Sefer HaChinuch ספר החינוך

That the priests not enter at any time into the Temple — and all the more so, non-priests: That the priests not enter at any time into the Temple, but rather only at the time of the service, as it is stated (Leviticus 16:2), “and let him not come at any time.” And with this, the high priest is warned not to come into the house of the Holy of Holies — and even on Yom Kippur — except at the time of the service. [And likewise brought into (this) warning is a common priest from entering the sanctuary all of the year except at the time of the service (according to the Venice edition)]. And the elucidation of the matter of the prevention is to say that any priest not enter into any place that is fitting, except at the time that is fitting to enter it — which is the time of service. And the language of Sifra, Acharei Mot, Section 1:8, 10 is “‘And let him not come at any time’ — that is Yom Kippur; ‘to the holy’ — to include the other days of the year. ‘Within the partition’ — maybe for all of the sanctuary, [the punishment is] death. [Hence] we learn to say, ‘before the ark cover which is on the ark, that he not die.’ Behold, how is this? ‘Before the ark cover’ [is punishable] by death; (if he enters) the other parts of the sanctuary, (he is only in transgression of) a warning. And in the Gemara Menachot 27b, they, may their memory be blessed, said, about the chamber that it is with forty [lashes].

It is from the roots of the commandment that the servants fix the greatness of the place and its loftiness in their souls, and that its awe always be upon their faces.

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishnah Kelim 1:9) that the high priest only enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, when he enters four times and not more. As if he enters a fifth, he is liable for death by the hands of the Heavens. And a common priest may enter the chamber for the service every day. But anyone who enters the chamber not for the sake of the service — whether a high priest or a common priest, such as one who enters even to bow down — is lashed, but he is not liable for death. As it is stated ‘Before the ark cover [...], that he not die’ — for the Holy of Holies, he is liable for death; for the other parts of the sanctuary, (he is only in transgression of) a negative commandment. This is the opinion of Rambam, may his memory be blessed, about this negative commandment (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Admission into the Sanctuary 2:4). And I have already written the opinion of Ramban, may his memory be blessed, above (Sefer HaChinukh 149, 150), who said that entrance to the sanctuary, not for service, with wild [hair] and torn clothes is a rabbinic embellishment. And if so, according to his opinion, it is possible that anyone who entered to bow down is not [punished] with lashes at all; and this prohibition of “he shall not come” would only be in a completely empty coming — as such would be a disparagement to the honor of the [Temple], to enter into it for nothing. And the rest of its details are elucidated in Menachot and Sifra. (See Mishneh Torah, Admission into the Sanctuary 2.)

And [it] is practiced at the time of the [Temple] by the priests. And even today — not at the time of the [Temple] — they, may their memory be blessed, said (Megillah 28a) that we are warned not to enter the Temple [grounds]. And they expounded the matter, from that which is written (Leviticus 26:31) “and I will make your sanctuaries desolate,” and it did not state, “your sanctuaries will I make a desolation.” As it is implied that their holiness is [still] upon them, even when they are desolate. And since that is so, I should count this prohibition among the prohibitions that are observed today.