To not enter the Temple intoxicated, and likewise to not give a ruling intoxicated: To not enter the Temple intoxicated, and likewise to not give a ruling — meaning to say to judge something of the laws of the Torah — while a man is still drunk, as it is stated (Leviticus 10:9), “Wine and strong drink you shall not drink, etc. in your coming to the Tent of Meeting.” And the language of the Talmud (Eruvin 64a) is “If he drank a reviit, he may not give a ruling.” And the language of Sifra, Shemini, Section 1:2 is “‘Wine [...] you shall not drink’ — I only have wine. From where [do I know] all the other intoxicants? [Hence] we learn to say, ‘strong drink.’ If so, why is it stated, ‘wine’? For wine, [one is liable] for death. For all other intoxicants, [one is liable] for a negative commandment.” And there it is stated, “From where [do I know] that he is only liable at the time of the service? [Hence] we learn to say, ‘you and your sons, and you shall not die’ — you and your sons are with death, but Israelites are not liable for death for giving a ruling.”
The root of the commandment is well-known — that it is only fitting to be involved in extremely precious things, like matters of the Temple and words of Torah, at the time that a man is settled in his thoughts and focused in all of his actions. There is no need to write at length about obvious things.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sanhedrin 22b) [regarding] any priest that is fit to do the service — if he drinks wine, he is forbidden to enter from the altar and inwards. And if he entered and served, his service is disqualified and he is liable for death by the hand of the Heavens, as it is stated, “and you shall not die.” And so [too,] is it forbidden for any man — whether priest or Israelite — to enter the entire Temple, from the beginning of the yard of the Israelites and inwards, when he is drunk from wine or strong drink; with wild [hair] in the way of slovenliness — meaning to say, the hair of his head is very long; or with torn clothes. And even though it is not with a negative commandment, there is a prohibition in the thing; and the prohibition is only due to the honor of the [Temple]. And therefore an Israelite is permitted to enter there with the hair of his head grown more than thirty days — since that is not slovenliness for people. And even though the priests were warned about this due to their great holiness and closeness to the holy house — such that it is not fitting that there be anything superfluous at all with them, but rather that they all be “beautiful and that no blemish be upon them” — the rest of the people are not in their category; just that they not enter there with very long hair, as we said.
And the measure of wine (Keritot 13b) that a man drink and be forbidden to enter the Temple or to give a ruling is a quarter (reviit) of a log — which is [the volume of] one-and-a-half [large] eggs — and he must drink it unmixed and at one time, and on condition that forty days have transpired since the wine was made. If one of these [things] is missing, he is exempt, but forbidden [from doing so], and his service is not disqualified by it. If he drank more than a reviit of wine — even though he interrupted it and drank [it] bit by bit — he is liable for death and disqualifies his service. If he was drunk from other intoxicating beverages, he is forbidden from entering the Temple. And if he entered and served and was drunk from other intoxicating beverages — even from milk or from figs — behold, he is lashed and his service is fit (kosher); as we are only liable for death for wine at the time of the service, and it is only disqualified by one drunk from wine.
And just like it is forbidden for a priest to come to the Temple on account of drunkenness, so is it forbidden for any man — whether priest or Israelite — to give a ruling when he is drunk. Even if he drank the honey of dates or milk and his mind is mixed up, he should not issue a ruling; as in the section of “Wine and strong drink you shall not drink,” it is stated (Leviticus 10:11), “And to instruct the Children of Israel.” But if he gave a ruling about a thing that is explicit in the Torah to the point that the Sadducees (conceded) [know] it, it is permitted — for example, if he gave a ruling that a sherets (certain swarming animals) is impure or that blood is forbidden, or similar to them. And it is permitted for a drunk to read the Torah, and even laws and homilies (midrash) — and that is when he does not give a ruling. And if he was a sage that regularly gave rulings, he should not teach — as his teaching is [legal] instruction. If he drank only enough for a reviit and there was the smallest amount of water in it or he slept a little or he walked [the distance] of a mil, the wine has already passed and he is permitted to serve. But if he drank more than a reviit — even if it is mixed — if he a slept a little or walked on the way, it adds to his drunkenness. Rather he should wait according to his drunkenness until there is nothing at all left from his drunkenness. The [priests] of the shift were permitted to drink wine during the nights, but not during the days, of their week (Taanit 15b) — and even the other clans of the shift whose service was not on that day, lest the service be heavy for the clan of that day and they require other men from their shift to help them. But the men of the shift from that day are forbidden to drink both night and day, lest he drink at night and get up early for his service while his wine has still not gone away from upon him.
A priest, that knows from which clan he is and knows that his clan was fixed for the service of that day, is forbidden to drink all of that day. If he knew from which shift he is, but he does not know which is his clan, he is forbidden to drink the whole week that his shift is serving. If he was not aware of his shift or his clan, the law should be that he is always forbidden to drink wine. But his solution is his mishap: behold, he is permitted to always drink, since he may not serve until he becomes fixed in his clan and his shift.
And the prohibition of coming to the Temple in drunkenness is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by males and females. And the prevention of giving a ruling is [practiced] in every place and at all times by males, and so [too,] by a sage woman that is fitting to give a ruling. And anyone who is a great sage that people rely upon for his rulings is forbidden to teach to his students when he is intoxicated — since his study is like a ruling, as we have said.
And one who transgresses it and enters, between the chamber and the altar — and inwards — intoxicated from wine is liable for lashes; and if he did a service, he is liable for death by the hand of the Heavens. But if he drank from other intoxicants and served, he is only liable for lashes, not death. And likewise, anyone who gave a ruling and was intoxicated — whether a priest or an Israelite; whether he was intoxicated from wine or intoxicated from other intoxicants — has violated a negative commandment. And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote (in Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 73) that it is a [rabbinic] embellishment not to enter the Temple intoxicated with wine; and only not to serve intoxicated is from Torah writ.
שֶׁלֹּא לְהִכָּנֵס שְׁתוּיֵי יַיִן בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ וְכֵן שֶׁלֹּא יוֹרֶה שָׁתוּי – שֶׁלֹּא לְהִכָּנֵס שָׁתוּי בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. וְכֵן שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹרוֹת. כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא נָדוּן בְּדָבָר מִדִּינֵי הַתּוֹרָה בְּעוֹד שֶׁיְּהֵא הָאָדָם שִׁכּוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא י ט) יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל תֵּשְׁתְּ וְגוֹ' בְּבֹאֲכֶם אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד. וּלְשׁוֹן הַתַּלְמוּד (עירובין סד א) שָׁתָה רְבִיעִית אַל יוֹרֶה. וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרָא (שמיני א ב) יַיִן אַל תֵּשְׁתְּ אֵין לִי אֶלָּא יַיִן, מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת שְׁאָר הַמְשַׁכְּרִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְשֵׁכָר. אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר יַיִן? עַל הַיַּיִן בְּמִיתָה, וְעַל שְׁאָר הַמְשַׁכְּרִין בְּלָאו. וְשָׁם נֶאֱמַר מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין חַיָּב אֶלָּא בִּשְׁעַת הָעֲבוֹדָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (שם) אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ וְלֹא תָמֻתוּ אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ בְּמִיתָה וְאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל חַיָּבִין מִיתָה עַל הַהוֹרָאָה.
To not enter the Temple intoxicated, and likewise to not give a ruling intoxicated: To not enter the Temple intoxicated, and likewise to not give a ruling — meaning to say to judge something of the laws of the Torah — while a man is still drunk, as it is stated (Leviticus 10:9), “Wine and strong drink you shall not drink, etc. in your coming to the Tent of Meeting.” And the language of the Talmud (Eruvin 64a) is “If he drank a reviit, he may not give a ruling.” And the language of Sifra, Shemini, Section 1:2 is “‘Wine [...] you shall not drink’ — I only have wine. From where [do I know] all the other intoxicants? [Hence] we learn to say, ‘strong drink.’ If so, why is it stated, ‘wine’? For wine, [one is liable] for death. For all other intoxicants, [one is liable] for a negative commandment.” And there it is stated, “From where [do I know] that he is only liable at the time of the service? [Hence] we learn to say, ‘you and your sons, and you shall not die’ — you and your sons are with death, but Israelites are not liable for death for giving a ruling.”
שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמִּצְוָה יָדוּעַ, שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי לְהִתְעַסֵּק בַּדְּבָרִים הַיְּקָרִים בְּתַכְלִית הַיֹּקֶר כְּמוֹ עִנְיְנֵי הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְדִבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה רַק בְּעֵת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאָדָם מְיֻשָּׁב בְּדַעְתּוֹ וּמְכֻוָּן בְּכָל מַעֲשָׂיו, אֵין לְהַאֲרִיךְ בִּדְבָרִים פְּשׁוּטִים.
The root of the commandment is well-known — that it is only fitting to be involved in extremely precious things, like matters of the Temple and words of Torah, at the time that a man is settled in his thoughts and focused in all of his actions. There is no need to write at length about obvious things.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁכָּל כֹּהֵן הַכָּשֵׁר לָעֲבוֹדָה, אִם שָׁתָה יַיִן הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר לוֹ לְהִכָּנֵס מִן הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְלִפְנִים, וְאִם נִכְנַס וְעָבַד עֲבוֹדָתוֹ פְּסוּלָה וְחַיָּב מִיתָה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם (סנהדרין כב ב) שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלֹא תָמוּתוּ. וְכֵן אָסוּר לְכָל אָדָם, בֵּין כֹּהֵן בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִכָּנֵס לַמִּקְדָּשׁ כֻּלּוֹ מִתְּחִלַּת עֶזְרַת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלִפְנִים כְּשֶׁהוּא שְׁתוּי יַיִן אוֹ שֵׁכָר אוֹ פְּרוּעַ רֹאשׁ דֶּרֶךְ נִוּוּל, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁשַּׂעֲרוֹת רֹאשׁוֹ גְּדוֹלִים בְּיוֹתֵר, אוֹ קְרוּעַ בְּגָדִים. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּאַזְהָרָה, אִסּוּר יֵשׁ בַּדָּבָר, וְהָאִסּוּר אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַבַּיִת. וּלְפִיכָךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֻתָּר לִכָּנֵס שָׁם בִּשְׂעָרוֹת רֹאשׁוֹ מְגֻדָּלוֹת יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, שֶׁאֵין זֶה נִוּוּל אֵצֶל בְּנֵי אָדָם. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים הֻזְהֲרוּ בָּזֶה לְגֹדֶל קְדֻשָּׁתָן וְקִרְבָתָן בַּבַּיִת הַקָּדוֹשׁ שֶׁרָאוּי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא בָּהֶם דָּבָר יָתֵר כְּלָל, רַק שֶׁיְּהוּ כֻּלָּם יָפִים וּמוּם אֵין בָּם אֵין שְׁאָר כָּל אָדָם בַּגֶּדֶר שֶׁלָּהֶם רַק שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ שָׁם בִּשְׂעָרוֹת גְּדוֹלִים בְּיוֹתֵר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sanhedrin 22b) [regarding] any priest that is fit to do the service — if he drinks wine, he is forbidden to enter from the altar and inwards. And if he entered and served, his service is disqualified and he is liable for death by the hand of the Heavens, as it is stated, “and you shall not die.” And so [too,] is it forbidden for any man — whether priest or Israelite — to enter the entire Temple, from the beginning of the yard of the Israelites and inwards, when he is drunk from wine or strong drink; with wild [hair] in the way of slovenliness — meaning to say, the hair of his head is very long; or with torn clothes. And even though it is not with a negative commandment, there is a prohibition in the thing; and the prohibition is only due to the honor of the [Temple]. And therefore an Israelite is permitted to enter there with the hair of his head grown more than thirty days — since that is not slovenliness for people. And even though the priests were warned about this due to their great holiness and closeness to the holy house — such that it is not fitting that there be anything superfluous at all with them, but rather that they all be “beautiful and that no blemish be upon them” — the rest of the people are not in their category; just that they not enter there with very long hair, as we said.
וְשִׁעוּר הַיַּיִן (כריתות יג ב) שֶׁיִּשְׁתֶּה הָאָדָם וִיהֵא אָסוּר לִכָּנֵס לַמִּקְדָּשׁ אוֹ לְהוֹרוֹת הוּא רְבִיעִית לֹג שֶׁהוּא בֵּיצָה וּמֶחְצָה וְשֶׁיִּשְׁתֶּה אוֹתוֹ חַי וּבְבַת אַחַת, וּבִתְנַאי שֶׁעָבְרוּ עַל הַיַּיִן אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם מִשֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂה. חָסֵר אֶחָד מֵאֵלּוּ פָּטוּר אֲבָל אָסוּר, וְאֵינוֹ מְחַלֵּל עֲבוֹדָה בְּכָךְ. שָׁתָה יוֹתֵר מֵרְבִיעִית מִן הַיַּיִן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה מָזוּג וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִפְסִיק וְשָׁתָה מְעַט מְעַט חַיָּב מִיתָה וּפוֹסֵל הָעֲבוֹדָה. הָיָה שִׁכּוֹר מִשְּׁאָר הַמְשַׁכְּרִים אָסוּר לְהִכָּנֵס לַמִּקְדָּשׁ. וְאִם נִכְנַס וְעָבַד וְהוּא שִׁכּוֹר מִשְּׁאָר הַמְשַׁכְּרִים, אֲפִלּוּ מִן הֶחָלָב אוֹ מִן הַדְּבֵלָה הֲרֵי זֶה לוֹקֶה וַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ כְּשֵׁרָה, שֶׁאֵין חַיָּבִין מִיתָה אֶלָּא עַל הַיַּיִן בִּשְׁעַת הָעֲבוֹדָה, וְאֵין מִתְחַלֶּלֶת אֶלָּא בְּשִׁכּוֹר מִן הַיַּיִן.
And the measure of wine (Keritot 13b) that a man drink and be forbidden to enter the Temple or to give a ruling is a quarter (reviit) of a log — which is [the volume of] one-and-a-half [large] eggs — and he must drink it unmixed and at one time, and on condition that forty days have transpired since the wine was made. If one of these [things] is missing, he is exempt, but forbidden [from doing so], and his service is not disqualified by it. If he drank more than a reviit of wine — even though he interrupted it and drank [it] bit by bit — he is liable for death and disqualifies his service. If he was drunk from other intoxicating beverages, he is forbidden from entering the Temple. And if he entered and served and was drunk from other intoxicating beverages — even from milk or from figs — behold, he is lashed and his service is fit (kosher); as we are only liable for death for wine at the time of the service, and it is only disqualified by one drunk from wine.
וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁאָסוּר לְכֹהֵן לָבוֹא לַמִּקְדָּשׁ מִפְּנֵי הַשִּׁכְרוּת, כָּךְ אָסוּר לְכָל אָדָם בֵּין כֹּהֵן בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹרוֹת כְּשֶׁהוּא שָׁתוּי אֲפִלּוּ שָׁתָה דְּבַשׁ תְּמָרִים אוֹ חָלָב וְנִתְבַּלְבְּלָה דַּעְתּוֹ אַל יוֹרֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּפָרָשַׁת יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל תֵּשְׁתְּ, וּלְהוֹרֹת אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִם הוֹרָה בְּדָבָר שֶׁהוּא מְפֹרָשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה עַד (שֶׁיּוֹדוּ) [שֶׁיּוֹדִעוּהוּ] בּוֹ הַצְּדוֹקִין מֻתָּר. כְּגוֹן שֶׁהוֹרָה שֶׁהַשֶּׁרֶץ טָמֵא וְהַדָּם אָסוּר וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. וּמֻתָּר לְשִׁכּוֹר לִקְרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ הֲלָכוֹת וּמִדְרָשׁוֹת. וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא יוֹרֶה. וְאִם הָיָה חָכָם קָבוּעַ לְהוֹרָאָה, לֹא יְלַמֵּד שֶׁלִּמּוּדוֹ הוֹרָאָה הִיא. שָׁתָה כְּדֵי רְבִיעִית בִּלְבַד וְהָיָה בָּהּ מַיִם כָּל שֶׁהוּא, אוֹ יָשַׁן מְעַט אוֹ [אִם] הָלַךְ כְּדֵי מִיל, כְּבָר עָבַר הַיַּיִן וּמֻתָּר לַעֲבֹד. אֲבָל אִם שָׁתָה יוֹתֵר מֵרְבִיעִית, אֲפִלּוּ מָזוּג, אִם יָשַׁן שֵׁנָה מְעַט אוֹ הָלַךְ בַּדֶּרֶךְ מוֹסִיפִין בְּשִׁכְרוּתוֹ, אֶלָּא יִשְׁהֶה לְפִי הַשִּׁכְרוּת עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁאֵר מִשִּׁכְרוּתוֹ שׁוּם דָּבָר בָּעוֹלָם. אַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר מֻתָּרִין לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן בַּלֵּילוֹת אֲבָל לֹא בִּימֵי שַׁבַּתָּן (תענית טו ב) וַאֲפִלּוּ שְׁאָר בָּתֵּי אָבוֹת שֶׁל מִשְׁמָר שֶׁאֵין עֲבוֹדָתָן אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם אֲסוּרִין, שֶׁמָּא תִּכְבַּד הָעֲבוֹדָה עַל אַנְשֵׁי בֵּית אָב שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ יוֹם וְיִצְטָרְכוּ לַאֲחֵרִים מֵאַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָרָן לְסַיְּעָן. וְאַנְשֵׁי מִשְׁמָר שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ יוֹם אֲסוּרִין לִשְׁתּוֹת בֵּין בַּיּוֹם בֵּין בַּלַּיְלָה, שֶׁמָּא יִשְׁתֶּה בַּלַּיְלָה וְיַשְׁכִּים לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ וַעֲדַיִן לֹא סָר יֵינוֹ מֵעָלָיו.
And just like it is forbidden for a priest to come to the Temple on account of drunkenness, so is it forbidden for any man — whether priest or Israelite — to give a ruling when he is drunk. Even if he drank the honey of dates or milk and his mind is mixed up, he should not issue a ruling; as in the section of “Wine and strong drink you shall not drink,” it is stated (Leviticus 10:11), “And to instruct the Children of Israel.” But if he gave a ruling about a thing that is explicit in the Torah to the point that the Sadducees (conceded) [know] it, it is permitted — for example, if he gave a ruling that a sherets (certain swarming animals) is impure or that blood is forbidden, or similar to them. And it is permitted for a drunk to read the Torah, and even laws and homilies (midrash) — and that is when he does not give a ruling. And if he was a sage that regularly gave rulings, he should not teach — as his teaching is [legal] instruction. If he drank only enough for a reviit and there was the smallest amount of water in it or he slept a little or he walked [the distance] of a mil, the wine has already passed and he is permitted to serve. But if he drank more than a reviit — even if it is mixed — if he a slept a little or walked on the way, it adds to his drunkenness. Rather he should wait according to his drunkenness until there is nothing at all left from his drunkenness. The [priests] of the shift were permitted to drink wine during the nights, but not during the days, of their week (Taanit 15b) — and even the other clans of the shift whose service was not on that day, lest the service be heavy for the clan of that day and they require other men from their shift to help them. But the men of the shift from that day are forbidden to drink both night and day, lest he drink at night and get up early for his service while his wine has still not gone away from upon him.
כֹּהֵן שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ מֵאֵיזֶה בֵּית אָב הוּא וְיוֹדֵעַ שֶׁבָּתֵּי אֲבוֹתָיו קְבוּעִים הֵם בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַיּוֹם, אָסוּר לוֹ לִשְׁתּוֹת כָּל אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם. הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מֵאֵיזֶה מִשְׁמָר הוּא וְאֵינוֹ מַכִּיר בֵּית אָב שֶׁלּוֹ, אָסוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת כָּל אוֹתָהּ שַׁבָּת שֶׁמִּשְׁמַרְתּוֹ עוֹבְדִין בָּהּ. לֹא הָיָה מַכִּיר מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ וְלֹא בֵּית אֲבוֹתָיו, הַדִּין נוֹתֵן שֶׁאָסוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן לְעוֹלָם, אֲבָל תַּקָּנָתוֹ קַלְקָלָתוֹ וַהֲרֵי הוּא מֻתָּר לִשְׁתּוֹת תָּמִיד, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲבֹד עַד שֶׁיִּקָּבַע בְּבֵית אָב שֶׁלּוֹ וּבְמִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ.
A priest, that knows from which clan he is and knows that his clan was fixed for the service of that day, is forbidden to drink all of that day. If he knew from which shift he is, but he does not know which is his clan, he is forbidden to drink the whole week that his shift is serving. If he was not aware of his shift or his clan, the law should be that he is always forbidden to drink wine. But his solution is his mishap: behold, he is permitted to always drink, since he may not serve until he becomes fixed in his clan and his shift.
וְנוֹהֵג אִסּוּר בִּיאַת מִקְדָּשׁ בְּשִׁכְרוּת בִּזְמַן הַבַּיִת בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת, וּמְנִיעַת הַהוֹרָיָה בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים, וְכֵן בְּאִשָּׁה חֲכָמָה הָרְאוּיָה לְהוֹרוֹת. וְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא חָכָם גָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם סוֹמְכִין עַל הוֹרָאָתוֹ, אָסוּר לוֹ לִשְׁנוֹת לְתַלְמִידָיו וְהוּא שָׁתוּי, שֶׁהַלִּמּוּד שֶׁלּוֹ כְּמוֹ הוֹרָאָה הוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ.
And the prohibition of coming to the Temple in drunkenness is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by males and females. And the prevention of giving a ruling is [practiced] in every place and at all times by males, and so [too,] by a sage woman that is fitting to give a ruling. And anyone who is a great sage that people rely upon for his rulings is forbidden to teach to his students when he is intoxicated — since his study is like a ruling, as we have said.
וְעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ וְנִכְנַס שְׁתוּי יַיִן מִבֵּין הָאוּלָם וְלַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְלִפְנִים חַיָּב מַלְקוּת. וְאִם עָבַד עֲבוֹדָה חַיָּב מִיתָה בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם. וְאִם שָׁתָה מִשְּׁאָר הַמְשַׁכְּרִין וְעָבַד חַיָּב מַלְקוּת לְבַד, לֹא מִיתָה. וְכֵן כָּל מִי שֶׁהוֹרָה וְהוּא שָׁתוּי, בֵּין כֹּהֵן בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל עָבַר עַל לָאו, בֵּין שָׁתוּי מִן הַיַּיִן אוֹ שָׁתוּי מִשְּׁאָר הַמְשַׁכְּרִין. וְהָרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה כָּתַב (בסהמ"צ ל"ת עג) כִּי מַעֲלָה הִיא מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא לְהִכָּנֵס לַמִּקְדָּשׁ שְׁתוּי יַיִן. וְאֵין מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲבֹד שָׁתוּי.
And one who transgresses it and enters, between the chamber and the altar — and inwards — intoxicated from wine is liable for lashes; and if he did a service, he is liable for death by the hand of the Heavens. But if he drank from other intoxicants and served, he is only liable for lashes, not death. And likewise, anyone who gave a ruling and was intoxicated — whether a priest or an Israelite; whether he was intoxicated from wine or intoxicated from other intoxicants — has violated a negative commandment. And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote (in Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 73) that it is a [rabbinic] embellishment not to enter the Temple intoxicated with wine; and only not to serve intoxicated is from Torah writ.