In this week’s parasha, Emor, we read:

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. 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; no man who has a broken leg or a broken arm; 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. No man among the offspring of Aaron the priest who has a defect shall be qualified to offer to God by fire; having a defect, he shall not be qualified to offer the food of his God. (Leviticus 21:17-21)

Kohen Lighting Temple Menorah (Courtesy: Temple Institute)

The Torah seems to be saying that any kohen with a physical disability or serious blemish is disqualified from serving God. Some are understandably distraught by this—after all, is it a person’s fault that they were born lame, or with dwarfism, or have a cancerous growth, or suffered a serious injury resulting in a disability? Why should this disqualify a person from serving God? Are they somehow “less” because of a disability? Why the apparent discrimination?

This position appears to be exacerbated by a Talmudic teaching that “the Shekhinah only rests upon a person who is wise, strong, wealthy, and of great statute.” (Shabbat 92a) A similar teaching elsewhere is that “the Holy One, Blessed be He, rests His Shekhinah only upon one who is strong, and wealthy, and wise, and humble.” (Nedarim 38a) So, does that mean that if one is not physically strong or healthy, they cannot merit to have the Shekhinah dwell upon them? How do we make sense of these perplexing statements?

Levels of Spiritual Greatness

It’s important to first emphasize that, of course, every human being is made in God’s image, and contains infinite worth. As our Sages famously stated, saving a single human life is equal to saving an entire world (Sanhedrin 37a). Moreover, the Midrash affirms in multiple places:

מעיד אני עלי את השמים ואת הארץ, בין גוי בין ישראל, בין איש בין אשה, בין עבד בין שפחה, הכל לפי מעשיו של אדם רוח הקדש שורה עליו

I bring Heaven and Earth to witness that the Divine Spirit may rest upon a non-Jew as well as a Jew, upon a man as well as a woman, upon a slave as well as a maidservant—all depends on the deeds of the particular individual. (Yalkut Shimoni II, 42; Eliyahu Rabbah 9)

The term used here is Ruach haKodesh, the Divine Spirit, different from the Shekhinah mentioned in the Talmudic passages above. This implies that there are varying levels of spiritual potential and power. Meanwhile, we read in Judges that Samson would have the “Spirit of God” dwell upon him, allowing him to do incredible feats. The exact term used multiple times in Judges 13-15 is Ruach Hashem. Yet, the Talmud (Sotah 10a) teaches us that Samson was actually lame in both legs! So, having a physical disability does not prevent a person from meriting a “Divine Spirit” or the very “Spirit of Hashem”.

A similar term used in Tanakh is Ruach Elohim, first appearing right at the beginning of the Torah, and used to describe Joseph (Genesis 41:38), Betzalel (Genesis 31:3), and even the wicked prophet Bila’am (Numbers 24:2). It’s later used to describe King Saul and others. Ruach Elohim is typically employed in the sense of a prophetic spirit, where a person is imbued with divine knowledge. The Arizal taught that this prophetic spirit stems from the Sefirot of Netzach and Hod, while Ruach haKodesh is a lower level of divine inspiration that comes from Yesod and Malkhut (see Sha’ar Ruach haKodesh, pgs. 11-12). Since true prophecy no longer exists (and ceased to exist following the destruction of the First Temple), Ruach haKodesh is the highest level of divine inspiration available to us today. The Arizal lists five potential sources of divine information, Ruach haKodesh being the highest, and dreams being the lowest (Sha’ar haKedushah, Ch. 2). Between these is information delivered by angels, Eliyahu haNavi, or souls of tzadikim.

As Above, So Below

We can now start piecing together a ladder of ascending spiritual power: Ruach haKodesh is the bottom rung, above which lies Ruach Elohim. Both of these are described in the sources above as being available to all people, including gentiles like Bila’am. Above these is Ruach Hashem, which is reserved for Judges like Othniel (Judges 3:10), Yiftach (11:29) and Samson—giving them great strength in battle—and also used to describe King David (I Samuel 16:13), as well as Mashiach (Isaiah 11:2). In the latter verse, Ruach Hashem is associated with “A spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and valour, a spirit of knowledge and reverence for God.” Ruach Hashem clearly imparts more than just divine information, but also strength, bravery, and magnified physical abilities.

Above all of these is the Shekhinah, the very “Presence” of God. And this one, the Talmud says, rests only on a person wholly complete and healthy, both spiritually and physically; possessing wisdom, strength, wealth, humility, and physical stature. Wealth is necessary, too, because one living in poverty likely does not have all of their biological and nutritional needs met, or is full of worry over providing for himself or his family. A certain measure of wealth is necessary for peace of mind, as well as the freedom to pursue higher wisdom and devote more time to Torah and mitzvot. Physical health is necessary, too, since debilitating illnesses can make it difficult to stay focused on spiritual endeavours, and may halakhically absolve one from the obligation to fulfil certain mitzvot. Moreover, the body is the vessel for the soul, and an unhealthy body will not serve as a particularly good vessel, resulting in the possibility of spiritual blockages and an inability for the soul to be exercised to its greatest potential.

On that note, there is a general understanding that everything manifesting in the physical world is only a reflection of something higher going on in the spiritual worlds. The Arizal taught much about pain in certain organs and body parts being connected to failures in fulfilling the mitzvot associated with those body parts (as we know that the 248 positive commandments of the Torah parallel the 248 body parts, while the 365 negative commandments link to the 365 major nerves and “sinews”). It’s important to remember that a physical ailment or impairment may even be the result of things that happened in a past life. It may be decreed upon a soul to experience a particular physical disability based on actions and sins in a previous incarnation. (For lots more on reincarnation, see the three-part series of classes here.)

With all of this in mind, we can go back to our original question on this week’s parasha. Why are kohanim with physical disabilities disqualified from service? Clearly, it is not because they are unholy, or “less than”, or unable to attain Ruach haKodesh, or Ruach Elohim, or even Ruach Hashem—they certainly can! A wicked gentile like Bila’am could access Ruach Elohim, and a limping warrior like Samson could attain Ruach Hashem, and any righteous person can merit Ruach HaKodesh, as the Midrash states. But to merit the Shekhinah itself requires a level that few can ascend to. And the Temple was that one place in the world where the Shekhinah was most manifest, as God Himself says that “you shall build me a Mikdash, and I will dwell [shakhanti] among you.” (Exodus 25:8) Thus, to be able to serve in the Temple properly and effectively required a priest who was wholesome both physically and spiritually; one who had wisdom, strength, wealth, humility and, yes, complete physical stature and good health, too.

The same is true for all of us, since the Torah describes the entire nation as a mamlekhet kohanim, “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6). Any person—regardless of their background, genetics, or impairments, whether physical, emotional, or intellectual—can refine themselves and work hard to attain divine information and great holiness, Ruach haKodesh, Ruach Elohim, and even Ruach Hashem. But to attain the loftiest level of the Shekhinah takes much more. It might not happen in this particular incarnation, and it may take several reincarnations to get there, but eventually each soul surely can and will get there. As our Sages taught, all worthy souls in Olam HaBa will bask in the glow of the Shekhinah.

Finally, wherever we might be in our cosmic spiritual journey at the moment, we mustn’t forget a few more vital maxims from our Sages. The first, that “Where ba’alei teshuvah stand even complete tzadikim cannot stand.” (Berakhot 34b) The second, that those who learn Torah are likened to priests, and “even a gentile who learns Torah is like a kohen gadol!” (Sanhedrin 59a) And to conclude with the words of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (since tonight is Lag b’Omer): “There are three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood, and the crown of royalty, but the crown of a good name supersedes them all.” (Avot 4:13)

Happy Lag b’Omer!

Lag b’Omer Learning Resources:

Secret Origins of Lag b’Omer (Video)
Log & Omer: Measuring Yourself
When Rashbi Threatened Rabbi Akiva
Mysteries of Fire
The Hidden Connection Between Lag b’Omer and Yom Yerushalayim