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This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read on Oxford Academic and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. Two Models of Biblical Purity investigates the ancient Israelite and early Jewish purity system, proposing a framework that distinguishes between two conceptual approaches to ritual pollution: the qualitative and quantitative models. In the qualitative model, forms of pollution differ fundamentally by type, like distinct illnesses with unique symptoms and treatments. The quantitative model, on the other hand, views pollution as varying in intensity or degree, similar to temperature, where different sources simply make one “more” or “less” impure. The book argues that the Hebrew Bible primarily reflects a qualitative model, where impurities are categorized by nature rather than severity. Through careful philological analysis, the study develops “litmus tests” to detect these models within biblical and Second Temple texts, showing a gradual shift toward quantitative thought in later Jewish sources. Each chapter applies these methods to pivotal texts, including the Priestly literature, the Temple Scroll, and other late Second Temple and rabbinic writings, revealing the complex evolution of purity laws. This approach provides insights into the inner logic and diachronic development of ritual systems, offering a foundational perspective for comparative studies across diverse ritual traditions. Finally, it examines the historical contexts that may have instigated the shift and considers the advantages of the “fundamental science” approach to the study of biblical purity.

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9780198883326

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Naphtali Meshel's research focuses on the Hebrew Bible in its ancient Near Eastern contexts, and on its early interpreters. Within the broader study of religion, he has a particular interest in Sanskrit literature. His first book, The Grammar of Sacrifice, examines the ancient intuition that sacrificial rituals, like languages, are governed by “grammars.” His research interests include ancient models for the “science of ritual”; systems of pollution and purification; and mechanisms of double entendre in biblical literature. He currently serves as Chair of the Bible Department at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; he previously taught at Princeton University.

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