A Tradition Of Priests,Dvora Waysman

"Kohanim!" The word rings out like a commandment, and the crowd congregated at the Western Wall, the Kotel, stands shivering in the early morning light on the second day of Passover.

The Kohanim, descendants of the priestly Jewish tribe of Aaron, move in a cloud of white to stand in front of the Western Wall facing a mass of people. Hundreds assemble on this day to pronounce the priestly blessing. They cover their heads with their prayer shawls and become a swaying white sea, their arms extended with the first two fingers of each hand separated to form a fan − the mystic symbol of the Kohanim. Then, in unison, they intone the ancient priestly blessing:

"Blessed art Thou, O Lord our G-d, King of the Universe. Who has sanctified us with the sanctity of Aaron and has commanded us to bless Thy people, Israel, in love: The Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Lord make His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee, the Lord turn His face unto thee and give thee peace."

The men invoking the blessings are Israel's priests, descendants of Moses' brother Aaron, who was the first High Priest of Israel. Many people think the word "priest" has only Christian connotations, yet Jews have a tradition of priests that dates back to Biblical times. And even today, the priests perform essential functions.

At the time of the Temple in Jerusalem, they were the principal functionaries in the Temple. The position of Kohen is determined by birth, the line passing from father to son − and not necessarily only in families where the surname is "Cohen", as there are many variations. Before the First Temple was built in the 10th century BCE, it was the duty of the priests to carry the Holy Ark, even onto the battlefield. They were consulted on medical matters as well, and together with the elders, they were the judges. In the Second Temple period, only the Kohanim were allowed to offer sacrifices.

Today the Kohanim retain certain privileges and obligations. The "pidyon haben" ceremony is still observed, whereby a Kohen redeems the first-born son of every Jewish mother (except when that new mother is a bat kohen, the daughter of a kohen or of alevi or in other circumstances such as a miscarriage before the next viable birth or a c-section delivery).

Kohanim are subject to many more prohibitions than other Jews. A Kohen may not marry a divorced woman, a convert or the daughter of a non-Jewish father (even if the mother is Jewish.) He is also forbidden any direct contact with the dead and normally a Kohen does not even enter a cemetery or any enclosed structure containing a dead person.

Shaare Zedek, an Orthodox hospital in Jerusalem, posts a sign outside if a patient dies, so that Kohanim know not to enter until after the body has been removed.

The fact that the main highway from Jerusalem to Jericho was built by the Jordanians over a portion of the Mount of Olives cemetery has resulted in a religious prohibition against Kohanim using the road, and an alternative route has been provided especially for them.

The Kohen is always called up first to read the Torah in the synagogue; he is given the privilege of leading the grace after meals and of invoking the priestly blessing in the synagogue. But he loses these rights if he has killed a person, is intoxicated or if he has married a woman forbidden to him. He is also disqualified if he has certain physical deformities.

There is no way anyone can acquire priesthood except by birthright, inheriting it from one's father, grandfather, great-grandfather and so on, back to the time of the Temple. However, it is written in the book of Numbers 19: There are three crowns: priesthood, royalty and Torah. Aaron took the first, David the second. As to the third, it is available to anyone in the world who is worthy of it.

Every year since 1967, there is the mass gathering of the Kohanim in Jerusalem on the second day of Pesach. It is the hope of the Jews who come to be blessed, that this powerful concentration of priestly blessing will result in a year of safety and peace for all Israel.

Dvora Waysman's e-mail: ways@netvision.net.il; website: www.dvorawaysman.com

Dvora Waysman is a Jerusalem writer, and the author of nine books, including: The Pomegranate Pendant and Ester - a Jerusalem Love Story and Australian-born, she has lived in Israel with her family for 33 years, and can be reached at ways@netvision.net.il

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