Friday, November 17, 2023

Hilary Lipka on the Priests having an "inborn holiness" in the Old Testament

  

While Aaron and his sons, the first priests, undergo a consecration ceremony to become holy (See Exod 28-29; Lev 8), there is no mention of future generations of priests having to undergo such a rite. This indicates that priests are born holy. Further evidence of the inborn holiness of priests is found in the guidelines concerning those with physical defects (Lev 21:16-23). While they are still apparently considered holy, since they can partake of the most holy offerings. (See Lev 21:16-23) This inheritance of holiness through the priestly line distinguishes priests from others who acquire holiness, such as the one who takes a temporary Nazarite vow or the lay person who acquires holiness through following the commandments. (Hilary Lipka “Profaning the Body: חלל and the Conception of Loss of Personal Holiness,” in Bodies, Embodiment, and the Theology of the Hebrew Bible, ed. S. Tamar Kamionkowski and Wonil Kim [Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies 465; London: T&T Clark, 2010], 97)

 

Each new high priest must undergo consecration (see Exod 29:7, 29; Lev 6:13-15; 8:12; 16:32; 21:10, 12), but there is no mention of consecration of regular priests after the initial consecration of Aaron’s sons. Apparently, that initial rite undergone by Aaron’s sons suffices for all future generations of priests. (Ibid., 97 n. 25)