When to count sefira when davening early
What if someone
davened ma'ariv with an early
minyan (after
plag and before
shkia, or between
shkia and
tzeis) but he would prefer not to count
sefira that early? Although he would rather count
sefira at the optimal time, he is worried that if he does not count along with the
minyan he will forget to count later. In this situation, both the
Mechaber and
Rama advocate counting with the congregation, but without a
beracha. By counting early, he will at least fulfill the
mitzvah according to those opinions that permit counting after
plag or
shkia respectively. Later that evening (after
tzeis) he should count again with a
beracha. The Mishnah Berurah notes that before counting early, the person should bear in mind that he does not wish to fulfill the
mitzvah with this counting if he will count again later. Making this condition will enable him to count later with a
beracha.
(סעיף ג, ס"ק טז-יז וביה"ל ד"ה מבעוד)
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Hilchos Tefilla 128 (page 12)
מסימן קכח סעיף כד עד סעיף כו
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Facing the Kohanim
Standing Before the Kohanim
Passing Someone Davening to Stand Before the Kohanim
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Birkas kohanim must be spoken 'like a man talking to his friend.' The
kohanim and congregation should stand facing each other. Those standing before the
kohanim should face the front of the shul and those standing parallel to the
kohanim should turn to face the
kohanim. Those standing behind the
kohanim [at the very front of the shul, such that their backs would face the
kohanim during the
beracha] should move to the middle of the shul to be in front of the
kohanim. Ideally, the
kohanim should position themselves so that nothing should block their view of the people (e.g. the
chazan's amud). It is reported that some
gedolim made a point of standing directly in front of the
kohanim.
(
סעיף כד, ס"ק צג-צה, וביה"ל ד"ה אבל; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 97-98)
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Standing before the kohanim
People who are present for
birkas kohanim but do not bother to stand before the
kohanim demonstrate that they do not care for the
beracha and are excluded from the blessings. This is also the case for people who are able to attend the
beracha in shul but do not trouble themselves to do so. Even neighbors whose home faces the
kohanim are excluded if they don't come to shul. However, those who come to shul but choose to listen to the
beracha while standing outside facing toward the
kohanim [as women often do] are included in the blessing. Likewise, people anywhere who are unable to come to shul for the
beracha are considered
onusim and are included in the blessing.
(
סעיף כד, ס"ק צו, וביה"ל ד"ה אם)
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Passing someone davening to stand before the kohanim
Someone
davening Shemoneh Esrei behind the
kohanim is considered an
oneis and is included in the blessing. The same is true for a person who cannot get to a place in front of the
kohanim because he would have to pass in front of someone who is
davening. According to some
poskim, in these instances the person should turn around in his place in order to face the
kohanim. It is permissible to pass alongside someone
davening Shemoneh Esrei in order to stand before the
kohanim for the
beracha. According to this opinion, it is permissible to initially
daven in a place that will require one to pass on the side of others who are
davening.
(
ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 99)
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- The kohanim and congregation must remain focused on the beracha. Both the kohanim and congregation should avoid gazing at the kohanim's hands and certainly at other items. In the times of the Beis Hamikdash, it was forbidden to look at their hands because the Shechina rested there. To commemorate this, it is customary to avoid even briefly glancing at the kohanim's hands.
- It has become the practice for the kohanim to cover their faces and hands, and in many congregations everyone present covers his face with his tallis during the beracha. This custom should not be altered, since a change in custom is likely to cause people to become distracted.
- According to the Mechaber, if the chazan is a kohein and will recite the birkas kohanim, he should go to the front of the shul together with the other kohanim. Others hold-and the custom follows this opinion-that he should recite the blessing from where he is.
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- Reciting the blessing during Shemoneh Esrei
- Reciting the blessing in the middle of Pesukei D'zimra or Birkas Kriyas Shema
- Adding or detracting from the blessing
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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.
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