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| − | <center><i>I believe in God, creator of Heaven and Earth.
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| − | I will place no other God before Him, nor offer up my prayers to idols or messengers, for as it has been said: The Lord God is One, and His Name shall be One.
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| − | I recognize Longinus as a Prophet of the Divine, who was granted insight into God's greater purpose in order that he might teach the children of the night how to serve their Creator.
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| − | I believe that the purpose of vampires upon this earth is to temper the souls of mortals as the steel of a sword is tempered, to test the faith of the devout, and to open the eyes of sinners that they might repent.
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| − | My service to God is not offered with expectation of mercy or forgiveness, or of any reward on earth or in Heaven, save to do His Will.
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| − | </i></center>
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| − | (ooc: Written by Celia Friedman with assistance from Ron Walrath and Wade Racine)
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| − | == Background ==
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| − | Founded in the eighteenth century, the name of the creed is derived from the two Hebrew characters that mean "life" and "death," symbolizing the vampire's existence beteween these two states. Although the Dammitic Creed does not accept the portions of the Testament of Longinus referring to Christ as the Son of God, they largely accept that Christ was a divine prophet (much like the Iblic Creed) and that Longinus was Damned by God for killing him. For the Dammitic Creed, God's Holy Plan for the Damned is central to the faith. The Dammitics are particularly renowned for their knowledge of the Theban miracles and their study of the Book of Eschaton. A subfaction of the Dammitics known as the Acharait Hayami consists of Hasidic Jews who are students of the Kabbalah.
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| − | == Titles ==
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| − | The Dammitics follow the same hierarchical structure as the mainstream covenant, and many members use the common designation for ranks and offices, viewing them as covenant rather than Christian titles. Some Dammitics, however, prefer to use Hebrew titles. These are considered simply "Jewish translations" of the covenant titles, and are not meant to alter the authority or responsiblity of the offices in question.
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| − | These titles are general IC knowledge in the covenant.
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| − | Reb: a title of respect, having no rank associated with it, applicable to any Dammitic. The equivalent of "Sister" or "Brother"
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| − | Gabbai: Deacon
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| − | Rabbi: Any Annointed rank, usually Priest or Confessor
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| − | Rebbe: Bishop
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| − | Cantor: As in the mortal world, this is one who sings the musical portion of services.
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| − | Barkohen (Male), Baskohen (Ashkenazi female), Batkohen (Sephardic, Iraeli, Modern Female): Archbishop.
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| − | Barlevi (Male, Baslevi (Ashkenazi female), Batlevi (Sephardic, Israeli, Modern Female): Cardinal
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| − | Tzaddik: Theban Master. Among Dammitics, a prospective Theban Master is expected to present himself to others of that rank for testing, before claiming the title. A Tzaddik is expected to have these skills: Theban 5, Academics 5, Occult 3, and at least Intelligence 3. Acharait Hayami require an occult specialty in Kabbalah as well. Because the Acharait Hayami hold to "higher standards" than other Dammitics, they consider their Tzaddikim to be superior. It is not uncommon for those outside the faction to seek the endorsement of an Acharait Hayami Tzaddik, to prove they have met that standard.
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| − | == Notes on Playing a Dammitc Creed Sanctified ==
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| − | '''The following information is provided for the use of Dammitic players, and is OOC ONLY for those not playing Dammitic PCs.''' The Dammitics are aware that they have detractors who would welcome any excuse to label them heretics, hence they are highly discrete about many of their beliefs, and rarely trust outsiders. Anyone wanting IC access to detailed information about Dammitic practices needs to gather it IC.
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| − | There are as many perspectives on Dammitic beliefs as there are Dammitics themselves. These are a representative sampling.
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| − | (by Celia Friedman, with help from Ron Walrath and Wade Racine)
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| − | The following notes represent an attempt to take into account actual Jewish practices and beliefs, while keeping the creed from automatically being declared heretical. Even within the ranks of the Dammitics there is disagreement over some tenets, and players should bear in mind that many Sanctified, especially Monachals, do not accept these as valid interpretations of the Testament. Trying to change their mind on that point is not generally a good idea, and most Dammitics tend to keep a low profile when it comes to theological issues. </I>
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| − | For a Dammitic Sanctified, the vampiric state is not "damned" in the Christian sense, but it is ritually unclean. The vampire cannot enter the mikvah (ritual bath), and thus cannot prepare himself properly for religious ceremonies or Kabbalistic practices; dead flesh cannot be purified. Likewise the act of drinking blood is not simply a sin, in the eyes of the Dammitic, but an act so abhorrent in the eyes of God that it makes him a spiritual pariah, rejected by the Divine, cast out from the Jewish religious community.
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| − | ''And whatsoever man there be of the House of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among them, that eateth any manner of blood, I will set My face against that soul, and I will cut him off from his people. (Leviticus XVII:10)''
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| − | Some Dammitics would argue that if God created vampires, then they are obviously permitted to drink blood, as Jewish law teaches that no Mitzvot can forbid an act necessary to sustain human life. Others argue that the question of "sustaining life" is an irrelevant one for vampires, and the fact that the undead must break God's Law nightly is in fact the central tenet of their condition. This point is said to foster great debate among the Dammitics, though rarely are outsiders permitted to witness such discussions.
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| − | Regardless, all accept that the mere fact that the vampire exists in a body of dead flesh is an offense to God's Law, and until that is corrected he can never be properly purified.
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| − | Thus, while the Dammitic Sanctified does not see himself as "damned," in the sense of being irrevocably sentenced to the Christian Hell, his unclean state forbids him from communion with the Divine, which is the ultimate human torment.
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| − | === The Dammitic Path ===
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| − | <I>OOC: These notes were written by OOCly by Kathy Bunt, with thanks to [http://www.jewfac.org Judaism 101] for much of the source material used here. This information was provided ICly by Eva Carvalho. Celia Friedman added a biblical quote and the note on Mitzvot</I>
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| − | ==== The 13 Principles ====
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| − | Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon articulated 13 principles of Jewish faith. These all remain true.
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| − | * G-d exists
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| − | * G-d is one and unique
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| − | * G-d is incorporeal
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| − | * G-d is eternal
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| − | * Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to no other
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| − | * The words of the prophets are true
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| − | * Moses's prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets
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| − | * The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses
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| − | * There will be no other Torah
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| − | * G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men
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| − | * G-d will reward the good and punish the wicked
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| − | * The Messiah will come
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| − | * The dead will be resurrected
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| − | To these, the Dammitic Sanctified add the following:
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| − | * The Damned have been given dominion over the kine, as man was given dominion over the beasts.
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| − | * The Damned do evil to make the good more visible by contrast. This is the will of G-d, who caused evil to enter the world in order to test mankind: ''''I form the light and create darkness; I make peace and create evil: I am the Lord that doeth all these things.(Isaiah 45:7)''''
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| − | * We are <I>kareit</I>, unworthy of being resurrected, or given a final resting place in Gan Eden or Olam Ha-Ba. No good deeds or righteous prayers can alter our condition.
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| − | ====The Mitzvot====
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| − | Though vampires are not required to follow the MItzvot, many Dammitics choose to do so, in whole or in part, as a gesture of their faith. The fact that honoring the Mitzvot earns them neither favor nor mercy from God only makes their devotion that much more meaningful.
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| − | ==== How should we interact with the kine? ====
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| − | The kine are cattle to us; therefore we follow the <I>Mitzvot</I> (law) that govern interactions between man and cattle as relevant to interactions between Damned and Kine. In the Torah, humanity is given dominion over animals, and has the right to use animals for legitimate needs. We believe that the Damned have been given similar dominion over the Kine, and have the right to use the kine for legitimate needs.
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| − | ==== Beliefs about feeding ====
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| − | Humans are permitted to feed on animals when there is a genuine, legitimate need, and must do so in the manner that causes the animal the least suffering. We must feed on the kine to survive. Therefore, feeding is a legitimate need.
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| − | If it is necessary to slaughter a mortal for food, any Dammitic may serve as a <I>shochet</I> (one trained in kosher slaughtering techniques) performing the <I>shechitah</I> (ritual slaughter). The method of slaughter – as for humans with their cattle -- is a quick, deep stroke across the throat with a perfectly sharp blade with no nicks or unevenness. This method is painless, causes unconsciousness within two seconds, and is widely recognized as the most humane method of slaughter possible. An average human of 150 pounds will drain 12 pints of blood in this manner, a small woman of 100 pounds about 9 pints. Be prepared with containers to catch all the blood.
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| − | Note how in this ritual our Damned nature is emphasized. The mortal kosher <I>shochet</I> drains the blood from a cow because it is against the law of G-d to consume blood. We, who are the dark mirror of the kine, perform the reverse function. We only drink the blood – we only consume that which is forbidden. Truly, we are monstrous.
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| − | The Torah prohibits consumption of blood in Lev. 7:26-27 and Lev. 17:10-14. Of all the dietary laws in the Torah, this is the only dietary law that has a reason specified in Torah: we do not eat blood because the life of the animal is contained in the blood.
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| − | Our existence proves the wisdom of this law and makes the sin of breaking this dietary law manifest as a true horror – monstrous – to teach the kine to recoil from breaking any law of G-d.
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| − | After feeding, remember to always recite a prayer for grace after feeding, a birkat ha-mazon. Some Dammitic Sanctified have adopted the following text to this purpose:
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| − | <DL><DD><I>Blessed art thou L-rd, our G-d, King of the Universe, who damned us and sanctified us, holy monsters, so that the evil we do by your command advances your will in this world.</I></DL></DD>
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| − | The Torah dictates that when an animal is killed in the hunt, its blood is to be buried. (Lev 17:13) Some Dammitics make a token offering when they kill their prey, burying a few drops of its blood in the earth. Others believe that since the purpose of the ritual burial is to keep wild animals from devouring the blood, the fact that the vampire devours it instead is enough to satisfy the edict.
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| − | ==== Guidance for all other interactions with kine ====
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| − | Historically in Jewish law, animals had many of the same rights as humans (from which we can infer that the kine should have many of the same rights as we Damned.) Animals rest on Shabbat, as humans do. The ox working in the field cannot be muzzled so that it can glean as it works, just as human workers are afforded this same right. Mortals are not permitted to kill an animal in the same day as its young, and are specifically commanded to send away a mother bird when taking the eggs. So, too, we should never feed on more than one generation of a kine family in a single day, nor should we slaughter a parent kine in front of its young or vice versa.
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| − | ==== Why would G-d want us to be holy monsters? ====
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| − | First, we accept that G-d’s plan is unknowable and good. We do not have to understand his plan in order to follow his command. While it is useful to meditate on our purpose so that we might better do G-d’s will, there will always be aspects of the divine plan that are beyond our understanding.
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| − | We are holy monsters because G-d made us so. That is enough for us to know.
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| − | Having said that, some Dammitic Sanctified make further speculation based on their own prayer and meditation.
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| − | G-d is the Avenger of Blood. The more blood we spill, the more they will call on him and the better he will be able to fulfill his role as Avenger. By doing evil, we make the good more visible by contrast, and advance G-d’s will and plan in this world. The harm he does to us – by denying us his mercy for eternity – proves that he will judge those who do evil.
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| − | Consider this prayer also for general devotion on G-d’s role as the Avenger of Blood:
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| − | <DL><DD><I>Uv'keet'vey hakodesh ne'emar,
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| − | "Lamah yo'm'ru ha-goyeem, 'ayey Eloheyhem?' Yeevada ba-goyeem
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| − | l'eyneynu, neekmat dam avadekha ha-shafookh."
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| − | V'omeyr "Kee doreysh dameem otam zakhar;
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| − | Lo shakhach tza'a'kat anaveem."
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| − | V'omeyr "Yadeen ba-goyeem malay g'veeyot,
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| − | Machatz rosh al eretz rabah.
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| − | Meenachal ba-derekh yeesh'teh, al keyn yeereem rosh."</I></DL></DD>
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| − | And in the Holy Writings it is said,
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| − | <DL><DD><I>"Why should the nations say, 'Where is their G-d?' Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, the avenging of Your servants' spilled blood." (Psalms 79:10).</I></DL></DD>
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| − | And it says,
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| − | <DL><DD><I>"For the Avenger of blood has remembered them;
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| − | He has not forgotten the cry of the humble." (Psalms 9:13).</I></DL></DD>
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| − | And it says,
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| − | <DL><DD><I>"He will judge the nations filled with corpses,
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| − | He will crush the head of the large land.
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| − | From a river along the way he shall drink, therefore he may lift up his head." (Psalms 110:6-7)</I></DD></DL>
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| − | Our traditions teach that only the very good and righteous go to Gan Eden. The average person goes to Gehinnom (some say Gehenna or She’ol) to be purified. The most wicked human who ever lived requires no more than twelve months of purification in Gehinnom and G-d keeps this promise in his own way. Those who cannot be purified within the twelve months do not arrive in Gehinnom, but rather wander immortal in this world – the Damned (some Damned are directly cursed by G-d for their sins in their lifetime; others bear the curse because of their vampiric state).
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| − | The resurrection of the dead will occur in the messianic age, a time referred to in Hebrew as the Olam Ha-Ba, the World to Come, but that term is also used to refer to the spiritual afterlife. When the messiah comes to initiate the perfect world of peace and prosperity, the righteous dead will be brought back to life and given the opportunity to experience the perfected world that their righteousness helped to create. The wicked dead will not be resurrected. We who are neither dead nor living will experience no mercy on that day. We are “cut off from the people” (Gen. 17:14 and Ex. 31:14) – kareit; our souls have lost their portion in the World to Come.
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| − | Why do some Dammitics choose to perform the Mitzvot, when they are no longer obligated to do so? We do so out of a sense of love and humility, not out of a desire to get something in return. In fact, one of the first bits of ethical advice in Pirkei Avot (a book of the Mishnah – our oral tradition, the basis of the Talmud) is: "Be not like servants who serve their master for the sake of receiving a reward; instead, be like servants who serve their master not for the sake of receiving a reward, and let the awe of Heaven [meaning G-d, not the afterlife] be upon you." We who serve knowing there will be no reward love G-d best.
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| − | ==== Reconciling the story of Longinus with the Dammitic Creed ====
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| − | The following passages in the Jewish scriptures are the ones that we consider to be messianic in nature or relating to the end of days. These are the ones that we rely upon in our understanding of what the moshiach (messiah) will be.
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| − | * Isaiah 2, 11, 42; 59:20
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| − | * Jeremiah 23, 30, 33; 48:47; 49:39
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| − | * Ezekiel 38:16
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| − | * Hosea 3:4-3:5
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| − | * Micah 4
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| − | * Zephaniah 3:9
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| − | * Zechariah 14:9
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| − | * Daniel 10:14
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| − | Jesus of Nazareth did not do the things the moshiach will do, according to our scripture (listed above). Therefore, he is not the moshiach. We do not dispute his historical existence, or that he was a messenger or prophet of G-d.
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| − | Likewise, we do not dispute that Longinus was also a real historical figure who interacted with Jesus of Nazareth in the last hours of his life. We do not dispute that he stabbed the prophet with a spear, nor do Iwe dispute that the life he had lived up to that point was remarkable for the depth and breadth of sins committed.
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| − | It is well known that kindred existed before the days of Jesus of Nazareth and of Longinus. These kindred may also have been descended from a single progenitor, or series of progenitors, who were directly cursed by G-d for lives of unusual sin. It is entirely consistent with the will of G-d that the extraordinary sin of one individual merits a curse that is inflicted upon all future generations born of that one cursed individual.
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| − | <DL><DD><I>I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. (Exodus 20:5 , Deuteronomy 5:9)</I></DD></DL>
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| − | <DL><DD><I>A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 23:2)</I></DD></DL>
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| − | <DL><DD><I>Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever. (1 Kings 2:33)</I></DD></DL>
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| − | <DL><DD><I>The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. (2 Kings 5:27)</I></DD></DL>
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| − | Therefore, it is entirely consistent with our faith that
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| − | * Longinus was cursed by G-d to become a Damned (to become a kindred).
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| − | * Longinus was cursed because of his lifetime of extraordinary sinfulness and wrong-doing, up to and including stabbing one of G-d’s prophets with a spear.
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| − | * G-d is the Avenger of Blood. He cursed Longinus for spilling the blood of one of his prophets (and for a host of other sins).
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| − | * G-d frequently curses one individual with a malady, burden, or punishment that afflicts all of their children and their children’s children. He likely cursed other individuals like Longinus who themselves are the progenitors of many Damned. All Damned who have ever existed are likely descended from a small number of individuals who were directly cursed by G-d during their lifetimes.
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| − | * It is not necessary to be a direct descendent of Longinus’ childer specifically in order to follow Longinus’ teachings. Whether Longinus himself sired a line of cursed kindred or not is irrelevant to the statement that all Damned are descended from progenitors who were directly cursed by G-d, of which Longinus may simply be the best known example.
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| − | The question of whether Longinus was cursed through Christ's blood is a source of much discussion within the Creed. While they do not believe that this happened because Christ was the son of God, they acknowledge that the blood of a divine prophet might have been used as a vehicle to channel the curse of Damnation from God to Longinus. Such a belief allows them to toe the party line about Longinus' transformation, though they still have to be careful how they talk about it; believing that divine power was channeled through Christ, as opposed to being an innate part of his being, is associated with one of the officially condemned heresies.
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| − | Why would G-d send his angel to Longinus to proclaim the path of the Lancea Sanctum (in lieu, for example, of some orthodox Jewish rabbi kindred)? Here again, G-d’s purpose may not be knowable, but we must trust that his plan is perfect and good. Here we simply speculate that G-d wished for his message to reach all future kindred, and therefore chose a spokesperson who was predestined to carry and document this message in a way that led to the existence of the Lancea Sanctum today. It was G-d’s will that as many kindred as possible understood their role as his Sanctified Damned. Not all kindred are of the Chosen People. Therefore, G-d in his infinite wisdom selected a messenger from outside of our faith.
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| − | == Nights of Awe ==
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| − | <I>ooc: by Celia Friedman, with assistance by Ron Walrath and Wade Racine</I>
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| − | Once a year, in the fall, come the High Holy Days (The date changes each year, and can be found here: http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/ss/cal_tenyear_4.htm). Celebrated by mortals, they are also the most important observance of the Dammitic Sanctified.
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| − | The Hig Holy Days begin with Rosh Hashanah, on the 1st day of the month of Tishri, and end with Yom Kippur, on the 10th. Spiritually, these are the most important holidays in the Jewish faith. Unlike others, they do not commemorate a historical event, but provide a ritual cleansing for the human soul.
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| − | Among mortals, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a time of new beginnings, celebrated by family gatherings, general feasting, and sharing sweets with friends and neighbors. After that the Yamim Noraim begin: the Days of Awe. This is a 10 day period during which every Jew is supposed to make an honest assessment of his actions during last year, acknowledge his sins and shortcomings, and seek the forgiveness of anyone he has wronged in that time. This period of contemplation ends with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, a day of fasting, confession, and prayer. The Jew humbles himself before his God, acknowledges his many imperfections and failings, and seeks God's forgiveness. If his confession is honest, if his repentance is sincere, if he has done all he can during the Yamim Noraim to mend his relationships with his fellow man...then that forgiveness is granted. It is said that the sins which had been recorded beneath his name that year in the Book of Life are all erased, and he is granted a fresh start.
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| − | Just as the Days of Awe constitute the most important religious observance of mortal Jews, the Nights of Awe are central to the beliefs of the Dammitic Sanctified.
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| − | During the Yamim Noraim, the Dammitics conduct several rituals, which mirror those of their mortal kin. These rituals are not discussed with non-Dammitics, and only Dammitics may attend them, as other Sanctified might well consider portions of them to be heretical. Like mortal Jews, the Dammatics spend ten nights focused upon introspection and repentance, and must do everything they can to acknowledge and address the sins that they committed in the previous year. This may mean apologizing to people they have wronged, returning stolen items, replacing things they have destroyed, and so forth. However, as the Dammitics believe that their duty on earth is to test the devout and open the eyes of sinners, acts perpetrated in service to that cause do not require repentence, no matter how monstrous they might seem. Evil committed in service to God does not require an apology.
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| − | Dammitics fast during the Nights of Awe, recognizing that a key component of the vampire's sinful state is the drinking of blood. Few vampires can go 10 full nights without feeding, but the cleansing power of self-denial is highly valued, and most will fast as long as they can without endangering themselves or others. Then, on Yom Kippur, the Dammitic "afflicts the flesh". This may involve any number of practices, including exposure to the light of the sun, enduring fire, or anything else that is painful or damaging to undead flesh. Some vampires are satisfied with a token act of suffering, while others push themselves to the very edge of torpor, believing that to be the ultimate expression of repentance.
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| − | The ritual confessions that end the night drive home the message that every Dammitic is guilty of something, and that there not one human being, living or dead, who has not offended against God in some way. Humbling themselves before their Creator, both mortal and vampiric Jews accept the full weight of humanity's failings, and beg for His forgiveness. For mortals, that forgiveness is granted, and the end of Yom Kippur gives them a fresh start for the new year. For the Dammitic Sanctified, the path is not so simple. They cannot simply leave their sins behind them, for their very nature is an offense to God's Law; for so long as they are vampires, their souls can never be clean.
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| − | And so, as the night of Yom Kippur draws to a close, the Dammitic is faced with a choice: either surrender his unlife to the sunlight and end his vampiric existence, or return to his damned state once more. As the sun rises, each Dammitic must search his soul, and recommit himself to the mission of the Sanctified...or offer up his unlife in sacrifice, as his final act of atonement.
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| − | How God will judge such a sacrifice is not known, and it is a subject the Dammitics have debated hotly for centuries. Some point out that not even an act of perfect sacrifice can cleanse the soul of a true kareit. Others point out that passages in the Testament and Catechism hint at the remote possibility of salvation, and since once you die you are no longer a vampire, the *reason* you were kareit is gone. Might not God, in His infinite mercy, choose to restore your soul to its original state? Needless to say, this conversation is never held within earshot of outsiders. For even the remote suggestion that a vampire might receive God's forgiveness is treated as heresy in the Lancea Sanctum, and so Dammitics are careful to toe the party line in public. Outsiders know only that the creed performs some sort of ritual recommitment on Yom Kippur, in which a vampire embraces his damnation anew. That is all they need to know. The rest is between the Dammitic and his God.
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| − | For those of Sabbatean persuasion, the night has additional significance. They see in the suffering and sacrifice of Yom Kippur a mirror image of Christ's own suffering and sacrifice, and they believe the Night of Atonement provides a sacred link between the two faiths. It is said that some Sabbateans have gone so far as to have themselves crucified as part of their Affliction. Needless to say, this does not go over very well with the Acharait Hayami.
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| − | == Kol Nidre ==
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| − | The haunting refrain that marks the beginning of the Yom Kippur service frees mortals from their unfulfilled religious obligations from the previous year. Among Dammitics it has a darker significance, and commemorates their release from the laws of their mortal faith.
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| − | '''''All sacred vows, prohibitions, oaths, and consecrations, that we did vow, or swear, or consecrate, or prohibit upon ourselves, from the day of our mortal birth to the night of our mortal death, are hereby repudiated. All of them are undone, abandoned, cancelled, null and void, not in force, and not in effect. Our mortal vows are no longer vows, our mortal prohibitions are no longer prohibitions, and our mortal oaths are no longer oaths '''''
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| − | == Purification Rites ==
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| − | (by Celia Friedman)
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| − | While purification rites vary greatly from case to case, Dammitics may choose to incorporate the concept of "15 Transgressions" into their Creation Rites. These are 15 Mitzvot which a vampire is incapable of observing, simply by virtue of being undead. Through these Transgressions a vampire is forced into a state of perpetual sin, for which no meaningful repentance is possible...the ultimate state of Damnation.
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| − | Some sires may incorporate the number 15 into their ceremonies, for example, by providing 15 lashes. Others may use the 15th letter of the Hebrew alphabet as a brand. (The fact that this is Mem, one of the two initials of the Dammitic Creed, is regarded as particularly appropriate.) Still others may actually recite the Mitzvot as part of the ceremony, driving home the message that no matter how much a vampire may long to recapture the ritual purity of his mortal life, the conditions of vampiric existence simply do not allow it.
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| − | 1. The impure person must seek to be made pure. ''Lev. 15:16''
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| − | 2. The eating of blood is forbidden ''Lev. 3:17''
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| − | 3. The blood of the kill must be covered with earth ''Lev. 17:13''
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| − | 4. It is forbidden to contact the dead ''Deut. 18:11''
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| − | 5. A priest may not be beneath the same roof as a corpse ''Num. 6:6''
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| − | 6. A priest may not come in contact with dead flesh.
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| − | 7. Observe the laws of impurity of the dead '' Num. 19:14''
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| − | 8. Observe the laws of impurity concerning foods ''Lev. 11:34''
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| − | 9. Observe the laws of impurity caused by a dead beast '' Lev. 11:39''
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| − | 10. Observe the laws of impurity caused by insects ''Lev. 11:29''
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| − | 11. Do not follow the whims of your heart or what your eyes see ''Num. 15:39''
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| − | 12. Do not take revenge ''Lev. 19:18''
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| − | 13. Do not murder ''Ex. 20:13''
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| − | 14. Do not panic and retreat during battle ''Deut. 20:3''
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| − | 15. Do not diminish from the Torah any commandments, in whole or in part ''Deut. 13:1''
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| − | Notes:
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| − | Mitzvah 1 is not only impossible -- a vampire cannot be made pure -- but the teachings of Longinus make it a transgression to even attempt it, as that would amount to attempting to circumvent the conditions of one's damnation.
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| − | Mitzvot 7-10 refer to both Protean and Theban sorcery, as well as the possible feeding habits of young kindred.
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| − | Mitzvot 11-14 refer to actions a vampire may be forced to take when he loses control to frenzy, or when Predator's Taint dictates his actions, regardless of his rational intentions.
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| − | Mitzvah 15 is a reference to the list itself, and the ultimate transgression of removing the preceding 14 laws from the 613 provided in the Torah.
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| − | == Resources ==
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| − | The wiki page Dammitic Resources (link below) is being established to provide tools for RP, including Hebrew prayers and incantations for ritual use.
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| − |
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| − | *[[Dammitic Prayers]]
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| − | *[[Dammitic resources]]
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| − |
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| − | ==Reference==
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| − | *Lancea Sanctum pg 62
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| − | [[Category:Lancea Sanctum]]
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| − | [[Category:Creeds]]
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| − | [[Category:Lexicon]]
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