Afflicting Yourself...

[ayeess]

What does it mean to afflict yourself ?

Leviticus 27
27"Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the LORD. 28And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God. 29For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people.

 

[cyberlizard]

the rabbis teach that this is a day of solemn fasting...

there were however some exceptions... children, babies, pregnant women, women in general. BUT all men in good health were expected to fast.


Steve

 

[ittarter]

Lev. 23:27, you mean.

I'm not about to do a word-study on this one, but I don't think it's necessary. JPS has "you shall practice self-denial."

Throughout the Mosaic covenant, various laws or rules are made concerning what activities are disallowed on the Sabbath day. The big one, of course, is "work" -- or as Jewish scholars explain, "the cessation of creative activity."

Remember the poor kid who picked up sticks on the Sabbath? He should have practiced "self-denial" -- then he wouldn't have been sentenced to death. Whoops.

Sabbath is a day to remember the completion of Yhwh's creation, and to enjoy the fruits of it. It doesn't mean you're supposed to punish yourself; it's more like what a lot of people do during the Lenten season -- they pick something they believe is a daily necessity (like playing video games, watching films, or listening to music) and they live without it for a month. Purification and simplicity for the sake of focusing on higher things.

That's my take on it, sans word study. If anyone wishes to add or subtract they may do so with my blessing.

 

[MrPolo]

It sounds like the New Testament fulfillment of this would indeed be fasting, and generally giving oneself up for the sake of the Body of Christ. Give yourself for your neighbor, the Church, etc...