ויקרא, פרק כ״ב, פסוק כ׳

Bringing an offering to God requires absolute perfection, as presenting a defective animal contradicts the very essence of the Temple service. The demand for a flawless animal reflects the proper respect due to Heaven. Just as a person would never dare present a damaged gift to a mortal ruler, one cannot offer a flawed sacrifice to God [ספורנו]. However, this strict requirement for an unblemished male applies exclusively to cattle and flocks, and is not required when offering birds [ספורנו].

The restriction against defective animals is comprehensive, extending even to animals with temporary flaws. As long as the physical defect is present, the animal is treated exactly the same as one with a permanent blemish [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר, אדרת אליהו]. Furthermore, the restriction is not limited to the physical act of sacrificing the animal on the altar. It serves as a severe prohibition against the very first step of the process: the dedication. It is absolutely forbidden to even verbally designate a blemished animal for a sacrifice [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, אילת השחר, רד צ הופמן, אדרת אליהו]. Even though this dedication is performed solely through speech without any physical action, a person is punished with lashes because their words create a new legal reality of sanctification. Even if the individual later regrets the statement and seeks out a sage to cancel the dedication, they are still considered to have violated the prohibition the exact moment the words left their mouth [פרדס יוסף].

To emphasize the severity of this law, the Torah repeats the prohibition three times in this section, systematically forbidding every single stage of the sacrificial process involving a blemished animal. This includes the initial dedication, the slaughter, the sprinkling of the blood, and the burning of the animal's parts on the altar fires. A person who carries out all these steps violates five distinct negative commandments [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם, הירש]. Ultimately, a defective offering will never bring peace, produce the desired favor from God, or fulfill the owner's religious obligation [ביאור שטיינזלץ, העמק דבר, מלבי״ם]. This rejection is absolute. Unlike other disqualifications that might occur in the Temple, the blood of a blemished animal provides no appeasement whatsoever, and it remains invalid even if it is mistakenly brought up to the altar [צפנת פענח]. The repeated warnings further teach that even the special headplate worn by the High Priest, which is designed to atone for certain flaws in the Temple service, has no power to atone for the severe offense of offering a blemished animal [תורה תמימה, מלבי״ם].