[Avodah] Ramp On!

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R"n Toby Katz wrote:
> Just think what He could have accomplished if He had just
> allowed handicapped kohenim to serve (and women and old folks).  
>
> Or maybe there is a different message there, that you are
> missing? And that is, every one of us has a mission to perform
> on this earth -- but we don't all have the SAME mission. Maybe
> a woman, an elder -- and yes, a handicapped person -- was put
> on earth to fulfill some OTHER mission that Hashem had in mind,
> besides the Avodah.
>
> Why assume that everyone is fit to do every job?  That is a
> modern-day  PC prejudice of its own -- the assumption that
> everyone can do anything. Would you want to see handicapped
> people in the army?  Blind men leading troops into battle,
> with seeing-eye dogs? Women in the NBA? Elderly quarterbacks
> playing in the Super Bowl?  

Seeing the battle is an intrinsic job requirement for a person who would lead the troops. If he is dependent on a seeing-eye dog, then he is most likely unable to do the job. He would be disqualified not because he is blind, but because he is unable to be aware of what's going on fast enough. If he can somehow compensate so that he *is* aware of what's going on, then he is qualified to do the job.

So too for elderly quarterbacks. If they can demonstrate that they can run fast, fend off tackles, yada yada yada, then there's no disqualification.

The question here is: What is lacking in the avodah if the kohen is not good-looking?

> So what is the purpose of a handicapped kohen, if he can't run
> up the ramp and can't bring korbanos? Well, he could be a
> talmid chacham and teach others. He could be a teacher, a guide,
> a wise counselor. ...

With all due respect, this sounds rather condescending. Sort of like, "What good is it to be a woman if she can't be a CEO? Well, she could be a teacher." I do not mean to demean teachers, but why are her options being arbitrarily limited? What is there about being a CEO that she can't do, and what is there about the avodah that a handicapped kohen can't do?

Of course, there are some handicaps which clearly ARE disqualifications. If a certain act has to be done with the kohen's hand, and this kohen does not have any hands, he is clearly disqualified, and I can't imagine who might have a problem with that.

But a blotch on the face? What does that prevent one from doing? THAT's what this thread is asking.

Akiva Miller
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