ויקרא, פרק כ״א, פסוק כ״א

The requirement for physical perfection among the priests serving in the sanctuary establishes a basic condition for standing before God, emphasizing the importance of a clean and whole representation during the Temple service. The recurring emphasis on preventing a blemished priest from approaching the altar serves as a double warning to the Israelites. They bear the responsibility to remain vigilant and ensure that no disqualified priest performs the sacred duties [אור החיים]. As this directive is delivered, the narrative voice shifts to the third person, reflecting the exact language in which the command was originally transmitted to Moses [פירושי רד״צ הופמן].

The scope of this prohibition extends beyond the specific physical defects previously listed. The primary approach among commentators is that the restriction encompasses a wider range of physical anomalies, such as extreme height or shortness, unusual skin pigmentation, deafness, mental incompetence, or drunkenness [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Despite this expansion, there is a significant legal distinction between the types of defects. If a priest with a blemish explicitly mentioned in the Torah performs the service, his work is completely invalid. However, if a priest with one of the additionally derived physical anomalies completes a service, it is considered valid after the fact [ברכת אשר על התורה].

Furthermore, the disqualification is strictly limited to external, visible features. Unlike animal sacrifices, which can be rendered unfit by hidden internal defects, a priest is only disqualified by visible anomalies, as he is simply required to maintain a normative appearance comparable to the rest of the population [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם]. Additionally, this standard of physical perfection applies exclusively to the descendants of Aaron regarding their unique sacred duties; a non-priest with a physical blemish remains fully permitted to engage in any activity normally allowed for regular Israelites [ביאור יש״ר, פירושי רד״צ הופמן].

The restriction against approaching the altar encompasses every stage of the sacrificial process. This includes not only the final acts of the offering but also preparatory tasks such as receiving the blood, pouring the oil, waving the offering, and taking the handful of flour [תורה תמימה]. Nevertheless, the physical punishment of lashes for violating this prohibition is reserved strictly for those who complete the final, essential acts of the service, such as dashing the blood or burning the fats on the altar [רלב״ג]. The forbidden duties involve the portions consumed by the altar fire [רלב״ג, העמק דבר], as well as the bread of His God, which refers either to the portions waved by the priest [העמק דבר] or to the most holy sacrifices in general [אדרת אליהו]. Commentators agree that the term "bread" is not meant literally, but rather serves as a comprehensive term for all types of food and sacrifices. Even offerings that contain no flour or actual bread are still classified under this broad definition of a divine meal [רש״י, שפתי חכמים, משכיל לדוד, גור אריה].

The concluding emphasis regarding the presence of a blemish underscores the severe nature of profaning the Temple service, equating it to other fundamental transgressions [אבן עזרא, פירושי רד״צ הופמן]. At the same time, this establishes a crucial underlying condition: the disqualification is only valid as long as the defect is actively present. If a priest suffers from a temporary blemish that eventually heals completely, his fitness is fully restored, and he is permitted to return to his sacred service in the sanctuary [רש״י, תורה תמימה, ביאור יש״ר, מלבי״ם].