Search results for: ""Cohen""
Tum'a: Cohen Flying on Plane Carrying a Body
A cohen should not fly on a flight that has a dead body on it, even if the body is in the hold or baggage compartment (where it normally will be).
Tum'a: Cohen and Non-Jewish Cemetery
A cohen should not walk through a non-Jewish cemetery unless he has an urgent need to do so.
Tum'a: Cohen Touching Dead Non-Jew
A cohen is forbidden from touching or picking up a dead body of a non-Jew as well as the dead body of a Jew.
Tum'a: Hospitals: Cohen Visiting Wife
A cohen may visit his wife in the hospital even though there are often dead people in hospitals but consult a rabbi.
Birkat Cohanim: Priest/Cohen in the Room
If a priest/cohen is in the room during the Priestly Blessing (birkat cohanim), he must bless the non-cohanim. If he will not say the blessing, he must leave the room immediately after modim.
Birkat Cohanim: Seeing Each Other
A cohen/priest does not need to see the congregants and they do not need to see him during birkat cohanim. Birkat cohanim is effective even if you are outside the synagogue when you hear it. But if you are at the front of the synagogue such that you would be behind the cohanim when they turn to face the congregation and say the blessing, you should move far enough so the cohanim will be facing you during the blessing.
Tum'a above Cemetery
Ritual impurity from a cemetery goes up to the sky, so a cohen should not fly over a cemetery.
Introduction to Pidyon HaBein
A Jewish mother's first-born male child must be “redeemed” by giving money to a cohen if the below criteria apply. Pidyon ha'bein is a mitzva for the father of the boy. Anyone may do the actual redemption (including a woman) as long as the father appoints him or her as his emissary to do so.
Note If the father has not done the pidyon, the boy redeems himself when he reaches 13 years old.
Introduction to Three Matzas (Matzot)
The seder table also has a stack of three matzas (matzot), representing, among other meanings:
- Cohen-Levi-Yisrael: The three divisions of Jews
- Abraham-Isaac-Jacob: The three forefathers
Teruma/Ma'aser: Quantity: How Much Is Teruma Gedola
Teruma gedola is 1/50th of the total food. But today, since the cohen does not eat it, we remove a smaller amount.
Dating only People You May Marry
You should date only people whom you may marry.
Examples
- A convert must have had a kosher conversion.
- A cohen may not date divorcees, converts, or a woman both of whose parents converted before she was born.
- The person must not be a mamzeir or child of mamzeirim (offspring of a forbidden union).
Note A mamzeir is permitted to marry another mamzeir.
How To Do Pidyon HaBein
To do Pidyon Ha'Bein:
- Pidyon ha'bein is done at least 30 days after the boy was born.
- The boy's father gives six genuine American silver dollars to any cohen. If there is no father, consult a rabbi.
- The boy's father says the blessing al pidyon ha'bein and she'hecheyanu.
NoteIf the boy redeems himself, consult a rabbi about the blessing.
Tum'a within Cemetery
Ritual impurity (tum'a) in a cemetery comes from being within 4 amot (7 feet) of a grave. This is horizontal distance, regardless of how deep the body is buried.
Note A cohen may be in a cemetery as long as he does not get closer than 4 amot (7 feet) to any grave and he does not stand under any tree which extends over a grave.
Introduction to Separating Challa
Although challa refers to the two loaves of bread (or matza) over which we say the ha'motzi blessing at Shabbat and Jewish festival meals, challa also means the portion of dough or bread that we are obligated to give to the cohen/priests during Temple times. Today, we burn a token portion (“challa”) of dough.
Note Burning the challa is not considered to violate bal tashchit (needless destruction), since the challa is separated and destroyed to fulfill a mitzva.
Introduction to Rosh Hashana
Rosh Hashana is the beginning of the Jewish calendar year (there are three other dates that begin other aspects of the Jewish year).
Rosh Hashana is observed for two days, which are considered to be one continuous day. In Temple times, a cohen would offer a sacrifice but might not know until the following evening, after the new moon had been seen (or not), whether he had offered the Rosh Hashana offering.
Rosh Hashana focuses on the idea of God as King and of our relationship as Jews to that King.
Rosh Hashana is observed for two days, which are considered to be one continuous day. In Temple times, a cohen would offer a sacrifice but might not know until the following evening, after the new moon had been seen (or not), whether he had offered the Rosh Hashana offering.
Rosh Hashana focuses on the idea of God as King and of our relationship as Jews to that King.