Should a Mourning Kohen Leave the Synagogue Before the Torah Reading
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Question
A mourning Kohen on a weekday, should he leave the place of prayer before the Torah reading due to his deficiency?
Answer
Since he is forbidden to be called to the Torah, he should leave the synagogue before the reading, and an Israelite or a Levite should be called in his place. If he is unaware of this law, he should be told to leave.
Source
In the responsa Teshuvot Tashbetz, Part 2, Siman 276, it is written: "On weekdays, he should not be called to the Torah because he is forbidden to study Torah all seven days of mourning. And although on Tisha B'Av we read the Torah related to the day's theme, old mourning differs from new mourning. There is no need to leave the synagogue because it is not a deficiency of the Kohen if an Israelite is called in his place, as everyone knows that due to mourning, he is forbidden to read the Torah.
However, in Mishnah Berurah, Siman 135, S"K 45, it is written: "A Kohen who is in mourning and there is no other Kohen in the synagogue on Shabbat, it is permitted to call him to the Torah so that it does not appear as public mourning, but on weekdays he should not be called because mourning forbids Torah study. Nevertheless, both on weekdays and Shabbat, it is better that he first leaves the synagogue, and an Israelite or Levite is called in place of the Kohen."