הלכות ביאת מקדש

Five involving the ear: a) one whose ear lobe has been blemished1I.e., its substance has been diminished. to the extent that one's nail would become held back by the blemish.2I.e., if one would run his nail over the lobe of this person's ear, like one runs his nail over a ritual slaughterer's knife, the progress of his nail would be held back by the blemish. See Rashi, Bechorot 37b. There is, however, no concept of a blemish with regard to the skin which surrounds the lobe of the ear, whether it is perforated, marred, or cracked.

b) one whose ear has cracked to the slightest extent even though its substance has not diminished;c) one whose [ear] lobe has been perforated, [leaving a hole] the size of a carshinah bean.3A small bean about the size of a lentil (ibid.). Whether the hole is round or long, if its area is the size of a carshinah bean, it is considered a blemish.d) one whose ear has dried to the extent that if it was perforated, it would not bleed;e) one whose ear was double.4I.e., it appears as if he has two ears, one inside the other. [This applies] even to a goat kid whose ears are often extended and appear double, provided it has two lobes. If, however, it has only one lobe and it appears like one entity that is double-sized, it is acceptable.5Although the Rambam's version of the source for this ruling, Bechorot 6:9 differs from the standard printed text of the Mishnah, the interpretation of both versions is the same.

There are three involving the eye-lashes:a) one whose eye-lids are perforated even to the slightest extent;b) one whose eye-lids are cracked even to the slightest extent;c) one whose eye-lids are blemished6I.e., its substance has been diminished. even to the slightest extent.These three blemishes are included in the term cherutz mentioned in the Torah.7Leviticus 22:22.

There are eight involving the eye:a) one who is blind,8As explicitly mentioned in Leviticus 21:18. whether in one eye or in both eyes;b) one who cannot see from both of his eyes or one of them, even though there is no apparent change in them, because he has water continuously descending into his eyes;c) one who cannot see with both or one of his eyes clearly, because he has continuous nerve deterioration;9Our translation is based on Rav Kapach's version of the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Bechorot 6:3).d) one who has a mound like a grape in his eye,10Due to a retinal infection (ibid.:2). even though he can still see;e) one who has cataracts11This refers to the term chilazon nachash mentioned in the Mishnah (ibid.). in his eyes which cover some of the pupil of the eye;f) one who has the white of his eyes extended slightly into the pupil until the pupil is interrupted by the white of the eye. This is the meaning of the term tivlul mentioned in the Torah.12Leviticus 21:20. If, however, the pupil is extended and enters the white of the eye, it is not considered a blemish, for there are no blemishes in the white of the eye;g) one who has a white point in the midst of his pupil. This is the meaning of the term dak mentioned in the Torah.13Due to a retinal infection (ibid.:2). [The above applies] provided it appears floating on the pupil. If, however, it is not floating, or if it is submerged in the pupil, it is not a blemish. Similarly, if there was a black mark in the midst of the white, even if it appeared to be floating, it is not considered a blemish, for there are no blemishes in the white. If there was a black mark sunk in the pupil, it is also included in the blemish called dak. If, however, it appears to be floating, since it is black within black, it is not considered as a blemish.

There are three involving the nose:a) One whose nose is perforated, even from only one side;14If, however, the cartilage between the nostrils is perforated and it is not visible externally, it is not considered as a blemish [the Rambam's Commentary to the Mishnah (Bechorot 6:4)].b) one whose nose is split;c) one whose nose is blemished.

There are six involving the mouth:a) One whose lip is perforated; this applies even if only one is perforated;b) one whose lip is blemished;c) one whose lip is cracked, provided the surface of the lip is split into two sides;d) one whose lower jawbone extends even the slightest measure further than his upper jawbone;e) one whose mouth is swollen congenitally, as part of the structure of his body. If, however, it is swollen because of the wind,15Because the swelling comes from an external factor. it is not considered a blemish;f) one from whom the majority of the free portion of the tongue16Our translation is taken from Rashi's commentary (Bechorot 40a). was removed.

There are twelve involving the reproductive organs:a-d) one whose member is crushed,17This is the meaning of the term miruach eshef in Leviticus 21:20. mashed, severed, or cut off;e-h) one whose testicles - or testicle - is crushed, mashed, severed, or cut off;i) one who has only one testicle even though he has two sacs;18This refers to the inner sacs within the larger scrotum.j) one whose two testicles are in one sac;k) a person whose sexual organ is covered by flesh and his gender cannot be determined;j) a hermaphrodite.19More details regarding the individuals in the latter two categories are found in Hilchot Ishut 2:25-26; Hilchot Nizirut 2:11; et al. See also Hilchot Issurei Mizbeiach 3:3.

There are six involving the hands and the feet:a) one who limps;20As explicitly mentioned in Leviticus 21:18. b) one whose hip has been displaced. This is the meaning of the term serua used by the Torah;21Leviticus 21:18; 22:23. The Rambam's interpretation is based on the Sifra. Rashi in his commentary to the Torah explains the term differently.c) one who has one hip attached at a higher place than the other;d) one whose arm-bone is broken,22As explicitly mentioned in Leviticus 21:19. provided it is apparent;e) one whose leg-bone is broken,23As explicitly mentioned in Leviticus 21:19. provided it is apparent. Even if it is not apparent when he stands, if it is apparent when he walks, it is a blemish;f) one whose legs are swollen congenitally, as part of the structure of his body. If, however, they are swollen because of the wind, it is not considered a blemish.

There are four [types of blemishes] that may occur in any place in the body. They are:a) one who has a dry skin eruption of even the slightest size. This is the meaning of the term gerev mentioned in the Torah;21Leviticus 21:20; 22:22; Leviticus 21:20. b) a growth that has a bone. This is the meaning of the term yabelet mentioned in the Torah;22Leviticus 22:22. c) one who has an Egyptian boil23A moist skin eruption reminiscent of the boils visited upon the Egyptians in the Ten Plagues. Its external layer is moist, but its internal layer is dry and it is also very distasteful in appearance. of the slightest size. It is a type of boil which is firm and of distasteful appearance. This is the meaning of the term yalefet mentioned in the Torah.24Leviticus 21:20.

d) Whenever there is a groove made in any bone that is apparent,28E.g., an arm or a leg (Bechorot 40b). it is considered a blemish. It is included in the category charutz mentioned in the Torah.29Leviticus 22:22. The ribs are not considered as bones that are apparent.

There are also three other types of blemishes:30The laws pertaining to animals with these three blemishes are slightly different than those pertaining to animals with other blemishes. See Hilchot Issurei Mizbeiach 2:6.a) an elderly man who has reached the stage that he quivers and trembles when he stands;b) a person who is sick and trembles because of his illness and the weakening of his strength.A treifah31A man or an animal that has a physical infirmity that will cause him to die within twelve months. See Chapter 6, Halachah 7. is acceptable among humans, but is disqualified among animals.32See Hilchot Issurei Mizbeiach 3:1. Similarly, one born through Caesarian section is acceptable among humans, but is disqualified among animals.33See ibid.:4.

c) One who is foul-smelling. A priest who has a foul-smelling odor because of sweat may wash and rub perfume on his flesh and serve. If he has a foul odor emanating from his mouth, he may put pepper, ginger, or the like in his mouth and serve. If, however, he serves while his body is foul-smelling due to sweat or he had bad breath, he desecrates his service like one who has any of the other blemishes.