מלאכי, פרק ב׳, פסוק א׳

The responsibility for preserving the purity of holy service and shaping the nation's relationship with God rests firmly on the shoulders of its spiritual leaders. When the general public errs by bringing flawed offerings to the altar, the primary blame does not fall on the masses. Instead, God holds the spiritual guides accountable for failing in their duty. This message is delivered as an immediate and direct warning specifically to the priests [אבן עזרא]. The primary approach among commentators is that this serves as a severe demand placed upon the servants of the Temple, obligating them to treat their holy duties with the utmost respect [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

At its core, the command is an absolute prohibition against accepting and sacrificing weak, damaged, or corrupted animals brought by the people [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. The reason this harsh rebuke is directed at the priests stems from both their practical and educational roles. On a practical level, the priests are the ones who physically receive the offerings. Therefore, they have the direct power and responsibility to stop an invalid sacrifice from ever reaching the altar [רד״ק].

Beyond the physical act, they carry a deep educational duty to supervise the nation, issue proper warnings [מלבי״ם], and clearly teach the people exactly what is acceptable to offer before God according to the laws of the Torah [רד״ק]. The general public is viewed as lacking deep knowledge, meaning they cannot carry the full weight of the guilt. It was the duty of the priests to correct the behavior of the nation. Had the priests firmly refused to accept flawed offerings, the people would have been forced to change their ways and bring the proper sacrifices that God expects [אברבנאל].