Description
Book SynopsisThe concepts of purity and pollution are fundamental to the worldview reflected in the Hebrew Bible, yet the ways biblical texts apply these concepts to sexual relationships remain largely overlooked. Sexual Pollution in the Hebrew Bible argues that, when applied to sexual relations, pollution language usually reflects a conception of women as sexual property susceptible to being ruined for particular men through contamination by others. In contrast, however, the Holiness legislation of the Pentateuch applies such language to men who engage in transgressive sexual relations, conveying the idea that male bodily purity is a prerequisite for individual and communal holiness. This understanding of sexual pollution, found in Leviticus 18, has a profound impact on later texts. In the book of Ezekiel, it contributes to a broader conception of pollution resulting from Israel''s sins, which bring about the Babylonian exile. In the book of Ezra, it figures in a view of the Israelite community as
Trade ReviewNuanced, comprehensively researched, wide-ranging and clearly written, this book clarifies and synthesizes many interrelated issues concerning sex, gender, and ritual impuritywhat the author calls ritual pollution. Employing a cross-cultural psychological approach while well-grounded in the study of the ancient Near East, this study is important not only for biblical scholars, but for anyone interested in feminism, masculinity, gender, and the broad culture of the biblical world. * Marc Zvi Brettler, author of How to Read the Jewis Bible *
Within the context of a general discussion of purity and pollution categories in the Hebrew Bible, Feinstein focuses on types of sexual pollution. Her rigorous and full analysis provides considerable clarity about the many obscurities in the system and in the texts she analyzes in detail. A major contribution. * Michael D. Coogan, editor, The New Oxford Annotated Bible *
Eve Feinstein rightly claims that the concepts of impurity and pollution, while central to biblical thought, have received inadequate treatment in critical biblical scholarship. Her work represents a noteworthy advance, clarifying and refining the understanding of the topic with special attention to the problematic relationship between purity/impurity and sexuality. In her meticulous examination of relevant texts, she rejects simplistic moralizing and psychologizing solutions in favor of a sophisticated analysis that is attuned to the Bibles gender politics and respectful of both chronological development and the ideological diversity of the sources. * Alan Cooper, Elaine Ravich Professor of Jewish Studies and Provost, Jewish Theological Seminary *
Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations ; 1. Introduction ; 2. Purity and Pollution Ideas in the Hebrew Bible ; 3. Sexual Pollution of Women ; 4. Leviticus 18 and Sexual Pollution of Men ; 5. The Legacy of Leviticus 18 in the Hebrew Bible ; 6. Conclusion ; Appendices
