An Aging Problem?
‘I Have Chosen Him To Stand, But Not To Sit’
(Zevachim 23b)
As mentioned in the first perek (supra 8b), only those sacrificial procedures and requirements that the Torah repeats are essential to the validity of a korban. If a requirement is mentioned only once, it is a mitzvah to perform that procedure, but, ipso facto, if one did not, the korban is valid.
The Gemara cites two scriptural sources for the requirement that a kohen must perform the avodah while standing: “la’amod l’sha’res – to stand to serve” (Devarim 18:5) and “ha’omdim – who stand” (Devarim 18:7).
Except For Kings
Tosafos (supra 16a s.v. “meyushav talmid chacham”) questions the necessity of both sources since the Gemara (Yoma 25a) states that there is a general prohibition against sitting in the azarah (unless one is a king of the Davidic dynasty). If one may not sit, one must stand. So this prohibition against sitting should already count as one source for the necessity to stand. What need is there for two additional sources?
Tosafos answers that although it is prohibited to sit in the azarah, prostration is permitted. That’s why two additional sources are needed.
The Gemara (Sotah 38a) equates birkas kohanim with avoda in the Mikdash because the Torah juxtaposes the two: “la’amod le’shares.” Just as a kohen is required to stand during avodah, he is also required to stand during birkas kohanim. The Gemara (Arachin 11a) derives from the same words, “la’amod le’sha’res” (in a play on the words “sha’res” and “shira”), that shira – the hymnal chants accompanying the korbanos – must also be performed while standing, and birkas kohanim is compared through a hekesh to shira.
An Elderly Kohen Sitting And Blessing
Rabbi Yechezkel Landau (Responsa Noda Bi’Yehuda, first edition: 5) was asked if a kohen can go up to duchan if he is elderly and can’t properly lift up his hands as required. He replied that not being able to properly lift one’s hands constitutes a mum (blemish) and adds that the avodah of any kohen who can’t stand is invalidated.
An Accommodation
Responsa Shevus Yaakov (vol. 2:1, cited by the Noda Bi’Yehuda) rules to the contrary. We must accommodate elderly kohanim because any kohen who doesn’t go up for Birkat Kohanim violates three positive commands. Thus, if a kohen can’t stand, we allow him to sit.
Siding With Majority
Ba’er Heitev (Orach Chayyim 128:25) cites the Yad Aharon and Knesses Ha’Gedola, which maintain that the kohen must violate the three positive commands rather than commit the one negative command.
The Mishnah Berurah (ad loc. sk51), citing many authorities, rules that even leaning (on a table or cane) is considered sitting and prohibited.