20. One should never deviate from the local minhag. Thus, a ben chutz l’aretz in Eretz Yisroel should follow the minhag Eretz Yisroel and go up for Birkas Kohanim. Similarly, a ben Eretz Yisroel in chutz l’aretz should follow the local minhag and not do Birkas Kohanim on a weekday. We will now go through some of the details of these halachos.
21. Minyan of bnei Eretz Yisroel in chutz l’aretz. If there are ten bnei Eretz Yisroel making their own minyan in chutz l’aretz, they may do Birkas Kohanim. Since they are all bnei Eretz Yisroel and there are no bnei chutz l’aretz among them, they may follow the minhag Eretz Yisroel (ארחות רבינו ח''א עמ' ס''ז ). Similarly, ten bnei Eretz Yisroel on an airplane without bnei chutz l’aretz there may do Birkas Kohanim (תשובות והנהגות ח''ב סי' קי''א ).
Bnei Eretz Yisroel Going to a Sefardi Shul in Chutz L’Aretz
22. Kohen. An Ashkenazi Kohen from Eretz Yisroel in a Sefardi shul may do Birkas Kohanim with the Sefardim since it is also his minhag to do Birkas Kohanim every day. He is also not deviating from the local minhag since he is among people who do Birkas Kohanim every day even in chutz l’aretz (שו''ת רבבות אפרים ח''ו סי' נ''ז ).
23. Yisroel. Similarly, a Yisroel from Eretz Yisroel who wants to get the bracha from the Kohanim may go to a Sefardi shul in chutz l’aretz to get the bracha; some exceptionally great people from Eretz Yisroel specifically went to a Sefardi shul for the bracha. However, a ben chutz l’aretz should not intentionally join a Sefardi minyan for the bracha, as a ben chutz l’aretz should not seek to deviate from the minhag of bnei chutz l’aretz (הגרשז''א, הליכות שלמה פ''י אות ב').
Kohen from Eretz Yisroel in Yom Tov Sheini Minyan
24. The poskim discuss whether a Kohen from Eretz Yisroel in a minyan of bnei chutz l’aretz may also do Birkas Kohanim at Mussaf of Yom Tov sheini, being that he is not obligated in the tefilla of Yom Tov sheini.
25. Sofeik. Some are unsure about this, as Birkas Kohanim is in place of avoda, and a ben Eretz Yisroel is not obligated in Mussaf that day, so he has nothing to do with Mussaf that day to allow him to do Birkas Kohanim. Thus, they recommend joining the Kohanim from chutz l’aretz for Birkas Kohanim, but without the bracha of “אשר קדשנו וכו'.” If he is the only Kohen, b’dieved he can rely on the poskim who allow him to make a bracha too (מהר''א הלוי בשו''ת גינת וורדים כלל א' סי' י''ג הובא בשערי תשובה סי' תצ''ו ס ק''ד, שו''ת שבט הלוי ח''ג סי' צ''ו ).
26. Mutar. Others hold he may even make a bracha on Birkas Kohanim since a ben Eretz Yisroel can do Birkas Kohanim by day when there is Chazoras HaShatz multiple times a day. If he is in chutz l’aretz and the local Kohanim are doing Birkas Kohanim, he can make a bracha with them. If he is in Eretz Yisroel in a bnei chutz l’aretz minyan, he may certainly say the bracha with them, as the minhag Eretz Yisroel is to do Birkas Kohanim even on a weekday (מהר''ם בן חביב הובא בשע "ת שם ); one can rely on this l’chatchila (באר מ שה עמ' מ' -מ''ז, ס' יו''ט שני כהלכתו בשם בעל אג "מ ).
Kohen as Shliach Tzibbur
27. The poskim discuss whether a Kohen serving as the shliach tzibbur in chutz l’aretz should have in mind when saying “אלוקנו ואלקי אבותנו ברכנו בברכה המשולשת וכו'” to fulfill the mitzvas asei of Birkas Kohanim, thereby giving the tzibbur the zechus of Birkas Kohanim from a Kohen, or whether it is better to just have in mind that it is a tefilla, not the mitzvas asei.
28. One posek says it is commendable to have a Kohen serve as the shliach tzibbur for Chazoras HaShatz so he can have in mind to fulfill the mitzvas asei of Birkas Kohanim, as the bracha of “אשר קדשנו בקדושתו של אהרן” is not essential. The tzibbur will receive the bracha and answer “Amen” (משמרת שלום סי' י' אות ט').
29. However, others argue. They hold lifting the hands is part of the essential form of the mitzva, without which it is invalid. Since the Kohen-shliach tzibbur does not turn to the tzibbur or lift his hands, he would be violating “בל תגרע” by doing the mitzva in a form not prescribed to him in the Torah. In fact, it would be better for him to have in mind that it is just a tefilla and not to fulfill the mitzva (שו''ת קנין תורה ח''ז סי' י''א, מרן פוסק הדור בתשובות והנהגות ח''ב סי' ק''ב ).
