סימן ק סעיף א
מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה מִן הַתּוֹרָה עַל הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁיְבָרְכוּ אֶת הָעָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, כֹּה תְבָרְכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל. וְכָל כֹּהֵן שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מִדְּבָרִים הַמְעַכְּבִים אוֹתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה לַדּוּכָן, עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה. וְאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁקּוֹרְאִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, אָמוֹר לָהֶם וְתִרְגֵּם אוֹנְקְלוֹס, כַּד תֵּימְרוּן לְהוֹן, (וְעַיֵּן לְקַמָּן סָעִיף ח'). וְהַמִּנְהָג בִּמְדִינוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁאֵין נְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם אֶלָּא בְּיוֹם טוֹב, מִשּׁוּם דְּאָז שְׁרוּיִּים בְּשִׂמְחַת יוֹם טוֹב, וּבְיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים יֵשׁ בּוֹ שִׂמְחַת מְחִילָה וּסְלִיחָה, וְטוֹב לֵב הוּא יְבָרֵךְ (וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סִימָן מ"ה סָעִיף ה'), מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּשְׁאָר יָמִים, אֲפִלּוּ בְּשַׁבָּתוֹת הַשָּׁנָה, שֶׁטְּרוּדִים בְּהִרְהוּרִים עַל מִחְיָתָם וְעַל בִּטּוּל מְלַאכְתָּם. וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּיוֹם טוֹב אֵין נוֹשְׂאִין כַּפֵּיהֶם אֶלָּא בִּתְפִלַּת מוּסָף, שֶׁיּוֹצְאִין אַחַר כָּךְ מִבֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְיִשְׂמְחוּ בְּשִׂמְחַת יוֹם טוֹב (וְעַיֵּן לְקַמָּן סִימָן קל"ח סָעִיף ח'). עוֹד נוֹהֲגִין בִּמְדִינוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁבְּיוֹם טוֹב שֶׁחָל לִהְיוֹת בַּשַׁבָּת, אֵין נְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם, אֶלָּא בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ חָל בַּשַׁבָּת, נוֹשְׂאִין כַּפֵּיהֶם. וְיֵשׁ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁנוֹהֲגִין שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם טוֹב, אֲפִלּוּ חָל בַּשַׁבָּת, נוֹשְׂאִין כַּפֵּיהֶם, וְכֵן נָכוֹן יוֹתֵר.
It is a positive commandment of the Torah1Even in our times. (See Magein Avraham 128:41, Peri Megadim etc., unlike the Penei Yehoshua, Maseches Kesubos 24b and Yeshuos Yaakov, who assert that it is de’oraisa only in the Beis Hamikdash.) for the kohanim to bless the people, as it is said: "This is how you must bless the Children of Israel."2Numbers 6:23. Any kohein who is not disqualified and does not go up to the duchan3Platform. It is traditionally built in front of the Holy Ark on the East side of the synagogue. The platform is not essential for the mitzvah, but the Eshel Avraham (Butchatch) says it is preferable. However, the Rambam makes no mention of it in the laws concerning the architecture of a synagogue. violates a positive commandment.4Shulchan Aruch 128:2. (Rambam) But he is not in violation, unless he is called upon to do so,5Maseches Sotah 38a. It is sufficient to call out kohanim or to tell them to wash their hands (at the appropriate time). as it is said: "Say to them,"6The command is stated in the plural. Therefore, they are to be summoned only when there are at least two kohanim. But if there is only one kohein, he pronounces the blessings without being summoned. (Shulchan Aruch 128:10.) and the Targum translates: "When they tell you." It is the custom in our regions7This is the custom throughout most of the Diaspora. In Eretz Yisroel, some cities have the blessings on Shabbos, too, while in Jerusalem they are pronounced daily. The custom of the Jews of Seforad is to have the blessings daily. It is also the custom of the Yeshivos, even those not in Jerusalem. that the kohanim bless the people only on Yom Tov because then, people rejoice Yom Tov,8The source for the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch’s ruling is the Ramah 128:44. and it is said that a happy heart will bless, and on Yom Kippur there is (also) rejoicing over the forgiveness and pardon [of our sins]. This is not true on other days. Even on the Shabbos days of the whole year, people are worried about their livelihood and about being idle from work. And even on Yom Tov, they only bless the people during the musaf service, because they will soon leave the synagogue and rejoice in the joy of Yom Tov. We are accustomed in our regions that [even] when Yom Tov occurs on Shabbos, the kohanim do not bless the people9See Magein Avraham 128:70, Yeshuos Yaakov, Yosef Da’as (responsa) for various explanations for this custom. except on Yom Kippur; for even if it occurs on Shabbos, they bless the people. There are communities that have the custom, that on every Yom Tov, even when it occurs on Shabbos, the kohanim bless the people; and this is more correct.10Taz 128:38, Shulchan Aruch Harav.
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא שנאמר הליכות עולם לו אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות (נדה ע"ג.)