By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
In Vayikra 6:19 the passuk teaches us that the Kohen who sprinkles the blood should eat the meat of the Korban in the Courtyard of the Ohel Moed. In the Gemara in Shkalim 5:1 the Mishna counts all those that were in charge in the Bais Hamikdash. Achiya oversaw all those who needed medicine due to stomach aches. The Gemara in 21b explains that since the Kohanim walked around barefoot and drank wine and ate meat, that brought about that they ended up with a stomachache. Achiya knew which type of wine was good for these stomach aches. The Korban HaEida says that Achiya got paid from the money of the Beis Hamikdash. The reason being that the Kohanim needed to be able to eat the meat in good health so there should not be Nosar left. Based on the above the Sefer Mishbetzei Shlomo explains the passuk in Bereishis 25:32, that Eisav said I am going to die so why would I want the Bechorah. Eisav was referring to the fact that the Kohanim would get sick while eating the meat in the Bais Hamikdash.
The question is that we know Shlomo HaMelech says in Koheles 8:5 that one who keeps a Mitzvah will not meet anything bad. The Gemara in Shabbos 63a says that if one does a mitzvah properly, he will not get any bad news. If so, how could the Kohanim become sick while doing the mitzvah of the Avoda in the Bais Hamikdash? The Gemara in Pesachim 8a says that one is not required to do bedikas chametz in the cracks of the wall between him and his neighbor the non-Jew because there is a chashash that he may be bitten by a scorpion. The Gemara says that we know that one who does a mitzvah will not get hurt? The Gemara answers in the name of Rav Ashi that we are worried that while he is doing bedikas chametz he will also search for private lost needles after he finishes for the chametz and continues searching for needles he is not covered under the rule of protection while doing a mitzvah that nothing bad will happen. The Gemara then brings in the name of Rav Nachman bar Yitzchok that since the bedika takes place at night to candlelight the non-Jew may take it as the Jew trying to put him under a spell and will come to kill him. In this case we don’t say a mitzvah protects as it is considered shachiach hezek. If it is common and regular for hezek and bad things to happen, then the mitzvah will not protect. We find Shmuel’s response to Hashem, after having been sent to Shaul by Hashem, that he was worried he might be killed by Shaul. This is amazing as Hashem sent him, yet he was worried as it is considered shachiach hezeika. One might say that when Kohanim ate this type of diet while walking on a stone floor that this would be considered shachiach hezeika. This would be difficult to understand as this was the only way to do the mitzvah. We know that the Beis Hamikdash was a place of miracles. No flies were ever seen no meat ever spoiled etc. Based on this it would be hard to call the Bais Hamikdash a place where it was shachiach hezeika. In addition, we find that those that were oleh Regel were never bitten by snakes and scorpions so in the Bais Hamikdash they for sure should have been protected?
The first tirutz is based on the Munkatcher Rov Zt”l that Hashem wanted to reward the Kohanim that much more by giving them yesurim and we know lfum tzara agra. We find the Gemara in Brachos 5a says that Klal Yisroel received three gifts Torah, Eretz Yisroel and Olam Haba. All three of them were given with yesurim. The Gemara in Shabbos 118b Reb Yosi said I should be a part of those who die from stomach ailments as most Tzaddikim die from stomach ailments. Reb Yosi explained that the stomach ailments served as a cleanser to clean out the food and drink, so the Tzaddikim are like angels.
The second answer is that only the Kohanim who were baalei gaaveh they were stricken with these sicknesses as they did not do the mitzvah properly, so it did not protect them.
A third tirutz is that some Kohanim did the mitzvah shelo lishma. Those Kohanim were stricken with stomach ailments. As a matter of fact, Chazal teach us that the meat of korbanos were like the Man and did not require one to go to the bathroom it seeped into the limbs. Therefore, we can differentiate that only those that ate it lishma would not have to go to the bathroom but for the others it would hurt them.
A fourth tirutz is the Kohanim were punished since they did not daven that the bnei Yisroel should not sin. The same way a Kohen Gadol was punished that he did not daven that there should be no murders.
A fifth answer is so that the Kohanim should daven for themselves so that they should have a refuah sheleima.
A sixth and final answer is that since these korbanos were brought because of sins. The Kohanim also had to feel the pain so it should be a proper kaporah for the Yidden.
We see the greatness of the inyan of Korbanos and how much we lack today that we can’t bring korbanos to forgive for us. Let us bring the geula and we will have all this back again. Amen!
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