Fragmenda

Scripture

Leviticus 9–12

Leviticus 9

Aaron offereth sacrifice for himself and the people. Fire cometh from the Lord upon the altar.

1 

And when the eighth day was come, Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the ancients of Israel, and said to Aaron:

2 

Take of the herd a calf for sin, and a ram for a holocaust, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord.

3 

And to the children of Israel thou shalt say: Take ye a he goat for sin, and a calf, and a lamb, both of a year old, and without blemish for a holocaust.

4 

Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings. And immolate them before the Lord, offering for the sacrifice of every one of them flour tempered with oil: for to day the Lord will appear to you.

5 

They brought therefore all things that Moses had commanded before the door of the tabernacle: where when all the multitude stood,

6 

Moses said: This is the word, which the Lord hath commanded. Do it, and his glory will appear to you.

7 

And he said to Aaron: Approach to the altar, and offer sacrifice for thy sin. Offer the holocaust, and pray for thyself and for the people: and when thou hast slain the people’s victim, pray for them, as the Lord hath commanded.

8 

And forthwith Aaron, approaching to the altar, immolated the calf for his sin.

9 

And his sons brought him the blood of it: and he dipped his finger therein, and touched the horns of the altar, and poured the rest at the foot thereof.

10 

And the fat, and the little kidneys, and the caul of the liver, which are for sin, he burnt upon the altar, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

11 

But the flesh and skins thereof he burnt with fire without the camp.

12 

He immolated also the victim of holocaust: and his sons brought him the blood thereof, which he poured round about on the altar.

13 

And the victim being cut into pieces, they brought to him the head and all the members: all which he burnt with fire upon the altar.

14 

Having first washed the entrails and the feet with water.

15 

Then offering for the sin of the people, he slew the he goat: and expiating the altar,

16 

He offered the holocaust.

17 

Adding in the sacrifice the libations, which are offered withal, and burning them upon the altar, besides the ceremonies of the morning holocaust.

18 

He immolated also the bullock and the ram, and peace offerings of the people: and his sons brought him the blood, which he poured upon the altar round about.

19 

The fat also of the bullock, and the rump of the ram, and the two little kidneys with their fat, and the caul of the liver,

20 

They put upon the breasts. And after the fat was burnt upon the altar,

21 

Aaron separated their breasts, and the right shoulders, elevating them before the Lord, as Moses had commanded.

22 

And stretching forth his hands to the people, he blessed them. And so the victims for sin, and the holocausts, and the peace offerings being finished, he came down.

23 

And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the testimony, and afterwards came forth and blessed the people. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the multitude.

24 

And, behold, a fire, coming forth from the Lord, devoured the holocaust, and the fat that was upon the altar: which when the multitude saw, they praised the Lord, falling on their faces.


Leviticus 10

Nadab and Abiu for offering strange fire, are burnt by fire. Priests are forbidden to drink wine, when they enter into the tabernacle. The law of eating the holy things.

1 

And Nadab and Abiu, the sons of Aaron, taking their censers, put fire therein, and incense on it, offering before the Lord strange fire: which was not commanded them.

2 

And fire coming out from the Lord destroyed them: and they died before the Lord.

3 

And Moses said to Aaron: This is what the Lord hath spoken. I will be sanctified in them that approach to me: and I will be glorified in the sight of all the people. And when Aaron heard this, he held his peace.

4 

And Moses called Misael and Elisaphan, the sons of Oziel, the uncle of Aaron, and said to them: Go and take away your brethren from before the sanctuary, and carry them without the camp.

5 

And they went forthwith and took them as they lay, vested with linen tunicks, and cast them forth, as had been commanded them.

6 

And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons: Uncover not your heads, and rend not your garments, lest perhaps you die, and indignation come upon all the congregation. Let your brethren, and all the house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Lord has kindled.

7 

But you shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle: otherwise you shall perish, for the oil of the holy unction is on you. And they did all things according to the precept of Moses.

8 

The Lord also said to Aaron:

9 

You shall not drink wine nor any thing that may make drunk, thou nor thy sons, when you enter into the tabernacle of the testimony, lest you die. Because it is an everlasting precept; through your generations:

10 

And that you may have knowledge to discern between holy and unholy, between unclean and clean:

11 

And may teach the children of Israel all my ordinances which the Lord hath spoken to them by the hand of Moses.

12 

And Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons that were left: Take the sacrifice that is remaining of the oblation of the Lord, and eat it without leaven beside the altar, because it is holy of holies.

13 

And you shall eat it in a holy place: which is given to thee and thy sons of the oblations of the Lord, as it hath been commanded me.

14 

The breast also that is offered, and the shoulder that is separated, you shall eat in a most clean place, thou and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee. For they are set aside for thee and thy children, of the victims of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

15 

Because they have elevated before the Lord the shoulder and the breast, and the fat that is burnt on the altar: and they belong to thee and to thy sons by a perpetual law, as the Lord hath commanded.

16 

While these things were a doing, when Moses sought for the buck goat, that had been offered for sin, he found it burnt. And being angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron that were left, he said:

17 

Why did you not eat in the holy place the sacrifice for sin, which is most holy, and given to you, that you may bear the iniquity of the people, and may pray for them in the sight of the Lord.

18 

Especially, whereas none of the blood thereof hath been carried within the holy places: and you ought to have eaten it in the sanctuary, as was commanded me?

19 

Aaron answered: This day hath been offered the victim for sin, and the holocaust before the Lord: and to me what thou seest has happened. How could I eat it, or please the Lord in the ceremonies, having a sorrowful heart?

20 

Which when Moses had heard he was satisfied.


Leviticus 11

The distinction of clean and unclean animals.

1 

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

2 

Say to the children of Israel: These are the animals which you are to eat of all the living things of the earth.

3 

Whatsoever hath the hoof divided, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, you shall eat.

4 

But whatsoever cheweth indeed the cud, and hath a hoof, but divideth it not, as the camel, and others: that you shall not eat, but shall reckon it among the unclean.

5 

The cherogrillus which cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof, is unclean.

6 

The hare also: for that too cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof.

7 

And the swine, which, though it divideth the hoof, cheweth not the cud.

8 

The flesh of these you shall not eat, nor shall you touch their carcasses, because they are unclean to you.

9 

These are the things that breed in the waters, and which it is lawful to eat. All that hath fins, and scales, as well in the sea, as in the rivers, and the pools, you shall eat.

10 

But whatsoever hath not fins and scales, of those things that move and live in the waters, shall be an abomination to you,

11 

And detestable. Their flesh you shall not eat: and their carcasses you shall avoid.

12 

All that have not fins and scales, in the waters, shall be unclean.

13 

Of birds these are they which you must not eat, and which are to be avoided by you: The eagle, and the griffon, and the osprey.

14 

And the kite, and the vulture, according to their kind.

15 

And all that is of the raven kind, according to their likeness.

16 

The ostrich, and the owl, and the larus, and the hawk according to its kind.

17 

The screech owl, and the cormorant, and the ibis.

18 

And the swan, and the bittern, and the porphyrion.

19 

The heron, and the charadroin according to its kind, the houp also, and the bat.

20 

Of things that fly, whatsoever goeth upon four feet, shall be abominable to you.

21 

But whatsoever walketh upon four feet, but hath the legs behind longer, wherewith it hoppeth upon the earth,

22 

That you shall eat: as the bruchus in its kind, the attacus, and ophimachus, and the locust, every one according to their kind.

23 

But of flying things whatsoever hath four feet only, shall be an abomination to you.

24 

And whosoever shall touch the carcasses of them, shall be defiled: and shall be unclean until the evening:

25 

And if it be necessary that he carry any of these things when they are dead: he shall wash his clothes, and shall be unclean until the sun set.

26 

Every beast that hath a hoof, but divideth it not, nor cheweth the cud shall be unclean: and he that toucheth it, shall be defiled.

27 

That which walketh upon hands of all animals which go on all four, shall be unclean: he that shall touch their carcasses shall be defiled until evening.

28 

And he that shall carry such carcasses, shall wash his clothes, and shall be unclean until evening: because all these things are unclean to you.

29 

These also shall be reckoned among unclean things, of all that move upon the earth. The weasel, and the mouse, and the crocodile, every one according to their kind:

30 

The shrew, and the chameleon, and the stellio, and the lizard, and the mole.

31 

All these are unclean. He that toucheth their carcasses shall be unclean until the evening.

32 

And upon what thing soever any of their carcasses shall fall, it shall be defiled, whether it be a vessel of wood, or a garment, or skins or haircloths: or any thing in which work is done. They shall be dipped in water, and shall be unclean until the evening, and so afterwards shall be clean.

33 

But an earthen vessel, into which any of these shall fall, shall be defiled: and therefore is to be broken.

34 

Any meat which you eat, if water from such a vessel be poured upon it, shall be unclean; and every liquor that is drunk out of any such vessel, shall be unclean.

35 

And upon whatsoever thing any of these dead beasts shall fall, it shall be unclean. Whether it be oven, or pots with feet, they shall be destroyed, and shall be unclean.

36 

But fountains and cisterns, and all gatherings together of waters shall be clean. He that toucheth their carcasses shall be defiled.

37 

If it fall upon seed corn, it shall not defile it.

38 

But if any man pour water upon the seed, and afterwards it be touched by the carcasses, it shall be forthwith defiled.

39 

If any beast die, of which it is lawful for you to eat, he that toucheth the carcass thereof, shall be unclean until the evening.

40 

And he that eateth or carrieth any thing thereof, shall wash his clothes, and shall be unclean until the evening.

41 

All that creepeth upon the earth shall be abominable: neither shall it be taken for meat.

42 

Whatsoever goeth upon the breast on four feet, or hath many feet, or traileth on the earth, you shall not eat, because it is abominable.

43 

Do not defile your souls, nor touch aught thereof, lest you be unclean,

44 

For I am the Lord your God. Be holy because I am holy. Defile not your souls by any creeping thing, that moveth upon the earth.

45 

For I am the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that I might be your God.

46 

You shall be holy, because I am holy. This is the law of beasts and fowls, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and creepeth on the earth:

47 

That you may know the differences of the clean, and unclean, and know what you ought to eat, and what to refuse.


Leviticus 12

The purification of women after childbirth.

1 

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

2 

Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: If a woman having received seed shall bear a man child, she shall be unclean seven days, according to the days of separation of her flowers.

3 

And on the eighth day the infant shall be circumcised:

4 

But she shall remain three and thirty days in the blood of her purification. She shall touch no holy thing: neither shall she enter into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification, be fulfilled.

5 

But if she shall bear a maid child, she shall be unclean two weeks, according to the custom of her monthly courses. And she shall remain in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.

6 

And when the days of her purification are expired, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, a lamb of a year old for a holocaust, and a young pigeon or a turtle for sin: and shall deliver them to the priest.

7 

Who shall offer them before the Lord, and shall pray for her: and so she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that beareth a man child or a maid child.

8 

And if her hand find not sufficiency, and she is not able to offer a lamb, she shall take two turtles, or two young pigeons, one for a holocaust, and another for sin: and the priest shall pray for her, and so she shall be cleansed.

Catechism

An Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism of Christian Doctrine, Lesson 6, Question 54

54 Q. What is mortal sin?

A. Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of God.

"Grievous"—that is, very great or serious. "Against the law." If we are in doubt whether anything is sinful or not, we must ask ourselves: is it forbidden by God or His Church? and if we do not know of any law forbidding it, it cannot be a sin, at least for us.

Suppose, for example, a boy should doubt whether it is sinful or not to fly a kite. Well, is there any law of God or of His Church saying it is sinful to fly a kite? If not, then it cannot be a sin. But it might be sinful for another reason, namely, his parents or superiors might forbid it, and there is a law of God saying you must not disobey your parents or superiors. Therefore a thing not sinful in itself, that is, not directly forbidden by God or His Church, may become sinful for some other reason well known to us.

We must not, however, doubt concerning the sinfulness or lawfulness of everything we do; for that would be foolish and lead us to be scrupulous. If we doubt at all we should have some good reason for doubting, that is, for believing that the thing we are about to do is or is not forbidden. When, therefore, we have such a doubt we must seek information from those who can enlighten us on the subject, so that we may act without the danger of sinning. It is our intention that makes the act we perform sinful or not. Let me explain. Suppose during Lent a person should mistake Friday for Thursday and should eat meat—that person would not commit a real sin, because it is not a sin to eat meat on an ordinary Thursday. He would commit what we call a material sin; that is, his action would be a sin if he really knew what he was doing. On the other hand, if the person, thinking it was Friday when it was really Thursday, ate meat, knowing it to be forbidden, that person would commit a mortal sin, because he intended to do so. Therefore, if what we do is not known to be a sin while we do it, it is no sin for us and cannot become a sin afterwards. But as soon as we know or learn that what we did was wrong, it would be a sin if we did the same thing again. In the same way, everything we do thinking it to be wrong or sinful is wrong and sinful for us, though it may not be wrong for those who know better. Again, it is sinful to judge others for doing wrong, because they may not know that what they do is sinful. It would be better for us to instruct than to blame them. The best we can do, therefore, is to learn well all God's laws and the laws of His Church as they are taught in the catechism, so that we may know when we are violating them or when we are not, i.e., when we are sinning and when we are not.