I know.  Leviticus is hard to read.  Here’s some commentary that will help you understand what’s going on

From Quest Study Bible 2003

Why wash what the priests were just going to burn? (1:9)
Old Testament worshipers washed the entrails and legs of sacrificial animals to cleanse them from excrement.  The idea behind this ritual cleansing was that any animal offered on the altar to God should be perfect.  Only an unblemished, clean animal could symbolize the purity God demanded.

Why would the aroma be important to God? (1:9)
The writer probably drew from a human experience – the pleasant smell of mea cooking – to help us understand God’s pleasure with the intent behind an offering.  A similar figure of speech is used describing Christ’s sacrifice as a fragrant offering, pleasing to God (Eph. 5:2).  The image continues when sacrifices of praise, good deeds and sharing are described as pleasing to God (Heb. 13:15-16).

What was so special about the north side? (1:11)
The north is often associated with God’s presence.  The different sides of the altar may have indicated different types of sacrifices – in this case, it signaled an offering to remove sin.  Another option is that it may have been a practical matter of space.  The east side of the altar was for ashes and the crop of a sacrificial bird (v. 16); the washbasin was on the west side.

Did a bird please God as much as a larger sacrifice? (1:14)
As Jesus taught through the widow’s small offering (Luke 21:1-4), God is concerned more with the intent of an offering than with its monetary value.  Israelites who couldn’t afford a sheep or goat could substitute a bird without penalty.  But no one could substitute a half-hearted offering for a sincere one.

What good was an offering that didn’t bleed? (2:1)
The grain offering was presented as a gift of worship rather than a sacrifice for sin.  Although the poor could mix grain with an animal sacrifice as a substitute sin offering (Lev. 5:11), the grain offering itself was probably intended to please God by remembering his favor.

What was a most holy part? (2:3)
The unburned portion of the grain offering, set apart (the literal meaning of the world holy) for the priests alone.  They were to eat it at the sanctuary (6:16-18) rather than bring it home to their families, as allowed with some offerings (Num. 18:8-20).

Why did it matter how the grain was cooked? (2:4-7)
It didn’t.  Any method was acceptable as long as the grain was mixed with oil and had no yeast (2:11).  Oil added value to the sacrifice, symbolized joy and communicated joyful thanks.  Cooking probably indicated greater care on the part of the worshiper.  (Uncooked grain offerings were used as sin offerings when the person could afford nothing more.)

Why were yeast and honey singled out? (2:11-12)
It’s possible honey and yeast were not to be offered because they were used in fermentation.  Honey may have been a term for an alcoholic drink used in pagan worship.  Yeast was not linked to uncleanness until later Jewish tradition, so it likely as not in mind here.

What was the salt of the covenant? (2:13)
Salt was probably used in some ancient cultures to ratify contracts.  It was valued as a sign of friendship and as a preservative, a sign of the covenant’s endurance.  Adding salt to offerings reminded the Israelites of God’s unchanging love.

How were some offerings for fellowship? (3:1)
Customs of hospitality in the ancient Middle East included elaborate meals.  This offering – the only one of which the worshiper could partake – symbolized having a mal with the Lord.  Traditionally called a peace offering, it signified a lack of hostility between the Lord and the one offering the sacrifice.  Because it had to be eaten within two days, it was frequently shared with others in need.  Thus it became a means of fellowship between neighbors.

If a female animal was good enough for one kind of sacrifice, why not for all? (3:1,6)
Apparently, because o the type of sacrifice.  God specified that male animals be used for burnt offerings (1:3), for sin offerings (although female animals could be used for one of the people) (4:3) and for guilt offerings (5:15).  Perhaps there were also practical considerations.  The future of the herd depended more on the number of females than males.  A few bulls could keep the herd viable, but with fewer females, the herd’s reproductive capabilities would have been greatly diminished.

Why burn the fat separately? (3:3-5)
The fat was considered the choice portion of the meat and thus the best pat of the sacrifice.  Because fat smells so good when meat is cooking, it became the aroma pleasing to the LORD.  Also, some think burning the fat separately may have been a way of reducing cholesterol intake.  God later commanded that fat not be eaten in certain instances (Lev. 7:23-25).

Why burn food? (3:11, 16)
Pagan cultures considered their sacrifices to be food for their gods.  The Israelites knew that the Creator did not need their offerings as literal food.  But they used the word food in a figurative sense, God received their offerings with as much pleasure as one sitting down to an exquisite feast.

Why was all the fat the Lords? (3:16)
The fatty portions of meat were considered the tastiest.  Normally, when they were not sacrificing to the Lord, the Israelites could eat the fatty portions themselves.  But by offering all the fat of their sacrifices to the Lord they were offering their best to God.

What was a lasting ordinance? (3:17)
An ordinance that was to be followed as long as God’s covenant lasted.  Most Christians believe the sacrificial lawas were made obsolete by the new covenant.  The phrase lasting ordinance occurs 17 times in Leviticus.

Why don’t Jewish people still sacrifice animals as atonement for sin? (4:1-5)
Because the temple of the Lord has been destroyed.  However, many Jews today do celebrate the Day of Atonement (ch. 16), Tom Kippur, by offering prayers for forgiveness of sins.

Why hold someone responsible for an unintentional sin? (4:2)
The original word for unintentionally meant wandering away – as a sheep might wander from the flock.  It referred to sin that stemmed from the weakness of human character rather than outright rebellion or premeditated evil.

Why was the anointed priest? (4:3)
All priests were ordained to minister, but only the high priest was anointed with oil (Exodus 29:7; Lev. 8:12, 30).

Why were the people guilty for a priest’s sin? (4:3)
With Christ as the perfect high priest, it’s hard to imagine guilt transferring from a priest to the entire community.  But in the Old Testament, the priest represented the people before God.  If he remained pure, he could offer sacrifices to provide cleansing for the nation.  If, however, he sinned he became a flawed representative, and God saw the people through those flaws – guilty and unclean (also see 10:6).

Why dip fingers in blood? (4:5-7)
God may have used this gesture to picture a transfer of guilt: the priest, representing the entire community, dipped his finger in blood so he would not have to shed blood.  The blood of the sacrifice substitute for the blood of the offender; the sacrifice died so the sinner might live.  Putting the blood on the horns of the altar of incense suggests this further since the smoke of the incense went up as an offering to God.

Why sprinkle blood seven times? (4:5-7)
Since God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, seven became a symbol for something complete or perfect.  As such, it also could suggest the presence of the Creator.  Sprinkling seven times likely represented the purification and perfection of the place where God’s presence would dwell.

Why burn the rest of the bull outside the camp? (4:12)
A bull was sacrificed as the substitute for the person making the sin offering.  After the animal was killed, the blood was offered and specific parts were burned on the bronze altar.  Then the rest of the bull was carried outside the camp, symbolizing the person’s sin being taken away from the presence of God.  There it was given up to the effect of sin, that is, to death or destruction by fire.  Jesus Christ came as the last and perfect substitute to die in the sinner’s place.  Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem, symbolizing his painful separation from his father (Heb. 13:11-13).

Why such penalties for unintentional sin? (4:13-35)
A holy God demands a holy people.  Inevitably, everyone (including leaders) would sin unintentionally and become a lawbreaker, even while trying to do what is right and good.  Penalties and sacrificial offerings made the relationship with God right again.
Who were the elders? (4:15)
The leaders of the community.  In this case their actions were done on behalf of all the people, transferring the sins of the community to the sacrifice.

Why were male goats sacrificed for some sins, females for others? (4:23, 28)
The sins in both instances were unintentional.  So the difference seems to depend on who the sinner was in relation to the community: male goats for leaders, female goats for one of the people.  Similarly, a bull was required for the high priest (v.3) and the whole community (v.14).  Some think a sinner of higher status required a sacrifice of greater value.  If so, then male goats were considered more valuable, though a female could be used just as well as a male for a fellowship offering.

When was silence a crime? (5:1)
It was not only wrong to give false testimony (Exodus 20: 16), it was also wrong to withhold testimony.  Anyone who heard a public request for facts regarding a legal issue would be quality for not offering the information he or she had.  This was one example of an unintentional sin – one that caught the sinner off guard.

What did it mean to be ceremonially unclean? (5:2)
Defiled and impure: a religious distinction, not necessarily a measure of physical cleanliness.  Sinfulness automatically led to impurity, but impurity led to sinfulness only if not removed.  To be unclean was like being exposed and susceptible to a contagious disease; to be clean was to be immune.  God declared certain things unclean, though it’s not always clean on what basis.

Why were some things unclean? (5:2)
The lists of what was clean and unclean may sound petty and arbitrary to modern ears.  Yet, these laws reminded the Israelites that, in every aspect of their existence, they were to live separated from the rest of the world as holy to the Lord (11:44-45).

How could someone take an oath and not know it? (5:4)
This refers to an oath made before all the implications have been considered.  The phrase describing such an oath could literally be translated chattering with the lips – talking without thinking.  A broken oath was considered a serious offense in the ancient world, especially if it had been made to God.  This probably explains why Joshua kept the vows made when deceived by the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:19) and why Jephthah kept his foolish vow (Judges 11:30, 35-39).

What things were holy? (5:15)
Holy things could mean: (1) the food that was designated for only the priests (22:14) or (2) anything dedicated to God ( 27:1-28).  If someone other than a priest ate the dedicated food or neglected to pay a vow or tithe, that person committed a violation in regard to the holy things.

What was the sanctuary shekel? (5:15)
Before coins were used as money, people often used precious metals, measured by weight, for a currency of exchange.  The value of bars or rings of gold or silver was determined according to a commonly accepted standard of measure – the sanctuary shekel, probably weighing 11.5 grams or 2/5 of an ounce.
What did the guilt offerings do that other offerings couldn’t? (5:15, 19)
Guilt offerings absolved the worshiper who had sinned against sacred property.  They also distinguished offenses for which restitution could be made (6:2-7).  A ram was offered (no other substitutes allowed) and complete restitution plus 20 percent was to be paid, satisfying both God and the person wronged.  Burnt offerings provided reconciliation, and sin offerings provided purification.  Only guilt offerings eased consciences with restitution for sin.

Why add a fifth of the value for the priests? (5:16)
Restitution plus one fifth was normally made to the person wronged.  In this case, since the wrong related to the holy things of the Lord, restitution was made to the priest as the Lord’s representative (6:1-5); Num. 4:8).  The restitution and the offerings were given to the priests of their livelihood.

What is the significance of the burnt offerings? (6:9-13)
The burnt offering was completely consumed on the altar, signifying that the offering and thus the person making the offering were completely set apart to God (see Romans 12:1).  The blood of the burnt offering also associated the sacrifice with atonement and cleansing.  Requiring that the burnt offering be made continually indicated the need for continual consecration, atonement and cleansing.

Why wear linen underwear? (6:10)
Linen was worn by priests of many nations in the ancient world.  Its white color symbolized purity, explaining why the priests were not allowed to wear their priestly clothes outside the tabernacle.  The specialized clothing also indicated that the world of the sanctuary and the world outside were to be kept separate.

Why did God want the fire to burn continuously? (6:12-13)
The continuous fire reminded the Israelites that God was always present with them (Exodus 13:21-22) and that they needed to be constantly mindful of worshiping him.  This perpetual fire on the altar when it was in use also represented uninterrupted offering to and appeal to God on behalf of Israel.

Did the fire stay lit when the people were traveling? (6:13)
Probably not.  When they traveled, the bronze altar was covered with a purple cloth and all its utensils were placed on it.  Then it was covered with hides of sea cows so that no one other than the priests would see or touch the holy things (Num. 4:13-14).  They would set up the tabernacle and its furnishings and resume the burnt offerings when they camped again.  Also, when the people were traveling, they were visibly reminded of God’s presence among them because of the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21-22).

Why could only male descendant of Aaron eat of the grain offerings? (6:18)
This was another way of saying that only the priests could eat the offering.  It was not to be used (as some offerings were) as sustenance for the priests’ families.  Only Aaron’s male descendants were designated as priests (Exodus 28:1, 29:9)

How could the priests make things holy merely by their touch? (6:18)
Both uncleanness and cleanness were “contagious.”  For example, one could become holy by touching sacred objects (Exodus 30:29).  Any offerings that came into contact with the grain offering also became holy and could only be eaten by Aaron and his sons.  This law communicated the idea of keeping the holy and clean separate from the unholy and unclean.

Why did God want the priests to eat some offerings and not others? (6:23)
A priest stood before God on behalf of the people, but he also was God’s representative to the people.  “Standing in for God,” the priest ate from the offerings brought by others.  But he couldn’t, in the same way, represent God to himself.  His own grain offerings had to be burned completely so they would be true sacrifices – completely given over to God.

Why break clay cooking pots? (6:28)
Because clay was a porous material, it absorbed the juices of the meat, leaving part of the sacrifice in the pot.  The clay pots were broken for the same reasons bronze pots were washed – to eliminate any leftovers.  Similarly, any blood that was splattered on a garment had to be washed out (v.27).  By washing or breaking utensils that touched a sacrifice, the sacred and profane were kept separate.

Why could both leavened and unleavened bread be offered for the thank offering? (7:11-14).
Because leavened bread was not placed on the altar, it did not violate commands about yeast (2:11; Exodus 23:18).  The leavened bread was for the priest to eat.  Perhaps God preferred unleavened bread because without the fermentation of yeast, he may have considered it more pure.

Why didn’t God want leftovers? (7:15)
Sacrifices had to be eaten before they spoiled.  Spoiled meat would have been unclean and unfit to fulfill its role as a sacrifice.  It’s not clear why the meat from a fellowship offering had to be eaten the same day, unlike the freewill offering that could be eaten the second day.  Perhaps the practice encouraged sharing the food, especially with the poor.

What would make a person unclean? (7:20)
Uncleanness came about through contact with dead or sick people, unclean animals or bodily discharges (see ch.22 for a list).  Anyone who touched any of these things had to go through a purification ritual in order to be declared clean and allowed to participate in worship.

How was someone cut off from his people? (7:20)
This phrase refers to direct judgment from God – often death – rather than human punishment.

Why did God forbid eating blood? (7:26-27)
God said that the life of a creature is in its blood, and the blood was to be used to make atonement on the altar for people’s lives (see 17:11).

Why wave an offering? (7:30)
The translation of the word wave stems from ancient rabbinic tradition.  Though it’s possible that portions of sacrifices (14:12,24) were actually waved back and forth, the word was also used symbolically – as when the Levites were presented as a wave offering (Num. 8:11).  The idea probably refers to lifting the offering either physically or symbolically as a gift to the Lord.

Why were Aaron and his sons chosen to be priests? (8:2)
God instructed Moses to establish an order of priests to serve as mediators, representing God to the people and the people to God.  God assigned this awesome responsibility to Aaron and his sons for reasons sufficient to himself.  The reason for God’s sovereign selection of individuals, tribes or even nations often remains a mystery.  God decreed that only Levites could take care of the tabernacle and its furnishings (Num 3:5-9).  Only descendants of Aaron (himself a Levite; Num. 25:59) could serve as priests (Num. 3:10).

Why all this garb for a priests? (8:7-9)
The priestly garments gave dignity and honor (Exodus 28:2) to the priest as God’s representative.  Similarly, clerical garb historically has communicated the importance and unique nature of the pastoral role.

How did anointing oil consecrate the tabernacle? (8”10)
Y anointing the tabernacle and its furnishings, Moses dedicated them to God’s service, making them holy – set apart for the Lord.  To the ancients, oil signified joy and well-being (Psalm 104:15).  Using oil to consecrate objects or people was also a way to indicate a special honor or role (Judges 9:9).

How could Moses – who wasn’t a priest – offer sacrifices? (8:15-19)
Aaron and his sons had not yet been purified or consecrated as priests, so they could not make offerings.  At God’s command, Moses served as a temporary high priest and established the ongoing institution of worship and sacrifice.  He stepped down once Aaron and his sons were installed.

What did ordination mean? (8:22)
The original word literally meant to fill the hand and probably referred to offerings placed in their hands.  The ritual signified the responsibilities and privileges of the priesthood (v.27), reminding the Levites that they were set apart for the Lord’s service.  Ordination of ministers today finds common themes in the roots of this Old Testament practice.

What was special about the priests’ right ears, thumbs and big toes? (8:23)
Many cultures throughout human history have favored the right side over the left, perhaps because most people are right-handed.  The right side is often favored in Scripture (Gen. 48:17-18; Matt. 25: 34,41).  Putting blood on the ear, thumb and toe may point to one’s hearing, working and walking.  Together it’s possible that these body parts represented the entire body – the whole person – just as the horns of the altar apparently stood for the whole altar (v.15).  Putting blood on them symbolized a complete restoration of the priest’s relationship with God.

Why was Aaron made a high priest? (8:30)
Aaron was certainly not perfect.  Though he aided Moses and helped confront Pharaoh, he also made a golden calf idol to appease the people’s desires (Exodus 32).  Moses accused Aaron, “You led them into such great sin” (Exodus 32:21).  However, there was no one available to be a priest who was not a sinner.  While we cannot say why Aaron was selected, we can see why he needed to be consecrated.  Like anyone who comes to God, Aaron needed cleansing from sin.

What did sacrifices have to do with the Lord’s appearing? (9:4)
The Israelites’ sacrifices didn’t force God to appear.  Rather, the people’s sacrifices prepared them for his visible appearance, most likely in a cloud or pillar of fire.

What’s the significance of this fiery finale? (9:23-24)
The conflagration of the offering signified to the people that God accepted them along with their offering.

What did Moses and Aaron do in the Tent of Meeting? (9:23)
Although the passage doesn’t tell us, rabbinic tradition speculates the Moses showed Aaron how to perform the offering or what they both prayed to God.  It’s likely that they prayed since God appeared in glory in the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35).

How did the people see the glory of the Lord? (9:23)
Glory suggests an awesome display of power, a tangible representation of God’s majestic splendor.  Earlier God’s glory had so filled the tabernacle with a cloud that Moses was unable to enter (Exodus 40:34-35).  The fire that came out from the Lord’s presence was what likely demonstrated God’s glory on this occasion (v.24) and showed God accepted the service performed.

How was this fire unauthorized? (10:1)
Literally strange or alien fire, it violated God’s command.  It may have been taken from a fire other than the altar’s, offered at the wrong time of day or offered with the wrong equipment.  Though we can’t be sure what the deviation was, we know Nadab and Abihu acted presumptuously by making an offering in a manner not prescribed by the Lord.

What does from the presence of the LORD mean? (10:2)
This could be translated from before the face of the LORD.  If the fire that came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering was a display of God’s judgment.  God was physically present with his people, inspiring both fear and joy.

Why couldn’t Aaron and his sons mourn these tragic deaths? (10:6)
The high priest was forbidden from carrying out acts of mourning (21:10-12).  The cultural expressions of grief – torn clothing, unkempt grooming, dust and ashes – would have been inappropriate, even defiling, for one dedicated to the Lord.  If sacrifices had to be without blemish, so did the priest.

Why couldn’t the priests leave with anointing oil still on them? (10:7)
This figurative language reminded the priests that they were still consecrated to God’s service.  In this case, God’s anointed priests were to be distanced form the wrongdoing of Nadab and Abihu.

Why abstain from wine while serving before the Lord? (10:9)
Early Jewish commentators suggest that Nadab and Abihu had been drinking before they committed their presumptuous act (v.1).  If so, their drinking could have impaired their judgment, leading to the violation that cost them their lives.  That would explain why this command was given here.  On the other hand, abstinence was sometimes used as a sign of dedication to the Lord.

What was wrong with burning the offering? (10:16-19)
Aaron’s carelessness essentially rendered the sin offering ineffective (6:26).  If the priest did not eat a portion of the offering, it was an though God had not accepted it, meaning the guilt of the people remained.  Moses may also have been angry because he feared this carelessness might result in another deadly judgment from God.

What things was Aaron referring to? (10:19)
It’s likely that because of the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron and his sons had no appetite.  Though they had been forbidden to mourn the deaths (v.6), their hearts were grief-stricken.  This was not, therefore, an act of carelessness or disobedience (as was the case with Nadab and Abihu.  Moses cold see that they were physically unable to eat the offering.

Could the Israelites own or tend ceremonially unclean animals? (11:1-8)
Yes, but they could not dispose of their carcasses or eat their meat.

What insects have only four legs? (11:20)
Insects, by definition, have six legs.  It’s possible the Israelites didn’t count jumping legs are regular legs.  We cannot be overly concerned about technical definitions when the Bible categorizes animals for religious rather than scientific reasons.  Notice that the bat is listed as a bird (vv.13-19).

Why would they be unclean till evening? (11:24)
This time span was probably a corrective measure rather than a health precaution.  Since evening marked the end of one day and the beginning of another, this was probably a ritual period that signified a new beginning.  With a clean slate an individual could resume his normal relationship with God.

Why would a carcass cause only some water and seeds to become unclean? (11:36-37)
Some suggest wet seed needed special care because it was likely being soaked to prepare it for cooking.  Others think greater care was needed because wet seed is more susceptible to bacteria than dry seed.  Still others view these regulations as teaching tools, believing the exceptions were made for practical reasons.  An unusual supply of seed and a polluted water supply would bring severe hardship.

LINK (11:43) Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures
Jesus taught that uncleanness comes not from food, but from within a person (Mark 7:1-23).  Old Testament distinctions between clean and unclean helped Israel learn to distinguish the holy from the profane.

How would these practices make them holy? (11:44-47)
These laws provided the Israelites specific ways to be holy – set apart for God.  They were to be a distinct people who followed the Lord, demonstrating his character.  Performing rituals alone, however, did not bring about holiness.  God also desired a proper response from the heart (Amos 5:21-24).

Why would a good thing like giving birth require purification? (12:4)
Bleeding made the woman unclean – not the birth itself or the baby.  Some suggest this regulation protected women from infection.  Others see it as a symbol for a lack of wholeness.  Because blood meant life (17:11), bleeding symbolized death and sin.

Why would it take twice as long to purify a woman who gave birth to a girl? (12:5)
We don’t really know why God gave this command.  Sometimes God’s instructions reflected cultural views held during that time.  Ancient peoples may have believed a woman bled longer after delivering a girl.  Or perhaps the passage reflects the higher value some placed on males in that culture.  Though such a perspective seems unfair today, biblical teaching raised the status and rights of women far above any other laws or cultures of the time.

Why was atonement needed when no sin had occurred? (12:7)
Uncleanness, whether unintentional or deliberate, brought defilement into the camp.  This defect had to be rectified if God was to continue dwelling among them.  Any time a person’s uncleanness lasted over seven days, a sin offering was required to make atonement.  The burnt offering in the case of childbirth also provided the parents an opportunity to show thankfulness for the birth of the child and to renew their own commitment to God.

LINK (12:8) If she cannot afford a lamb…
When Joseph and Mary presented the infant Jesus at the temple, they offered two birds – evidence that suggests they were poor (Luke 2:22-24).

Did the priests serve as doctors? (13:2-3)
Though priests diagnosed skin conditions, they did not attempt to cure them.  Instead they guarded the spiritual health of the camp by discerning who was unclean, then determining how long the person should be isolated and what measures needed to be taken for him to return to fellowship.

What’s the significance of hair color? (13:3-8)
Among a people whose hair color typically is a deep, rich black, any change, especially a change to white, might signify a major health problem such as leprosy.  The priest made the determination by a systematic method – isolating the person for seven days and then reexamining the suspicious sore.  If the sore were indeed spreading in the skin, then the person would have to live outside the camp, since the condition would have been highly communicable.

What kinds of diseases do these medical symptoms indicate? (13:3,13,30,38)
The word for infectious skin disease is a general term for skin ailments of various nature, including leprosy (Hansen’s disease).  Though it’s difficult to make medical diagnoses, these verses describe several other possible skin conditions: chronic dermatitis, chronic skin infection, psoriasis, skin cancer or leukoderma.  Exodus 4:6 compares the diseased skin to snow, probably referring to its color but perhaps also suggesting flaking.

Why were skin conditions considered unclean, but not other illnesses such as fever? (13:3,8)
This command focuses on appearance, underscoring the probability that these restrictions were teaching tools that demonstrated God’s holiness.  Any visible sign of a lack of health meant a person fell short of God’s standard of wholeness.  Such regulations vividly reminded the Israelites of God’s perfect character.

How were they isolated? (13:4)
The diseased person had to live alone, outside the camp, as long as he or she remained unclean.

Why was someone completely covered by disease declared clean? (13:13)
Completely white skin was perhaps a sign of healed flesh.  Raw flesh (inflamed, red or bleeding), on the other hand, was more likely to be infectious and was considered unclean.

Why prevent people from combing their hair? (13:45)
The disheveled appearance of an unclean person warned others to stay away to avoid contamination.  Furthermore, unkempt hair, torn clothes and a covered face were all signs of mourning (see 10:6).  Thus, a person with an infectious disease remained in perpetual mourning, reminding people not only of sin but also that repentance was the only appropriate response to sin.

Why treat someone with a disease in such a callous manner? (13:46)
It doesn’t seem fair.  The ones who lived outside the camp faced great difficulties, since they were completely cut off from society (except for supplies left behind). Yet everyone understood the measure as a necessary way to prevent God’s dwelling from defilement (Num. 5:1-4).  On the positive side, these harsh requirements served to protect the unclean person, keeping the holy things at a distance so no one would die for accidentally touching them (Lev. 10:1-7; 2 Samuel 6:1-11).  These rules also protected the rest of the camp, quarantining the disease and preventing its spread.  No exceptions were made – even Moses’ sister Miriam was exiled (Num. 12:10-15).

What was bad about mildew? (13:49)
The word for mildew here was translated as infectious skin disease earlier (13:2-46).  In both cases, a surface area was abnormal and disfigured, perhaps flaking and peeling.  Though there may be health benefits to destroying mildewed objects, they were most likely condemned because their appearance displayed a lack of wholeness, unable to remain in the camp with the holy God.

What is meant by destructive mildew? (13:51)
The literal meaning of this phrase is “persistent mildew.”  Certainly any mildew that kept recurring would eventually ruin the material it inhabited.

What’s the meaning of this odd ritual? (14:4-7)
One idea is that the two clean birds represented the person being cleansed.  The bird that was killed showed the death the person might have suffered, but it also atoned for his uncleanness (see 14:49-53).  The freed bird symbolized the person’s physical and spiritual restoration (perhaps similar to the scapegoat in 16:20-22).  The significance of the other elements of this ceremony (cedar wood, scarlet yarn, hyssop) is not known.

LINK (14:4) Hyssop
This bushy plant was used to sprinkle blood at the first Passover (Exodus 12:22), and David referred to its cleansing help when he asked for God’s forgiveness (Psalm 51:7).

Why make a person live without shelter? (14:8)
This seems to show restoration occurring in stages.  At this point, the individual was not yet clean enough to fully participate in community life, yet his life had improved considerably over life outside the camp!  Persons living outdoors served as reminders that god desired restoration and had provided ways for those outside the camp to return to him.

Why were offerings needed if being sick was not a sin? (14:10-12)
Sickness, like sin, disrupted the cleanness of the camp.  The issue was not whether one was responsible for his condition.  The issue was that those who were unclean needed to be cleansed.  God had designated offerings as a means to make the camp suitable once more of his sustained presence.  When God accepted the individual’s sacrifice, he enabled him to join in worship and fellowship again.

Why would God give mildew? (14:34)
Sometimes God sent mildew as a form of judgment (see Amos 4:9).  In this case, however, it’s not clear that judgment was its purpose.  This may be nothing more than a statement that God is in control of mildew, just as he is in control of all things.

Why make atonement for a building? (14:53)
The same standards of holiness that applied to the Israelites in cloth tents were to apply in the future when they built permanent homes in Canaan.  Any appearance of imperfection – even in a building – defiled the Israelites, making them unfit for God’s presence.  Atonement was needed if they expected God to remain with them.

Why all these laws on personal cleanliness? (15:1-33)
The laws concerning ritual cleanliness and hygiene served at least two purposes: (1) They distinguished the Israelites from other peoples as holy, set apart to their holy God. (2) With far less medicine and medical treatment available, these laws concerning ritual bathing and isolation helped prevent the spread of infectious diseases.  Personal holiness therefore had both spiritual and practical value.

Would we be wise to obey these rules on personal hygiene? (15:1-33)
Not really.  These were issues of ritual cleanliness.  Because atonement is complete in Jesus Christ, Christians do not view sickness and the discharge of bodily fluids as impurities that must be atoned for with blood sacrifices.  Also, we understand more today about the origin, spread and treatment of disease, so the need for isolation from others is reduced.  Of course, as these rules imply, there is value in practicing personal hygiene and pursuing activities that promote good health.

What was meant by bodily discharge? (15:2-3)
Bodily can refer to any “fleshly” thing, but if often signifies the reproductive organs.  Discharge can mean either a runny fluid or a blocked fluid (that is, thickened or coagulated).  Discharges from various kinds of infections included diarrhea, urethral discharge (including gonorrhea) and respiratory infections (a runny nose).  Notably, such uncleanness is considered more serious than uncleanness from animals or skin diseases.

Where did desert people find water for all these baths and the washing of clothes? (15:5-13)
Water was drawn from natural artesian wells or collected in cisterns from rainfall.  Not all the Israelites bathed daily – only those with bodily discharges or flows of blood.  Ritual bathing and the washing of clothes did not necessarily involved immersion but washing in a small basin.  The amount of water required would be much less than the description seems to suggest.

Why would God design natural functions to cause uncleanness? (15:16-24)
Sexual intercourse and the menstrual cycle did not cause pollution in a medical sense.  Bodily discharges, however, caused symbolic uncleanness.  The degree of uncleanness depended on the type of discharge.  In these two cases, for example, no sacrifices were required for purification.  Washing and waiting until evening brought cleanness after intercourse.  A menstruating woman became clean when her period ended.  However, a woman with an abnormal, long-term discharge needed to offer sacrifices (see vv.25-30).

LINK (15:25-27) Unclean as long as she has the discharge
Uncleanness from a long-term discharge was contagious by touch.  But when a woman who had been unclean for 12 years touched Jesus, this touch did not make him unclean.  Instead, his touch made her clean – whole in body and spirit (Luke 8:43-48).

How would God, who is spirit, dwell anywhere? (15:31)
God is everywhere, but he uniquely dwelled among the Israelites through special disclosures in which he revealed himself to them.  At times his presence was overwhelming glory (Exodus 40:34) or judgment (Lev. 10:2).  Every day he was present in the pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21) and the tabernacle (literally, dwelling place; see Exodus 25:8-9).  Today God’s Spirit dwells within each Christian (1 Cor. 6:19).