Doctrines of Baptisms: Levitical Purification Rites

Chapter Two

Doctrines of Baptisms

Heb. 6:1-2 "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God," (2) "Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."

The elementary teachings of Christ were assumed to be known to the Hebrews. These are found directly in the Torah both written and oral. The verse mentions six of these, which refers to Christ as symbolism. Among them is the doctrine of baptisms (plural). These were considered elementary because these were supposed to be known to every Hebrew. Essentially the law consists of both the written laws (The Five books of Moses) and the oral traditions handed down through generations. As the dispersion continued the oral traditions changed to some extend because of varying cultural circumstances. Around third century these oral traditions were written down by Rabbi Yehuda which is known as Mishna. Talmud is an expansion of the Mishana giving details of these rituals. We find details of the doctrine of baptisms in these traditions that will give us an insight into many of the problems associated with baptism. Some of these are incorporated in the following. They are intricately joined together.

CEREMONIAL PURIFICATIONS OF THE JEWS

The ceremonial purification was common in Jewish traditions. This is done not only to persons but also to clothes, utensils and furniture. If a man was to be purified or set apart, he was given a wash. Thus we read:

Lev. 8:6 Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.

The congregation who were to be set apart, were to be washed - not only their bodies were to be washed but also their clothes. We see this in the first congregational meeting at mount Sinai.

Exod. 19:10-14 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ... After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.

The Jews were to be Brahmins, God's priests. They were to wash themselves whenever they came in from outside. Ceremonial washing was common among the Jews as we still have it in India among the Namboodirees.

Mark 7:3 (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. )

Hebr. 9:10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings --external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

There are many similarities between the Brahmins and the Jews in their customs of purity and sanctification. This will be a good comparative study. What are some of the purification that we find similar?

Here are some similarities:

Washing in water (Kuli or Snanam),Sprinkling with water (Jala thalikkal), Anointing with oil (Thailam Poosal), Pouring oil over the head (Thailabhishekam), Sprinkling blood (Raktham thalikkal) ,Covering with incense (dhoopam veesal), Anointing with Perfume (Sugandham Poosal- Muron poosal), We still keep Saith (Thailam, Oil) and Muron (Perfume) as part of the Christian Baptism.

Levitical Baptisms

A detailed description of Hebrew traditions given in Mishna and Talmud viewed from the point of view of Messianic Jews please see: A Walk of Purity (A Study of baptisms) by Peggy Pryor, Ledaber Ministries: Fayetteville, Tennessee 615-433-8281 "It was customary for the sages (those who recorded the scriptures) to immerse each day before beginning work. If during the day they had a bad thought or began to perspire they had to go and immerse. The understanding being that they must be pure to work in the scriptures. Before the young boys would begin to study the scriptures each day they would go through an immersion. Before presenting a sacrifice in the Holy Temple the person would go through the Mikvah. Even today many people immerse before Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement, Rosh haShanah/Feast of Trumpets and the Sabbath. Immersion in the mikvah is an act of self-renewal and re-birth and therefore, it is customary to immerse as a sign of repentance. When a person had been through an area of sin it was customary for him to go through the mikvah. If a person had been very sick he would go through the mikvah.

Some upon rising in the morning would go through the mikvah before studying Torah. One passing under an Asherah tree becomes impure and must go through an immersion. An Asherah tree is described in Jeremiah 10"

A traditional mikvah of the Hebrew Home

Notice that the structure and purpose of Mikvah is same as the Namboothiri Kulam.

LAVER — a basin in which the priests washed their hands for purification purposes while officiating at the altar of the Tabernacle or the Temple. Moses was commanded to make a laver, or basin, so Aaron and the Levitical priests could wash their hands and feet before offering sacrifices (Ex. 30:18–21). The laver and its base were made from the bronze mirrors of the serving women (Ex. 38:8). It stood between the Tent of Meeting and the altar.

Hiram made ten bronze lavers for Solomon’s Temple (1 Kin. 7:27–39). Each laver rested on a bronze cart, and each cart rested on two pairs of wheels. The panels on the carts were decorated with lions, oxen, and cherubim. The lavers were divided into two groups of five and were used for washing sacrifices. The priests, however, washed in the Bronze Sea (2 Chr. 4:6). Later in Judah’s history, King Ahaz cut the panels off the carts and removed the lavers (2 Kin. 16:17).

The ten lavers are not mentioned in the prophet Ezekiel’s description of the new temple. The rebuilt temples under Zerubbabel and Herod each had a single laver. ). [Nelson’s illustrated Bible dictionary, Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1995.]

Brahminical Baptisms

For a corresponding description of Nampoothiree Brahmin rituals see http://www.namboothiri.com/articles/nityakarmangal.htm

1. Uthhanavidhi (Getting up in the morning): Wake up at Brahma muhoortham at five in the morning two `nazhikas' (48minutes) before sunrise. Turn to the right side, say "Kesawaaya namah" before sitting up, and turning to the east say a prayer to any one of the gods (mangala praarthana). Seek the blessings of Bhoomidevi, the goddess of earth, by first touching the floor with the right hand and then touching the head, before actually getting up from the bed.

2. Aachamanam: This is the prescribed and symbolic way of cleansing various parts of the face, head, chest and feet. Two such" Aachamanams" make one "Kaal Kazhukal", or "Paadaprakshaalanam". Note that the immediate translation of" Kaalkazhukal" is "Washing the feet", but it is not just meant foot-cleaning. Aachamanam is performed after bathing and during other important occasions in a day.

3. Snaanavidhi (Bathing): After Souchavidhi, bathing is done as follows. Step into the water halfway (abdomen level), pray to the sacred rivers (Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswathi, Narmada, Sindhu and Cauvery), look north or east and dip the whole body under water once, rub the entire body clean with the palms and dip again twice. Stand upright at the same spot and do Aachamanam twice.

4. Thalichukuli (Sprinkle-bath): After Aachamanam, take water in the right hand, chant "Aapohishta..." manthra (three stanzas from Rigveda) and sprinkle on the head, repeating this for each of the three stanzas. Say "Gange mam puneehi" thrice and immerse fully in water once more. Stricter procedure requires the Aachamanam and Thalichukuli on the banks of the pond.

Thereafter, wring the towel, wipe the body dry meanwhile chanting various manthras. Tie (or twist) the tuft of hair (if it exists), do `Kaalkazhukal' and give "Arghiam".

5. Arghiavidhi: Sit with knees up, do `kaal kazhukal twice and `Aachamanam'. Chant "Aapohishta..." and spray water on the face, repeating after each of the three stanzas. Take water with both palms joined, stand up, chant Gayathri manthra (Om Bhoorbhuva swa:, Tatsavithur varenyam, Bhargo devasya dhee mahi, dhiyo yo na: prachodayat) and throw the water up and away, do this thrice - this is called `Arghiam' offer. Take water in the right hand, pour it on the left palm, turn around to the right once, sit down and do "Tharpanam".

`Tharpanam' consists of offering water from the palm thrice each of `deva', `devaganam', `rshi, `rshiganam, `pitru' and `pitruganam, holding the yagjnasoothram (poonool, sacred cross-thread) first in the normal position, then straight around the neck only and then around the left arm.

This is called `Kuli-upasthanam' and is to be done after every bath. Thereafter put the poonool in the normal position, wring the towel, do `Kaalkazhukal' and `Aachamanam', hang the towel on the left forearm and perform `Sandhyaavandanam'.

If we notice the ceremonial washing of Brahmins in the river, they follow a very similar procedure as part of ritual ablution, but it involves a self immersion

"The correct way to purify is as follows:

srastAram sarvalokAnam smrtvA nArAyanam param 
yatasvAso nimajjyApsu pranaven
otthitastatah si~ncayetpurusas
Uktena svadeshatham harim smaran

One must immerse in the water holding his breath, remembering the Lord, Supreme Creator of the universe and come up chanting the pranava and contemplate the Lord , sprinkling the water all over our body chanting the purusasUkta