Why would the Jewish priestly class develop a set of laws that would have been impossible for people to keep?

Question

If you look at the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) you see a set of laws that no human could possible abide by. Why did the priests develop these laws? Who would be advanced by these laws and who would be hurt?

In other words what is the real point of the Old Testament?

Answer 1

The Jewish Priests simply carried out the laws that God gave to the Israelites. At no time did the Priests make laws themselves. God told the entire law to Moses, who condensed it into the Five Books of Moses (Jewish Bible), and the minute details were passed down from generation to generation by mouth (those details were eventually also written down between the years 200 to 500 AD).

If you read the Jewish Bible carefully, you will find 365 DO NOT DO, and 248 YOU SHALL DO, for a total of 613 commandments.

The 365 DO NOT DO's are easy to keep today, i.e. Don't Kill, Don't Steal, Don't have improper sexual relations, Don't eat foods unless they are from the "approved list" stipulated in the Bible. I don't see anything difficult about these things.

Of the 248 YOU SHALL DO's, many of them are agricultural laws that pertain only in the land of Israel itself, many of them are specific to the temple which no longer exists so we can't do them, many of them are laws that deal with the kings of Israel, so we can't do those, etc. Of those that remain, they are pretty easy to keep, like not performing labor on the Sabbath, putting a "Mezuza' on the doorposts of your home.

I'm Jewish, and I don't think that keeping the law is impossible. They weren't advanced by any group for personal gain, they were given to us by God, and when we observe His law, it's our way of showing that we love God and appreciate the fact that he created our universe, us, and everything that is in it.

As for the post by "Jewish Girl", I don't see how you can conclude that this is unattainable. The excerpt that you quoted from the Torah indicates the complete opposite, God says that it's not hard at all to keep the laws, the law is not up in heaven or across the ocean, it's here and it's easy to keep. Did you mean the opposite of what you said?

Answer 2

First, Mosaic Law was only for Jews. Gentiles (non-Jews) were never to abide by those laws. Second, they really aren't that hard. Living up to them is just as easy as living up to the laws of your country or state. Our own laws are much more complicated than those of the Torah. The only difference is that Torah has some demands that conflict with the laws of our society. Now, as for whether or not God set them up, theologically the answer is no. As long as they make amends with the people they offend and observe Yom Kippur (in addition to other holidays and rituals) then they're fine and have a place in the world to come. The theories promoted by Christianity are a drastic misrepresentation of Judaism, and your question is a result of the erroneous beliefs presented by Christians. If they understood Judaism, they'd leave Jews alone, along with everyone else. Now, of course, it has to be stated that I am not a Jew, simply a person that was willing to go to Jews to learn more about their beliefs. I'm an atheist. I don't believe God set ANYTHING up at all.

Answer 3

What exactly do you find impossible to follow?
Eat foods that are healthy for you; don't rip off your neighbor, if you do, repay him 7 fold; etc.
Everybody will fall short - that means all of us are going to screw up - let that be a lesson to those who come on this forum and ask "if you're a christian, why do you lie or why do you do this - or that. Because we are human - all peoples, athiests to Buddhists - all of us fall short. You try your best to do whats right, thats all. God made us; he knows whats what.

But your question - whats the real point of the old testament? Oh, wow - The Old Testament is not just a bunch of do this - do that's.
If you think that, you are missing ALOT.
The Prophets speak of what is to come; why were are here, where we were before we came into the flesh; where we are going, what we will be doing there; who is going or not going and why -
What is to happen in the end generation? Who's gonna be in the flesh in that generation -
what will people be doing and thinking then?
What will happen just before Christ returns?
How old is the Earth - how many billions of years old is the earth - what was the earth age like that was before this one we live in now?
Does satan have seed to produce children?
Did he produce any children? Are they on the earth today? Did those children of satan make it through the flood of Noah?
Did God ever destroy the Earth before? Why?
Did He ever destroy the Heaven before? Why?
Why is it that Noah was the one to build the Ark?
Was there angels who impregnated human women? When? Why did they want to do that?
After Satan rebelled, did he ever do anything else to try to mess up Christ being Savior?
Why did Eve have twins? Why was Adam not the only father of Eve's children?

Yep, you are missing a whole lot of information that if you don't know, will result in the rest of the Word of God not making a whole lot of sense to you.

Answer 4

Contrary to what the christians will tell you, the 613 commandments were not meant to be a "task master", as the jews don't have them as a salvation issue.
They are meant to be a guide to living a spiritual life.. and not all of them are meant for all people. There were some that were intended for farmers (leaving the outer corners of your crops for the poor.. social responsibility).. for women (regarding their menses..cleanliness more than anything) for when you became ill, etc...
The advancements were to keep the people healthy and safe, honestly.
Some of their practices we now find were actually very healthy.
When mixing the ashes of a red heifer with cedar and hyssop, it makes a very powerful antiseptic/antibiotic.

The real point of the "Old Testament" is that it was a recorded history of the jews, as well as a way of life for them.
I do not see a set of laws that no human could possibly live by.. the entire nation lived by these laws for many years.
Is there a point today? Some of these laws can't possibly be lived by because of modern day life. However, I really want to emphasize that there is no going to hell for not following them.
The jews feel that these laws help them to live a more spiritual life.
Christianity has infected the world with a belief that these laws were somehow meant as a way of "salvation." It simply isn't true.

Answer 5

1) The priests didn't develop these laws, they were given by God

2) What law in the Torah...any law...is impossible to abide by (there is one possible exception, with explanation).

The real answer to your question is two-fold: 1) no one individual can abide by every law in the Torah simply because there are laws that simply apply to some and not others. For one individual to fulfill every commandment, that individual would need to be a king and a commoner, a priest - a levi - and a layman, a man and a woman, unmarried - married - widowed and divorced, a judge and a thief ALL AT THE SAME TIME. One is therefore only required to abide by those laws that apply specifically to oneself, in his or her current situation.

So, once again...name 1 law given in the Torah that is impossible to keep.

Answer 6

Yes, let's do away with all civil law too -- and what are the results? Anarchy!!! Perhaps that is why Christians have committed so many atrocities over the last 2000 years. While teaching love for your neighbor, Christians have slaughtered and persecuted millions of "non-believers" in the name of Jesus. They may not have been "real" Christians, but they were products of the Christian culture!

Everything we do as Jews is to remind us of what we should be "doing." We are made in His likeness which means we should be "doing" what He does. If you practice some of His laws, you might find that they aren't as impossible as you think and also prove to be very satisfying.
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Answer 7

Very Good!! I would give one of my students an "A" for asking that question.

And St. Paul gives us the answer:

Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

WE CAN'T keep the whole Law. That's the whole point!!

Answer 8

because in the Jewish religion they are "saved" by living by the law, so they just kept making laws that they might be able to follow. Then Christ came and turned their world upside down.

Answer 9

not hard to follow the laws of love if you love Him you will keep his commandments! And the Commandment of the one that sent him!Not hard to stop eating pork for the one you LOVE!

Answer 10

It was to prove the point that no imperfect human could fulfill those laws. The only one who would be able to do that would be the promised Messiah.