daf bit: Sanhedrin 83

[cellio]

During the time of the temple the priests had special privileges, but also special liabilities. It was taught in a baraita: the following are liable to death at the hands of heaven: a priest who is not ritually pure or not wearing the correct garments while performing certain acts, a priest who drank wine (before serving in his role), and a priest with over-grown locks. (The baraita lists others, too.) However, if the service is performed by an uncircumcised priest, a mourner, or one who officiates while remaining seated, this is prohibited but not liable to death. (83a)

(A baraita is a teaching that is contemporary with the mishna.)

The g'mara discusses how we know each of these rulings (bringing proof texts or other citations), but does not discuss what the members of each group might have in common. I'm a little surprised that an uncircumcised priest isn't liable to death.

Comments

[chaos-wrangler.livejournal.com]

(1) Hemophilia or something similar - there's a rule that if a couple's first and second sons both die shortly after their circumcisions then they do not circumcise their third son because there is reason to think that he would die too, and circumcision isn't a law that takes precedence over life.

(2) His parents didn't arrange for it when he was a baby (because of ignorance, non-observance, no access to person with required knowledge/physical skills, or whatever other reason) and he didn't as an adult - he's still a priest by birth, just one who has failed and is continuing to fail to obey a commandment.