Mind your manners even when observing a mitzvah TB Kiddushin

Today’s daf TB Kiddushin 53 concludes that portions of the offerings of the most sacred order (קׇדְשֵׁי קֳדָשִׁים) or offerings of lesser sanctity (קֳדָשִׁים קַלִּים ) that are given to the kohanim, priests, do not belong to the priests. The Gemara explains:” When the priests receive their portion after the animal has been slaughtered they receive their portion from the table of the Most High, and do not own the portion itself.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Since the kohanim do not own those portions, they may not betroth a woman with them nor exchange them with other kohanim. The kohen only has the right to eat the portion of the sacrifice that was given to him.

The Gemara wonders whether Rav agrees with this conclusion based on a baraita. “Rava said: But isn’t it taught in a baraita in accordance with the opinion of Rav? But isn’t it taught in a baraita (Tosefta, Sota 13:7): When the priests receive their portion of the shewbread (לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים-lekhem hapanim each week, the modest ones withdraw their hands and do not take it, and the gluttons receive all the shares of the bread. This indicates that offerings may be apportioned according to the priests’ wishes. The Gemara rejects this: What is the meaning of receive the shares? It does not mean that they exchange one portion for another with halakhic sanction; it means that they would snatch their colleagues’ portions, as it teaches in the latter clause of that same baraita: An incident occurred involving one who snatched his share and his colleague’s share, and they called him ben Ḥamtzan, son of the snatcher, until the day he died.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Here is the background to the story. When Shimon HaTzadik died the lekhem hapanim no longer could satisfy all the kohanim needs. The kohanim who had manners didn’t grab the bread unlike those who didn’t have manners. Even though eating the lekhem hapanim is a mitzvah, this mitzvah doesn’t negate the need to behave appropriately. To prove this point, the Gemara shares a story about a kohen who pushed his way and grabbed the lekhem hapanim, was called until the day he died a son of the snatcher.

The moral is clear to us. One should mind his/her manners even when observing a mitzvah