Birkat Cohanim: Difference between revisions

#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, S"A 128:10</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 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>