Вайикра 21:4 Галаха: Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs & Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah

One who makes himself bald between his eyes for the dead, is striped, for it is said: "Nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead" (Ibid.). Whether one is a lay-Israelite or a priest if either made himself bald between his eyes over the dead he is striped only once. One who makes himself four or five bald spots over one dead person, is striped according to the number of bald spots he made, provided he received warning before he made⁹ each one of the bald spots. Whether one makes the baldness by hand, or by poison, or whether he dipped his fingers in poison and put them all at one time in five places of his head, seeing that he made five bald spots, although he had but one warning, he is striped, five times, because they all were made simultaneously. One is as guilty in making baldness anywhere on his head as he is when he makes it between his eyes, even as it is said: "They shall not make any baldness upon their head" (Lev. 21.4). What size must the baldness be? So as to make a bald spot, bare without hair, as big as a split grain.¹⁸Kiddushin, 36b; Makkot, 20b–21a. C.

One whose neckbone and the larger portion of the surrounding flesh was broken,¹Ḥul. 21a in accord with Rab Judah on the authority of Samuel. and likewise, one who was torn up along the back²But not if one was ripped up along the front — ShaK. as a fish, even if he is still living, is regarded as dead and defiles [through overshadowing].³Ḥul. ibid. in accord with R. Joḥanan and Samuel. In the case of an old man whose neckbone alone was broken without the larger portion of the surrounding flesh having been severed, he is considered dead and defiles (ibid.). If one’s neck was split widthwise into two or if the spinal column was cut towards its interior, or if split in two, he defiles by overshadowing — ShaK. Hence, a Kohen is prohibited to enter the same house or tent wherein these persons are present. But a dying person⁴ supra § 339. and one in whom both organs⁵The windpipe and the oesophagus. were cut, or one who is wounded [with] many [open] wounds, do not defile [men or vessels] until their soul departs.⁶Derived from Git. 70b. Nevertheless, it is forbidden [for a Kohen]⁷ Glos. to enter a house in which there is a dying person,⁸Naz. 43a. Tosaf. ibid. s.v. ומהכא. The prohibition mentioned in connection with Kohanim (Priests) who are cautioned against defiling themselves for the dead who are not near-of-kin states: ‘To profane himself’ (Lev. XXI, 4), which is explained (ibid. according to one opinion) to mean that the actual profanation is forbidden until the time that the dying person is dead, although no defilement exists as yet, the reason being that the majority of dying persons, die. According to another opinion, since the Bible in speaking of the Nazirite’s prohibition against uncleanness even for near-of-kin, states: ‘When they die’ (Num. VI, 7), it follows that he may be present with them until they actually die. Hence, there is no profanation prior to death. Caro’s ruling here follows the first opinion. and some permit,⁹RaN to M.K. III end and Mord. ibid. on the authority of BeHaG — G. and it is proper to adopt the stricter view.¹⁰One is not required to arouse a Kohen from sleep in order to inform him that a dying person is present in the same house so that the Kohen should leave (this would be required in case a corpse were present there. infra § 372 Gloss). If they did inform him and he was undressed, he may take time to dress himself and then leave — ShaK. A physician who is a Kohen may enter the house of a dying person in order to heal the latter even if there is another physician available who is not a Kohen — P.Tesh.