That a priest with a blemish not serve in the Temple: That a priest with a blemish not serve in the Temple service, as it is stated (Leviticus 21:17), “A man from your seed in their generations who has a blemish shall not approach to offer the bread of his God.” [This is] meaning that he may not approach for the service, because all types of food are called bread in many places. (See Rashi on Genesis 31:54.) And this blemish [referred to in this context] is permanent. As so did they explain in Sifra, Emor, Section 3:5, “‘Who has a blemish shall not approach’ — I only have a permanent blemish. From where [do we know] a transient blemish? [Hence] we learn to say in the same section (Leviticus 21:18), ‘any man who has a blemish shall not come close’” (meaning it is from another verse and not this one). And a permanent blemish is like a boil-scar or a protrusion, and that is a growth.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since most activities of people are pleasing to the hearts of their observers based on the importance of the ones doing them. As when a person appears important and of good deeds, “he will find favor and appreciation” in all that he does in the eyes of those who see him. And if he is the opposite of this — of lowly form and having unusual limbs and if his actions are not straight — his actions will not be so pleasing to the heart of those who see him. It is therefore truly fitting that the messenger upon whom atonement depends be a man of favor, of nice form and nice appearance [and] pleasing in all his ways, so that the thoughts of people will attach themselves to him. Aside from this, it is possible that there is in the perfection of his form, a hint to concepts through which the thoughts of a person about them will purify his soul and he be elevated. And therefore it is not fitting in any way for there to be [anything unusual] in any of his forms, lest the soul of the thinker be scattered due to the anomaly and he be moved from the purpose.
The laws of the commandment: That which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bekhorot 43a) that there are three kinds of blemishes. There are some blemishes that disqualify a priest from serving, and if they are in a beast, they disqualify it from being offered. And there are some other blemishes that only disqualify a person from the service, but do not disqualify a beast from being offered. And there are some blemishes that disqualify neither man nor beast, and [our concern] is because of [their] appearance. Any priest that has any of these three types of blemishes may not serve. Only blemishes that are revealed (external) disqualify a person, but blemishes that are inside of his body, such as a removed kidney or spleen, or a punctured intestine — even though they render him a treifah (terminally ill) — his service is still fit. As it is stated (Leviticus 21:9), “a broken leg or a broken hand” — just as those are revealed, so too must all disqualifying blemishes be revealed. The Sages enumerated (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Admission into the Sanctuary 7-8) that the blemishes that disqualify both people and beast are fifty, besides the blemishes that are unique to beasts and they are twenty-three; and [so] it comes out that there are seventy-three in beasts. And there are also blemishes that are unique to people and they are ninety; and [so] it comes out that the blemishes in people are one hundred and forty. This is the grouping of the ninety that are unique to people: there are eight in the head; two in the neck; four in the ears; five in the eyebrows; four in the eyelids; eleven in the eyes; six in the nose; three in the lips; three in the belly; three in a man’s back; six in the hands; four in the genital organs; fifteen in the thighs and legs; four over the entire body; eight in the skin of the flesh. And there are also four more big blemishes in people and they are not external, and these are them: a deaf[-mute]; one mentally incapacitated; an epileptic, even if [only on certain] days; and one who is bewildered by an evil spirit, even [only] at set times. In addition to these there are two more that disqualify because of their appearance, and these are them: one whose eyelashes have fallen off, even though the hair remains at the root; and one whose teeth have been removed.
And this is the grouping of the fifty disqualifying blemishes that apply to people and to beasts: five in the ear; three in the eyelid, and these three are included in [the term] charuts that is stated in the Torah; eight in the eye; three in the nose; six in the mouth; twelve in the genital organs; six in the arms and legs; four that are fitting to be [anywhere on] the body, and these are them: the boil-scar (garav), and it is the one stated in the Torah; a protrusion that has a bone in it, and this is the yabelet that is stated in the Torah; one who has an Egyptian growth of [even] the smallest size on him, and that is the yalefet stated in the Torah; and any bone that is revealed in which a crevice formed, and it is included in charuts that is stated in the Torah. But ribs are not included in bones that are revealed. And there are three others: an old one who has reached [the point that he] shakes and trembles when he stands; a sick one who trembles because of his sickness and the failing of his strength — but a treifah is fit with men, but a disqualification with a beast, and likewise one who had a Caesarian birth is fit with men, but a disqualification with a beast; and one who has a bad smell. Behold fifty. And the rest of its details are in the seventh chapter of Tractate Bekhorot.
And it is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by priests. And so [in the case of] one who transgressed this and served and was one with a blemish: If it was from the blemishes that disqualify a man and a beast — whether inadvertently or whether volitionally — his service is disqualified. And if he was volitional, he is liable for lashes. And so did they say in Sifra, Emor, Chapter 3:11, “One with a blemish is not with the death penalty; but [only] with a warning (a negative commandment).” And if it was from the ninety that are unique to people — even though he is lashed — he did not profane his service. But if it was one of the blemishes the disqualification of which was only because of appearance, he is not lashed and his service is fit.
שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹד כֹּהֵן בַּעַל מוּם בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ – שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹד כֹּהֵן בַּעַל מוּם בַּעֲבֹדַת בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כא יז) אִישׁ מִזַּרְעֲךָ לְדֹרֹתָם אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרַב לְהַקְרִיב לֶחֶם אֱלֹהָיו. כְּלוֹמַר לֹא יִקְרַב לָעֲבֹדָה, כִּי כָּל עִנְיְנֵי מַאֲכָל קָרוּי לֶחֶם בְּהַרְבֵּה מְקוֹמוֹת (עי' רש"י בראשית לא נד). וּמוּם זֶה עִנְיָנוֹ מוּם קָבוּעַ, שֶׁכֵּן פֵּרְשׁוּ בַּסִּפְרָא (אמור ג ה) אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרַב אֵין לִי אֶלָּא מוּם קָבוּעַ, מוּם עוֹבֵר מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר בְּאוֹתָהּ פָּרָשָׁה כֹּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרָב. וּמוּם קָבוּעַ הוּא, כְּגוֹן גָּרָב אוֹ יַלֶּפֶת וְהִיא הַחֲזָזִית.
That a priest with a blemish not serve in the Temple: That a priest with a blemish not serve in the Temple service, as it is stated (Leviticus 21:17), “A man from your seed in their generations who has a blemish shall not approach to offer the bread of his God.” [This is] meaning that he may not approach for the service, because all types of food are called bread in many places. (See Rashi on Genesis 31:54.) And this blemish [referred to in this context] is permanent. As so did they explain in Sifra, Emor, Section 3:5, “‘Who has a blemish shall not approach’ — I only have a permanent blemish. From where [do we know] a transient blemish? [Hence] we learn to say in the same section (Leviticus 21:18), ‘any man who has a blemish shall not come close’” (meaning it is from another verse and not this one). And a permanent blemish is like a boil-scar or a protrusion, and that is a growth.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁרֹב פְּעֻלּוֹת בְּנֵי אָדָם רְצוּיוֹת אֶל לֵב רוֹאֵיהֶם לְפִי חֲשִׁיבוּת עוֹשֵׂיהֶן, כִּי בִּהְיוֹת הָאָדָם חָשׁוּב בְּמַרְאֵהוּ וְטוֹב בְּמַעֲשָׂיו, יִמְצָא חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה בְּעֵינֵי כָּל רוֹאָיו, וְאִם יִהְיֶה בְּהֶפֶךְ מִזֶּה פָּחוּת בְּצוּרָתוֹ וּמְשֻׁנֶּה בַּאֲבָרָיו, וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָשָׁר בִּדְרָכָיו לֹא יֵאוֹתוּ פְּעֻלּוֹתָיו כָּל כָּךְ אֶל לֵב רוֹאָיו, עַל כֵּן בֶּאֱמֶת רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת הַשָּׁלִיחַ שֶׁהַכַּפָּרָה תְּלוּיָה עָלָיו אִישׁ חֵן יְפֵה תֹאַר וִיפֵה מַרְאֶה נָאֶה בְּכָל דְּרָכָיו, לְמַעַן יִתָּפְשׂוּ מַחֲשָׁבוֹת בְּנֵי אִישׁ אַחֲרָיו. וּמִלְּבַד זֶה, אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת צוּרָתוֹ, רֶמֶז לְעִנְיָנִים, שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ מַחְשְׁבוֹת הָאָדָם בָּהֶן, תִּטְהַר נַפְשׁוֹ וְתִתְעַלֶּה, וְלָכֵן אֵין רָאוּי בְּשׁוּם צַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בּוֹ שִׁנּוּי צוּרָה מִכָּל צוּרוֹתָיו, פֶּן תִּתְפַּזֵּר נֶפֶשׁ הַמְּחַשֵּׁב מִצַּד הַשִּׁנּוּי וְתָנוּד מִן הַחֵפֶץ.
It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] since most activities of people are pleasing to the hearts of their observers based on the importance of the ones doing them. As when a person appears important and of good deeds, “he will find favor and appreciation” in all that he does in the eyes of those who see him. And if he is the opposite of this — of lowly form and having unusual limbs and if his actions are not straight — his actions will not be so pleasing to the heart of those who see him. It is therefore truly fitting that the messenger upon whom atonement depends be a man of favor, of nice form and nice appearance [and] pleasing in all his ways, so that the thoughts of people will attach themselves to him. Aside from this, it is possible that there is in the perfection of his form, a hint to concepts through which the thoughts of a person about them will purify his soul and he be elevated. And therefore it is not fitting in any way for there to be [anything unusual] in any of his forms, lest the soul of the thinker be scattered due to the anomaly and he be moved from the purpose.
דִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בכורות מג, א) שֶׁשְּׁלשָׁה מִינֵי מוּמִין הֵן, יֵשׁ מוּמִין שֶׁפּוֹסְלִים הַכֹּהֵן מִלַּעֲבֹד, וְאִם הֵן בִּבְהֵמָה פּוֹסְלִין אוֹתָהּ מִלִּקָּרֵב, וְיֵשׁ מוּמִין אֲחֵרִים שֶׁפּוֹסְלִים הָאָדָם בִּלְבַד מִלַּעֲבֹד וְלֹא הַבְּהֵמָה מִלִּקָּרֵב. וְיֵשׁ מוּמִין שֶׁאֵין פּוֹסְלִין לֹא אָדָם וְלֹא בְּהֵמָה, אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם מַרְאִית הָעַיִן. וְכָל כֹּהֵן שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ אֶחָד מִשְּׁלשָׁה מִינֵי מוּמִין אֵלּוּ אֵינוֹ עוֹבֵד. אֵין פּוֹסְלִין בָּאָדָם אֶלָּא מוּמִין שֶׁבַּגָּלוּי, אֲבָל מוּמִין שֶׁבַּחֲלַל הַגּוּף כְּגוֹן שֶׁנִּטַּל כֻּלְיָתוֹ אוֹ טְחֹל שֶׁלּוֹ אוֹ נִקְּבוּ מֵעָיו, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂה בָּהֶן טְרֵפָה עֲבֹדָתוֹ כְּשֵׁרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שֶׁבֶר רָגֶל אוֹ שֶׁבֶר יָד מָה אֵלּוּ בְּגָלוּי, אַף כָּל שֶׁהוּא בְּגָלוּי. וּמָנוּ חֲכָמִים (רמב"ם ביאת מקדש ז ח) שֶׁהַמּוּמִין שֶׁהֵם פּוֹסְלִין בֵּין בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה הֵם חֲמִשִּׁים, מִלְּבַד שֶׁיֵּשׁ מוּמִין מְיֻחָדִים בַּבְּהֵמָה וְהֵם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה, וְנִמְצְאוּ בַּבְּהֵמָה שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה, וְיֵשׁ גַּם כֵּן מוּמִין מְיֻחָדִים בָּאָדָם וְהֵם תִּשְׁעִים, נִמְצְאוּ הַפּוֹסְלִין בָּאָדָם מֵאָה וְאַרְבָּעִים. וְזֶהוּ כְּלַל הַתִּשְׁעִים הַמְּיֻחָדִים בָּאָדָם, שְׁמוֹנָה יֵשׁ בָּרֹאשׁ, וּשְׁנַיִם בַּצַּוָּאר, אַרְבָּעָה בָּאָזְנַיִם, וַחֲמִשָּׁה בַּגְּבִינִים אַרְבָּעָה בְּרִיסֵי הָעֵינַיִם, אַחַד עָשָׂר בָּעֵינַיִם. שִׁשָּׁה בַּחֹטֶם, שְׁלֹשָׁה בַּשְּׂפָתַיִם, וּשְׁלֹשָׁה בַּבֶּטֶן, וּשְׁלֹשָׁה בְּגַבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, וְשִׁשָּׁה בַּיָּדַיִם, אַרְבָּעָה בְּאֶבְרֵי הַזֶּרַע, חֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בַּשּׁוֹקַיִם וּבָרַגְלַיִם, אַרְבָּעָה בְּכָל הַגּוּף, שְׁמֹנָה בְּעוֹר הַבָּשָׂר. וְעוֹד אַרְבָּעָה מוּמִין גְּדוֹלִים מְיֻחָדִים בָּאָדָם וְאֵינָם בְּגָלוּי, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, חֵרֵשׁ, שׁוֹטֶה, וְנִכְפֶּה וַאֲפִילּוּ לְיָמִים, וּמִי שֶׁרוּחַ רָעָה מְבַעַתְתּוֹ אֲפִלּוּ בְּעִתִּים יְדוּעִים. וּמִלְּבַד אֵלֶּה, יֵשׁ עוֹד שְׁנַיִם שֶׁפּוֹסְלִין מִפְּנֵי מַרְאִית הָעַיִן, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן, מִי שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ רִיסֵי עֵינָיו אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּשְׁאַר הַשֵּׂעָר בְּעִקָּרָן וּמִי שֶׁנִּטְּלוּ שִׁנָּיו.
The laws of the commandment: That which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Bekhorot 43a) that there are three kinds of blemishes. There are some blemishes that disqualify a priest from serving, and if they are in a beast, they disqualify it from being offered. And there are some other blemishes that only disqualify a person from the service, but do not disqualify a beast from being offered. And there are some blemishes that disqualify neither man nor beast, and [our concern] is because of [their] appearance. Any priest that has any of these three types of blemishes may not serve. Only blemishes that are revealed (external) disqualify a person, but blemishes that are inside of his body, such as a removed kidney or spleen, or a punctured intestine — even though they render him a treifah (terminally ill) — his service is still fit. As it is stated (Leviticus 21:9), “a broken leg or a broken hand” — just as those are revealed, so too must all disqualifying blemishes be revealed. The Sages enumerated (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Admission into the Sanctuary 7-8) that the blemishes that disqualify both people and beast are fifty, besides the blemishes that are unique to beasts and they are twenty-three; and [so] it comes out that there are seventy-three in beasts. And there are also blemishes that are unique to people and they are ninety; and [so] it comes out that the blemishes in people are one hundred and forty. This is the grouping of the ninety that are unique to people: there are eight in the head; two in the neck; four in the ears; five in the eyebrows; four in the eyelids; eleven in the eyes; six in the nose; three in the lips; three in the belly; three in a man’s back; six in the hands; four in the genital organs; fifteen in the thighs and legs; four over the entire body; eight in the skin of the flesh. And there are also four more big blemishes in people and they are not external, and these are them: a deaf[-mute]; one mentally incapacitated; an epileptic, even if [only on certain] days; and one who is bewildered by an evil spirit, even [only] at set times. In addition to these there are two more that disqualify because of their appearance, and these are them: one whose eyelashes have fallen off, even though the hair remains at the root; and one whose teeth have been removed.
וְזֶהוּ כְּלַל הַחֲמִשִּׁים שֶׁפּוֹסְלִין בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה חֲמִשָּׁה בָּאֹזֶן, וּשְׁלֹשָׁה בָּרִיס שֶׁל עַיִן, וּשְׁלֹשָׁה אֵלּוּ בִּכְלַל חָרוּץ הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה, שְׁמֹנָה בָּעַיִן, שְׁלֹשָׁה בַּחֹטֶם, שִׁשָּׁה בַּפֶּה, שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר בְּאֵבְרֵי הַזֶּרַע, שִׁשָּׁה בַּיָּדַיִם וּבָרַגְלַיִם, אַרְבָּעָה רְאוּיִין לִהְיוֹת בְּכָל הַגּוּף, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן גָּרָב, וְהוּא הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה. ב) יַבֶּלֶת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ עֶצֶם, וְזֶהוּ יַבֶּלֶת הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה. ג) מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חֲזָזִית הַמִּצְרִית כָּל שֶׁהוּא וְזוֹ הִיא יַלֶּפֶת הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה. ד) כָּל עֶצֶם שֶׁבַּגָּלוּי שֶׁנֶּחְרַץ בּוֹ חֶרֶץ, וְהוּא בִּכְלַל חָרוּץ הָאָמוּר בַּתּוֹרָה, וְאֵין הַצְּלָעוֹת בִּכְלַל עֲצָמוֹת שֶׁבַּגָּלוּי. וְעוֹד שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲחֵרִים הַזָּקֵן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לִהְיוֹת רוֹתֵת וְרוֹעֵד כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד. ב) הַחוֹלֶה שֶׁהוּא רוֹעֵד מִפְּנֵי חָלְיוֹ וְכִשְׁלוֹן כֹּחוֹ, אֲבָל הַטְּרֵפָה, כָּשֵׁר בָּאָדָם וּפָסוּל בַּבְּהֵמָה, וְכֵן יוֹצֵא דֹּפֶן, כָּשֵׁר בָּאָדָם וּפָסוּל בַּבְּהֵמָה. ג) הַמְּזֹהָם הֲרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים. וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֶיהָ בְּמַסֶּכֶת בְּכוֹרוֹת פֶּרֶק שְׁבִיעִי.
And this is the grouping of the fifty disqualifying blemishes that apply to people and to beasts: five in the ear; three in the eyelid, and these three are included in [the term] charuts that is stated in the Torah; eight in the eye; three in the nose; six in the mouth; twelve in the genital organs; six in the arms and legs; four that are fitting to be [anywhere on] the body, and these are them: the boil-scar (garav), and it is the one stated in the Torah; a protrusion that has a bone in it, and this is the yabelet that is stated in the Torah; one who has an Egyptian growth of [even] the smallest size on him, and that is the yalefet stated in the Torah; and any bone that is revealed in which a crevice formed, and it is included in charuts that is stated in the Torah. But ribs are not included in bones that are revealed. And there are three others: an old one who has reached [the point that he] shakes and trembles when he stands; a sick one who trembles because of his sickness and the failing of his strength — but a treifah is fit with men, but a disqualification with a beast, and likewise one who had a Caesarian birth is fit with men, but a disqualification with a beast; and one who has a bad smell. Behold fifty. And the rest of its details are in the seventh chapter of Tractate Bekhorot.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת בַּכֹּהֲנִים, וְכֹהֵן הָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְעָבַד, וְהוּא בַּעַל מוּם, אִם הוּא מִן הַמּוּמִין הַפּוֹסְלִין בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה, בֵּין שׁוֹגֵג בֵּין מֵזִיד עֲבֹדָתוֹ פְּסוּלָה, וְאִם הָיָה מֵזִיד חַיָּב מַלְקוּת. וְכֵן אָמְרוּ בַּסִּפְרָא (אמור ג יא) אֵין בַּעַל מוּם בְּמִיתָה אֶלָּא בְּאַזְהָרָה. וְאִם הוּא מִן הַתִּשְׁעִים מוּמִין הַמְּיֻחָדִים בָּאָדָם, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֶה לֹא חִלֵּל עֲבֹדָתוֹ. וְאִם הוּא מִן הַמּוּמִין שֶׁפַּסְלוּתָן אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי מַרְאִית הָעַיִן אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה, וַעֲבֹדָתוֹ כְּשֵׁרָה.
And it is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by priests. And so [in the case of] one who transgressed this and served and was one with a blemish: If it was from the blemishes that disqualify a man and a beast — whether inadvertently or whether volitionally — his service is disqualified. And if he was volitional, he is liable for lashes. And so did they say in Sifra, Emor, Chapter 3:11, “One with a blemish is not with the death penalty; but [only] with a warning (a negative commandment).” And if it was from the ninety that are unique to people — even though he is lashed — he did not profane his service. But if it was one of the blemishes the disqualification of which was only because of appearance, he is not lashed and his service is fit.