SPECIAL STATUTES FOR COMPASSION AND HOLINESS This chapter is considered as a consummation of the last one; in which God’s care for the outcasts is revealed; namely, those whom no one cares for. Here the Law reveals its goal, the compassion toward all, together with holiness. The believer’s heart is full of love and compassion toward his brother, as well as toward the animals and birds; a compassion that binds with holiness. It is fitting for the congregation of believers to be firm to keep uncleanness away. 1. Caring for everything that belongs to a neighbor or to a stranger 1–4. 2. Banning sexual anomaly 5. 3. Compassion toward a bird sitting on a nest with eggs or young 6–7. 4. Protecting the life of others 8. 5. Not mixing odd things together 9–11. 6. Tassels for garments 12. 7. Charging a wife that she was not a virgin 13–19. 8. Statute of a wife who lost her virginity 20–21. 9. Matrimonial adultery 22. 10. Adultery with a betrothed virgin 23–27. 11. Adultery with an un-betrothed virgin 28–29. 12. Adultery with a father’s wife 30. 1. CARING FOR EVERYTHING THAT BELONG TO A NEIGHBOR OR TO A STRANGER It is not fitting for a believer to hide himself (ignore) from anything lost from his neighbor. He should bring them back to his neighbor. He should even care for the animal fallen down along the road. “You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly bring them back to your brother. And if your brother is not near you, or if you do not know him, then you shall bring it to your own house, and it shall remain with you until your brother seeks it; then you shall restore it to him. You shall do the same with his donkey, and so shall you do with his garment; with any lost thing of your brother’s, which he has lost and you have found, you shall do likewise; you must not hide yourself. You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fall down along the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him lift them up again” (Deut. 22:1-4) That is how God cares, even for our care for animals. In Exodus 23:4, the statute commands man to care for the donkey of his enemy or adversary; whatever is the animosity between humans, we are commanded to be compassionate toward the innocent animal. And if this is the case concerning the enemy, how much more should it be concerning the neighbor or the stranger, whether he is a Jew or a Gentile. In this statute, it is to be noticed: 1- The word “brother” here, is to be considered in the wide sense. It does not only mean a brother according to the flesh; as is obvious from the second verse, “if you do not know him.” This care is an act of mercy offered to the animal or bird, whoever his owner may be. The Law teaches us how to love our enemy. If his animal falls down along the 7 road, we are committed to lift it up1. St. Jerome 2- Man is committed to bring back an animal that has gone astray to its owner or to its pasture, for the sake of the right of neighborhood, and for the sake of compassion toward the animal itself. A believer cannot ignore or hide himself from the animal of his neighbor that has gone astray; but, through his natural love to do good, he should bring it back. If God so cares for the animal that has gone astray, how much more will He care for the souls that forsook her heavenly home, went astray from the divine pasture, and lost their way in the middle of the whirlpool of this world. The Word of God Himself came down to our earth to bring back the lost sheep, and to bring joy to heaven by its return. We, as members in the body of Christ, our heart will not find comfort until we bring back every soul to her heavenly Shepherd, and bring back every man into the bosom of the eternal Father. 3- The Law commits us to go and take the lost ox or sheep ourselves, and not to send a message to its owner to come and collect it, as the factor of time here is of utmost importance. Any delay in bringing the lost animal back to its owner or to its pasture, may cause it harm. 4- In case we do not know its owner or its pasture, we should bring the lost animal to our own house or our own pasture, and keep it there safe, until its owner seeks it. 5- The literal translation of the word ‘gone astray2’ also came to mean ‘taken away; namely, if we see someone dragging away our neighbor’s animal, we should not stand passively; but should act as is fitting of faithfulness toward its rightful owner. In the same way God did not stand passively, when we collapsed, and delivered ourselves to the evil one, to be like a sheep he dragged away from its fold. Then came the Good Shepherd and delivered Himself for the sake of each lamb, to bring it back to the heavenly fold. So we should not stand passively if we see one of our neighbor’s animal dragged away. And we should not stand passively if we see the evil one dragging his soul, mind, or will, away from the heavenly pasture, down to hell. So we should rise up above the requirements of the Law. But unfortunately we do not even do what it requires. If the book of Deuteronomy incites us to care even for the donkey or ox of our neighbor; how could we ignore his mind, heart, and inner being, when we see him being dragged by the devil down to hell; and present several vain and unfitting excuses for our slothfulness? If we should not stand passively when we see the donkey of our neighbor gone astray, what would be the case if it were the owner of the donkey himself, who is gone astray? Let us then rise above excuses, and make peace with our neighbor, whatever that may cost us; and seek the soul of our lost brother wherever he may be, as this is what even the Law of the Old Testament requires. If you should help in lifting up the donkey of an enemy; is it not more important to lift up the souls of friends; especially if their fall is of serious nature? The souls do not normally fall in much, but in the fire of hell. When you see your brother fall under a heavy burden, and the devil is standing putting it on fire; you should not cruelly and mercilessly ignore him, something that is not fitting to do even to animals! When the good Samaritan saw a wounded man whom he does not know nor 1 St. Jerome: Against the Pelagians, Book 1:30. 2 The People’s Bible, vol. 4, p. 305. 8 referred to; he stopped, put him on his donkey, brought him over to a hotel, hired a physician, gave him money, and promised to give him more on his way back. Yet you see someone, not fallen to robbers, but to the devil, not in the wilderness, but on the road. You are not required to spend money on him, to hire a donkey to carry him, nor to go out of your way to accompany him; but only to comfort him with some few nice words. But you ignore him, give him your back, and go away cruelly and mercilessly! How can you expect to find compassion when you ask something from God?1 St. John Chrysostom We are required by the Law to restore to our brother the garment he lost, with which he covers his body, what would we rather do to restore to him his reputation, that covers up his human dignity. Whoever enjoys hearing something bad about his brother, would be like not bringing him back his lost belongings; he would be like leaving him naked, not of his material clothing, but of his heavenly dignity. Our Christianity is an invitation, not to close our eyes, or to look through a narrow scope; saying, ‘This concerns me; and that concerns my brother;’ But it is an invitation to act with the spirit of love, spaciousness of heart and unity, on account of all mankind; caring for their rights and edification; and as said by the apostle: “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being” (1 Corinthians 10:24). 2. BANNING SEXUAL ANOMALY “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are abomination to the Lord your God” (Deut. 22:5) It is unfitting for man to wear garments that pertain to the opposite sex; namely, every sex should be proud of what God created him for. No one should covet to be of the other sex. Nature itself teaches man to be distinguished by his sex, even by the hair (1 Corinthians 11:14). The reasons for this are: a. St. John Chrysostom believes that this commandment implies that every one should be proud of the sex granted to him by God. The man should be proud of his manhood, and the woman of her femininity; the man should not covet to be a woman, and the woman should not covet to be a man. The beauty and goodness of each sex is in its pride of what God granted it; together with appreciation and respect toward the other sex, as a complementary to its own, and not as an opponent or a competitor. He or she should not despise nor feel haughty toward the other sex; but should see an integration between the sexes; but for the benefit and edification of humanity; he or she would behold the amazing hand of God and His exalted plan. Whoever does that, would cause confusion, betray the gifts of God, and throw on the ground the dignity granted to him by the Most High. Not only for the man but also for the woman, who would be more honored if she keeps her rank; Rebelling against it, would be indeed an insult for her2. St. John Chrysostom b. Every sex should feel its responsibilities; a man should undergo his with no femininity; and the woman undergoes her vital role; and by so doing, the society would be integral. c. Some see in this commandment what is deeper than the outer appearance; namely, keeping away from sexual immorality; as putting on garments of the opposite sex, implies a hidden desire to take its role in sexual relationships. St. Clement of Alexandria, condemning the practice of sexual anomaly, says: 1 In Matt. Hom. 15:15. 2 In 1 Cor. hom. 26:4. 9 [The Logos proclaims loud and clear, through the prophet Moses: “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22). When the wise Plato advised: ‘Keep away from the field of any woman who is not yours1;’ he was quoting from his readings in the holy Scripture, saying: “You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her” (Leviticus 18:20). “You should not plant what is not fruitful, an illegal seed with an (woman’s) egg2.” Don’t plant a seed where you don’t wish it to grow up3.” Don’t touch a woman b your wife whom you married4.” With her alone you are allowed to have physical pleasure for the sake of begetting offspring. This is what the Logos only allows. We, who are so partaking of the divine creation, are committed not to scatter our seeds sporadically where they should not be, nor to act dishonorably5.] d. Some believe that such behavior is actually pagan; as, in the temple of Venus, women used to appear armed like mighty warriors; while men used to be clothed like women. 3. HAVING COMPASSION TOWARD A BIRD SITTING ON A NEST WITH EGGS AND YOUNG ONES “If a bird’s nest happens to be before you along the way, in any tree or on the ground with young ones or eggs, with a mother sitting on the young or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. You shall surely let the mother go, and take the young for yourself, that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days” (Deut. 22:6, 7) Some justify the talk about letting the nursing mother go, following the talk about confirming the discernment between the two sexes: men and women; by the fact that the Law intends to confirm the importance of the mother’s role in keeping the race, even in birds. God granted man the authority upon the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and the beasts on the earth (Genesis 1:26); not to practice it without control, but with the spirit of compassion and mercy on the creation. In the book of Isaiah it came: “As the new wine is found in the cluster… Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it” (Isaiah 65:8). That statute is important, wise, and humane, for keeping the race (Matthew 10:29). The Jews say that, although these commandments are the smallest in the Mosaic Law, that cares even for the bird that is sitting on eggs or young ones, allowing for taking the eggs and the young, but letting the mother to go; yet it is amazing that its reward is the same as that of honoring a father or a mother; namely, “prolonging the days of the one who keeps it.” The Lord always proclaims His care for His creation, even for bird that seems of little value (Luke 12:6). 4. PROTECTING THE LIFE OF OTHERS This statute provides us with a straightforward concept of freedom. Although, man is completely free to build a house with a roof, yet he is committed not to have 1 Laws 8:839 A. 2 Laws 8:841 D. 3 Laws 8:839 A. 4 Laws 8:841 D. 5 Paedagogus 2:10:91. Cf. David G. Hunter: Marriage in the Early Church, Minneapolis, 1992, p. 42. 10 pleasure on the expense of his brother. He may be cautious, or he probably have no children to fear for their safety. But he may think about the chance that a relative may come to visit him with little children, grandchildren, or servants, who may not be as cautious, and one of them may fall from the roof. So, he has to provide it with a parapet, that he may not bring on himself the blood of whoever falls from his roof. “When you build a new house, then you shall make a parapet for your roof, that you may not bring blood-guiltiness on your house if anyone falls from it” (Deut. 22:8). With His love for man, God does not only protect him by His divine care, but also through His Law. Man is very valuable in the sight of God, and should be as such in that of the believers. In the region of the Middle East, the roofs of houses are usually flat, as owners to entertain their guests in the evenings often use them, and sometimes as sleeping quarters during the hot summer nights, They are committed to build a parapet for it, 3 ½ feet high to keep anyone from falling from it. In case of negligence, if someone falls, the owner of the house would be responsible for his blood. According to this statute, the Jews believe that it also applies to everything that would keep the others safe, like covering wells, maintaining bridges, etc. 5. NOT MIXING ODD THINGS TOGETHER “You shall not sow your vineyard with different kinds of seed, lest the yield of the seed which you have sown and the fruit of your vineyard be defiled. You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. You shall not wear a garment of different sorts, such as wool and linen mixed together” (Deut. 22:9-11) The un-natural mixing leads to chaos, the same way like mixing with the world. It is not easy to wash a garment made of different kinds of fabric. a. Not planting two kinds of seeds in one field: Mixing seeds together before sowing will create difficulty in harvesting. This refers to mixing believers with nonbelievers in the church; and also refers to the heart not having the spirit of discernment, does not know simplicity or the one way and wavering between the way of light and that of darkness. b. Not using an ox and a donkey together on one plow: The weak animal will keep the strong one back. In school, the weak students should be separated from the advanced ones. And in the church, it would be advisable to do the same with the new believers and the old ones, in order to offer each category what is suitable for its edification. c. Not using two different kinds of twines to weave one fabric: as for example wool and linen. Besides probably causing some allergy, it would be difficult to wash it. The church should constitute one fabric in harmony, of one spirit and one thought. All these constitute a symbolic portrait of the commitment not to mix between the truth and the vain philosophies of the world (See Leviticus 19:19). This statue probably intends to distinguish the people of God by their purity and straightness. We have previously dealt with not mixing both in the literal sense, and in actual life, together with the symbols it carries, in our commentary on the book of Leviticus, chapter 19. The reasons behind it are: a. Keeping them away from such customs: When the Lord warned His people against the odd foreign apparel, that mixes between wool and linen; not that it constitutes a sort of sin, but because of what it means of the fellowship with the idolaters. “And it shall be, in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the 11 princes and the king’s children; and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel” (Zephaniah 1:8). b. This statute bears a symbol of the commitment of the believers to be pure. There is no mixing between the believer and the non-believer; between the light and the darkness; and between Christ and Belial. 6. TASSELS FOR GARMENTS “You shall make tassels on the four corners of the clothing with which you cover yourself” (Deut. 22:12) These tassels were intended to distinguish His people from other peoples (Numbers 15:37-41). No one should be ashamed of being referred to the people of God. It refers as well to the importance of remembering the divine commandments, even of the things, that seem to be of little importance, like the tassels of garments. The goal of this statute is to make the believer distinguishable from the people of the world; everyone seeing him would know from his outer appearance, that he belongs to the people of God. Repeating the commandment here, is probably because the Jews probably took it lightly, on account that it barely touches their inner life, but is something apparently superficial. God intends for us to proclaim, that we are dedicated to Him, both by our inner life, and our outer appearance; and not to be ashamed of our connection to Him. Remember how by touching the border of Christ’s garment, the woman with the flow of blood got healed (Luke 8:44). 7. CHARGING A WIFE THAT SHE WAS NOT A VIRGIN The Law, caring for the holiness of matrimony, states: “If a man takes a wife, and goes in to her, and detests her, and charges her with shameful conduct, and brings a bad name on her, and says, ‘I took this woman, and when I came to her I found she was not a virgin.’ Then the father and mother of the young woman shall take and bring out the evidence of the young woman’s virginity to the elders of the city at the gate. And the young woman’s father shall say to the elders: ‘I gave my daughter to this man as a wife, and he detests her; now he has charged her with shameful conduct, saying: I found your daughter was not a virgin. And yet these are the evidences of my daughter’s virginity.’ And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. Then the elders of that city shall take that man and punish him; and they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver and give them to the father of the young woman, because he has brought a bad name on a virgin of Israel. And she shall be his wife; he cannot divorce her all his days” (Deut. 22:13-19) The deceitful wife would be stoned to death, as any corruption in the life of matrimony would touch the whole congregation. Yet, the elders of his city would punish whoever unjustly brings a bad name on his wife, and falsely charges her of not being a virgin on the day he married her, mostly by scourging, and by fining him one hundred shekels of silver to the father of his wife. So would be the public chastisement to mend the reputation of the wife’s family. As to the husband who falsely charged his wife, she shall be his wife, and he cannot divorce her all his days. The Law considers purity as an honored virtue. Whoever raises doubt on the purity of someone is insulting his reputation and his inner dignity, and is committing a great crime. The Psalmist says: “You sit and speak against your brother. You slander your own mother’s son” (Psalm 50:20). If this is the case for a man’s brother, how would it be for bringing a bad name on one’s wife, who became with him one body? He would be like a bird that corrupts his own nest! 12 8. THE STATUTE OF A WIFE THAT LOST HER VIRGINITY “But if the thing is true and evidences of virginity are not found for the young woman, then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of the city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done a disgraceful thing in Israel, to play the harlot in her father’s house, so you shall put away the evil person from among you” (Deut. 22:20, 21) As the wife who is wrongly charged, is publicly honored, together with her household, the adulteress wife is also publicly condemned. Adultery is a major crime, directed to the Holy God Himself, and condemned by stoning to death. 9. THE MATRIMONIAL ADULTERY ‘If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman, so you shall put away the evil person from Israel” (Deut. 22:22) Stoning was the punishment for adultery among the married and the betrothed to show how tremendous matrimonial adultery is. 10. ADULTERY WITH A BETROTHED VIRGIN “If a woman who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, then you shall bring them both out to the gate of the city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he humbled his neighbor’s house; so you shall put away the evil person from among you. But if a man finds a betrothed young woman in the countryside, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. But you shall do nothing to the young woman; there is in the young woman no sin worthy of death, for just as when a man rises against his neighbor and kills him, even so is this matter. For he found her in the countryside, and the betrothed young woman cried out, but there was no one to save her” (Deut. 22:23-27) Betrothal in the East has been considered equal to marriage; and the betrothed woman was usually called a wife (see Deuteronomy 22:24, 25; 20:7). In a talk by St. Jerome concerning the perpetuity of virginity of St. Mary, he wrote that, no wonder, she was called Joseph’s wife, although she was only betrothed to him1. 11. ADULTERY WITH A VIRGIN WHO IS NOT BETROTHED If a man finds a young woman who is a virgin, who is not betrothed, and he seizes her and lies with her, and they are found out, then the man who lays with her will give the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife because he has humbled her, he shall not permitted to divorce her all his days” (Deut. 22:28, 29). Whoever humbled a virgin was obliged to marry her, and he was not permitted to divorce her all his days. 12.ADULTERY WITH THE FATHER’S WIFE: “A man shall not take his father’s wife; nor uncover his father’s bed” (Deut. 22:30) Finally, the son is obligated to keep the sanctity of his father’s bed. 1 St. Jerome: The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary, 4. 13 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY (Chapter 22) YOU CARE FOR ME BY BOTH YOUR LOVE AND YOUR LAW By Your love, You wish me to be like You. The evil one has dragged me away from my heavenly pasture. You released me, and brought me back to the bosom of Your heavenly Father. Grant me to care for my brother and everything that belongs to him. Grant me to persist on praying for his sake, And doing my best, until he returns to Your bosom. Let me care for his soul, heart, mind, and will, To be wholly holy. Let me bring back to him his lost donkey; namely, his body that got corrupted. And his lost garments; namely, his dignity in the Lord. And everything he lost, to become rich by You. Grant me to follow Your example. To work for the sake of my brethren with zeal. By Your divine care, You always embrace me’ By Your divine Law, You care for the details of my life. By Your divine love, You are keen to make me love even the beasts and birds. To make me have compassion on every creature, as much as I can. As a Father who is preoccupied with His children, You commit every house-owner to build a parapet for his roof. You teach us to care for the life of our brethren. Longing for my purity, You command me not to mix seeds together, Nor the twines in one fabric. To realize that there is no mixing between light and darkness. Nor a fellowship between Christ and Belial. You wish to make us distinguishable from the people of the world. You wish us to be a Your holy people. You wish us to have our own tongue, mind, and even appearance, That suitable to children of God. You care even for the tassels of our garment, To let us always remember that we are dedicated only to You. You care for the reputation of every one of us. You will not let anyone wrongly charge his wife. You count that as a great crime. You call me to holiness, because You are Holy. To make me faithful in my relationship with You. To make me a bride, blameless and without blemish To be sanctified by Your fiery Spirit. And to be granted unity with You. Take any corruption away from me. You are alone Holy. By You I become holy; And without You, I do not know holiness.
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