כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל וְנָזִיר אֵינָן מִטַּמְּאִין לִקְרוֹבֵיהֶן, אֲבָל מִטַּמְּאִין לְמֵת מִצְוָה. הָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּמָצְאוּ מֵת מִצְוָה, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, יִטַּמָּא כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל וְאַל יִטַּמָּא נָזִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, יִטַּמָּא נָזִיר וְאַל יִטַּמָּא כֹהֵן גָּדוֹל. אָמַר לָהֶם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, יִטַּמָּא כֹהֵן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵבִיא קָרְבָּן עַל טֻמְאָתוֹ, וְאַל יִטַּמָּא נָזִיר שֶׁהוּא מֵבִיא קָרְבָּן עַל טֻמְאָתוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, יִטַּמָּא נָזִיר שֶׁאֵין קְדֻשָּׁתוֹ קְדֻשַּׁת עוֹלָם, וְאַל יִטַּמָּא כֹהֵן שֶׁקְּדֻשָּׁתוֹ קְדֻשַּׁת עוֹלָם:
A high-priest and a Nazirite may not make themselves unclean for their relatives, [as written in Emor and Nasso], but they do make themselves unclean for a meth-mitzvah. If they were walking on the road and came upon a meth-mitzvah — R. Eliezer says: The high-priest should make himself unclean and not the Nazirite. [Not necessarily a high-priest, for they differ with respect to a regular priest, too, the reason being the same]. And the sages say: The Nazirite should make himself unclean, and the high-priest should not make himself unclean. R. Eliezer said to them: Let the Cohein make himself unclean, who does not bring an offering for his uncleanliness, and let the Nazirite not make himself unclean, who does bring an offering for his uncleanliness. They said to him: Let the Nazirite become unclean, whose holiness is not forever, and let the Cohein not become unclean, whose holiness is forever.
Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot
May a Cohen defile himself for the honor of his teacher? The father-in-law of Rebbi Yannai the younger died. He was both his father-in-law and his teacher. He asked Rebbi Yose who forbade it. Rebbi Aḥa heard it and said: His students should defile themselves for him. The students of Rebbi Yose defiled themselves for him but ate meat and drank wine. Rebbi Mana told them: One of two things you cannot escape. If you are mourners, why did you eat meat and drink wine; if you are not mourners, why did you defile yourselves?
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Jerusalem Talmud Horayot
“A prophet has precedence over the Anointed for War, the Anointed for War has precedence over the head of the watch, the head of the watch has precedence over the head of a clan, the head of a clan has precedence over the executive officer, the executive officer has precedence over the treasurer, the treasurer has precedence over a common priest, a common priest has precedence over a Levite, a Levite over an Israel (an Israel over a bastard).” Is not the Levite equal [to an Israel]? Rebbi Abun said, this was taught in the days of the podium. Rebbi Abun said, a proselyte and an apostate, the apostate has preference because of what had happened. “Why does everybody run after a proselyte woman, but not after a freedwoman? For the proselyte is presumed to have been guarding herself but the freedwoman is presumed to be irresponsible.” And why does everybody (run after a rat) [inquire after a slave]? Because his dealings are bad for people. Rebbi Joḥanan said, do not believe a slave up to sixteen generations. Ismael ben Netaniah ben Elishama of royal descent came and slew Gedaliahu at Miṣpah.
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