The Departure of a Mourning Kohen When There is No Priestly Blessing if There Aren't Ten Listeners
This question and answer were automatically translated using our trained AI and have not yet been reviewed by a qualified rabbi. Please treat this translation with caution.
go to original →
Question
Prayer in the house of mourning where there is a minimal minyan, and the kohen is in mourning, who is required to leave the synagogue during the Priestly Blessing (according to the Jerusalem custom where those not in mourning bless the kohanim in the house of mourning), but if he leaves the room, there will not be ten to hear the repetition of the chazan. What is the correct procedure?
Answer
If there are no other kohanim besides him who are not in mourning, he does not need to leave and can remain during the chazan's repetition since the Priestly Blessing is not recited. However, if there are others: if there is one kohen who is not in mourning, the mourning kohen should leave until "Modim", and if there are two other kohanim who are not in mourning, he should leave until "Ritzeh" and immediately return for the Priestly Blessing since the Priestly Blessing cannot be recited with less than ten.
Source
When there is no other kohen but him: he does not need to leave, as written by the Ateret Zekenim: "And similarly, if there is no other kohen but him, he also should not raise his hands, but he does not need to leave the synagogue, as they do not call kohanim, and the one who washes hands should not come to him, and then he does not transgress the commandment as explained in paragraph 20."
When there are other kohanim: in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Siman 128, paragraph 4, it is written: "When the kohanim do not wish to ascend to the platform, they do not need to remain outside the synagogue except at the moment when the chazan calls: kohanim, but so that they are not said to be defective, it is customary not to enter the synagogue until the Priestly Blessing is completed." In Mishnah Berurah, there, S"K 12, it is written that one should leave at "Ritzeh". Therefore, they leave at "Ritzeh", and even if when they leave there will not be ten, as explained in Shulchan Aruch, Siman 55, if they started with ten and some left, the chazan can continue and finish. However, the Priestly Blessing must be with ten as explained in Shulchan Aruch, Siman 128, paragraph 1. And even if they started with ten, as explained in Mishnah Berurah, Siman 55, S"K 10.
If there is only one kohen, they can return immediately after "Ritzeh" at the beginning of "Modim", since they will not call kohanim. However, when there are two kohanim, and they will call kohanim, they return after the calling of kohanim.
And although kohanim who do not bless the Priestly Blessing are accustomed to remain outside during the entire Priestly Blessing due to their defect, here, when the Priestly Blessing would be canceled, this concern is overridden, and furthermore, everyone knows they are leaving because he is in mourning, and there is no concern of defect.