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Birkat Cohanim: Difference between revisions
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# Most assume that the mitzvah is upon the Cohanim while a minority opinion assumes that there’s a mitzvah both upon the Cohanim and the Yisraelim who are being blessed. <Ref>Biur Halacha 128 intro, Sefer Charedim 12:18, Igrot Moshe 4:21 </ref> | # Most assume that the mitzvah is upon the Cohanim while a minority opinion assumes that there’s a mitzvah both upon the Cohanim and the Yisraelim who are being blessed. <Ref>Biur Halacha 128 intro, Sefer Charedim 12:18, Igrot Moshe 4:21 </ref> | ||
# Some say that a Yisrael may not raise his fingers in the same fashion as the cohanim do for Birkat Cohanim. <ref>Piskei Teshuvot 128:3 based on Kaf HaChaim 128"79 who quotes the Zohar. However, see Sh"t Rivevot Efraim 1:93(2) who questions whether this prohibition applies to Yisraelim or not. See also Sh"t Yechava Daat 5:14 who defends the minhag to bless one's children with one or two hands. </ref> | # Some say that a Yisrael may not raise his fingers in the same fashion as the cohanim do for Birkat Cohanim. <ref>Piskei Teshuvot 128:3 based on Kaf HaChaim 128"79 who quotes the Zohar. However, see Sh"t Rivevot Efraim 1:93(2) who questions whether this prohibition applies to Yisraelim or not. See also Sh"t Yechava Daat 5:14 who defends the minhag to bless one's children with one or two hands. </ref> | ||
# When a Cohen goes up to bless the congregation, it is as if he too is blessed. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 294 | # When a Cohen goes up to bless the congregation, it is as if he too is blessed. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 294</ref> | ||
==Proper Behavior of the Cohanim== | ==Proper Behavior of the Cohanim== | ||
# Even if there is no platform, the cohanim should still go up to bless the congregation. Therefore if the one leading the prayers is the only cohen present, he should bless "birkat cohanim" from where he is standing, and he doesn't need to move to the platform. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 294 | # Even if there is no platform, the cohanim should still go up to bless the congregation. Therefore if the one leading the prayers is the only cohen present, he should bless "birkat cohanim" from where he is standing, and he doesn't need to move to the platform. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 294</ref> | ||
# Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai instituted that the Cohanim shouldnt go up wearing sandals or any type of shoe, out of respect to the congregation <Ref> Gemara Sotah 40a </ref> | # Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai instituted that the Cohanim shouldnt go up wearing sandals or any type of shoe, out of respect to the congregation <Ref> Gemara Sotah 40a </ref> | ||
# By the time the Sheliach Tzibur arrives at the blessing of "Retzeh", the Cohanim must make a motion towards doing the mitzvah. If the Sheliach Tzibur finished the blessing of "Retzeh", and said the word "Modim" before a cohen made this motion, that cohen may not go up to do birkat cohanim. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 299 | # By the time the Sheliach Tzibur arrives at the blessing of "Retzeh", the Cohanim must make a motion towards doing the mitzvah. If the Sheliach Tzibur finished the blessing of "Retzeh", and said the word "Modim" before a cohen made this motion, that cohen may not go up to do birkat cohanim. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 299</ref> | ||
# If the only cohen in the tzibur is the Sheliach tzibur, and he is using a siddur and will therefor not be confused and will be able to continue in his tefila after birkat cohanim, he should move his feet during the bracha of "Retzeh", and then go do birkat cohanim, so that the tzibur will not miss out on this special blessing. But if there is another cohen who can do birkat cohanim, the sheliach tzibur should not go. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 311 | # If the only cohen in the tzibur is the Sheliach tzibur, and he is using a siddur and will therefor not be confused and will be able to continue in his tefila after birkat cohanim, he should move his feet during the bracha of "Retzeh", and then go do birkat cohanim, so that the tzibur will not miss out on this special blessing. But if there is another cohen who can do birkat cohanim, the sheliach tzibur should not go. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 311</ref> | ||
# If the sheliach tzibur forgot to do bircat coahanim, and he started the blessing of "Sim Shalom", as long as he did not finish the blessing of "Sim Shalom", if he remembers he can go back. But if he finished the words "Hamevarech et amo yisrael basahalom"(the end of "Sim Shalom"), he can no longer go back. And even though there are those who say that you can do birkat cohanim after the prayers are finished, it is better not to do it. ([[Safek brachot lehakel]]- when we have a doubt about blessing we should be lenient, and not say the blessing)<Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 315 | # If the sheliach tzibur forgot to do bircat coahanim, and he started the blessing of "Sim Shalom", as long as he did not finish the blessing of "Sim Shalom", if he remembers he can go back. But if he finished the words "Hamevarech et amo yisrael basahalom"(the end of "Sim Shalom"), he can no longer go back. And even though there are those who say that you can do birkat cohanim after the prayers are finished, it is better not to do it. ([[Safek brachot lehakel]]- when we have a doubt about blessing we should be lenient, and not say the blessing)<Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 315</ref> | ||
# If a person can not pronounce his letters correctly, for example if he says his "Ayin's" like "Alephs" and his "chet's" like "caf's", he is still allowed to do birkat cohanim, because nowadays that is how everyone pronounces them. However if he happens to be in a place where they are very meticulous about correct pronounciation, he should not do birkat cohanim. There are those who say that if a person is in a place that they are meticulous, but all the people know that this person can not pronounce their letters the "corect" way, or if they pronounce it a different way (for example: if an ashkenazi, who has different letter pronunciations, is in a sephardic shul), he may do birkat cohanim. This is the accepted minhag. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 318 | # If a person can not pronounce his letters correctly, for example if he says his "Ayin's" like "Alephs" and his "chet's" like "caf's", he is still allowed to do birkat cohanim, because nowadays that is how everyone pronounces them. However if he happens to be in a place where they are very meticulous about correct pronounciation, he should not do birkat cohanim. There are those who say that if a person is in a place that they are meticulous, but all the people know that this person can not pronounce their letters the "corect" way, or if they pronounce it a different way (for example: if an ashkenazi, who has different letter pronunciations, is in a sephardic shul), he may do birkat cohanim. This is the accepted minhag. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 318 </ref> | ||
# A Cohen who has a defect, blemish, or deformity, on his face or his hands should not do birkat cohanim, because the people will look at him and be distracted. However if he is "Dash B'Iro", meaning that he is had a blemish for at least 30 days and the whole tzibur knows that he has this blemish, there is no worry that people will look at him, and he may do birkat cohanim. <strong>Nowadays</strong>, since the Cohanim cover themselves with a talit during the blessing, there is no worry that people will look at him, and any Cohen who has a blemish on his hands or face may do bircat cohanim. <ref>Yalkut Yosef | # A Cohen who has a defect, blemish, or deformity, on his face or his hands should not do birkat cohanim, because the people will look at him and be distracted. However if he is "Dash B'Iro", meaning that he is had a blemish for at least 30 days and the whole tzibur knows that he has this blemish, there is no worry that people will look at him, and he may do birkat cohanim. <strong>Nowadays</strong>, since the Cohanim cover themselves with a talit during the blessing, there is no worry that people will look at him, and any Cohen who has a blemish on his hands or face may do bircat cohanim. <ref>Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 319</ref> | ||
# A Cohen who killed someone, chas veshalom, even if it was by accident, and even if he did teshuva, may not do birkat cohanim. And even if he went up to the platform, he has to come down, because he might be saying a [[Bracha lvatala]] <ref>Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 321</ref> | |||
==Proper behavior of the congregation during Birkat Cohanim== | ==Proper behavior of the congregation during Birkat Cohanim== | ||
