Hygienic Lifestyle
Leviticus 13:40-59
40 “A man who has lost his hair and is bald is clean. 41 If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. 42 But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is a defiling disease breaking out on his head or forehead. 43 The priest is to examine him, and if the swollen sore on his head or forehead is reddish-white like a defiling skin disease, 44 the man is diseased and is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean because of the sore on his head.45 “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 As long as they have the disease, they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.
Regulations About Defiling Molds
47 “As for any fabric that is spoiled with a defiling mold—any woolen or linen clothing, 48 any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather— 49 if the affected area in the fabric, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a defiling mold and must be shown to the priest. 50 The priest is to examine the affected area and isolate the article for seven days. 51 On the seventh day he is to examine it, and if the mold has spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a persistent defiling mold; the article is unclean. 52 He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned.
53 “But if, when the priest examines it, the mold has not spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, 54 he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days. 55 After the article has been washed, the priest is to examine it again, and if the mold has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it, no matter which side of the fabric has been spoiled. 56 If, when the priest examines it, the mold has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the spoiled part out of the fabric, the leather, or the woven or knitted material. 57 But if it reappears in the fabric, in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is a spreading mold; whatever has the mold must be burned. 58 Any fabric, woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mold, must be washed again. Then it will be clean.” 59 These are the regulations concerning defiling molds in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.
These kinds of warning about skin diseases seems real as we are going through corona pandemic these days. Moreover, my father passed away because of the skin cancer and his symptom started from a reddish spot on his forehead, so the above words sound serious and super important saying. The life in the wild could have been more challenging and tougher than the one in Egypt, though they had lived in a slavery life for over 400 years.
However, they are being taken good care of by God who looks generous and careful and providing what they need from the beginning to the end, I mean, from Genesis to Exodus, with detailed care about their physical health, as well as the spiritual health. He has provided food and clothes that are not worn out, but if some cases happen, they had to burn them away as it could spread to all the community, leading to the death of all the people. Throughout the history, because of these kinds of pandemic, like pest and MERS, many people have died, so they have been affecting hygienically cleaning behaviors in life, such as washing hands and drying hands well after pooping or peeing and changing clothes after walking on a hill or a mountain, etc.
We all learn from experiencing and knowledge about them. Just knowing could stop them from happening. Therefore, God is telling the detailed word to His people several times, as they have a tendency to forget them easily. The infected people should have suffered from the disease and also from self-isolation from the community, feeling painful and lonely, and getting more stressful than the sickness itself. However, it is mandatory and responsible for the society as we live together, so we'll have to endure it until we were cured and cleaned 100%. Before that, we should care for ourselves with the hygienic lifestyle and habitual sanitization for our health, including our families' in the community.
Likewise, I think that we should check our life if there is any sin, like the greenish or reddish defiling mold somewhere in my mind or thought, through which my life could be destroyed, and I could be self-isolated and stressful, even leading to the death of my soul. Let me keep a hygienic lifestyle, mediating on the bible day and night for my spiritual cleanness!
