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Birkat Cohanim: Difference between revisions
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# Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai instituted that the Cohanim should not go up wearing sandals or any type of shoe, out of respect to the congregation <Ref> Gemara Sotah 40a, S"A 128:5 </ref> | # Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai instituted that the Cohanim should not go up wearing sandals or any type of shoe, out of respect to the congregation <Ref> Gemara Sotah 40a, S"A 128:5 </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</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</ref> | ||
#The Cohanim should stand there, facing the heichal, with their backs to the congregation. They hold their fingers closed, against their palms, until the sheliach tzibur completes the blessing of "hatov shimcha". | #The Cohanim should stand there, facing the heichal, with their backs to the congregation. They hold their fingers closed, against their palms, until the sheliach tzibur completes the blessing of "hatov shimcha". When the shaliach tzibbur calls to them "cohanim", they turn their faces to the people, spread out their fingers, and lift up their hands shoulder high.<ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 3, S"A 128:10</ref> | ||
#If only one Cohen is blessing the people, he should begin reciting the blessing alone. Afterwards, the sheliach tzibur says the words of birchat cohanim one word at a time and Cohen repeats each word after the shaliach tzibbur, as explained below.<ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 8</ref> | #If only one Cohen is blessing the people, he should turn around after the shaliach tizbbur finishes the bracha of "hatov shimcha" and begin reciting the blessing alone. Afterwards, the sheliach tzibur says the words of birchat cohanim one word at a time and Cohen repeats each word after the shaliach tzibbur, as explained below.<ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 8, S"A 128:10</ref> | ||
#If there are two or more Cohanim present, they do not begin reciting the blessing until the sheliach tzibur calls them, saying the word “Cohanim”. <ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 8</ref> | #If there are two or more Cohanim present, they do not begin reciting the blessing until the sheliach tzibur calls them, saying the word “Cohanim”. <ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 8, S"A 128:10</ref> | ||
#One of the measures ordained by Ezra is that the priests should not ascend to the duchan wearing sandals. Rather, they should stand barefoot<ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 6</ref> | #One of the measures ordained by Ezra is that the priests should not ascend to the duchan wearing sandals. Rather, they should stand barefoot<ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 6</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</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</ref> | ||
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# A Cohen is forbidden marry a divorcee or a convert. If he does, his child has the title of a "Challal", and this child may not do bircat Cohanim. Him and all his descendents are "Challalim" and may not do Bircat Cohanim.<ref>Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 322</ref> | # A Cohen is forbidden marry a divorcee or a convert. If he does, his child has the title of a "Challal", and this child may not do bircat Cohanim. Him and all his descendents are "Challalim" and may not do Bircat Cohanim.<ref>Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 322</ref> | ||
# A sick person who is attatched to a catheter, which holds his urine under his clothing, may do bircat Cohanim as long as his outer clothes are clean, and there is no bad smell coming out of him. <ref>Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 319</ref> | # A sick person who is attatched to a catheter, which holds his urine under his clothing, may do bircat Cohanim as long as his outer clothes are clean, and there is no bad smell coming out of him. <ref>Yalkut Yosef, Tefillah Volume 1, page 319</ref> | ||
# The cohanim should be careful not to continue the next blessing until the congregants have finished saying "Amen"<ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 5</ref> | # The cohanim should be careful not to continue the next blessing until the congregants have finished saying "Amen".<ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 5, S"A 128:13</ref> | ||
# At the end of bircat Cohanim, the Cohanim should not turn back around (so that their backs are facing the congregation), nor should they put their hands down and close their fingers, until the sheliach tzibur begins the beracha of "Sim Shalom" <ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 6</ref> | # At the end of bircat Cohanim, the Cohanim should not turn back around (so that their backs are facing the congregation), nor should they put their hands down and close their fingers, until the sheliach tzibur begins the beracha of "Sim Shalom". <ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 6, S"A 128:16</ref> | ||
# The cohanim should not return to their places until the shaliach tzibbur finishes "sim shalom" and some say until the congregation finishes answering Amen.<Ref>Rambam, Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillah U'Bircat Cohanim, Chapter 14, Halacha 4, S"A 128:16</ref> | |||
==Procedure of Birkat Cohanim for the Shaliach Tzibbur== | ==Procedure of Birkat Cohanim for the Shaliach Tzibbur== | ||
