16,374
edits
Birkat Cohanim: Difference between revisions
From Halachipedia
no edit summary
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
# Most rabbinic authorities 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 rabbinic authorities 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> | ||
# If a Cohen is in shul and isn’t called up to do the Birkat Cohanim, strictly he isn’t obligated to do Birkat Cohanim (certainly, it’s appropriate and correct to do so) however, once a Cohen is asked to do Birkat Cohanim he violates the biblical command by refusing. <Ref>Biur Halacha 128:4 </ref> | # If a Cohen is in shul and isn’t called up to do the Birkat Cohanim, strictly he isn’t obligated to do Birkat Cohanim (certainly, it’s appropriate and correct to do so) however, once a Cohen is asked to do Birkat Cohanim he violates the biblical command by refusing. <Ref>Biur Halacha 128:4 </ref> | ||
# When a Cohen goes up to bless the congregation, it is as if the Cohen is also being blessed. <Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 294</ref> | # When a Cohen goes up to bless the congregation, it is as if the Cohen is also being blessed. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 128:2, Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 294</ref> | ||
==When is Birkat Cohanim said?== | ==When is Birkat Cohanim said?== | ||
| Line 61: | Line 61: | ||
==Minhag of thanking Cohanim== | ==Minhag of thanking Cohanim== | ||
# There is a minhag that after Bircat Cohanim, the congregants should go to the Cohanim and say "Chazak U'baruch" or "Yashar Koach". Even though they were obligated to do what they did, they still could have made themselves exempt by leaving. Therefore, it is fitting to praise them.<ref>Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 338</ref> | # There is a minhag that after Bircat Cohanim, the congregants should go to the Cohanim and say "Chazak U'baruch" or "Yashar Koach". Even though they were obligated to do what they did, they still could have made themselves exempt by leaving. Therefore, it is fitting to praise them.<ref>Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 338</ref> | ||
# At the conclusion of Birkat Cohanim, some have the practice to thank the cohanim for the Brachot and the cohanim respond Tzivku LeMitzvot. However, some authorities advise avoiding having the Cohanim respond these words. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 128:60, Aruch HaShulchan 128:24, Sh”t Har Tzvi 62 </ref> However, saying Yasher Koach or thank you isn’t an issue. <Ref>Nesiut Kapim KeHilchata (Chap 9 note 53) writes that the Cohanim saying the "Yashar Koach" isn’t an issue. Piskei Teshuvot 128:48 writes that saying | # At the conclusion of Birkat Cohanim, some have the practice to thank the cohanim for the Brachot and the cohanim respond Tzivku LeMitzvot. However, some authorities advise avoiding having the Cohanim respond these words. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 128:60, Aruch HaShulchan 128:24, Sh”t Har Tzvi 62 </ref> However, saying Yasher Koach or thank you isn’t an issue. <Ref>Nesiut Kapim KeHilchata (Chap 9 note 53) writes that the Cohanim saying the "Yashar Koach" isn’t an issue. Piskei Teshuvot 128:48 writes that saying "Thank you" isn’t an issue. </ref> | ||
==Interruptions in middle of Birkat Cohanim== | ==Interruptions in middle of Birkat Cohanim== | ||
| Line 69: | Line 69: | ||
==Imitating Birkat Cohanim== | ==Imitating Birkat Cohanim== | ||
# 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> | ||
# If a Yisrael | # If a Yisrael makes the blessing of the cohanim, with the intention of doing the mitzvah, he is transgressing a positive commandment, because only the cohanim were commanded.<Ref> Rama 128:1, Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 296 </ref> | ||
# However, parents blessing their children and Rabbis blessing their students, may put both of their hands on their heads while reciting the blessing, since the only prohibition is to make the blessing with the intention of fulfilling the mitzvah of the commandment, and to do it like the cohen.<Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 296 </ref> | # However, parents blessing their children and Rabbis blessing their students, may put both of their hands on their heads while reciting the blessing, since the only prohibition is to make the blessing with the intention of fulfilling the mitzvah of the commandment, and to do it like the cohen.<Ref> Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 296. See Biur Halacha 128:1 D"H DeZar who writes that the minhag of Yisraelim to bless other Jews with the words of birkat cohanim is either based on the fact that perhaps there's only a prohibition if they raise thier hands like cohanim or that they have kavana not to fulfill the mitzvah of birkat cohanim. </ref> | ||
# There is no worry about saying a "Bracha levatala", a blessing in vain, since they are verses in the Torah, which are permitted to say. | # There is no worry about saying a "Bracha levatala", a blessing in vain, since they are verses in the Torah, which are permitted to say. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
