A patrilineal descendant of the biblical Aaron, a male kohen (plural kohanim) could serve in the Temple in Jerusalem when it was standing; various other laws apply to kohanim also, male and female.
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198 views
What do broken thumbs mean on a grave stone?
Often on the grave stones of kohanim there is an engraving of two hands with fingers spread as kohanim do during birchas kohanim. (For an example drawn randomly from Google Images see here.) What does ...
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2answers
207 views
Why do accidental killers sent to arei miklat go free after the Kohen Gadol dies?
When someone kills accidentaly he is sent to live in an ir miklat ("city of refuge") until the Kohen Gadol ("High Priest") dies. This seems like an arbitrary time. What does the Kohen Gadol's death ...
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4answers
219 views
If Eliyahu is Pinchas and Pinchas is a Cohen how was he in the Room when he did Revival of the Dead?
In Melochim there is a famous occurance of the Eliyahu Hanavi reviving the Dead Child of Ovadiah's Hanavi's widow's child who some say was Yonah Hanavi. If Eliyahu was a Cohen how was he allowed to be ...
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2answers
237 views
How are we to understand Malchi-Tzedek, non-Jewish priest of God?
Malchi-Tzedek is a gentile priest who worships God. I initially read this as just saying God is not exclusive (it says somewhere in Nevi'im that God also has covenants with other peoples), but today ...
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1answer
157 views
how to call up a kohen/levi as acharon
Shulachan Aruch (OC 135:10) holds, and Rama (there) seems to also hold, that if a kohen (or levi, m.m.) is called as acharon then the gabai should say "af al pi shehu kohen". The purpose of this is to ...
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2answers
162 views
What did kohanim do the other fifty weeks of the year?
I remember learning (somewhere in talmud but can't remember where) that the kohanim were divided into 24 groups and they rotated service in the temple. And they went to Yerushalayim for the chagim, ...
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3answers
300 views
Is there a difference between a Rabbi and a Temple Priest?
I was reading about Perushim and Tzedukim on Wikipedia and the articles seems to suggest that there is a difference between them.
Is there a difference between a rabbi and a (Temple) priest?
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3answers
260 views
Adoptee a Cohen or Levi?
If a Cohen or Levi adopts a non-Jew, upon their conversion are they a Cohen or Levi as well or are they a Yisroel?
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4answers
334 views
Etymology of the surname “Katz”
Are there sources for the etymology of the surname Katz being an acronym for Kohen Tzedek?
Is that simply a backronym?
6
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1answer
135 views
Kohain First questions
1)Is there a Din that a Kohain must be allowed to cut you online in a supermarket because of "Vkidashto"?
2)Do they go first when it comes to Davening when there are two Chiyuvim?
3)When you learn ...
6
votes
1answer
101 views
Can/Should a Kohen Disqualify Himself from Birchas Kohanim because of Tumah?
Is it proper for a kohein to disqualify himself from duchaning if he feels that he is ritually unpure at that particular moment?
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2answers
111 views
Kohen as Chazzan During Birchas Kohanim
Can a kohen serve as chazzan for mussaf on days when there is birchas kohanim? If so, what is the proper procedure for him to follow?
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1answer
163 views
Washing Kohen's Hands
Following kedusha during mussaf on a day when there is birchas kohanim (duchening), the Leviyim and Kohanim assemble at the sink and a Levi washes each Kohen's hands.
What procedure of hand-washing ...
3
votes
1answer
31 views
Giving ma'aser to a kohen
When one separates the "first tithe", which needs to be given to a ben Levi, may he give it to a kohen instead on the grounds that he is of Levi lineage?
Would this at least work b'di'avad to relieve ...
3
votes
1answer
68 views
Can a Kohain do Birchas Kohanim if he did not wash his hands?
Suppose a Kohain for some reoson forgot to wash his hands or was unable to, can he still do Birchas Kohanim?
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votes
2answers
219 views
Who says the Ribbono shel Olam in Birkas Kohanim?
I've "seen" many Talmidei Chachamim not saying the Ribbono shel Olams following each bracha of Birkas Kohanim. At least, I hear them chanting with the Kohanim from start to finish. Are these tefilos ...
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votes
3answers
665 views
Kein Yehi Ratzon by Birchas Kohanim
The Minhag by most Shuls where there is no Birchas Kohanim and the Chazan just says the Birchas Kohanim is to say Kein Yehi Ratzon. Why do we say Kein Yehi Ratzon instead of Amein?
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1answer
105 views
Birchas Kohanim and Dreams
By Birchas Kohanim there is a Tefila for people who had bad dreams. What does a Kohen do when he has a bad dream as he can not say the Tefila during Birchas Kohanim?
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votes
1answer
100 views
Private Bircas Kohanim during Mussaf?
One Shabbos during the Chazan's repetition of the Mussaf Shemoneh Esrei, I noticed a guest who is a Kohen (who seemed to be of Sefaradic stock) wrapping his sons in his tallis, with his hands on their ...
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2answers
135 views
Cohen And the Bodies Exhibit
Can a Cohen Visit the Bodies Exhibit or is Tumah: Ritual Impurity a concern?
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3answers
237 views
Cohen marries a Divorced Woman [closed]
Where do we find in Tanach 2 famous Kohanim who married divorced women?
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2answers
182 views
Making the Kohen's Gesture
Is it forbidden for a non-Kohen to form the hand formation that Kohanim use during their priestly blessings?
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3answers
185 views
Bimei Matisyahu ben Yochanan Kohen Godol
In "Al Hanisim" we say "Bimei Matisyahu ben Yochanan Kohen Godol", "in the days of Matisyahu the son of Yochanan the Kohen Gadol (=high priest)".
Who was the Kohen Godol: Matisyahu or Yochnan?
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2answers
176 views
Which Yochanan Kohen Godol is in Al Hanissim?
In Al Hanissim we mention a Yochanan Kohen Gadol. Since there were several kohanim gedolim named Yochanan which one is this, historically?
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votes
3answers
164 views
relative fractions of Kohanim and Levi'im
Does anyone have reliable statistics (and barring that, reasonable anectdotal evidence) of the fraction of Kohanim, Levi'im, and Yisraelim in various Jewish communities today. By "communities" I don't ...
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1answer
132 views
Kohen Gadol Yibum
Is it ever possible for a Kohen Gadol to perform the Mitzvah of Yibum. After all, every case of Yibum involves a widow which the Kohen Gadol is not allowed to marry?
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2answers
143 views
What do you do if there is no Levi or Bechor to wash the Kohain's hands?
What do you do by Duchaning when there is no Levi or Bechor to wash the Kohain's hands?
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2answers
162 views
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1answer
148 views
Riddle: when do 10 Kohanim equal 1 Yisrael? [closed]
Pretty much what the title says. Where in the Torah do we find something for which we need 10 Kohanim or 1 Yisrael?
4
votes
1answer
158 views
Kohen following a Mes into a tunnel
We know a Kohen can not be in the same ohel as a dead person. From what I learned, a moving vehicle does not block the tumah from coming into the car/van/plane etc. So, if one is traveling in a ...
4
votes
2answers
218 views
Is a Cohen Allowed to Perform CPR?
CPR is performed when the heart has stopped but the brain is still alive. We have a general rule that a Cohen is not allowed to come in contact with a dead body. If so, does this mean that a Kohen ...
8
votes
1answer
376 views
Daughter of a Jewish woman and non-Jewish man
Is a Kohen allowed to marry a woman who is the daughter of a Jewish woman and non-Jewish man?
