יחזקאל, פרק מ״ד, פסוק כ״ב

The marriage laws governing priests serve as a central pillar in preserving their holiness and the purity of their Temple service. A priest serving in the sanctuary is required to maintain a state of inner wholeness and domestic peace. Ideally, this profound harmony is achieved through a first marriage, allowing the priest to focus entirely on his spiritual duties without emotional distraction [אהבת יהונתן, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The restriction limiting priests to marrying only Israelite virgins is understood in two distinct ways. One approach roots this standard in established Torah law, explaining that the strict requirement to marry a virgin applies exclusively to the High Priest, while regular priests remain permitted to marry widows [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק, צאינה וראינה]. Other well-known prohibitions, such as marrying a prostitute, are omitted here simply because they are already explicitly outlined elsewhere in the Torah and require no repetition [רד״ק]. Conversely, a second approach suggests a vision of an elevated future reality. In the future, all priests will rise above their standard spiritual level and adopt the strictures of the High Priest, voluntarily refraining from marrying widows entirely [רד״ק, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].

An exception regarding marriages to widows is also interpreted through these two lenses. According to the first approach, the exception merely indicates that a specific segment of priests—the regular priests—are permitted to marry widows [רש״י, מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. However, according to the second approach, the exception specifically permits future priests to marry the widow of another priest. Several reasons are offered for this distinction. A priest's widow is already guarded and pure in her holiness [אברבנאל], and she is thoroughly accustomed to the unique restrictions and rhythms of priestly life [צאינה וראינה]. Furthermore, permitting this specific union ensures that regular priests do not become entirely identical to the High Priest by adopting every single one of his strictures [מלבי״ם]. Additionally, if a priest's widow were to marry a regular Israelite, she would lose her sacred status and be forbidden from eating priestly tithes; therefore, it is fitting that she marries another priest [אהבת יהונתן, חומת אנך].

There is also a deep psychological and spiritual dimension to this distinction. A woman naturally tends to bond with her first husband. If a priest were to marry the widow of a regular Israelite, she might expect her new husband to behave exactly like her previous one. This mismatch could disrupt the peace of the home and break the intense concentration required for the altar service. A priest's widow, however, has already lived in harmony with a servant of God and is fully prepared to build a stable, tranquil home with another priest [צאינה וראינה, אהבת יהונתן].

Finally, the precise description of the woman as a widow emphasizes that these laws apply only to a complete widow. This deliberate distinction serves to exclude a childless widow who has undergone the levirate shoe-removal ceremony. Although she is unmarried and not a divorcee, she remains forbidden. This establishes that every priest, even a regular one, is strictly prohibited from marrying a woman in this specific category [רש״י, מצודת דוד].