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  • From: Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
  • To: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] high-priests ..... left-hand
  • Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2006 23:25:55 +0200

Dear Anna,

Yes, priests who had any deformity, permanent of temporary, were not allowed to perform sacrifices. Obviously, a priest who cannot perform sacrifices is also disqualified from the office of High Priest. In fact, Josephus recounts that one of the later Hasmoneans, I think Aristobolus III, chopped off his uncle's ear, thus disqualifying him for the High Priesthood, so that he could have the job. If I remember correctly, he was later drowned by King Herod in a swimming pool. In any case, a list of these disqualifying deformities is written in Lev. 21:17-23. "Left-handedness" (Hebrew "Itter") is not among them. But I would not be surprised if later halakhah (Jewish law, such as the Talmud and Rambam) included left-handedness in the list. Just a generation ago, left-handed people were considered handicapped. My father is left-handed. I remember him telling me that when he was in school, his teachers forced him to write with his right hand.

Yigal
----- Original Message ----- From: <C60605 AT aol.com>
To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Cc: <C60605 AT aol.com>
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 5:34 PM
Subject: [b-hebrew] high-priests ..... left-hand


'
'
j anna. ..do we agree with this site
_http://www.ou.org/torah/tt/5764/bereshit64/mikdash.htm_
(http://www.ou.org/torah/tt/5764/bereshit64/mikdash.htm) that appears to be saying that left-handed men could
NOT serve as temple high-priests ?
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-
j anna
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