Sunday, December 25, 2011

"Pure for God"

I'd like very much to be an archaeologist were I given the chance to begin this life again. In the Middle East. Especially in Israel and Egypt.

Today Israeli archaeologists (such as Ronny Reich) announced the discovery of a rare clay seal found beneath Jerusalem's old city.

"The coin-sized seal found near the Jewish holy site at the Western Wall bears two Aramaic words meaning "pure for God."" (See here.) The words are written in Aramaic.

"Archaeologists say the seal was likely used by Temple officials approving an object for ritual use — oil, perhaps, or an animal intended for sacrifice. Materials used by Temple priests had to meet stringent purity guidelines stipulated in detail in Jewish legal texts, which also mention the use of such seals."

See the Jerusalem Post's article here. See the accompanying video where Reich (prof. at Haifa University) explains this.