Sastra Bait Kedua Imamat 1:9: Allegorical Interpretation

[143] for the man of gradual improvement is said to wash the inwards and the feet (Lev. 1:9), not the whole belly: for he is not sufficient to thrust from him pleasure in its completeness, but is content if he can get rid of its inwards, that is, of the delicacies, produced by the elaborate skill of dainty cooks and confectioners, of which we are told by the epicures that they serve, if we may so speak, as a means of giving succulence to the principal pleasures.

[144] He lays further stress upon the mere moderating of passion in the man of gradual advance, by representing the wise man as declining without any bidding all the pleasures of the belly, while the man of gradual advance acts under orders; for in the wise man’s case what is said is “he washed with water the belly and the feet” (Lev. 9:14), spontaneously and unbidden, but in the case of the priests it is on this wise: “the inwards and the feet,” not “they washed” but “they shall wash” (Lev. 1:9). This shows great exactness. For it must needs be that while the perfect man moves of himself towards virtuous actions, the man who is practising should do so with the aid of reason which gives him guidance what he should do, obedience to whose directions is a noble thing.