Sifra
Emor, Section 3
Emor, Section 3
1) (Vayikra 21:17) ("Speak to Aaron, saying: "A man of your seed, to their generations, who will have in him a blemish, shall not come near to offer up the bread of his G d": ("A man of your seed"): R. Elazar b. R. Yossi said: A child is unfit even if he is unblemished. When is his service kasher? Once he grows two (pubic) hairs. But his fellow Cohanim do not initiate him in his service until he is twenty years old.
2) "who will have in him a blemish": This tells me (that for his service to be kasher) he is not to have a blemish after the pronouncement (of the law), as in the instance of zivah and negaim (plague-spots). Whence is it derived (that his service is not kasher) if he has the blemish before the pronouncement? From "in him a blemish." This tells me only of his having been born unblemished and having become blemished. Whence do I derive the same for one who was born blemished from his mother's womb? From "in him a blemish."
3) "he shall not come near to offer up the bread of his G d": This tells me only of the temidim (the daily burnt-offerings), which are called "bread," (viz. Bamidbar 28:2) "My offering, My bread for My fires." Whence do I derive the same for the other offerings? From the repetition of "bread" (here). Whence is the same derived for the (sprinkling of) the blood? From "to offer up" (here) and (Bamidbar 9:9) "And the sons of Aaron offered up the blood to him."
4) Whence do I derive the same for the devoted portions of the sin-offering and of the guilt-offering and of holy of holies and of lower-order offerings? From "he shall not come near (to offer up.") Whence do I derive the same for the fistful, the frankincense, the meal-offering of the Cohanim, and meal-offering of the anointed Cohein, and the meal-offering of the libations? From (Bamidbar 9:26) "the fire-offerings of the L–rd." Whence do I derive the same for the oil pouring, the mixings, the wavings, the presentings, the fistful takings the incense takings, the pinchings, and the (blood) receivings? From "he shall not come near to offer up." I might think that Cohanim with blemishes are liable (stripes) for performing all of them; it is, therefore, written "bread." Just as "bread" connotes the (sacrificial) service itself, (so all, for such liability must characterize the sacrificial service), excluding the above, which are not intrinsic to the service (i.e., if they are omitted, the offering is still kasher.)
5) (Vayikra 21:18) ("For every man who has in him a blemish shall not come near: a man who is blind, or lame, or charum or asymmetrical of limb.") "every man who has in him a blemish": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Vayikra 21:21) "the seed of Aaron," I might think that the halachah applied to his seed only. Whence do I derive that it applies (also) to Aaron himself? From "For every man." This tells me only of a permanent blemish. Whence do I derive the same for a passing blemish? From "every man who has in him a blemish."
6) "blind": whether he is blind in both eyes or only in one. Whence is it derived that white spots on the cornea or constant watery occlusion (are also considered blemishes)? From "a man who is blind" (i.e., though the impairment in vision is due not to the eye itself, but to some mal-functioning of the man.")
7) "lame": whether he is lame in both legs or only in one. Whence is it derived that if his foot is arched and curved in the shape of a scythe (this is also considered a blemish)? From "or lame" (connoting extension of inclusion). "charum": one whose nose is sunken in. Whence do I derive that noses which are fore-shortened, fused at the nostrils, or cadent (i.e., falling beneath the lip) (are also considered blemishes)? From "or charum."
8) Abba Yossi says: Who is "charum"? One (whose nose is so sunken that he can "blue" his two eyes as one. They said to him: You are exaggerating. (He is considered "charum") even if he cannot blue his two eyes as one.
9) "asymmetrical of limb (sarua): a thigh that has come out of joint. Whence is it derived (that the following are also included?): the projection of a bone from his thumb, a retro-projection of his heel, a goose-footed broadness of sole? From "or sarua."
10) (Vayikra 21:19) ("Or a man that has in him a brokenness of foot or a brokenness of hand") "a brokenness of foot": This tells me only of a brokenness of foot. Whence do I derive for inclusion one who is knock-kneed or bandy-legged or club-footed? From "a man."
11) "a brokenness of hand": This tells me only of a brokenness of hand. Whence do I derive for inclusion one whose fingers are fused at the tips or from the base to the middle phalange without being incised? From "or a brokenness of hand."
12) (Vayikra 21:20) ("Or one who is gibein or dak or tevalul in his eye; or one who is garav or yalefeth or meroach ashech.") "gibein": one who has two eyebrows (that are fused). Whence do I derive from inclusion one who has no eyebrows or only one? From "or gibein." R. Dossa says ("Gibein refers to) one whose brows droop (over his eyes.) R. Chanina b. Antignos Says ("Gibein refers to) one who has two backs and two spines. "dak": This is cataract. Whence do I derive for inclusion chilazon, nachash, and einav? From "or dak."
13) "tevalul": If the white (of the eye) enters the black or the black enters the white. R. Yossi says: There is no blemish in the white. What is "tevalul"? If the white breaks through the ring and enters the black.
14) "in his eye": Any defect of the eye is implied. From here it is derived that if both his eyes were oriented upwards or downwards, if one eye were oriented upwards and the other downwards, if he saw the room or the attic as one, if he "hated the sun," if his eyes were unmatched, if he spoke with one person and gave the impression that he was looking at him [— all of these are considered blemishes).
15) "garav": a scabby condition. "yalefeth": the Egyptian lichen, "meroach ashech": R. Yishmael says: one whose testicles are crushed. R. Akiva says: one with distended testicles. Chanania b. Antignos says: one whose skin has taken on a swarthy coloration.