ויקרא, פרק כ״א, פסוק י״ח

Approaching the sanctuary requires a profound sense of awe and physical wholeness. The strict standards for those who serve at the altar reflect the immense dignity of the divine service. The primary approach among commentators is that the prohibition against a blemished priest serving is rooted in a logical deduction: if it is entirely inappropriate to offer a defective gift to a mortal ruler, it is certainly disrespectful for a blemished priest to serve before God [רש״י, מזרחי, בכור שור, חזקוני]. Standing to serve in the sanctuary demands absolute perfection, much like the ancient custom forbidding entry into a king's courtyard while wearing sackcloth [ספורנו]. The sacred work simply requires the priest to enter the holy space in a state of complete physical wholeness [פרדס יוסף].

The repetition of the warning regarding physical defects expands the scope of who and what is disqualified. While earlier instructions addressed permanent physical flaws, this additional warning teaches that even temporary or passing blemishes disqualify a priest from service [הכתב והקבלה, תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. Furthermore, the inclusive language emphasizes that no one is exempt. Even Aaron the High Priest himself is bound by this restriction despite his unique holiness [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. The rule was so absolute that it applied even during historical periods when sacrifices were permitted on private altars by ordinary Israelites [העמק דבר, רד״צ הופמן].

Although a specific list of physical defects is detailed, commentators agree that these are merely primary examples. From these archetypes, dozens of other disqualifying blemishes are legally derived [רמב״ן, ביאור יש״ר, רד״צ הופמן]. The guidelines deliberately begin with the most severe and noticeable flaws—those that significantly disrupt a person's natural function, skeletal structure, or normal appearance [רמב״ן, רלב״ג].

Among these primary defects is blindness. A priest is disqualified whether he is blind in both eyes or just one. This category also includes someone whose eye appears physically intact but suffers from a condition that prevents vision, such as white spots or constant tearing [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. Similarly, lameness disqualifies a priest, encompassing anyone who limps or hops, whether the defect affects one leg or both. It includes both congenital and acquired structural issues in the foot, such as a crooked foot or one where the middle section is unnaturally elevated from the ground [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם].

Facial deformities also prevent a priest from serving. A highly noticeable aesthetic flaw involving a flat, deeply sunken nasal bridge falls under this category. The defect is described as so severe that a person could apply makeup to both eyes in one continuous motion. The concept behind this condition denotes destruction or ruin; since the nose is considered the central glory of the face, its absence leaves the facial structure looking ruined [רש״י, רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, רד״צ הופמן]. This encompasses all nasal deformities, including a nose that is blocked, unnaturally short, or excessively long and drooping [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. Conversely, a priest is disqualified if he has a condition where a body part is unnaturally stretched, protruding, or unusually large compared to its counterpart [אבן עזרא, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This includes having one eye larger than the other, one leg longer due to a dislocated hip, abnormal bone protrusions in the thumb or heel, or a foot that is unusually wide like that of a goose [רש״י, מלבי״ם, תורה תמימה, ביאור יש״ר].