Bat Cohen Duchaning at a Conservative Shul

 

Question:

My conservative shul which allows bat cohanim to take the cohein alliyah, now wants to give them the right to duchaning. I plan to speak against this, but could use your help with the words as to why this is not equivalent.

I have been duchaning for decades but would not feel right to continue if this became a coed event.

 

Answer:

Unfortunately, we will not be able to assist in this question.

The trajectory of these movements are farther and farther away from true Torah Judaism. Even if you were successful, it might only be temporary, and you might be fighting a losing battle.

It is obvious why this is something that concerns you particularly, as Kohanim have a special privilege and responsibility to teach and spread Torah and Mitzvos, for which they have also been given special capacities (See letter of the Rebbe, 11 Sivan 5738). Indeed, the best way to be successful in this mission is through being a living example, coupled with “words coming from the heart”.

The privileges for Kohanim are there only because they were chosen by G-d; it is plainly obvious that from a scientific humanist perspective there is no reason to distinguish between one tribe and the other. The only advantage Kohanim have over other tribes is purely because G-d said so. For man to interfere with these G-d-given rights and create his own man-made innovations defies logic.

It baffles me why someone would belong to a place of worship which designs its own set of rules how to worship G-d, contrary to His very own guidelines and to His desire.

Say one’s wife loves cake but not ice-cream, would the husband be honoring her by offering her ice-cream? Not only is he not showing affection, but he is also actually mocking and degrading her.

I suggest you seek out a synagogue which worships G-d in the manner He prescribed.

P.S. Needless to say that in a deeper sense and insofar as the content of these matters is concerned, daughters of kohanim also partake in the special privilege of kohanim, who have been blessed with special qualities to be a source of influence for all the Jewish people (though this special status is specifically expressed in certain mitzvos which are incumbent upon male kohanim, such as birkas kohanim/priestly blessing). All the more so as there is the hereditary aspect of a child taking over much of the qualities and characteristics of the parents (based on letter of the Rebbe, 10 Adar 5734).

 

 

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