Philip Hart writes: To me the greatest advantage of these laws was that it set the community apart from their neighbors, as did circumcision. This separation probably brought a lot of persecution but a lot of cohesion as well. I wouldn't call it an 'advantage', but that is my understanding as to the original impetus behind the laws laid down in Leviticus. rone -- "I don't even know you. What if you're a psycho?" "Would a psycho waste the last of his triple-sec?" -- RICHH