Priestly Code - Constituent Parts

Constituent Parts

Although the majority of the code forms the bulk of Leviticus, there are several laws which appear in other places in the Torah. The code is generally regarded to contain the following laws :

• Law of circumcision (Genesis 17)
• Laws concerning consumption of the Passover meal (Exodus 12:43-49)
• Laws concerning the keeping of the Sabbath (Exodus 31:14b-17 and 35:1-3)
• Law concerning the consumption of dead animals, fat, blood, and the portion due to the priest (Leviticus 7:22-38)
• Law concerning inappropriate behaviour for priests (Leviticus 10:6-15)
• List of clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11)
• Laws of purification and atonement (Leviticus 12, Leviticus 13, and Leviticus 15)
• Laws interrupting the Holiness Code:
  • The prohibition against consuming the naturally dead (Leviticus 17:15-16)
  • The order to make trespass offerings after sexual involvement with an engaged slavewoman (Leviticus 19:21-22)
  • The prohibition against an anointed high priest uncovering his head or rending his clothes (Leviticus 21:10)
  • The prohibition against offerings by Aaronid priests who are blemished (Leviticus 21:21-22)
  • Case law concerning a blasphemer (Leviticus 24:10-15a and 24:23)
  • The order for a trumpet sounding on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 25:9b)
  • Rules concerning redeeming property (Leviticus 25:23 and 25:26-34)
  • Order to only keep heathens as slaves (Leviticus 25:40, 25:42, 25:44-46)
  • Rules concerning redeeming people (Leviticus 25:48-52, and 25:54)
• Law concerning the commutation of vows (Leviticus 27)
• Miscellaneous laws concerning lepers, and dedicated things (Numbers 5:1-10)
• Law concerning women suspected of adultery (Numbers 5:11-31)
• Law of the "Little Passover" (Numbers 9:9-14)
• Laws concerning the duties and revenue of priests and Levites (Numbers 18)
• Law concerning the daughters of Zelophehad and inheritance (Numbers 27:1-11)
• Law concerning oaths (Numbers 30)
• The giving of 48 cities to the Levits (Numbers 35:1-8)
• Law on the treatment of murder and manslaughter (Numbers 35:9-34)
• Law concerning the daughters of Zelophehad and marriage to a land owner (Numbers 36)

It is also generally regarded as containing the following descriptions and rules of ritual:

• Ritual of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15-20)
• Ritual of Consecration of Priests (Exodus 29:1-37, carried out at Leviticus 8)
• Continual morning and evening offerings (Exodus 29:38-42)
• Rules concerning the burning of incense and of hand washing (Exodus 30:7-10, and 30:19-20)
• Rules about the composition of anointing oil and incense (Exodus 30:22-38)
• Rules of burnt offerings, meal offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings, including specifications of the portions allocated to priests, and, in some cases, the appropriate costume of the officiating priest (Leviticus 1-7:21, carried out at Leviticus 9)
• Ritual of cleansing lepers (Leviticus 14)
• Rule of fringes (Leviticus 15:37-41)
• Ritual of Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16:3-34, 25:9b)
• Rituals interrupting the Holiness Code:
  • The order to keep the sabbath, passover, and feast of unleavened bread (Leviticus 23:1-10a)
  • The order to keep Yom Kippur, and Sukkot (Leviticus 23:23-38)
  • The order for continual bread and oil (Leviticus 24:1-9)
• Ritual concerning Nazarites (Numbers 6:1-21)
• The priestly benediction (Numbers 6:22-27)

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

• Rules concerning how to fix lamps on the golden candlestick, and how to consecrate priests (Numbers 8:1-15, carried out at Numbers 8:20-22)
• Ritual of the Red Heifer, for purification after contact with a corpse (Numbers 19)