The Rites
of Passage
Resources
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The Rites of Passage by Arnold Van Gennep
Ancient Israel by Roland De Vaux
The Threshold Covenant by Henry Clay Trumbull
The Bible by God
What is Liminality? http://www.liminality.org/about/whatisliminality
Betwixt and Between: The Liminal Period by Victor Turner
(http://www2.fiu.edu/~ereserve/010010095-1.pdf)
The Ritual Process by Victor Turner
(Excerpts: http://faculty.dwc.edu/wellman/Turner.htm)
Enthronement of Yahweh by Jeremy J. Stewart
What Do Shaving Rites Accomplish and What Do They Signal in Biblical Ritual Contexts?
by Saul Olyan
The Leper in Leviticus by Jeff Schulman
Circumcision as a Rite of Covenant by Erich Isaac
Graded Holiness by Phillip Peter Jenson
What are the 'Rites of Passage'?
They are a process that occurs during times of
significant change, because there is such a big
difference between the two states or areas, there is a
need for rites to be performed in order to ensure
proper transition.
When were the Rites of Passage performed?
Transition
to a New
Country
Death
Rites of
Passage
Rites of
Separation
Rites of
Transition
Preparation for incorporation
Separation from the old
• Death & rebirth (symbolic)
• Purification from old self
• Leaving the old ways
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Isolation from normal society
Training period
Trials and test
“set apart”
Typically 7 days (but not always)
State of ambiguity
Rites of
Incorporation
Integration into the new
• Sacrifice often involved
• Consecration into new renewal
• New name given
“In buildings, only the main
door was the site of
entrance/exit rites, perhaps
because it was consecrated
by a special rite or because
it
faces
a
favorable
direction”
Rites of
Passage
ANE
Marriage
Rites of
Separation
Separation from the old
• Betrothal – Anointing head
with oil
• Shaving bride’s head
• Living with groom’s family
• Veil on wedding day
Rites of
Transition
Preparation for incorporation
• Learning to live as a wife
• Mourning for parents (Deut 21)
• Preparation for wedding day
Rites of
Incorporation
Integration into the new
• Wedding ceremony & feast
• Carrying over the threshold
• Consummation of marriage
with sign of blood
Boot Camp
Rites of
Passage
Rites of
Separation
Separation from the old
• Leaving Mesopotamia
• Leaving idolatry
• Falling into a deep slumber
Rites of
Incorporation
Rites of
Transition
Preparation for incorporation
• Walking to Cana’an
• Trial’s and tribulations in the land
• Egypt
• Lot
• Hagar
• Binding of Isaac
Integration into the new
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Circumcision
Covenant of the pieces
Renaming ‘Abraham’
Redemption of Isaac (new life)
Passover
Rites of
Separation
Rites of
Transition
Rites of
Incorporation
Integration into the new
Separation from the old
• Lamb’s blood on doorpost
• Restriction & removal of leaven
• Trial by Ordeal/Purification in
the Red Sea
Preparation for incorporation
• Passage to Mt Sinai
• Trials/testing en route
• Preparation for meeting YHVH
• Circumcision
• 10 Commandments –
Suzerainty treaty
• Boundaries on the mountain
• Covenant meal with leadership
• Sprinkling of blood in Exod 24
The
Exodus
Rites of
Separation
Rites of
Transition
Separation from the old
• Passover
• Crossing through the Red Sea
• Receiving Torah/Shunning
idolatry
Preparation for incorporation
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Learning Torah
Trials and Tribulation for 40 years
Minimal historical accounts
Ambiguity – not yet received
inheritance
Rites of
Incorporation
Integration into the new
• Covenant renewal at Mt
Gerazim and Mt Ebal
• Crossing the Jordan
• (re) circumcision
Priesthood
(Exod 29, Lev 8-9)
Rites of
Separation
Rites of
Incorporation
Rites of
Transition
Integration into the new
Separation from the old
• Wash with water
• Anoint with oil
• Removal of old clothing
Preparation for incorporation
• 7 day training period
• Priests, but not yet able to
officiate
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Altar purification
Purification of priests with blood
Consecration of the altar
Index to altar
Official garments signifying
office
Purification
Lev 14
Rites of
Separation
Rites of
Transition
Separation from the old
Preparation for incorporation
• Cleansed of disease (corpse
defilement)
• “Scape-bird” ritual of cleansing
• Shave, bath, wash clothes
(repeat on day 7)
• Live inside the camp, but outside
the tent
• Preparation for integration into
normal Israelite society
Rites of
Incorporation
Integration into the new
• Purification with blood and oil
upon right side appendages
• Re-index with altar
• Anointed with oil
The Tabernacle
Unclean
World
Clean
Physical
World
Courtyard
Cf. Mt. Sinai
Importance of boundary maintenance
Altar
Holy
Place
Liminal Zone
Spiritual
World
Holy of Holies
Rites of Passage – The Zebach Shelamim
The Legal Means to Approach YHVH
Elevated Holiness
Communion with God
Common
Common
Slaughter of the animal
Animal fully eaten
pg 22, Sacrifice: its nature and functions
Rites of Passage – The Calendar
Old Season/Month
Rites of Separation
Liminal Period
Elevated Holiness
New Season/Month
Rites of Integration
Rites of Passage – Mourning for the Dead
State of Ritual Defilement
Common
Corpse Defilement
Enter a state of mourning
Common
Cleansed by waters of chatta’at
(Red Heifer)
Other Examples
• Numbers 31:12-24 -> Purification after battle
• The Nazarite vow
• Bondservant: Exodus 21:2-6
• The "abbuttu lock," the marker of the slave in some Mesopotamian contexts,
is imposed by means of shaving when the slave is separated for slavery; cutting
the abbuttu lock frees the slave (Laws of Hammurabi, Eshnunna)
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Parturient
Pesach for a ger who wants to become native born
Deuteronomy 22 -> War bride
Coronation of kings
• David’s ascent to the throne
• 2 Sam 12 -> David weeping for his son for 7 days. => Don’t mar your beard
Importance of Rites of Passage
Legal
Passage of
Yeshua
Rites of
Separation
Separation from the old
• Mikveh in the Jordan river
• Legal Adoption by YHVH
through adoption language
from heaven
Rites of
Transition
Preparation for incorporation
• Led by Spirit (i.e. the Tutor) into
the wilderness for 40 days
• Trials/testing by hasatan
• Yeshua overcame the test
that Adam failed.
Rites of
Incorporation
Integration into the new
• John the Baptist dies before
Yeshua starts his ministry
• Anointed with oil (Mark 14)
Legal
Conversion
Rites of
Separation
• Legal adoption – Mikveh and
confession of faith in Yeshua
• Separation from idolatry – Acts
15:3, 19-21
• Rom 6, Eph 4:21, Col 3
• Separation from society – John
15:19
Rites of
Transition
• Weekly Torah study – Acts 15:21
• John 16:7, 13, Heb 5:12, Gal 3:2128
• Trials of life, learning Holiness,
preparation to be the Bride
• Yeshua is the Door (liminal)
Rites of
Incorporation
• Physical circumcision – partake
in Passover
• Position/role in community
• At Yeshua’s return:
• Renewed covenant,
marriage supper
• Circumcision of heart
• New names, new garments
More from Paul
Ephesians 4:30
What is the Purpose of the
Millennial Kingdom?
Rooted-in-Torah.com
WisdominTorah.com
HebrewRootsTeachings.com