![]() ![]() Public shame was often used to enforce the law in ancient times. The woman’s action publicly humiliated the man, and his family’s disgrace was remembered long after he was dead. The action involving the sandal had symbolic meaning: the foot symbolized the male genitals, the sandal the female sexual organs, and the spittle, the semen. ![]() To us the punishment does not sound very much, but in the context of the time it meant public disgrace that could not be lived down. The woman, the injured party, went up to him in a public assembly, pulled his sandal from his foot, spat in his face, and said ‘This is what is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house’. Since then, ‘onanism’ has become the technical word used to describe uncompleted coition and masturbation.ĭeuteronomy 25:9-10 describes the punishment for a man who refused to obey the Levirate law. ![]() He died, and his death at such an early age was seen as just punishment.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |