obsession

March 30, 2017

The dialog about defilement (Ezek 4:14-4:15)

“Then I said.

‘Yahweh God!

I have never

Defiled myself.

From my youth

Up until now,

I have never eaten

What died of itself

Or was torn by animals.

Carrion decaying flesh

Has never

Come into my mouth.’

Then he said to me.

‘See!

I will let you have

Cow’s dung

Instead of human dung.

You can prepare

Your bread on that.’”

Ezekiel was upset about eating unclean bread. He complained to Yahweh that he had never defiled himself from his youth on. He had never eaten anything that died of itself or any torn up animals. This meant that he ate only slaughtered animals. He had never touched decaying or the carrion flesh of dead animals. We might call it road kill animals. Yahweh responded that he would let him cook his barley cakes on animal dung, which was not considered unclean. Human excrement, however, was considered unclean. This was an indication of the obsession of later Israelites about touching and eating clean and unclean animals.

February 18, 2015

Tobit prepares for death (Tob 4:1-4:4)

“That same day, Tobit remembered the money which he had left in trust with Gabael at Rages in Media. He said to himself. ‘Now I have asked for death. Why do I not call my son Tobias? I can explain to him about the money before I die.’ Then he called his son Tobias. When he came to him, he said.

‘My son,

When I die,

Give me a proper burial.

Honor your mother.  

Do not abandon her all the days of your life.

Do whatever pleases her.

Do not grieve her in anything.

Remember her, my son,

Because she faced many dangers for you

While you were in her womb.

When she dies,

Bury her beside me in the same grave.’”

Tobit continued his obsession with his death. He remembered the money he had left with Gabael in Media. He wanted to tell his son about this money before he died. When his son, Tobias, came to him, he told him that he wanted a proper burial. At the same time, he wanted his son to honor his mother. He wanted him not to give her much grief. There is no indication of his age so far, but you know how teenagers can be. On top of that, there is an indication that the pregnancy with him was difficult. Tobit wanted his wife to be buried in the same grave as himself.