על החוקים לפרטיהם, ספר א כ״דOn the Special Laws, Book I 24
א׳
1[117] These rules are followed directly by his legislation on those who are to share in the first-fruits. If any of the priests, he tells us, has lost the use of his eyes or hands or feet or any part of his body, or suffers from any defect, he must refrain from officiating because of the afflictions which have befallen him, but he may enjoy the privileges common to the priests because his pure lineage still remains without reproach.
ב׳
2[118] If, however, leprous eruptions appear upon him or he is suffering from seminal issue, the priest must not touch the holy table or any of the prizes to which his clan is entitled until in the one case the issue has ceased, in the other the leprosy is converted into a resemblance to the hue of healthy flesh.
ג׳
3Further,
ד׳
4[119] if a priest touches any impure object or, as often happens, has an emission during the night, he must not during that day partake of consecrated food but bathe himself, and after sundown he should not be debarred from its use.
ה׳
5[120] But the first-fruits must be kept out of the hands of a dweller near the priest or his hired servant; the first is mentioned because board and hospitality are usually given to neighbours, and there is a danger that the consecrated meats may be profaned through an untimely generosity abused as a pretext for impiety. For we must not share everything with everyone, but restrict our gifts to what are suitable to the recipient. Otherwise the most excellent and valuable thing which life possesses, order, will be destroyed, vanquished by its most mischievous foe, confusion.
ו׳
6[121] For if sailors on merchant vessels were remunerated equally with the pilots, or oarsmen and marines on men-of-war with captains and admirals, or cavalry soldiers in armies with their commanders, or rank and file with their officers, or regimental captains with generals, or in cities litigants with judges, councillors with their chairmen, or in general private individuals with rulers, disturbances and factions would arise and the nominal equality would engender an actual inequality. For like pay for unlike worth is inequality, and inequality is the fountain of evil.
ז׳
7[122] On the same principle the general law against giving away the prerogatives of the priests should be extended to the neighbours also. Otherwise they will be handling the forbidden meats just because they live in the vicinity. For the privilege belongs not to a dwelling-house, but to a caste.