Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 208/ספרי דברים ר״ח
א(דברים כא ה) וְנִגְּשׁוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי, מִכְּלָל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יח ז) ״וְשֵׁרֵת בְּשֵׁם ה׳ אֱלֹהָיו״, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא תְמִימִים, בַּעֲלֵי מוּמִים מִנַּיִן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר בְּנֵי לֵוִי. כִּי בָם בָּחַר ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ [לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּשְׁמוֹ], מַגִּיד שֶׁאֵין בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים כְּשֵׁרָה בְּבַעֲלֵי מוּמִים.
1Pisqa’ 2083661. “Then the Priests, the sons of Levi, shall approach” (Dt. 21:5).inferring from what is stated—“And he shall serve in the name of HASHEM his God” (Dt. 18:7)—I only know thatunblemished [Priests] may conduct the rite.How do I know thatdisfigured Priests are qualified as well?367 208, n.2).The Teaching states:“The sons of Levi” (Dt. 21:5)—[whether unblemished or disfigured].
בלְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בְּשֵׁם ה׳, מַקִּישׁ בְּרָכָה לְשֵׁרוּת: מַה שֵּׁרוּת בַּעֲמִידָה – אַף בְּרָכָה בַּעֲמִידָה.
22. “For HASHEM your God has chosen from among them to serve Himand to give blessing in His Name” (Dt. 21:5)—the conjoining of to serve and to bless implies thatthe blessing of the Priest is invalid if he is disfigured.“To serve Him and to give blessing in His Name” (Dt. 21:5)—Let us draw out the comparative implications:Just as serving requires standing,blessing also requires standing.
גוְעַל פִּיהֶם יִהְיֶה כָּל רִיב וְכָל נָגַע, מַקִּישׁ רִיבִים לִנְגָעִים: מַה נְּגָעִים בַּיּוֹם – אַף רִיבִים בַּיּוֹם, מַה רִיבִים שֶׁלֹּא בִּקְרוֹבִים – אַף נְגָעִים שֶׁלֹּא בִּקְרוֹבִים.
33. “And their instructions (`al pihem) shall resolve every dispute and the status of every plague-sign (Dt. 21:5)—the verse suggests a comparisonbetween civil disputes and plague-signs:Just as plague-signs are examined during the day,so, too, civil disputes are judged during the day;just as civil disputes are notjudged by relatives,so, too, plague-signs are notexamined by relatives.
דאוֹ, מָה רִיבִים בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה אַף נְגָעִים בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה? וְדִין הוּא, אִם מָמוֹנוֹ בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה גּוּפוֹ לֹא יְהֵא בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (ויקרא יג ב): ״אוֹ אֶל אַחַד מִבָּנָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים״, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכֹּהֵן אֶחָד רוֹאֶה אֶת הַנְּגָעִים!
4Or [may we argue that]:Just as civil disputes arejudged by courts of three,so, too, the status of plague-signs isexamined by three Priests?Now, this is only reasonable!If a matter affecting one’s wealthis judged by three [judges],shouldn’t a matter affecting one’s bodybe judged by three [Priests]?[Nevertheless,] the Teaching states:“Now, when there appears, on the skin of his flesh. . . something akin to an unclean eruption, then he should be brought before Aaron the Priest,or one of his priestly sons” (Lv. 13:2)—This teaches you that only one Priest need examine plague-signs.