Sunday, February 2, 2020

kohen priest - Physical defect vs. defect in Holiness


Vayikra/Leviticus 21:17 and 21 describe that a person (who is a kohen) and has a physical defect can't bring offerings made with fire and can't approach to bring near the food/bread for G-d. This reminded me of a verse a little bit earlier, Vayikra 21:6, which teaches that the kohanim should be holy for HaShem and shouldn't defile/profane His Name. Offerings made with fire, food for their G-d they bring near, and they shall be holy.


It seems that when a kohen has 'a defect in his holiness' he defiles/profanes the Name of HaShem. This seems to be a good reason not to have such kind of defect (in other words; a good reason to watch out that one doesn't get unclean, defiled or in any way profane the Name of their G-d in their representation of His Holiness).


But what do these physical defects has to do with this? And why can't they bring these offerings in order to represent His Holiness?


Appearance from the Torah's perspective, is surely insignificant , especially compared to character. Why, then, would the Torah exclude a perfectly decent kohen from performing the service simply because of a physical (seemingly superficial) physical defect/blemish?




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