A chalalah [see Mitzvah 174] must not eat Terumah

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 514) explains that barring a chalalah from Terumah reminds us that sanctity is conferred by Hashem. Faith means accepting that once priestly holiness is lost, privileges cannot be restored by human choice.

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Rambam (Hilchot Terumot 6:6) rules that a chalalah is excluded like a non-Kohen, showing that holiness is not simply about family ties but must remain intact and pure.

Purity – טָהֳרָה

• Talmud (Yevamot 69a) defines a chalalah as someone disqualified from priestly purity. This exclusion keeps Terumah free from consumption by those whose status is tainted.

Priests – כֹּהֲנִים

• Rashi (Leviticus 22:12) clarifies that even a Kohen’s daughter may lose her priestly status if she becomes a chalalah. This protects the priesthood from desecration.

Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה

• The mitzvah emphasizes that priestly privilege extends only to those families who preserve the covenant of holiness. A Kohen’s daughter who becomes a chalalah no longer shares in that family sanctity.

Justice – צֶדֶק

• By restricting Terumah to those who remain valid in priestly lineage, justice is maintained. Allowing the invalidated to eat would be unjust to those who faithfully uphold priestly sanctity.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• Excluding the chalalah maintains the community’s recognition of boundaries within holiness. It preserves communal respect for the priesthood’s role and responsibilities.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• This mitzvah is ultimately about reverence for Hashem’s holiness. A woman whose priestly status has been profaned cannot partake of His sacred gifts. The prohibition expresses loyalty to His decrees.