What does God mean by "unclean"?

[master_catholic]

Is avoiding a state of “uncleanness” really similar in spirit to things like maintaining the 1-hour fast of today before receiving communion?

I take it that uncleanliness and being in a state of sin are not synonymous to the ancient Jews?

Any info would help, thank you!

 

[YKohen]

From the Jewish side, what is commonly translated as “unclean” isn’t quite accurate. For instance, touching a dead body puts one in that state, and yet it is a commandment to bury the dead. Similarly, a menstuating woman is in that state, and yet menstuating can’t possibly be considered a sin.

Sorry if I’m off-topic.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

From the Jewish side, what is commonly translated as “unclean” isn’t quite accurate. For instance, touching a dead body puts one in that state, and yet it is a commandment to bury the dead. Similarly, a menstruating woman is in that state, and yet menstruating can’t possibly be considered a sin.

Sorry if I’m off-topic.

I think burying the dead and menstruating actually brought one in contact with the holy, the Divine life giving touch. This was not sinful, but required one be secluded with the Divine for a period - something like Moses veiling his face until the glory lfaded.

[This is the product of a fuzzy memory of something I read in passing a long time ago; so don’t expect much accuracy.]

 

[YKohen]

Your memory is anything but fuzzy.

 

[mercytruth]

Is avoiding a state of “uncleanness” really similar in spirit to things like maintaining the 1-hour fast of today before receiving communion?

I take it that uncleanliness and being in a state of sin are not synonymous to the ancient Jews?

Any info would help, thank you!

Uncleanness is a concept which is normally regarded as that which defiles the outward person, that is, the body.

Although Jesus did not teach against ritual purity of the outside, he did emphasize the importance of having a clean heart. It is from the heart that all sorts of evils are eventually manifested. In effect, Jesus downplayed the importance of outside ritual purity, and emphasized having a good heart, a heart that was perfect after God.

I think to be fair to the Jewish people, one should desire that the temple that one has been given from God is respected, and not to be defiled with that which may be detrimental to one’s soul.

Associating, or befriending individuals who are living unrepentant sinful lives may detrimentally affect a person who is attempting to live a holy life for God. Yes, Jesus ate with publicans and sinners, but he seems to have associated with such sinners who wanted to repent.

God’s peace

micah

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Your memory is anything but fuzzy.

Thanks - Joe

 

[De_Maria]

Is avoiding a state of “uncleanness” really similar in spirit to things like maintaining the 1-hour fast of today before receiving communion?

I take it that uncleanliness and being in a state of sin are not synonymous to the ancient Jews?

Any info would help, thank you!

There is possibly more than one context for its use. So, I don’t know about that “holiness” thing which Kelley brought up. But, there seem to be creatures which are unclean:

Leviticus 5:2
Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.

And there are unclean things produced by men:
Leviticus 5:3
Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.

And the word “defile” is used in association with these things.

Therefore, unless one is assuming that the particular version of the Bible is incorrectly interpreted, it sounds to me as though the context is more to the sense of “unholy”, “dirty”, or “contaminated”.

Now, although the woman who has given birth has not sinned. She, however, has come into contact with blood.

Leviticus 12
1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

Note that because of the issue of blood, the woman is considered “infirm” and therefore, perhaps considered to be in a weakened condition. Perhaps God installed this command in order to protect the woman from any further complications and from coming in contact with infections carried by other people. Just a guess.

Sincerely,

De Maria