MOST LIKELY, Leviticus 6:11 specifies that “only the males” among Aaron’s descendants may eat of certain sacrifices (rather than “every male”). Why can the females in Aaron’s line not partake of these offerings? What determines which priestly portions are restricted to the sons of Aaron, and which may be shared by his daughters as well?
The answer lies in the degree of holiness of the offering. The biblical text distinguishes between sacrifices considered to be “most sacred” (kodesh kodashim) and those considered to be “sacred” (kodesh). Three types of offerings fall under the rubric of “most sacred”: the meal offering (6:10), the purgation offering (6:18) and the reparation offering (7:6). The three most sacred offerings are considered most holy, which means that anyone who touches them—much less partakes of them—must have been previously consecrated, that is, made holy. For this reason, these three sacrifices may be eaten only by Aaron and his sons, that is, the male descendants of the priestly line. Any male of Aaron’s line who has been consecrated—even the blemished priests who are not permitted to officiate—may partake of the most sacred portions within the sanctuary precinct.
In contrast, the priestly portions of offerings labeled simply as “sacred,” rather than “most sacred,” such as the sacrifice of well-being and the first fruits offerings, are not restricted to those who have been consecrated. These offerings can be consumed by all members of the priestly family and household, including both the sons and the daughters of the line of Aaron, as long as they are not in a state of ritual impurity (see Numbers 18:11–19 and Leviticus 22:1–16). It is interesting to note, however, that the daughter of a priest may eat of the portion of the sacred donations assigned to priests only while she is a member of a priestly household. According to Leviticus 22:12–14, if the daughter of a priest marries a layman, she may no longer eat of the sacred gifts. However, if she is widowed or divorced and without offspring, and she rejoins her father’s household, she can once again partake of the portion of sacred offerings allocated to the priests’ families.
—Hilary Lipka