DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

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

      
(File size: 444 KB)
Birkat Kohanim in a Place Without a Sefer Torah; One Who Enters the Synagogue During Birkat Kohanim; Reciting Birkat Kohanim Several Times in One Day

There is a misconception that since in the synagogue the Kohanim go in front of the Aron for Birkat Kohanim, the Beracha may be recited only in the presence of a Sefer Torah. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909), in Parashat Tesave (13), writes that this is incorrect (listen to audio recording for precise citation). Even if a Minyan prays in a house or other place without a Sefer Torah, the Kohanim stand in the front of the room and recite Birkat Kohanim.

If a person who is not participating in the Minyan happens to enter the synagogue during Birkat Kohanim, such as if he came to get his Tallit and Tefillin for a later Minyan, or happens to be passing through, he should stand silently in place until after Birkat Kohanim. Even though he does not pray in that Minyan, he should remain in the synagogue through the end of Birkat Kohanim.

If a Kohen had already prayed and recited Birkat Kohanim in an earlier Minyan, and, for whatever reason, he finds himself in a different Minyan at the time of Birkat Kohanim, he may recite Birkat Kohanim again at that Minyan. There is no limit on how many times a Kohen may recite Birkat Kohanim on any given day; anytime he finds himself in a Minyan at the time of Birkat Kohanim, he may recite the Beracha, even if he had already done so earlier in the day.

Summary: Birkat Kohanim is recited even in a place without a Sefer Torah. One who happens to be in a synagogue during Birkat Kohanim must stand in place silently and listen to the Beracha, even if he prayed at an earlier Minyan or will pray at a later Minyan. A Kohen who had already prayed and recited Birkat Kohanim may recite the Beracha again if he happens to be at another Minyan at the time of Birkat Kohanim. There is no limit on how many times a Kohen may recite Birkat Kohanim on any given day.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
May One Ask a Non-Jew to Turn Off a Light on Shabbat?
Asking a Non-Jew to Move a Mukseh Item on Shabbat
Shabbat – If a Non-Jew Mistakenly Turned Off a Light and Then Turned It Back on for a Jew
Asking a Non-Jew to Turn on the Heat or Air Conditioning on Shabbat
If a Non-Jew is Paid to Turn Lights on For a Jew on Shabbat
Giving Precedence to the Shabbat Day Meal Over the Friday Night Meal
Shabbat – The Prohibition Against Eating and Drinking Before Kiddush on Friday Night
Minors Eating Before Kiddush on Friday Night; Eating During Ben Ha’shemashot
Eating and Drinking Before Shaharit, and Before Kiddush on Shabbat
Reciting Kiddush Along With Somebody Else
A Woman’s Obligation of Kiddush
During Which Shabbat Meal Should One Eat His Favorite Food?
May One Wear a Surgical Mask on Shabbat in a Public Domain?
Is it Permissible to Use a Water Filter on Shabbat?
Covering the Bread on the Table for Kiddush and Habdala
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found