|
Hilchos Tefilla 128 (page 6)
מאמצע סעיף ו והלוי עד סעיף ט
|
|
Who Washes the Kohein's Hands?
A Beracha on This Washing, and the Question of Whether the Levi Should Wash His Own Hands First
Stepping Forward During Retzei
|
Who washes the kohein's hands?
It is customary for the
leviim to wash the
kohanim's hands prior to
birkas kohanim. It is not a disgrace for a
levi who is a
talmid chochom to wash the hands of an uneducated
kohein. On the contrary, it is an honor for the
levi to involve himself in a
hidur mitzva. In some circles it is customary for many
leviim to jointly pour the water on the hands of one
kohein when there are fewer
kohanim than
leviim. Some contemporary
poskim disapproved of this practice, since in many areas of halacha a job that could have been done by one person but was performed by two is considered a
shinui (aberration) and inappropriate for a
mitzva. If there are no
leviim in shul, a
bechor (a mother's eldest child) pours the water on the
kohanim's hands. (There is an opinion, based on the Zohar, that only a
levi may pour the water and when a
levi is unavailable, the
kohein should wash his own hands.) When there is no
levi or
bechor, it is preferable for the
kohein to wash his own hands rather than have a Yisrael wash his hands.
(
סעיף ו וס"ק כב; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 32, 34, ו־35)
|
A beracha on this washing, and the question of whether the levi should wash his own hands first
The
kohanim do not recite a
beracha (
al netilas yadaim) during the handwashing prior to
birkas kohanim. However, there is an opinion (which the custom does not follow) that if the
kohein's hands were soiled, or if the
kohein had been distracted from watching the cleanliness of his hands since the morning's washing, he should recite a
beracha on this washing. It is preferable for the
kohein to be careful to keep his hands clean from the time he washes
neigel vasser so as to avoid the issue of whether or not to recite a
beracha. According to the Mechaber, the
levi should wash his own hands before washing the
kohein's hands. The
Ashkenazic practice, based on the opinion of the Rama, is that the
levi does not wash his own hands first. However, if his hands are soiled or if he was distracted from minding the cleanliness of his hands after washing them in the morning, it is preferable for him to wash them prior to washing the
kohein.
(
סעיף ו-ז וס"ק כג-כד; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 39)
|
Stepping forward during Retzei
In the Beis Hamikdash,
birkas kohanim was performed as part of the service of the
korbanos. When Chazal appended
birkas kohanim to
tefilla, they associated it with the
beracha of
Retzei and required the
kohanim to step forward to perform the
mitzva during this
beracha. A
kohein who is still in the middle of
Shemoneh Esrei at that point should shuffle his feet a bit. If the
kohein waited to step forward until near the end of the
beracha he may still,
bedieved, recite
birkas kohanim. If he did not move at all or if he headed in the wrong direction, even to wash his hands, he may not recite the blessing. Instead, he should leave the shul. The
poskim discuss whether a
kohein may head to the front prior to the beginning of
Retzei.
(
סעיף ח, ס"ק כח ושעה"צ ס"ק כח; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 40 ו־45)
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
- Rabban Yochanan ben Zakai instituted that kohanim may not recite the birkas kohanim when wearing shoes.
- Kohanim serving in the Beis Hamikdash were required to wash their hands [and feet] from the kior before beginning their service. Chazal mandated that the kohanim must likewise wash their hands prior to the birkas kohanim.
- Passing near people davening is permitted when necessary, and the need to fulfill the mitzva is sufficient reason to permit it in the case of birkas kohanim. According to a second opinion, the need to wash overrides the prohibition of passing in front of those davening. There is a machlokes as to whether a kohein may pass in front of someone davening in order to recite the beracha. One opinion permits him to pass near the person davening but not directly in front of the person. A second opinion permits him to pass in front as well.
|
- Answering Amein after the Shaliach Tzibur's Modim
- Various customs for calling up the kohanim
- Conflicts between kohanim and members of the congregation
|
|
|
PLEASE NOTE: The information in this email is for learning purposes only. Please review the Mishna Berura and Biurim U'Musafim before making a halachic decision. Hebrew words are occasionally transliterated to enable a smoother reading of the text. Common Ashkenazi pronunciation is generally used in these cases.
|
|
|
|
|
|
