The entire tribe of Levi was separated for the service of HaShem. Kohanim, however, are granted an extra elevation, in that they are holy to HaShem.
Korach’s claim was that “the entire nation is holy, and HaShem is among them.” If the whole nation is holy, a tallis that is entirely techeiles, the special status of Kohanim is unjustified. Moshe’s retort, however, was that the nation of Israel is a hierarchy, and not all groups are equivalent. The Kohanim are indeed holy, and although the tribe of Levi is separated to serve HaShem, it does not possess the holiness of the Kohanim.
The halachah of washing the Kohanim’s hands before Birkas Kohanim demonstrates the above concept. As the Shulchan Aruch rules (Orach Chaim 128:6), “the Levi pours water on their (the Kohanim’s) hands.” What are the parameters of this halachah? Is there indeed an obligation for Levites to wash Kohanim’s hands? Can several Levi’im partake in the mitzvah? What does one do when no Levites are present?
The Obligation of Washing the Kohanim’s Hands
Based on a biblical verse, “Raise your hands in the sanctuary and bless HaShem”—the Gemara (Sotah 39) teaches that a Kohen who does not wash his hands may not participate in Birkas Kohanim. Before the Kohanim raise their hands in blessing, they must first ‘sanctify’ them by means of washing (Mishnah Berurah 128:19).
The question of who should wash the Kohanim’s hands is not mentioned in the Gemara, and the simple interpretation is that the Kohanim wash their own hands. However, the Shulchan Aruch (128:6) rules that the task of washing the Kohanim’s hands is specifically given to the Levi’im. This halachah is based on a teaching of the Zohar (Vol. 3, p. 146a-b), which writes that the Kohen must gain extra holiness by means of washing his hands from those who are holy—the Levites.
According to the Zohar, the Levites’ pouring the water empowers the blessing of the Kohanim. A Kohen must be careful not to wash his own hands, and not to wash his hands from an Israelite, but specifically from a Levi. As the Maharash Halevi (no. 9) writes, “Perhaps this is the means by which the Divine Presence will rest on the hands of the Kohanim, and HaShem will thus agree to the blessing, because the hands are sanctified by the Levi.”
Several poskim quoting from the Zohar state that there is a Mitzvah for Levites to wash Kohanim’s hands. Maharash Halevi writes that “although it is not explicit in the Talmud or in [early] poskim, the Zohar commands it... and one should certainly uphold its laws and obligations.” As the Mateh Moshe writes, “When the Kohen washes his hands he should wash them specifically from a Levite—as stated in the Zohar.”
Washing the Levites’ Hands
Citing from Safra de’Tzniusa, the Zohar states further that before washing the hands of the Kohanim, the Levites should be careful to wash their own hands. This halachah is ruled by the Shulchan Aruch, and the Levush (128:7) offers a simple rationale: “How can they provide holiness to others, if they themselves are not sanctified?”
Yet, the Rema (128:6) writes that the common custom is that Levites do not wash their own hands before washing the Kohanim’s hands. However, the Mishnah Berurah (23, based on Magen Avraham and Bach) writes that if the Levites were distracted from ‘guarding’ their hands (from anything unclean) since the morning washing, and certainly if they touched something unclean (such as a covered part of the body), they should wash their own hands first.
Although many Levites do not wash their hands before the Kohanim’s, the Kenesses Hagedolah (glosses to Beis Yosef 128) writes that the “simple custom” is for Levites to first wash their own hands. This ruling is cited by the Kaf Hachaim (128:42), who concludes: “Therefore it is correct for any G-d-fearing person to wash his own hands before the Kohanim’s hands, even where the general custom is not to do so, in order to fulfill the Zohar’s instructions.”
Even on Yom Kippur and on Tisha Be’Av, Levites that wash their hands throughout the year should wash their own hands (Maharash Halevi 9). Yet, unlike the Kohanim’s hands, on these days Levites should only wash their hands up to the knuckles (Mateh Efraim 621:17; see, however, Mo’ed Lekol Chai, Customs of Yom Kippur).
