Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
In Birchas Kohanim, the Chazzan says each word of the actual Birchas Kohanim and the Kohanim repeat after him. On the other hand, when it comes to the bracha that's said before Birchas Kohanim, the Kohanim are left to recite it on their own.
Why this distinction?
Sifri (to Num. 6:23) says that the Torah's expression אמור להם means that they can't start "until [the chazzan] says to them." Rambam (Hil. Birkas Kohanim 14:3) understands this to mean that he has to prompt them word by word.
The underlying reason, it seems from Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 128:13) and commentaries, is so that the kohanim don't get confused and say the wrong words. (For this reason, the Mechaber there writes that they can start the word יברכך without being prompted, since they're not going to get confused at that point; that indeed is the Sephardic custom.) That is probably less of a concern with the berachah, since in general the failure to say a berachah correctly doesn't invalidate the mitzvah; by contrast, with birkas kohanim itself the Torah is particular about the wording, including the fact that it has to be in Hebrew (ibid. 128:14).
