(16) The LORD spoke further to Moses: (17) Speak to Aaron and say: No man of your offspring throughout the ages who has a defect shall be qualified to offer the food of his God. (18) No one at all who has a defect shall be qualified: no man who is blind, or lame, or has a limb too short or too long; (19) no man who has a broken leg or a broken arm; (20) or who is a hunchback, or a dwarf, or who has a growth in his eye, or who has a boil-scar, or scurvy, or crushed testes. (21) No man among the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall approach to offer the LORD’s offering by fire; having a defect, he shall not be qualified to offer the food of his God.
(ב) הַמּוּמִין כֵּיצַד. כֹּהֵן שֶׁיֵּשׁ מוּמִין בְּפָנָיו אוֹ בְּיָדָיו אוֹ בְּרַגְלָיו כְּגוֹן שֶׁהָיוּ אֶצְבְּעוֹתָיו עֲקֻמּוֹת אוֹ עֲקֻּשּׁוֹת אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ יָדָיו בּוֹהֲקָנִיּוֹת לֹא יִשָּׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו לְפִי שֶׁהָעָם מִסְתַּכְּלִין בּוֹ. מִי שֶׁהָיָה רִירוֹ יוֹרֵד עַל זְקָנוֹ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר וְכֵן הַסּוּמָא בְּאַחַת מֵעֵינָיו לֹא יִשָּׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו. וְאִם הָיָה דַּשׁ בְּעִירוֹ וְהַכּל הָיוּ רְגִילִים בְּזֶה הַסּוּמָא בְּאַחַת מֵעֵינָיו אוֹ בְּזֶה שֶׁרִירוֹ זָב מֻתָּר לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מִסְתַּכְּלִין בּוֹ. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁהָיוּ יָדָיו צְבוּעוֹת אִסְטִיס וּפוּאָה לֹא יִשָּׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו. וְאִם רֹב אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר מְלַאכְתָּן בְּכָךְ מֻתָּר לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מִסְתַּכְּלִין בּוֹ:
(2) Physical blemishes: A priest who has blemishes on his face, hands or feet, as, for instance one whose fingers are twisted inwards or sideways, or whose hands are covered with tetters, does not perform this rite, as the people will stare at him. He who slavers, when speaking, or is blind of one eye, shall not perform this rite. If however, the person who is blind of one eye, or slavers is a well known and familiar figure in the town, he is permitted to perform the rite, as no one will stare at him. So too, a person whose hands are stained with indigo or other colouring material, shall not perform this rite. But if the majority of the residents in that town are engaged in the dyeing industry, he may do so, as they will not stare at him.
(ג) כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם בַּעֲצָמָיו, אָז יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל. כִּי עִקַּר הַתְּפִלָּה עַל־יְדֵי הַיִּרְאָה, בִּבְחִינַת (משלי לא): אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת ה' הִיא תִתְהַלָּל, כִּי הַתְּפִלָּה בִּמְקוֹם קָרְבָּן*), וּבְקָרְבָּן כְּתִיב בֵּהּ (ויקרא כא): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ מוּם לֹא יִקְרָב; וּכְשֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מוּם, הַיְנוּ בְּאַתְרָא דְּאִית דְּחִילָא, אֲזַי יִקְרַב לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָתוֹ תַּמָּה.
(3) <And> when a person has inner peace, he is then able to pray. For the essence of [praising God in] prayer is achieved through fear, corresponding to (Proverbs 31:30), “A woman who fears God, she shall be praised.” This is because prayer is in place of the KoRBan (sacrifice), and of the sacrifice it is written (Leviticus 21:18), “Any man who is blemished shall not yiKRaV (draw close).” But when he is not blemished—that is, “In a place where there is fear”—he can then draw close to perform a complete service.
WE ARE COMMANDED to be a nation of priests, each one of us fulfilling the priestly function of mediating between human and divine. In Emor we are told that the priest must be unblemished. He must radiate perfection. The offerings that she brings must also be perfect.
As I seek to fulfill my priestly function I look at my life, I look at the physical universe that surrounds me, I look at Nature, I look into the human predicament of every person that I meet. And I cannot find something that is unblemished. The closer I look, the more imperfections I find. Everything and everyone is in process. We are all searching for balance in a world that is in flux. We are all flawed; our physical bodies are slowly or quickly decaying. This is the paradox of Emor: I and everything that I offer is likewise flawed, marked with the limitations of my particular perspective and prejudice. And yet, the truth of perfection permeates the atmosphere of my life