The cultic system’s threefold division may be further refined by understanding the categories of holy and common in relation to the status of persons, places, objects and time, whereas clean and unclean refer rather to the condition of persons, places or objects.23 For our purposes, what is important to grasp is that the condition of clean derives its value within the spectrum of movement toward YHWH, as the prerequisite for crossing the common—holy boundary. As is evident in Leviticus
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