What does Leviticus 21:16-23 mean for those who are disabled?

Question: What does Leviticus 21:16-23 mean as far as disabled people are concerned? The reason I ask is I have a disabled son.

Answer: This passage restricts those in Aaron’s line from functioning as priests if they have any kind of defect physically. The reason that might have made sense to the Israelites was that, like the sacrifices they offered that had to be perfect, so the priests who offered them had to be “perfect” in order to please God. They would certainly have also had some idea that a perfect sacrifice was representative of the need for a blameless substitute for their sin and guilt. When they offered the animal in their place it was the “just” for the unjust that was being offered. Likewise, the priest who offered it could not be “unjust” symbolically speaking, but needed to be perfect to get the desired result – forgiveness from God.

We know that God was also preparing His people to receive the real and ultimate sacrifice for our sins and high priest to offer the sacrifice – Jesus Christ. The symbols of the Old Testament rituals were symbols of Jesus and how his sacrifice was of a truly sinless substitute for our truly sinful selves.

Consequently, this passage says nothing about the way God views people with disabilities in any personal sense. Jesus’ willingness to touch and heal many who had severe disabilities and illnesses is proof that God loves all of us. We are all disabled in many ways, spiritually, emotionally and physically. We cannot come to God on the basis of how “together” we are. I come “just as I am, without one plea, but that His blood was shed for me.”

God uses the disabilities in our lives and the comfort He teaches us to find in the midst of our disabilities to give us something to share with others in their disabilities. Our disabilities become one source of our ministry in the lives of others. We can identify with those who have our same disabilities and offer them what God offered us with a passion and believability that no one else can.

 

One reader’s response: Questioner, you should ignore this apologetic from Randall Johnson. It is just his opinion. The disabled are not here to give the abled purpose. Individuals with disabilities have had their value questioned since forever. We can stop doing that. Instead of questioning the value of your son by biblical standards, realize as I believe you already do, that he is a human being. I wish I had a son or daughter, and hope to someday. You are very lucky.

Randall, saying we’re all “disabled” in some way is to diminish people with real disabilities. Physical and mental disabilities are not comparable or even symbolical representations of spiritual “disability”. We’re not all disabled in our own way, otherwise disabled priests would not have been prohibited. The verses clearly point to those with actual disabilities as being unfit to serve as priests. This is old, uniformed thinking. Believe it or not, I run into people that still believe disabilities are “given” to people as punishment. This generally refers to “sinful” parents receiving disabled children as punishment, or even the disabled receiving their disabilities because they were going to be “sinful” or are “sinful”.

Attributing disabilities to G-d allows people to falsely justify that the disable are created “inferior” or are disabled for a reason. Randall’s explanation that the priests needed to be “perfect” shows that a disabled priest would be “inferior” in the eye’s of that particular Torah writer. Individuals with disabilities are not symbols, just human beings. This ignorant thinking has led to the murder of disabled people, even infants. Under “better” cases it leads people to treat the disabled as “ministry projects” rather than as human beings.

My reply: Writer, I don’t find it helpful to dismiss someone’s views as just their opinion. Isn’t what you are writing, just your opinion? If we believe the Scriptures are God’s Word, then our opinion of what it means needs some backing up with evidence from Scripture. And opinions like yours, much of which I find valid, need backing up too, not just emotional push.

In my article I did not say the disabled are here to give the abled purpose. My last paragraphs clearly express that disabled people have purpose and value in and of themselves. I’m sure I could have and maybe should have elaborated on this, and I thank you for helping do so. But all of us need our value to be determined by Biblical standards. No other standards matter. As you noted, many have devalued disabled people, but their valuation is wrong. Where do you get your view that valuing them is right, if not from God and His Word. He is the one who tells us that every human being is made in His image. He is the one who is seen, especially in Jesus, loving the disabled and all people.

It is true that some may see the disqualification of a priest from serving because of his disability or some disfigurement as implying that he is inferior to God, but that would be a false conclusion. Everywhere in Scripture that view is denied. Leviticus is ritual teaching and symbol is important. This does not mean, however, that the disabled are mere symbols. They are “just” human beings. But Torah teaches us that they can also serve as symbols. We all can. This does not devalue us.

I think you are incorrect about the spiritual and emotional disabilities people suffer being incomparable to physical disabilities. Write that in a blog and you’ll get an emotional response from those who deal with depression and manic/depression and a host of other maladies. They have experienced the same type of rejection and devaluing that people with physical disabilities have.

God told Moses that He makes the blind and the mute and the deaf. This was not a way of saying He created them inferior, and it absolutely absolves parents of thinking it is their fault. In fact, He is arguing with Moses, who considers himself somewhat of a mute, that He is willing to use people just like Moses, despite their disabilities, and that He wants to empower them and all other people to do His will.

I really am appreciative of your response, if, for no other reason, to help me make clearer what I think Scripture says about disabilities. Please feel invited to continue helping shape a proper view of the disabled.

This reader’s reply: Equal humanity of those with disability to those without is my opinion, and there is plenty of evidence of this as well, but we agree, so no need to list. Scripture was written by many writers and details an understanding of G-d that is ever evolving. We don’t need to cover up one mistake by pointing to a different book. I appreciate your clarification, but Leviticus has not been interpreted as purely symbolic or as metaphor. The priesthood barred disabled individuals, which is a mistake that has been corrected outside of scripture. My Shul has no steps but two ramps up front to allow all access to the Bema.

Mental health and mental disabilities have been mistaken for poor spiritual health as well. These are health issues. What is important is that we don’t use disability to symbolize spiritual imperfection.

Thank you for being a part of the conversation. I don’t want to try and tackle all issues concerning disability in this thread, as that would be much easier through conversation. I just want to highlight that we should not use disability to symbolize spiritual imperfection even if it is only intended as metaphor.

Another reader’s response: The issue is, did God really say that? Will a just God discriminate? Moses said many things that God didn’t say and claimed God asked him to say it. Deuteronomy 21 and many other texts in the Bible. God will never say that. These are human errors, and we must accept that in ancient times diseases were seen to have spiritual causes. Disabled people were perceived as cursed and unclean. That’s why they were not allowed to join in the priesthood. God sent Christ later to heal the sick and stop discrimination, that is God’s plan. Moses was lying. God had said nothing.

My reply: It is definitely not necessary to see this as less than inspired Scripture or certainly that Moses was lying. As I explained in the article: “Consequently this passage says nothing about the way God views people with disabilities in any personal sense.” There is nothing in the Old Testament that says God discriminates, nor that such people were perceived as cursed.