Pt2 Body, Blemish, and Temple Duty: Physical Deformities that Disqualify Priests from Serving (Mishnah Bekhorot 7:1-6; Leviticus 21:18-20)

This is the second part of a three-part series. Part 1 is here, the outline can be found there.

Eyes: unusual eye placements; unable to look at the sun; eyelashes missing. A List of 8 Blemishes

The biblical verse also states that a “ḥarum” (חרום) is disqualified (#3 in the list in the verses quoted in the intro, in part 1). A “ḥarum” is described by the Mishnah as someone “who can put kohl (כוחל) on both eyes with one brushstroke” (i.e. has a sunken nose).¹

Others disqualified include those with unusual eye placements (both eyes too high, too low, or uneven), those who see both levels of a room² simultaneously,³ those sensitive to sunlight,⁴ those with mismatched (זוגדוס)⁵ or tearing eyes (צירן),⁶ and those whose eyelashes (ריסי) have fallen out (נשרו).⁷

The Mishnah notes that the disqualification(s) is due to appearance concerns.⁸

החרום --

פסול. 

איזהו "חרום" ? 

הכוחל שתי עיניו כאחת. 

1. שתי עיניו למעלה, 

2. ושתי עיניו למטה, 

3. עינו אחת למעלה, ועינו אחת למטה, 

4. רואה את החדר ואת העליה כאחת, 

5. סכי שמש, 

6. זוגדוס, 

7. והצירן,

8.  ושנשרו ריסי עיניו --

פסול, 

מפני מראית העין

The ḥarum is disqualified from performing the Temple service. 

What is a ḥarum? 

It is one who can paint both of his eyes as one, with one brushstroke, because he has a sunken nose. 

1. If both of one’s eyes are above 

2. or both of his eyes are below; 

3. or if one of his eyes is above and one of his eyes is below; 

4. or if both eyes are in the proper place but he sees both the room on the ground floor and the upper story as one, at the same time; 

5. and likewise those unable to look at the sun; 

6. and one whose eyes are different; 

7. and one whose eyes tear constantly, these are disqualified from performing the Temple service. 

8. And one whose eyelashes have fallen out 

is disqualified from performing the Temple service 

due to the appearance of a blemish. Unlike the others listed in this mishna, who are disqualified by Torah law, one with this condition is not disqualified by Torah law. Rather, the Sages issued a decree prohibiting a priest with such a condition to perform the Temple service.

Disproportionate Eye, Body, Nose, or Ear Sizes; Ears like a sponge. A List of 6 Blemishes

A priest is disqualified if his eyes are unusually large or small,⁹ if his body or nose (חטמו) is disproportionately large or small relative to his limbs,¹⁰ or if he has certain ear conditions. 

Specific terms for disqualifying characteristics listed are explained: the tzome’a (צמע) refers to a priest with small ears, and the tzomem (צמם) refers to a priest with ears resembling a sponge.¹¹

1. עיניו גדולות כשל עגל, 

2. או קטנות כשל אוז, 

3. גופו גדול מאבריו או קטן מאבריו, 

4. חטמו גדול מאבריו או קטן מאבריו, 

5. הצמם, 

6. והצמע. 

איזה הוא "צמע"? 

שאזניו קטנות. 

וה"צמם" -- 

שאזניו דומות לספוג

The mishna lists additional blemishes that disqualify a priest from performing the Temple service: 

1. If a priest’s eyes are large like those of a calf 

2. or small like those of a goose; 

3. if his body is disproportionately large relative to his limbs or disproportionately small relative to his limbs; 

4. if his nose is disproportionately large relative to his limbs or disproportionately small relative to his limbs, he is disqualified. 

5. And the tzomem 

6. and the tzome’a are also disqualified. 

What is a tzome’a? 

It is anyone whose ears are small. 

And what is the tzomem? 

It is anyone whose ears are similar to a sponge.

Lips: Protruding lips

If either the upper lip protrudes beyond the lower lip, or the lower lip protrudes beyond the upper lip, it is considered a blemish.¹²

1. שפתו העליונה עודפת על התחתונה, 

2. והתחתונה עודפת על העליונה -- 

הרי זה מום. 

1. If his upper lip protrudes beyond the lower lip 

2. or his lower lip protrudes beyond the upper lip, 

that is a blemish. 

Teeth: missing teeth

ושנטלו שניו --

פסול, 

מפני מראית העין. 

And one whose teeth fell out 

is disqualified 

due to the appearance of a blemish. 

Chest and Stomach: breasts like a woman; swollen or protruding stomach

The Mishnah lists additional physical blemishes that disqualify a priest from performing Temple service:

• large, sagging breasts (דדיו), “sagging¹³ like those of a woman”¹⁴

• a swollen belly¹⁵ or protruding navel (טבורו יוצא)¹⁶

1. דדיו שוכבים כשל אשה, 

2. כרסו צבה, 

3. טבורו יוצא, 

The mishna lists additional blemishes that disqualify a priest from performing the Temple service: 

1. One who has breasts so large that they sag like those of a woman; 

2. or if one’s belly is swollen and protrudes; 

3. or if one’s navel protrudes; 

Neurological or Mental Health Disorders: Epilepsy; Depression

The list of disqualifications continues:

• epilepsy (נכפה)¹⁷

• melancholy temperament¹⁸

1. נכפה, אפלו אחת לימים, 

2. רוח קצרית באה עליו, 

1. or if one is an epileptic, even if he experiences seizures only once in a long while; 

2. or one who is afflicted with a melancholy temper; 

1. Sunken Nose (ḥarum): A ḥarum, described as one whose nose is sunken to the extent that both eyes could be painted with one brushstroke, may suggest conditions that affect the nasal bridge, such as saddle nose deformity. This condition can result from congenital issues, trauma, or diseases like syphilis or leprosy, which were more common in antiquity.

2. את החדר ואת העליה - literally: “the room and the attic”.

3. Simultaneous Vision of Upper and Lower Levels: Seeing both the upper story and the ground floor at once may describe strabismus (crossed eyes): If someone has strabismus, where the eyes do not align properly, they may struggle with depth perception and experience visual confusion between levels or planes. This misalignment can make it challenging to focus on a single plane, creating an effect where different levels appear merged or difficult to distinguish.

4. סכי שמש - literally: “gazers at the sun”.

Sensitivity to Sunlight (סכי שמש): Individuals unable to look at the sun may have photophobia (light sensitivity), commonly associated with conditions like albinism, migraine, uveitis, or even keratoconus (a corneal condition). Photophobia can occur in individuals with ocular albinism or other genetic conditions affecting pigment or eye structure.

(Compare also the talmudic disease called shabriri (שברירי; Jastrow: “being dazzled, blinking, temporary blindness, loss of direction. “), traditionally understood to mean a form of blindness caused by demons, especially the Talmud in Gittin, regarding day blindness (שברירי דיממא) (=hemeralopia?)

5. Jastrow:

“זַגְדּוּם, זַגְדָּן, (זוּגְדֵּס) [...] […]) unmatched; esp[ecially] one with an unequal pair of eyes or eye-brows [..]

Mismatched eye sizes might indicate conditions like ptosis (drooping eyelid), which changes the appearance of eye symmetry.

Alternatively:

Both eyes too high or too low: This could refer to hypertelorism or hypotelorism (abnormally wide or narrow spacing between the eyes) or to general asymmetries due to congenital conditions. Facial asymmetry can be associated with genetic syndromes such as Craniofrontonasal dysplasia.

One eye higher than the other: Orbital asymmetry is seen in conditions like Crouzon syndrome or other craniofacial dysostoses, where bone development leads to uneven positioning of the eye sockets.

6. Constant tearing (צירן): Likely due to chronic epiphora (excessive tearing), possibly caused by issues with the tear drainage system, such as blocked nasolacrimal ducts or irritation from eyelid abnormalities.

7. Eyelashes Falling Out: (The absence of eyelashes is called madarosis) This might arise from chronic inflammation, or skin conditions like alopecia areata (which I mentioned in an earlier note, in part 1, in the context of “Missing or Single Eyebrows”). 

8. מראית העין - this term is used again twice in the ensuing sections, for “eyelashes fell out”, and “missing teeth”.

Compare Wikipedia, “Marit ayin“, on the later development of this term in the Talmud:

Mar'it-ayin (Mish.: מַרְאִית הָעַיִן; Modern Hebrew: מַרְאִית-עַיִן 'appearance to the eye'; Ashkenazic transliteration: maris ayin), is a concept in halakha (Jewish law) which states that certain actions which might seem to observers to be in violation of Jewish law, but in reality are fully permissible, are themselves not allowed due to rabbinic enactments that were put in place to prevent onlookers from arriving at a false conclusion.

9. Unusually Large or Small Eyes:

Large or prominent eyes might indicate exophthalmos, a condition often associated with thyroid disorders like Graves’ disease, where the eyes appear to protrude.

Conversely, unusually small eyes might relate to conditions like microphthalmia, where one or both eyes are abnormally small and underdeveloped, often due to genetic mutations.

10. Disproportionate Body and Limb Size:

Disproportionate body-to-limb ratios can occur in various forms of dwarfism or gigantism (see also at the end of this chapter, where a “midget” - ננס - is listed). For instance, conditions like achondroplasia, a common form of dwarfism, result in short limbs relative to the torso.

Conversely, Marfan syndrome, a connective tissue disorder, can lead to long limbs and a disproportionately large body relative to the limb size. 

Disproportionate Nose Size:

A large or small nose could be a result of genetic variation or specific syndromic conditions. For instance, individuals with Down syndrome may have a smaller nasal bridge, while acrocephalosyndactyly (e.g., Apert syndrome) and Marfan syndrome might result in distinct nose shapes, some being more pronounced or underdeveloped.

11. ספוג - from Greek spóngos, the ancestor of Modern English sponge.

Small or Sponge-Like Ears (Tzome’a and Tzomem):

Small ears (tzome’a) might refer to microtia, a condition where the ear is abnormally small and sometimes malformed. Microtia can occur alone or as part of syndromic conditions like Treacher Collins syndrome.

The “sponge-like” ears (tzomem) could refer to auricular deformities or a characteristic texture. Some individuals may have softer, thicker ear cartilage or porous-like ear shapes, which may be linked to certain connective tissue disorders, trauma, or congenital conditions.

12. Orthodontic and Skeletal Considerations: When the upper lip or lower lip protrudes noticeably more than the other, it could be related to the position of the jaw and teeth. For example, if the lower lip protrudes further, it may indicate a prominent lower jaw (mandibular prognathism), sometimes called an "underbite." If the upper lip protrudes, it could indicate maxillary protrusion (often termed an "overbite").

Medical Conditions: Pronounced lip protrusion might also be associated with certain medical conditions. For instance, syndromic disorders like craniofacial dysostosis can cause facial asymmetry, including misalignment of lips, jaws, and other facial features (see my note earlier, on “Crouzon syndrome”, in the context of “One eye higher than the other”). Similarly, conditions like cleft lip or palate can affect lip position and appearance.

13. שוכבים - literally: “laying”.

14. Large, sagging breasts: This could correspond to gynecomastia, a condition where male breast tissue becomes enlarged, often due to hormonal imbalances, obesity, or certain medications. Notably, gynecomastia is not uncommon.

15. כרסו צבה - this word (צבה) is used in the Bible in reference to the effect on the stomach of an adulterous woman drinking the ritual water, in the process of the ordeal of the bitter water.

16. Swollen belly or protruding navel: A swollen belly could be due to several causes, such as obesity. A protruding navel could be a sign of an umbilical hernia, where abdominal contents push through a weakness at the navel.

17. Epilepsy: The Mishnah’s disqualification of someone with epilepsy might be for practical reasons, due to it potentially being disruptive to temple service. Alternatively, the disqualification may be due to the fact that classical societies often associated it with supernatural or moral factors.

For another usage of this word in tannaitic literature, again in the context of blemishes/defects (מומין), see Tosefta_Ketubot.7.9:

האומר לחבירו:

“קדש לי בתך זו, ע"מ שאין בה מומין”

אמר לו:

בתי זו

חולה היא

שוטה היא

נכפית היא

משועממת היא

[…]

A man who says to his fellow:

"Betroth to me your daughter with the understanding that she has no defects",

and he said to him:

"My daughter

is sickly" (חולה),

[or] "She is insane" (שוטה),

"She is epileptic" (נכפית),

"She is dull-witted" (משועממת),

[…]

18. רוח קצרית באה עליו - literally: “a ‘k’tzarit’ spirit comes upon him.

Jastrow:

“asthma, or incubus [or nervous prostration,] believed to be caused by a demon [...]”), 

Melancholy temperament: This could refer to chronic depression or persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), where an individual’s mood may appear somber, withdrawn, or otherwise unsuited for high-visibility roles. Classical medicine believed in four temperaments matching the four humours, with “melancholy” linked to an excess of black bile (in Medieval Hebrew, calqued as: מרה שחורה), leading to a sad or pensive temperament.