Birkas Kohanim in minhag Ashkenaz

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11 Jun 2008 13:30 #366 by Litvak
Birkas Kohanim in minhag Ashkenaz was created by Litvak
Can you tell us about some aspects of Birkas Kohanim in minhag Ashkenaz that people may not see elsewhere ?

Also, I believe that according to such minhag, it is not done daily, rather only on Yom tov (even in Eretz Yisroel). Are there kehillos in Eretz Yisroel that follow this aspect of minhag Ashkenaz today ?

Litvak

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12 Jun 2008 01:13 #368 by Michael
Replied by Michael on topic Birkas Kohanim in minhag Ashkenaz
Minhag Frankfurt is that Birkas Cohanim is said in Yomim Tovim and Yomim Noro'im both on Shacharis and on Musaf. The Cohen and the Chazzan sing together different melodies that have to do with the special day. For example, on Shovu'os the Shacharis Birkas Cohanim is done in the melody of Shovu'os (like the Kaddish melody in this link ), and the Musaf (in Eretz yisro'el, and in Chutz lo'oretz on second day) is done in the "Meisim" melody - the melody of "Matnas Yad".
The Chazzan starts the melody and says יברכך, and the Cohen continues the melody and says יברכך. Then השם is said with no melody, and again the Chazzan starts again the melody and says וישמרך, and the Cohen sings the whole melody from the beginning till the end and says וישמרך. The same pattern is done in יאר, when in פניו they both continue the melody and by ויחנך the Cohen sings the whole melody from the beginning till the end (in that time the congregation says the רבונו של עולם).

In Eretz Yisro'el the Minhag is to say Birkas Cohanim every day, but only on Yomim Tovim we sing the brocho (as seen in the nusachproject). See also this post .
In Haifa and the Galilee there is a minhag to say Birkas Cohanim only on Shabbos, or only on Musaf (including Rosh Chodesh), but I'm not aware of any place in Eretz Yisro'el that Birkas Cohanim is done only on Yomim Tovim.

Michael

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20 Jun 2008 15:03 #392 by Litvak
Replied by Litvak on topic Birkas Kohanim in minhag Ashkenaz
Following up on the response -

1) "Minhag Frankfurt is that Birkas Cohanim is said in Yomim Tovim and Yomim Noro'im both on Shacharis and on Musaf."

So that means that at your Shul you do birkas Kohanim on those days twice (and not at neilah on Yom Hakippurim) and on Shabbos and Yom tov and Rosh chodesh only once, at mussaf ?

2) You wrote that "In Eretz Yisro'el the Minhag is to say Birkas Cohanim every day", but you also wrote that "In Haifa and the Galilee there is a minhag to say Birkas Cohanim only on Shabbos, or only on Musaf (including Rosh Chodesh)".

How do you reconcile those two statements ?

Where does the minhag Haifa and Galilee you cite come from ? How widely is it practiced, and by whom?

3) Do the leviyim wash the hands of the kohanim only on Shabbos and Yomtov, or always ? Is there a special keli or keilim for this washing, as I have heard there is at KAJ WH ? Is there a goral for it, to choose which leviyim do it, as I have heard there some do (perhaps KAJ WH again) ?

Many thanks for all the interesting information and work you contribute.

Litvak

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20 Jun 2008 16:46 #396 by Michael
Replied by Michael on topic Birkas Kohanim in minhag Ashkenaz
I'm Sorry I may not have been clear, I'll try to make an order:
1) Minhag Frankfurt is to have Birkas Cohnim on Shacharis and Musaf of Yomim Tovim and Yomim Noro'im and also on Ne'iloh of Yom Kippur (and then they Duchan even if it is night already, Maharil). On Shabbos Birkas Cohanim is not said at all.
In KAYJ we follow the Minhag of Eretz Yisroe'l regarding Birkas Cohanim, and have it on every Shacharis, weekdays and Shabbos, in every Musaf, in Mincho of Ta'aneisim, and of course Ne'iloh. But we sing Birkas Cohanim only on Yomim Tovim and Yomim Noro'im (which means only at times Birkas Cohanim is said in Frankfurt).

2) Haifa and the Galilee have their own Minhag, unlike the rest of Eretz Yisroel, to Duchan only on Musaf (on Rosh Chodesh, Chol Hamo'ed, Shabbos and Yomim Tovim, and in Yom Kippur also at Ne'iloh). This minhag is practiced by almost everyone there (as Minhag Hamokom), Ashkenazim, Sephardim and Chassidim. There is a Yeshivoh there that started Duchaning on Shacharis and weekdays too, so their Talmidim do the same, but they are the only exception. Rav Hamburger told me this minhag was started by the chassidim who came to Eretz Yisro'el a bitmore than 200 years ago, and it is according to Ba'al Hatanyoh.

3) The Leviyyim wash hands for the Cohanim every time they Duchan, including Mincho of Tish'oh Be'av.

We don't have yet special Keilim for washing. In the architectural plans for the new building we planed out a special nice sink for the Cohanim.(Now they use the general sink in the entrance). Donations are always appreciated!

Michael

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