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...
Chanukah- Lighting the Menorah on Friday Night
Chanukah- Starting A Melacaha, Beginning A Meal, and Sitting To Learn Are All Forbidden Within A Half Hour Of Lighting
Chanukah- Should A Wife Light The Menorah At The Proper Time Rather Than Waiting For The Husband Who Will Come Home Later
Chanukah- Should One Say Mezonot On A Fried Jelly Donut That Is Eaten For Dessert
Chanukah- Should We Light The Menorah Before or After The Berachot and Is It Permissible To Light The Menorah At A Chanukah Party
Chanukah- Is A Student Required To Light The Menorah If Dorming Away At School
Chanukah- If One Forgets Al Hanisim in Birkat Hamazon
Chanukah- The Requirement of Lighting Falls Upon The House
Chanukah- Lighting An Extra Candle On Rosh Chodesh Tevet
Chanukah- Why Do We Not Insert A Prayer Of Chanukah In Me’en Shalosh
Chanukah- Can Mourners Say Hallel on Chanukah or Rosh Chodesh, and Is It Permissible To Have An Arayat on Chanukah
Chanukah- Where Should The Menorah Be Placed
Chanukah- Are Ladies Required To Say The Hallel on Chanukah
Chanukah- Should One Recite Again SheAsa Nissim at Menorah Lighting In Shul After Doing So At Home
Chanukah- Should One Recite Again Shehechiyanu at Menorah Lighting In Shul After Doing So At Home
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found