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Kohen (Hebrew:כֹּהֵן,romanized: kōhēn,pronounced[koˈ(h)en];pl.כֹּהֲנִים,kōhănīm,[ko(h)aˈnim]) is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronicpriesthood, also calledAaronites orAaronides.[1] They are traditionally believed, andhalakhically required, to be of directpatrilineal descent from the biblicalAaron (alsoAharon), brother ofMoses, and thus belong to theTribe of Levi.[2]
During the existence of theTemple in Jerusalem (and previously theTabernacle),kohanim performed the Templesacrificial offerings, which were only permitted to be offered by them. Followingits destruction, it seems that most of them joined theSynagogal Jewish movement before adopting graduallyRabbinic Judaism, other types of Judaism,Christianity orIslam.[3] Today,kohanim retain a lesser though distinct status withinRabbinic andKaraite Judaism, including certain honors and restrictions.
In theSamaritan community, the kohanim have remained the primary religious leaders.[citation needed]Ethiopian Jewish religious leaders are calledkahen, and do similar works to the kohanim.[citation needed]
The wordkohen originally derives from aSemitic root common at least to theCentral Semitic languages. In the ancient polytheistic religion ofPhoenicia, the word for priest waskhn (𐤊𐤄𐤍). The cognateArabic wordكاهن (kāhin) means "priest".[4]
Thenounkohen is used in theBible to refer topriests, whether Jewish or pagan (such as thekohanim ofBaal orDagon),[5] although Christian priests are referred to in modern Hebrew by the termkomer (כומר).[6]Kohanim can also refer to the Jewish nation as a whole, as inExodus 19:6, where the whole of Israel is addressed as a "priestly kingdom (or: kingdom of priests) and a holy nation".
InTargum Yonatan, interpretive translations of the wordkohen include "friend",[7] "master",[8] and "servant".[9] Other interpretations include "minister" (Mechilta toParshah Jethro, Exodus 18:1–20:23).
The early books of the Bible mention severalpagan priests, such asPotipherah,[10] the other priests of Egypt,[11] andJethro.[12]
The non-Jewish priestMelchitzedek, however, is described as worshipping the same God asAbraham.[13] Later Jewish sources even discuss the possibility that Melchitzedek's family could have served as priests for the future Jewish nation, though in the end this did not happen.[14]
Jewish priests are first mentioned inExodus 19. Here God offered the entire Jewish people the opportunity to become a symbolic "kingdom of priests and a holy nation".[15] More practically, though, in this chapter "the priests who approach the Lord" were warned to stay away fromMount Sinai during the revelation of theTen Commandments.[16] The identity of these priests is not specified. According to many later Jewish sources, the firstborn son in each family served as priests, starting in the period of thepatriarchs.[17]
Nevertheless, shortly after the Sinai revelation,Aaron and his sons were chosen to be the priests.[18] The exclusive possession of the priesthood by Aaron's descendants was known as thepriestly covenant. Many commentators assert that the firstborns lost their status due to their participation in thegolden calf sin.[17] A number of reasons have been suggested for why Aaron and his descendants were chosen instead:[19]
Moses, too, performed sacrificial services before the completion of Aaron's consecration,[25] and arguably is once called a "priest" in the Bible,[26] but his descendants were not priests.[27]
Since Aaron was a descendant of theTribe of Levi, priests are sometimes included in the termLevites, by direct patrilineal descent. However, not all Levites are priests.
During the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and until theHoly Temple was built inJerusalem, the priests performed their priestly service in the portableTabernacle.[28]
Priestly duties involved offering the Templesacrifices, and delivering thePriestly Blessing. When the Temple existed, most sacrifices and offerings could only be conducted by priests. Non-priest Levites (i.e. those who descended fromLevi but not from Aaron) performed a variety of other Temple roles, includingritual slaughter of sacrificial animals, song service by use of voice and musical instruments, and various tasks in assisting the priests in performing their service.
The kohanim were not granted any ancestral land to own.[29] Instead, they were compensated for their service to the nation and in the Temple through thetwenty-four kohanic gifts.[30] Most of these gifts are related to Temple sacrifices, or else the agricultural produce of theLand of Israel (such asterumah). A notable gift which is given even in theJewish diaspora is the fiveshekels of thepidyon haben ceremony.
TheTorah provides for specific vestments to be worn by the priests when they are ministering in theTabernacle: "And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for dignity and for beauty".[31] These garments are described inExodus 28,Exodus 39 andLeviticus 8. The high priest wore eight holy garments (bigdei kodesh). Of these, four were of the same type worn by all priests and four were unique to the high priest.
Those vestments which were common to all priests were:
The vestments that were unique to the high priest were:
In addition to the above "golden garments", thehigh priest also had a set of white "linen garments" (bigdei ha-bad) which he wore only for theYom Kippur Temple service.[33] The linen garments were only four in number, corresponding to the garments worn by all priests (undergarments, tunic, sash and turban), but made only of white linen, with no embroidery. They could be worn only once, new sets being made each year.
A priest would serve barefoot in the Temple, and would immerse in amikvah before vesting, and wash his hands and his feet before performing any sacred act. TheTalmud teaches that priests were only fit to perform their duties when wearing their priestly vestments,[34] and that the vestments achieveatonement forsin, just assacrifices do.[35]
According to theTalmud, the wearing of thePriestly golden head plateatoned for thesin of arrogance on the part of theChildren of Israel (B.Zevachim 88b) and she also symbolizes that the high priest bears the lack of all the offerings and gifts of the sons of Israel. And it must be constantly on his head for the good pleasure of God towards them (Exodus 28:38).
Numerous Biblical passages attest to the role of the priests in teachingTorah to the people and in issuing judgment. Later rabbinic statements elaborate on these roles. However, the priest's religious authority is not automatic: even abastard who is a scholar takes precedence over an ignoranthigh priest.[38]
In every generation when the Temple was standing, one kohen would be singled out to perform the functions of the High Priest (Hebrewkohen gadol). His primary task was theDay of Atonement service. Another unique task of the high priest was the offering of a daily meal sacrifice; he also held the prerogative to supersede any priest and offer any offering he chose. Although theTorah retains a procedure to select a High Priest when needed, in the absence of the Temple in Jerusalem, there is no High Priest in Judaism today.
According to1 Chronicles 24:3–5, KingDavid divided the priests into 24priestly divisions (Heb. משמרות,mishmarot). Each division would perform the Temple service for one week in a 24-week cycle, with all divisions eligible to serve on holidays. According to theTalmud, this was an expansion of a previous division, by Moses, into 8 (or 16) divisions.[39]
Following the destruction of theSecond Temple, and the displacement to theGalilee of the bulk of the remaining Jewish population after theBar Kokhba revolt, Jewish tradition in theTalmud and poems from the period record that the descendants of each priestly watch established a separate residential seat in towns and villages of the Galilee, and maintained this residential pattern for at least several centuries in anticipation of the reconstruction of the Temple and reinstitution of the cycle of priestly courses. In subsequent years, there was a custom of publicly recalling everyShabbat in the synagogues the courses of the priests, a practice that reinforced the prestige of the priests' lineage.[40] Following this destruction, it seems that most of them joined theSynagogal Jewish movement ; before being gradually converted towardsRabbinic Judaism andChristianity.[3]
Although kohanim may assume their duties once they reached physical maturity, the fraternity of kohanim generally would not allow young kohanim to begin service until they reached the age of twenty[41] or thirty.[42] There was no mandatory retirement age. Only when a kohen became physically infirm could he no longer serve.[43]
A kohen may become disqualified from performing his service for a host of reasons, includingritual impurity,[44] prohibited marriages, and certain physical blemishes.[45] The kohen is never permanently disqualified from service, but may return to his normal duties once the disqualification ceases.
Since the destruction of theSecond Temple, Jewish priests have not performed sacrificial services. However, they retain a formal and public ceremonial role in synagogue prayer services, as well as some other unique religious duties and privileges. These special roles have been maintained inOrthodox Judaism, and sometimes inConservative Judaism.Reform Judaism does not afford any special status or recognition to kohanim.
When theTorah reading is performed in synagogue, it is divided into a number of sections. Traditionally, a kohen (if one is present) is called for the first section (aliyah), a Levite for the second reading, and an "Israelite" (non-kohen, non-levite) for all succeeding portions. If no Levite is present, the kohen is called for the second aliyah as well. TheMaftir portion may be given to someone from any of the three groups.
The kohanim participating in an Orthodox and some other styles of traditional Jewish prayer service also deliver the priestly blessing during the repetition of theAmidah prayer.[46] They perform this service by standing and facing the crowd in the front of the congregation, with their arms held outwards and their hands and fingers in a specific formation, with a Jewish prayer shawl orTalit covering their heads and outstretched hands so that their fingers cannot be seen. Kohanim living in Israel and many Sephardic Jews living in areas outside Israel deliver the priestly blessing daily; Ashkenazi Jews living outside Israel deliver it only on major Jewish holidays.
Outside the synagogue, the kohen leads thepidyon haben ceremony. This redemption of the first born son is based on the Torah commandment, "all the first-born of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem".[47]
Leviticus 21:7 prohibits marriage between a kohen and certain classes of women. According torabbinic law, these classes include divorcees, non-Jews, converts (who were previously non-Jews), and women who have previously engaged in certain forbidden sexual relationships (even if involuntary, i. e., rape).[48] If a kohen did have relations with any of these women, the offspring are described as "profaned" (male:challal, female:challalah); their status is nearly identical to a normal Jew, while thechallalah herself is one of the categories which a kohen may not marry.[49]
Rape poses an especially poignant problem. The pain experienced by the families of kohanim who were required to divorce their wives as the result of the rapes accompanying the capture of Jerusalem is alluded to in this Mishnah:
If a woman were imprisoned by non-Jews concerning money affairs, she is permitted to her husband, but if for some capital offense, she is forbidden to her husband. If a town were overcome by besieging troops, all women of priestly stock found in it are ineligible [to be married to priests or to remain married to priests], but if they had witnesses, even a male or female slave, these may be believed. But no man may be believed for himself. Rabbi Zechariah ben Hakatsab said, "By this Temple, her hand did not stir from my hand from the time the non-Jews entered Jerusalem until they went out." They said to him: No man may give evidence of himself.[50]
Orthodox Judaism recognizes these rules as still binding, and Orthodox rabbis will not perform a marriage between a kohen and a divorced woman.[51] This is the attitude of theIsraeli rabbinate, with the result that a kohen cannot legally marry a divorced or converted woman in theState of Israel. (However, if such a marriage were performed outside Israel, it would be recognized as a valid marriage by the Israeli state.[51])
Conservative Judaism has issued an emergencytakanah (rabbinical edict) temporarily suspending the application of the rules in their entirety, on the grounds that the high intermarriage rate threatens the survival of Judaism, and, hence, that any marriage between Jews is welcomed.[52] Thetakanah declares that the offspring of such marriages are to be regarded as kohanim.[52]
To this day, kohanim keep the prohibition (Leviticus 21:1–4) against becomingritually impure through proximity to a corpse (within the same room, at a cemetery, and elsewhere), except when the deceased is his immediate family member. Some Jewish cemeteries have special facilities to permit kohanim to participate in funerals or visit graves without becoming impure.[53]
Thepresumption of priestly descent is used to help identify kohanim.
Other Jews are commanded torespect the priesthood in certain ways. One of these ways is that priests (and in their absence, occasionally Levites) are the first offered the opportunity to leadBirkat Hamazon. Unlike the general rule for aliyot, this offer - which is only a requirement according to some Rabbinic opinions - may be declined. There are other rules regarding the honoring of kohanim, even in the absence of the Temple, but generally these are waived (if they are even offered) by the kohen.
Kohen is a status that traditionally refers to men, passed from father to son. However, abat kohen (the daughter of a priest) holds a special status in theHebrew Bible andrabbinical texts. She is entitled to a number of rights and is encouraged to abide by specified requirements, for example, entitlement to consume some of thepriestly gifts, and an increased value for herketubah.
In modern times, Orthodox and many Conservative rabbis maintain the position that only a man can act as a kohen, and that a daughter of a kohen is recognized as abat kohen only in those limited ways that have been identified in the past. Accordingly, in Orthodox Judaism only men can perform thePriestly Blessing and receive the firstaliyah during the public Torah reading.
However, some Conservative rabbis give the kohen's daughter equal priestly status to a (male) kohen. As a result, some Conservative synagogues permit a kohen's daughter to perform the Priestly Blessing and the Pidyon HaBen ceremony, and to receive the firstaliyah during the Torah reading.
Because mostReform andReconstructionist temples have abolished traditional tribal distinctions, roles, and identities on grounds of egalitarianism, a special status for abat kohen has very little significance in these movements.
Since theY chromosome is inherited only from one's father (biological females have no Y chromosome), all direct male lineages share a commonhaplotype. Thus, ifkohanim share a direct male lineage to Aaron, one would expect to see a high level of commonality among theirY chromosomes.
Since 1997, a number of genetic studies have been done on this topic, using testing data from across sectors of the Jewish and non-Jewish populations. The results of these studies have been interpreted by various parties as either confirming or disproving the traditions of uniform descent.[citation needed]
As both kohen status and (in many societies) last names are patrilineal, there is often a relationship between the two. But this is not always the case: although descendants of kohanim often bear surnames that reflect their genealogy, many families with the surname Cohen (or a variation) are not kohanim, nor even Jewish. Conversely, many kohanim do not have Cohen as a surname.[54]
Names often associated with kohanim include:
In contemporary Israel, "Moshe Cohen" is the equivalent of "John Smith" in English-speaking countries – i.e., proverbially the most common of names.[citation needed]
According tothe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, either "literal descendants of Aaron", or worthyMelchizedek priesthood holders have the legal right to constitute thePresiding Bishopric under the authority of theFirst Presidency (Section 68:16–20). To date, all men who have served on the Presiding Bishopric have been Melchizedek priesthood holders, and none have been publicly identified as descendants of Aaron. See alsoMormonism and Judaism.
The positioning of the kohen's hands during thePriestly Blessing wasLeonard Nimoy's inspiration forMr. Spock'sVulcan salute in theoriginalStar Trek television series. Nimoy, raised an Orthodox Jew (but not a kohen), used the salute when saying, "Live long and prosper."
The Priestly Blessing was used byLeonard Cohen in his farewell blessing during "Whither Thou Goest", the closing song on his concerts. Leonard Cohen himself was from a kohen family. He also used the drawing of the Priestly Blessing as one of his logos.
