Ben Hur, the novel, part 18

We’re up to Book V chapter 9 of Ben Hur. Chapter 13 is the actual race.

Book VI chapter 3 has another mistake. Nobody can declare themselves to be lepers. Leviticus 13 and 14 are clear on this: a priest has to examine the person or the building and make the declaration. In the case of a building, Leviticus specifically says that the owner says literally “I think there might be something like leprosy in my house” and then clears his possessions and family out of the house before the priest comes to inspect.

For the owner to say “my house is leprous” is a case of paskening for yourself, which is prohibited in Jewish law. Judah’s mother should have gone to a priest to see if she and her daughter were leprous. Leviticus 13 lists some conditions that might seem like leprosy but are not. But Wallace did not read his Bible so he didn’t know his mistake.

Chapter 5 has Amrah going to market after nightfall. I already explained that there would be nothing in the market after nightfall, and no lighting to help her get there unless the moon was full. She would have needed a torch to light her way. And she still would have been at risk of robbers or rapists.

What’s more, meat was expensive in those days. Shochets did not slaughter until they had cash on the barrel head for every portion of an animal, including selling the unkosher parts to Gentiles. They could be forced to slaughter for Shabbat, but otherwise not. There were no coolers to put meat in and keep it from spoiling after slaughter; Amrah could only get meat before noon. But Wallace the Victorian male has to throw meat in there and pretend the butcher would still be open at night and have product to sell.

Chapter 6 opens with Judah transgressing. He should be in New Year’s services right now. On the 10^th he should be fasting at Yom Kippur services. He should even be fasting during the daylight hours on the 3rd, Tsom Gedaliah. But he’s not.

Wallace has no clue to Roman army operations. They didn’t just have leaders, they had training. Our word exercise comes from the Latin word for army, exercitus, because aside from making and maintaining camps, Roman armies practiced use of arms and maneuvers constantly. Each man knew his position and his role in every battle and performed almost without thinking about it.