Manners & Customs

The Talmud and Leprosy

The Talmud indicates that a leper could not come within 4 cubits of any Israelite or 100 cubits if there was an east wind blowing. The Mishnah indicates that any contact with a leper, his dwelling, or any of his possessions would make a person ceremonially unclean. According to Leviticus 13:45 a leper was commanded to cry "unclean, unclean" wh...

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The Writings of Josephus on Leprosy

The Talmud indicates that a leper could not come within 4 cubits of any Israelite or 100 cubits if there was an east wind blowing. The Mishnah indicates that any contact with a leper, his dwelling, or any of his possessions would make a person ceremonially unclean. According to Leviticus 13:45 a leper was commanded to cry "unclean, unclean" wh...

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Anointing with the Alabaster Flask

The Bible mentions an alabaster flask or box or more accurately "an alabastron", a small contaner which was filled with costly spikenard (perfumed oil). Mary came to the house of Simon the leper to anoint Jesus by breaking the jar and pouring the spikenard on his head in Mark 14. In the ancient world one of the purposes for anointing the head was t...

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Anointing with the Alabaster Flask

The Bible mentions an alabaster flask or box or more accurately "an alabastron", a small contaner which was filled with costly spikenard (perfumed oil). Mary came to the house of Simon the leper to anoint Jesus by breaking the jar and pouring the spikenard on his head in Mark 14. In the ancient world one of the purposes for anointing the head was t...

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The Separation of Lepers

In biblical times lepers were considered unclean, and they were forced to separate themselves from the public. The mere touch of a leper brought uncleanness, and breathing the same air of a leper was believed to be dangerous. When someone was pronounced "leprous" they were looked upon as dead and cast out of society to dwell in a special place...

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The Law of Moses and Leprosy

The ancient Jewish Law made no provision for the cleansing of a leper, but only the ability to declare someone clean who had been suspected of leprosy. The Law required lepers to be quarantined, and there were strict rules for ceremonial cleansing. For a man that was suspected of leprosy the priest would make the decision if the disease was h...

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Jesus and the Leper

Luke 5:12-14 - And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. And he charged him...

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Leprosy in the Ancient World

During ancient biblical times there was a loathsome disease called leprosy (Heb. tzarah meaning smitten and Gr. lepra meaning scaly) of which there was no known cure. It was an uncontrollable, slowly growing disease that would cause swollen lumps on the skin and ulcerous scabs all over the body. There was a numbness sensation that caused the l...

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The Term Tax Collector

The term "tax collector" or "tax gatherer" is from the Greek word "telones" and the King James Version of the Bible translates the word "publican," although the Greek word telones were really NOT the publicans. Publicans were wealthy men, usually non-Jewish, who contracted with the Roman government to be responsible for the taxes of a particular di...

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History of the Tax Collectors

The Tax Collectors in the Roman Empire The Tax Collector or Tax Gatherer is the Greek word "telones" and the King James Version of the Bible translates the word "publican." He was contracted by Rome to collect taxes for the government during New Testament times. The Greek word telones were really NOT the publicans. Publicans were wealthy men, usual...

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