Kohen Who Has Trouble Standing

by R. Daniel Mann

Question: I, an elderly kohen with weak legs and poor balance, walk with a cane. I walk up to duchen with a cane, stand near a wall, and lean during Birkat Kohanim (=BK). Is that valid? Can you suggest a good plan of action?

Answer: Asking your question takes bravery, as we understand that the prospect of not being able to duchen would be a great disappointment.

We will start with the strict requirements. BK must be done standing (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 128:14). The gemara (Sota 38a) learns this from the Torah’s connecting of the kohen’s beracha to his service in the Mikdash, which must be done standing. Because standing is a full requirement, if one leans on something during BK, it is invalid (Mishna Berura 128:51). However, one may lean a little, as long as removing the thing he is leaning on would not make him fall (see Zevachim 24a; Mishna Berura 94:22). It is also absolutely required for kohanim to lift their hands in the subscribed manner for BK (Shulchan Aruch ibid.; Sota 38a). This makes balance more difficult. You thus must figure out if you can use the wall for balance/security and “pass this test.”

Realize that there are legitimate corners to cut to help you qualify. The Mishna Berura (128:52) accepts the Ktav Sofer’s (OC 13) idea that the kohen needs to lift his hands only when he pronounces each individual word; he can rest in between. The same thing should be true regarding standing – one may lean as he likes in between pronouncing the words (Even Yisrael VII:10; Dirshu 128:70).

Let us rule out another question. A kohen may not duchen with blemishes on visible parts of the body because they distract the congregation’s attention (Shulchan Aruch ibid. 30). Arguably, people could view your cane as distracting. However, this is not a problem. First, this is a questionable assumption. Second, if people are used to a distraction, e.g., the situation has existed for 30 days, it is no longer distracting (ibid.). Furthermore, since the cane is not in your hand during BK, it is not a halachic issue.

We did not find discussion on the presumably most physically difficult part of the process – turning around during the beracha, which kohanim do with the hands already up. We will share two good solutions for this challenge, after discussing the practice of turning around. The most important parts of davening are done facing the aron kodesh, and it is improper, without a good reason, to stand with one’s back to it. However, Halacha made BK, at which the kohanim address the congregation, an exception (see Sota 40a). However, the kohanim turn to the congregation only when they need to, right before BK. The matter of timing of turning around and raising the hands is not intrinsic to BK, unlike the above matters. In fact, there is a machloket whether to turn around before the beracha (… asher kid’shanu … levarech …) or after it, and the present minhag is to turn in the middle of the beracha (see Aruch Hashulchan, OC 128:20). There is also a machloket whether to lift the hands before or after the beracha (see opinions in Va’ani Avarchem 19:2).

Given the fact that these questions of timing are just a matter of minhag, in your situation you can do what is physically best for you (you do not need to worry that other kohanim will resent your acting differently). Specifically, you can turn with everyone else, but holding your cane, and not raise your hands until you finish turning around and making the beracha. You can also turn, with the cane and at more leisure, before the beracha, and then put down the cane and raise your hands sometime before the BK itself.

In summary, you can appraise whether you can stand well enough at the critical times and figure out how to use legitimate corner cutters. You must make sure you are not endangering yourself concerning a dangerous fall. The wall may be a good solution, but something like a heavy shtender in front of you may be more effective and safer. Do not be embarrassed to ask for help to set things up best. Your lifetime of past and future berachot gives you rights!

לעילוי נשמת יואל אפרים בן אברהם עוזיאל זלצמן ז”ל