LEV875 Priests, the living symbols of a functioning religion, were are also under orders to present a handsome appearance. The high priest is described in the Bible as "the priest who is superior among his brethren" [this verse]. His superiority must be manifested, according to the Talmud, in his "strength, comeliness, and wisdom" (Yoma 18a). Yet men in the public eye quickly discover that strength and comeliness, qualities visible to all, are central to early impressions and evaluation of a leader.

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LEV876 The Kohen Gadol shall not enter a tent where a corpse is present. As Hashem's servants in the Sanctuary, and as explained earlier, the Kohanim are placed on a uniquely high level of sanctity. For this reason, they must keep far away from spiritual impurity. As to regular Kohanim, however, the Torah take takes pity on them and allows them to defile themselves to pour out their hearts and souls and more in the deaths of close relatives. Although the Kohen Gadol, too, possesses a physical body, the Torah forbids him any spiritual defilement whatsoever. Due to his great degree of attachment to the spiritual and the sublime, his soul dwells in the spiritual realms even during his lifetime, so his nature differs from that of the rest of humanity. He makes his heart forget mundane life in the fleeting physical world. As a result, he does not feel the need to weep over the death of relatives, for he had set himself apart from them even while they were living.

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LEV877 The Kohen Gadol must marry a virgin. The main good that a person can have is pure and clean thoughts, for one's deeds follow one's thoughts. Since the Kohen Gadol is the highest attendant of Hashem, it is fitting for him to take a wife who never thought about another man. Her thoughts were about him exclusively--the holiest of the holy. Thereby, when Hashem gives him children through her, they will be pure and fit to serve in the Holy Sanctuary. Our Sages teach that once a girl has reached the age of bogeres (twelve and a half), she is forbidden to become the Kohen Gadol's wife, for by then, her mind might have become set up on a different man. For the same reason, if a girl is betrothed but not yet married and her future husband dies before the wedding, she is forbidden to marry a Kohen Gadol, even if she is not yet a bogeres, for she had set her mind upon a man other than him.

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LEV878 See [[EXOD1062]] Exodus 35:13 showbread GATES 443

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LEV880 There are numerous sources that seem to show that a deformity is considered something negative in Judaism. A deformed Kohen (priest) cannot serve in the Temple [this verse]. A deformed animal could not be brought as a sacrifice on the altar (Leviticus 22:20). The Sefer Hachinuch (Sefer Hachinuch, Mitzvah #275) believes that a Jewish leader cannot be physically deformed, since people would concentrate on his deformity rather than on the job he should be doing. However, all these examples analyze deformity in public or in the Temple, which is the symbol of perfection. However, on a more private level, the attitude toward deformity seems very different. The Mishnah (Avot 4:20) exhorts the Jew not to judge anything or anyone based on his outward appearance, but on its content. Based on this Mishnah, it should not make any difference how a person looks on the outside, but how a person behaves and thinks on the inside. Certainly, this is the crucial factor in Judaism. What makes man created in the "Image of God" (Genesis 1:27) is not his outward form, since God Himself has no outward form (Deut. 4:12, 15). Therefore, in Judaism, the person's attractiveness or lack thereof is irrelevant to his value as a human being. It is through his or her actions by which a person is judged, irrespective of physical appearance. Western society, by placing such importance on physical attractiveness, is antithetical, in this instance, to Jewish belief. While physical attractiveness can be an added positive in a person, it is certainly not among the most important traits for a Jew to possess (See chapter on "Beauty"). On the other hand, physical attractiveness or even deformity is not a negative feature in evaluating a Jew and may even be a positive feature, according to Rabbi Joshua. Certainly, the status of a deformed person in Judaism is no less or no better than every other human being.

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LEV879 No Kohen with a physical defect shall serve in the Beis HaMikdash. A person's actions make an impression on onlookers according to his importance. If someone is well formed and his appearance is proper and pleasing, then when he acts with virtue people watching him are impressed and delighted by all that he does. By contrast, if someone's appearance is blemished due to limbs that are not well formed, his actions will not generate such delight in the hearts of onlookers. Accordingly, since every Kohen is a messenger of the Jewish people and atonement for our sins is dependent upon him, it is only fitting that he be pleasing in appearance. All of his limbs must be well formed and all of his ways must be pleasant. Thereby, the people will be drawn after him. In addition, when the Kohen performs the avodah, the perfection of his physical form might allude to matters that, upon reflection, can serve to elevate and purify an onlooker’s soul. Therefore, it would be counterproductive were there anything abnormal about the Kohen’s external appearance, lest those needing atonement be prevented from thinking the proper thoughts.

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LEV881 Dispensation to intervene in the natural order [i.e., to heal sickness or injury] is derived from Exodus 21:20 (sic 21:19); (but once such license is given, medical therapy is not simply elective but acquires the status of a positive obligation [footnote omitted]. As indicated by Sanhedrin 73a, this obligation mandates not only the rendering of personal assistance as is the case with regard to the restoration of lost property, but, by virtue of a negative commandment, “You shall not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:16), the obligation is expanded to encompass expenditure of financial resources for the sake of preserving the life of one’s fellow man. This seems to have been the interpretation given to Maimonides’ comments by Rabbi Joseph Caro who, in his code of Jewish law, combined both concepts in stating: “The Torah gave permission to the physician to heal; moreover, this is a religious precept and it is included in the category of saving life; and if the physician withholds his services it is considered as shedding blood.” Yoreh De’ah 336:1.

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LEV882 No one who has a physical defect shall enter the Heichal of the Beis HaMikdash. Key Concept: To preserve and accentuate the glory and awe-inspiring atmosphere of the Beis Hamikdash, a place of perfection. Accordingly, someone whose body is imperfect in form cannot be allowed to enter there. The benefit of accentuating the glory of this holy place is explained in [Exodus 25:8 sanctuary CHINUCH 62-5).

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LEV883 See [[LEV243]] Leviticus 18:21 profane LOC 20-21

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LEV884 Offer only unblemished animals on the altar. Offerings are to influence the thoughts of those who bring them, so that the person comes closer to Hashem. People are influenced by their actions, so it is fitting that offerings be free of defects. A perfect offering has more power to awaken one's heart and steer one’s thoughts toward Hashem.

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