DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 570 KB)
How To Do Birkat Kohanim When There Are Only Kohanim Present In Shul

What is the proper procedure for Birkat Kohanim (the priestly blessing) if the congregation consists entirely of Kohanim? Do all the worshippers ascend to recite the Beracha, or do only some of them recite the Beracha?

The Halacha in this case depends on how many people are present in the synagogue. If the Minyan is comprised of only ten Kohanim and nobody else, then they all ascend for the recitation of Birkat Kohanim. Women and children present at the synagogue would answer "Amen" to the Beracha. If there are no women and children in the synagogue, then of course nobody would answer "Amen," but this does not undermine the validity of the Birkat Kohanim.

This situation, of course, gives rise to the interesting question of whom they are blessing, since nobody is present in the synagogue to receive their blessing. The answer is that they bless all other Jews, who are not in attendance in the synagogue. The Kohanim customarily wave their hands side to side at certain points during the recitation of Birkat Kohanim, in effect bestowing the blessing to those beyond the synagogue walls.

If more than ten Kohanim are present (but no non-Kohanim are present), then all the Kohanim go up except 10, to maintain a Minyan.

In all cases, the Chazan (even though he is a Kohen) does not participate in Birkat Kohanim, and instead remains in his place and dictates the Beracha to the other Kohanim.

Summary: If a Minyan consists of only ten people, all of whom are Kohanim, they all recite Birkat Kohanim, except for the Chazan, who stays in his place and dictates the Beracha to the others. If the Minyan consists of more than ten Kohanim but nobody else, all the Kohanim go up, so long as at least 10 stay down.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Can Eliyahu HaNavee Come On Shabbat?
Is It Permissible To Have A Seuda Inside A Bet Kennesset
Is It Permissible To Change Biblical Verses from Singular to Plural Form
Is It Required To Repeat The Beracha Of LiHitatef BiTzitzit If Removing The Talit For Just A Short While
Is It Required To Make The Beracha Of LiHitatef BiTzitzit Again If The 1st Talit Was Found To Be Pasul (Improper)
Is One Required To Stand For An Elderly Lady or Scholarly Woman
Is It Permissible To Simply Answer Amen and Rely On Another's Beracha Of LiHitatef BiTzitzit
Granting Precedence to a Jew When Hiring
Is It Permissible To Give A Non-Kosher Turkey To A Goy For Their Holiday
Yichud- 1) Must An Onen Follow The Laws of Yichud, 2) War and Yichud
Yichud- Is It Permissible For A Man To Be Alone With A Lady On An Express Elevator In A Skyscraper
Yichud- Is It Permissible to Be Alone with Mother, Father, Daughter, Son, Brother, or Sister
Tzineeut and The Proper and Improper Ways Of Socializing With Friends
How Could We Pray To G-d That Korbanot Be Accepted, When Today We Do Not Have Korbanot?
Some Laws Regarding Visiting or Seeing a Cemetery
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found