kohen
Sign in to saveAlso known as cohen, kohanim
Kohen (, ; , ) is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. They are traditionally believed, and halakhically required, to be of direct patrilineal descent from the biblical Aaron (also Aharon), brother of Moses, and thus belong to the Tribe of Levi.
~24 min read
Encyclopedic overview
24 sectionsContents
- Name
- Individuals and history
- Ancient roles
- Laws and duties
- Vestments
- Torah instruction
- High Priest
- Twenty-four kohanic divisions
- Qualifications and disqualifications
- Modern practice
- Synagogue ''aliyah''
- Priestly blessing
- Pidyon haben (redemption of the firstborn)
- Marital restrictions
- Other laws
- Bat kohen
- Genetics
- Surnames
- Outside Judaism
- In popular culture
- See also
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
Kohen (, ; , ) is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. They are traditionally believed, and halakhically required, to be of direct patrilineal descent from the biblical Aaron (also Aharon), brother of Moses, and thus belong to the Tribe of Levi.
During the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem (and previously the Tabernacle), kohanim performed the Temple sacrificial offerings, which were only permitted to be offered by them. Following its destruction, it seems that most of them joined the Synagogal Jewish movement before adopting gradually Rabbinic Judaism, other types of Judaism, Christianity or Islam. Today, kohanim retain a lesser though distinct status within Rabbinic and Karaite Judaism, including certain honors and restrictions.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “kohen” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.