. Leviticus 10:1-3
1. Aaron's sons, the priests
2. their unholy fire brought upon their sudden death
2. Numbers 12
1. a mini-rebellion led by Aaron and Miriam (Moses' siblings)
2. they were upset with Moses' extreme authority
3. Miriam suffers leprosy as a consequence but nothing happens to Aaron
4. message:  DON'T MESS WITH THE HIERARCY
5. Hierarchy:  Moses --> Aaron and sons --> Levites --> everyone else
3. Numbers 16
1. a large rebellion led by the Levite Korah
2. he questions Moses and the limitations of holiness to the priests exclusively
3. as a result, all the rebellers die in a pit
4. Numbers 25
1. a man takes a Moabite woman into his test in front of the assembly
2. Phineas the priest kills both of them with a spear (out of zeal)
3. the plauge upon the people for inter-marrying with such women ended
4. But Moses married a Moabite woman!
1. He was above the law, not to be questioned.
5. The stories stress the importance of submitting to the hierarchy, do the holiness rituals, and not to question Moses' authority.

Leviticus (Vayiqra in Hebrew, meaning "And he said...")

Key characters:  Aaronide priests and Levite helpers

Numbers (Bamidbar in Hebrew, meaning "In the desert...")

• census data (numbers)
• winderness travels