Cytowanie Komentarza do Kapłańska 21:20

Introduction This mishnah deals with blemishes of the eye. Leviticus 21:20 states that a priest that has a blemish in his eye cannot serve on the altar. Our mishnah explains what that means, at least with regard to the blemished animal.

And as they said (Avot 1:1) “Moses received the Torah from Sinai,” and they didn’t say “on Sinai,” because Moses, due to his great humility, considered himself the lowliest of men, saying, “Who am I that the Torah should be given through me?” But when he heard God’s word, When you bring the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain (Exodus 3:12), then he pondered in his heart, “Why specifically on this mountain? Aren’t there higher mountains in the world?” Rather, this is God’s way — to choose the most humble and to dwell with the contrite and lowly of spirit. From that point onward, Moses no longer refused his mission and accepted that the Torah would be given through him. Therefore it says, “Moses received the Torah from Sinai,” because from Sinai he learned that he was more worthy to receive the Torah than anyone else.
This is what our Sages taught (Megillah 29a) regarding the verse Why do you look with envy, O mountains of peaks (Psalms 68:17) — “All of you have blemishes compared to Mount Sinai,” as it is said, or hunchbacked or dwarfed (Leviticus 21:20). What blemish did those mountains have, and what does hunchbacked have to do with mountains? After all, hunchbacked is a blemish of the eyes. Rather, this hints that pride of heart is a great blemish in God’s Torah, and these mountains, by being tall, have a blemish. Similarly, in humans, haughty eyes are a blemish of the eye. Therefore, he brings proof from “hunchbacked.” Thus, these mountains are not associated with Israel, only Mount Sinai is, and upon it God first descended, thereby teaching them that the Holy One, blessed be He, dwells with the most lowly. From this they should learn that not because you are more numerous than any other people did the Lord desire you, for you are the fewest (Deuteronomy 7:7), and therefore they are suited for the Torah, and the Torah is suited for them. Therefore it says, The Lord came from Sinai. And this is truly a great praise for Israel, making them worthy to receive the blessings.

One who has no eyebrows or has only one eyebrow [is unfit], this being the gibben mentioned in the Torah. Rabbi Dosa says: one whose eyebrows lie flat [overshadowing the eyes]. Rabbi Hanina ben Antigonus says: one who has a double back or a double spine. In the chapter dealing with the blemishes of the priest, the Torah lists the “gibben” (Leviticus 21:20). The rabbis debate what this word means. According to the first opinion, a “gibben” has a problem with his eyebrows. He either has no eyebrows, or only one. Rabbi Dosa says that the problem is slightly different his eyebrows are long and hang over his eyes. Rabbi Hanina believes that the problem has nothing to do with eyebrows, but rather with the back. The person looks as if he has two backs or two spines.