Strict boundaries govern the holiness of priestly gifts, restricting their consumption exclusively to the family of the priest and his absolute property. This highlights the precise nature of the relationship between the priest and those dependent upon him. Access to these sacred foods is forbidden to any outsider. In this context, an outsider is a relative term referring to anyone who is not a direct descendant of Aaron the priest [אבן עזרא, רלב״ג]. This broad definition encompasses regular Israelites, Levites, and even individuals who are disqualified from marrying into the congregation, such as an illegitimate child [מלבי״ם, תורה תמימה, אדרת אליהו].
The primary approach among commentators is that this holy offering specifically refers to the priestly portion [רש״י, רשב״ם, שטיינזלץ]. The legal definition of eating is met only when a person consumes at least the volume of an olive [תורה תמימה, אדרת אליהו]. An outsider who intentionally eats the priestly portion faces death by heavenly decree, whereas one who eats it by mistake must repay the priest the principal amount along with an additional fifth of its value [תורה תמימה, צאינה וראינה, רד״צ הופמן]. Interestingly, while the prohibition for outsiders is absolute, the priest himself is permitted to eat the priestly portion even while in a state of acute mourning before the burial of a close relative. This contrasts with other sacred foods, such as the first fruits, which may not be eaten amidst such sorrow [תורה תמימה].
Beyond the immediate family, the priest's household often included residents and hired workers. These terms do not describe a priest who has become a resident or a laborer, but rather refer to the people employed and housed by the priest [מזרחי, גור אריה]. Although these individuals are supported by the priest and sit at his table, they are strictly forbidden from eating the priestly portion [רלב״ג, העמק דבר]. When identifying these figures, a simple reading suggests that a resident is a gentile or Israelite who lives permanently in the priest's home and eats his bread, while a hired worker is a day laborer or someone employed for a fixed period [ביאור יש״ר, רד״צ הופמן, העמק דבר]. However, the primary approach among commentators identifies these individuals as Hebrew servants. Accordingly, a resident is a servant who has chosen to remain with his master permanently until the Jubilee year, whereas a hired worker is a standard servant who leaves after six years of labor [רש״י, רש״ר הירש, ברטנורא]. Additionally, these categories serve as the legal source establishing that an uncircumcised person is also disqualified from eating the priestly portion [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם].
The distinction between different types of servants reveals the core logic of the prohibition. A non-Hebrew servant is considered the absolute financial property of the priest, meaning his very body belongs to his master, which permits him to eat the priestly portion. In contrast, the bodies of the Hebrew resident and hired worker are not owned by the priest. Because the priest has only purchased their labor, their independent identities remain intact. Consequently, they retain the status of outsiders and are forbidden from consuming the holy offerings [רש״ר הירש, גור אריה, ברכת אשר]. This raises a logical question regarding why both the permanent resident and the temporary worker need to be mentioned. If a permanent resident cannot eat the holy food, it is obvious that a temporary worker cannot. The answer is that if only the resident were mentioned, one might mistakenly assume the term referred to a temporary six-year servant, leading to the false conclusion that a permanent servant could eat the priestly portion. By explicitly mentioning the temporary worker, it becomes clear that the resident refers to the permanent servant, proving that even lifelong integration into the priest's household does not grant an outsider the right to eat sacred food [מזרחי, חזקוני, ברטנורא].