An uncircumcised Kohen must not eat Terumah

Faith – אֱמוּנָה

• Sefer HaChinuch (Mitzvah 512) writes that refraining from allowing the uncircumcised to eat Terumah strengthens faith in Hashem’s covenant. It affirms that only those who fulfill the command of brit milah are fully bound within the covenantal relationship.

Holiness – קְדֻשָּׁה

• Rambam (Hilchot Terumot 7:1) emphasizes that circumcision is a prerequisite to partake in holy foods. Without it, even a Kohen is barred, showing that holiness requires both lineage and covenantal action.

Purity – טָהֳרָה

• Talmud (Yevamot 70a) teaches that an arel (uncircumcised man) is equated to someone impure regarding holy foods. This parallels the way purity laws guard access to sanctity.

Priests – כֹּהֲנִים

• The mitzvah applies specifically to Kohanim, underscoring that even their priestly status does not grant them entitlement without circumcision. Their privilege is conditional upon covenantal fulfillment.

Family – מִשְׁפָּחָה

• Rashi (Exodus 12:48) ties brit milah to family and communal belonging. Without circumcision, one is considered outside the family of Israel’s covenant, regardless of priestly descent.

Brit Milah – בְּרִית מִילָה

• This mitzvah directly highlights circumcision as the eternal covenant between Hashem and Israel (Genesis 17:10). Without fulfilling it, one cannot partake in sanctified gifts like Terumah.

Justice – צֶדֶק

• By restricting Terumah only to those in the covenant, the mitzvah ensures fairness. It prevents desecration of what rightfully belongs only to those who have embraced their covenantal duty.

Community – קְהִלָּה

• The exclusion reinforces the communal boundary of holiness. Participation in sacred foods is reserved for those who visibly and actively affirm their membership in the covenantal community.

Bein Adam L’Makom – בֵּין אָדָם לְמָקוֹם

• The mitzvah is fundamentally about obedience to Hashem. By requiring circumcision as a condition for eating Terumah, it emphasizes reverence and loyalty in the covenantal relationship with G-d.