Study Bekhorot folio 45A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
ובעל הפיקים, העיקל. איזהו העיקל? כל שהוא מקיף פרסותיו ואין ארכבותיו נוקשות זו לזו. פיקה יוצא מגודלו, עקיבו יוצא לאחוריו, פרסותיו רחבות כשל אווז.
and a ba’al happikim, and the ikkel. What is the ikkel? It is anyone who places his feet together and his knees do not knock into each other, i.e., he is bowlegged. A priest with a protuberance emerging alongside the thumb of his hand or the big toe of his foot,or one whose heel emerges and protrudes back from his foot, or one whose feet are wide like those of a goose are all disqualified from performing the Temple service.
אצבעותיו מורכבות זו על זו, או קלוטות למעלה עד הפרק — כשר, למטה מן הפרק וחתכה — כשר, היתה בה יתרת וחתכה, אם יש בה עצם — פסול, ואם לאו — כשר.
A priest whose fingers or toes are configured one upon the other, or one whose fingers or toes are attached, is likewise disqualified. But if they were attached from above the palm of the hand or the bottom of the foot only until the middle joint, he is fit. If they were attached below the joint, higher up on the finger or toe, and he cut to separate them, he is fit. In a case where there was an extra finger or toe on his hand or foot and he cut it, if that extra appendage contains a bone, the priest is disqualified even after it was cut, and if there is no bone the priest is fit.
יתר בידיו וברגליו, שש ושש — עשרים וארבע, רבי יהודה מכשיר וחכמים פוסלין. השולט בשתי ידיו — רבי פוסל וחכמים מכשירין.
If there was an extra appendage on his hands and on his feet, 6 on each for a total of 24, R' Yehuda deems the priest fit and the Rabbis deem him disqualified. With regard to one who is ambidextrous and has control of both of his hands, R' Yehuda HaNasi deems the priest disqualified, as his halakhic status is like that of one who is left-handed, and the Rabbis deem him fit.