Sefer HaChinuch ספר החינוך

That the priests not enter the Temple with torn clothes: That the priests not enter the Temple with torn clothes, as it is stated (Leviticus 10:6), “and you shall not rend your clothes” — the understanding is, do not tear your clothes. And the prevention is repeated with the high priest, as it is stated about him (Leviticus 21:10), “and he shall not rend his clothes.” And repeating the prevention about it is because of the addition of a thing with him: That he is not permitted to tear for a dead when he dies — and even not during the time of the service. And they said in Sifra, Emor, Section 2:3, “‘And he shall not let his hair be wild and he shall not rend his clothes’ — for his dead, as [other] people do for their dead. Behold, how is it? The high-priest rends from the bottom (of his garment), and common [priests], from the top.”

And I have written in the previous [commandment of] wildness of the [hair] (Sefer HaChinukh 149) from the roots of this commandment. And the law of wild [hair] and [that of] torn clothes are the same in all of their [particulars].

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sifra, Emor, Section 2:3), that the [measure required for] liability for this tearing be like the tearing that we tear for the dead. And it appears that this is a handbreadth — as so did they say in Moed Katan 22b that there is no tear that is less than a handbreadth. And the rest of its details are elucidated.

And [it] is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by the males of the priesthood. And one who transgresses it and enters the Temple — from the altar and inward — with torn clothes and served, is liable for death by the hand of the Heavens. But if he did not serve, behold it is with a warning (negative commandment) and he is lashed. This is according to the opinion of Rambam, may his memory be blessed (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Admission into the Sanctuary 1:15). But according to the opinion of Ramban, may his memory be blessed (in Sefer HaMitzvot, Negative Commandments 163), there are no lashes for one who enters the Temple with torn clothes; as the prohibition to enter without [doing] service is only an embellishment from [the Rabbis]. But if he served and he was with torn clothes, he is lashed — according to what he wrote in the name of Baal Halakhot.