Levitico 21:10 Halakha: Sefer HaChinukh & Sefer HaMitzvot

The commandment of anointing the high priest and the kings of the House of David with anointing oil: To make the anointing oil according to the way that the Torah commanded to make it, as it is stated (Exodus 30:25), "And you shall make it, a holy anointing oil, etc." [This is] so that it be ready to anoint every high priest that is appointed, as it is written (Leviticus 21:10), "The priest who is exalted above his fellows, on whose head the anointing oil has been poured." And so [too], we anoint some of the kings. And so [too,] they also anointed the vessels of the Temple with it, but they will not need to anoint [them] in the future, as they will be sanctified by their service. And this is [the meaning] of what is written (Exodus 30:31), "and it will be for Me for the generations." And so did they, may their memory be blessed, say in Sifrei Bemidbar 44.

That is that He commanded us that a metsora (a person with tsaarat) be known to all, such that people will separate from him. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "As the person with a leprous affection, his clothes shall be rent [... and he shall call out, 'Impure; impure!]'" (Leviticus 13:45). And the proof about its being a positive commandment is their saying in the Sifra (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 12:5-6) "Because it is stated (of the high priest, Leviticus 21:10), 'his hair he shall not grow long and his clothes he shall not rend, etc.,' I might think (that this holds) even if he is afflicted. And how will I fulfill, 'his clothes shall be rent and his hair shall grow long?' With all other people besides the high priest. [Hence] we learn to say, 'with a leprous affection' - even if he be the high priest - his clothes shall be torn; 'and his hair shall grow long' - he shall grow out his hair." And it is clear that a high priest is [prohibited] with a negative commandment from renting [his clothes] and growing [his hair] long. And the principle with us is that any place you find a positive commandment and a negative commandment - if you can fulfill both of them, that is best; but if not, the positive commandment pushes off the negative commandment. And since we have found that their language instructs that when the high priest has tsaarat, he grows [his hair] out and rents [his clothes], it indicates that it is a positive commandment. And the tradition has already come [to teach] that people with other impurities are also obligated to make a sign about themselves, such that other people will distance themselves from them. And the language of the Sifra (Sifra, Tazria Parashat Nega'im, Chapter 12:9) is, "From where [do we know that the same holds for] someone impure from a corpse or one who had sexual intercourse with a menstruant woman? [Hence] we learn to say, 'and he shall call out, "Impure; impure!"'" And the explanation is that anyone impure must announce his impurity and place a sign upon himself, through which it will be known that he is impure, and one touches him is impure - hence they will distance themselves. And behold it has been explained that women are not obligated in [providing for] the recognition of a metzora. And that is their saying (Sotah 23a), "A man grows [his hair] out and rents [his clothes], but a woman does not grow [her hair] out and rent [her clothes]." But she does cover the lip and makes known that she is impure, like other impure people. (See Parashat Tazria; Mishneh Torah, Defilement by Leprosy 6.)

That the priests not enter the Temple with torn clothes: That the priests not enter the Temple with torn clothes, as it is stated (Leviticus 10:6), "and you shall not rend your clothes" - the understanding is, do not tear your clothes. And the prevention is repeated with the high priest, as it is stated about him (Leviticus 21:10), "and he shall not rend his clothes." And repeating the prevention about it is because of the addition of a thing with him: That he is not permitted to tear for a dead when he dies - and even not during the time of the service. And they said in Sifra, Emor, Section 2:3, "'And he shall not let his hair be wild and he shall not rend his clothes' - for his dead, as [other] people do for their dead. Behold, how is it? The high-priest rends from the bottom (of his garment), and common [priests], from the top."