Ritual and morality

the long version

"This book describes in detail the ritual purity system of the Hebrew Bible, and its development into the system of the rabbis. It is argued that the impurities concerned all derive from the human cycle of generation, birth and death, from which the Sanctuary is to be guarded; not because it needs protection from demonic powers (as in other ancient purity systems), but because of the reverence due to the divine presence."--BOOK JACKET.