Negative Commandment 137 (Digest)
A "Profaned" Woman Eating Holy Foods
And if a priest's daughter is married to a non-priest, she shall not eat of that which is set apart of the holy [foods]"—Leviticus 22:12.
A chalalah [a woman who had sexual relations with a priest whom she is forbidden to marry because of his priestly status (e.g., she was a divorcee), or the daughter born from such a relationship] may not eat Terumah (the priestly tithe) or the chest and foreleg [of the Peace Offering that is gifted to the priest].
Included in this precept is the prohibition against the daughter of a priest who married a non-priest from partaking of the chest or foreleg—even if she has divorced or is widowed.
The
137th prohibition is that a chalalah is forbidden from eating those sacred portions
she would otherwise be allowed to eat [by virtue of being in the family of a
Kohen] — i.e., terumah, the brisket,
and the leg [of peace offerings].
The
source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement, "When a Kohen's daughter marries a non-Kohen,
she may no longer eat the holy terumah."
Our
Sages say tractate Yevamos, "The verse 'When a Kohen's daughter marries a
non-Kohen' indicates that once she has had relations with someone forbidden to
her, she becomes forbidden [to eat terumah]."
They
interpret the phrase, "she may no longer eat the holy terumah" (terumas hakodashim) as referring to "that which is
separated from the sacrifices" — i.e., the brisket, and the leg [of peace
offerings].
The
passage there states, "The verse could have said 'She may no longer eat kodashim.' Why does it say terumas hakodashim? To teach us two
things." The meaning of this statement: the verse teaches [first of all] that
once she has had relations with someone forbidden to her, she becomes forbidden
to eat terumah; and [secondly] that
if she married a non-Kohen and then he died, she can resume eating terumah but not the brisket and the leg.
Therefore
this prohibition includes two parts: one that a chalalah may not eat holy offerings; and two, that a Kohen's
daughter who married a non-Kohen may not eat the brisket and the leg even if
her husband dies or divorces her.
However,
the prohibition of eating terumah
while she is still married to him is not derived from this verse; but the
guardians of the Oral Tradition have learned it from the verse, "No non-Kohen may eat kodesh (holy things)." As long as she is married to a non-Kohen she
is considered the same as he is, and therefore the word zar (non-Kohen) refers to her as well. You should keep this in
mind, and also that she also receives lashes for violating this prohibition.
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