Security was noticeably extra tight as over 50,000 people flocked to the Kosel on Sunday morning, the third day of Chol Hamoed in Eretz Yisrael, for Birchas Kohanim.
Thousands of Israel Police and Border Police officers were deployed to the area to ensure visitors’ safety.
Although tens of thousands of Jews participated in the tefillah, photos of the Kosel from afar show a noticeably smaller crowd than past years.
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6 Responses
עמך ישראל קדושים הם
Ok. So I look at these pics and I want to know if the birkas kohanim is proper according to Halacha. I see adults and kids hanging out with the kohanim side by side while in an American Shul, or any Shul for that matter, non-kohanim have to evacuate the eastern wall. Which one is proper?
Magnetic bless klal
Is the birchas kohanim at the kosel according to Halacha? I see adults and teens intermingled with the kohanim during the birchas kohanim.
Wisesage,
As long as he’s in front of one kohen I don’t think it would be a problem
WiseSage: See Shulhan Aruch O.H. 124,24: The people behind the Kohanim are not included in the blessing, unless they have no choice but to be there. In this case, they are stuck where they find themselves. Also, they are in front of some of the Kohanim.