Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Gra's failed attempt to restore daily Birkas Kohanim

Rabbi Daniel Travis  During the time of the Rishonim, a group of prominent Ashkenazic rabbis decreed that Birkas Kohanim should be recited only during Yamim Tovim (Responsa Beis Ephraim 6). The exact reasons for this decision are not known, but it is likely that it was connected to the intense hardships that their communities were experiencing at that time, which did not allow for them to feel joy. This ruling is upheld until this day and, outside of Israel, Ashkenazim recite Birkas Kohanim only on Yom Tov (Rema 128,44).

The Vilna Gaon and his students tried very hard to reinstate the daily Birkas Kohanim, but many obstacles blocked their efforts. In one instance the Vilna Gaon was arrested on false charges the day before a public Birkas Kohanim was planned. Rav Chaim of Volozhin, the Gaon’s closest disciple, once tried as well. The night before the planned event, fire razed half the town of Volozhin, including the shul where Birkas Kohanim was planned (as cited in Responsa Mashiv Davar 2,104 and Aruch Hashulchan 128,64). Eventually these attempts were abandoned.

ערוך השולחן אורח חיים הלכות תפילה סימן קכח

סעיף סד
והנה ודאי אין שום טעם נכון למנהגינו לבטל מצות עשה דברכת כהנים כל השנה כולה וכתבו דמנהג גרוע הוא אבל מה נעשה וכאלו בת קול יצא שלא להניח לנו לישא כפים בכל השנה כולה ומקובלני ששני גדולי הדור בדורות שלפנינו כל אחד במקומו רצה להנהיג נשיאת כפים בכל יום וכשהגבילו יום המוגבל לזה נתבלבל הענין ולא עלה להם ואמרו שרואים כי מן השמים נגזרה כן ומצד הדין י"ל ע"פ מ"ש בסעיף מ"ט ע"פ הזוהר דבעינן שמחה דומיא דאהרן ובניו בשמיני למילואים ולזה נאמר כה תברכו אמנם זה שהיה מנהג מקדם דיו"ט שחל בשבת לא היו נושאים כפיהם כבר נתבטל בימינו כי אין במנהג זה טעם וריח כמו שהאריכו מפרשי הש"ע בזה [ט"ז סקל"ז ומג"א סק"ע] ובעל קרי מותר בנשיאת כפים [ב"י] והמחמיר לטבול תבא עליו ברכה אמנם בא"י ובמצרים ובכל אזיא נושאים הכהנים כפיהם בכל יום: 

3 comments:

  1. The Vilna Gaon in Ma'aseh Rav Hashalem (p. 276) writes:

    "If I would be successful, in accomplishing two things, I would be idle from Torah and T'fillah and go from city to city [to get them accepted]. One is to eliminate the prohibition of Rabbeinu Gershom against taking two wives for with this the G'ulah (final redemption) will become closer, and the second that they should have bircas Cohanim every day."

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  2. The headline of this post is misleading or wrong. After all, the GRA's talmidim who moved to Eretz Yisroel shortly after his petira were indeed successful in restoring daily Birkas Kohanim in EY (among Ashkenazim.)

    Now, we should work on the GRA's parallel goal when attempting to restore Birkas Kohanim. Namely, we should work on eliminating the decree of not having two wives. Doing so (like restoring Birkas Kohanim), said the GRA, will bring Moshiach closer.

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    Replies
    1. REMEMBER ITS IMPORTANT TO HAVE TWO WIVES - IN THESE ECONOMIC TIMES ONE CAN NOT LIVE ON JUST ONE INCOME
      THE PUNISHMENT FOR TWO WIVES IS TWO MOTHER IN LAWS

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