Chutz L’Aretz
7. Strictly speaking, the mitzva of Birkas Kohanim applies both in Eretz Yisroel and chutz l’aretz at all times, i.e., at every tefilla that has no issue of drunkenness, as will be explained (in the coming issue, אי"ה). However, the minhag in most places is to do Birkas Kohanim less frequently in chutz l’aretz. We will mention various reasons and minhagim.
Ashkenazim
8. It has been the minhag in the countries of Ashkenaz for almost 800 years to only do Birkas Kohanim on Yom Tov and the Yamim Nora’im, and even then, only in Mussaf, not the other tefillos (מהר''ם מרוטנברג, תשב''ץ, כלבו, מהרי''ל הובא בשו''ת בית אפרים סי' ו'). We will cite several reasons for this (below, 13 and on).
Sefardim
9. Every day. There are differing minhagim among Sefardim regarding Birkas Kohanim in chutz l’aretz. Some have the minhag to do it every day, like in Eretz Yisroel (שו''ת צי''א ח''ז סי' ו'). This is the most common minhag today among Sefardim in chutz l’aretz.
10. Every Rosh Chodesh. Some Sefardim in chutz l’aretz do Birkas Kohanim every Rosh Chodesh (שו''ת בית אפרים שם בשם הר''ח אלפנדרי ).
11. Days with Krias HaTorah. Some do Birkas Kohanim on days with Krias HaTorah (מנהג איזמר, ס' כה תברכו, מערכת כ' אות ב').
12. Every Shabbos. Some do Birkas Kohanim every Shabbos (מנהג אטליה ואמשטרדם, חיד''א בשו''ת יוסף אומץ סי' ע', שו''ת זרע אמת ח''ג סי' י''ג ).
Reasons to Minimize Birkas Kohanim in Chutz L’Aretz
13. Lack of simcha. One reason given by the poskim is that Kohanim are not joyous most times, so they cannot give the bracha properly. On a regular Shabbos, they are not joyous because they are distracted by thoughts of parnassa, and on regular weekdays, they are distracted when they are delayed from going to work (רמ''א סי' קכ''ח סמ''ד ע''פ ביאור המ''ב ס''ק קס''ז ). They are only joyous enough at Mussaf, when they will be leaving shul to rejoice in the simchas Yom Tov (רמ''א שם ). There is Birkas Kohanim at Mussaf of Yom Kippur in chutz l’aretz too because of the joy that comes with forgiveness for sins (מ''ב ס''ק קס''ו ).
14. Lack of tevila in a mikva. Some write that the reason to minimize Birkas Kohanim in chutz l’aretz is because the minhag of Kohanim is to go to the mikva before Birkas Kohanim (עי' מ''ב ס''ק קס''ה ), and it is difficult to do so at times (שו''ת מהרי''ל החדשות סי' כ''א ). However, some question this reason, as going to the mikva is not essential to the mitzva, so this would not be enough of a reason to nullify a mitzvas asei.
15. Tefilla in the place of avoda. Some explain the above reason (13) that the Torah mentions Birkas Kohanim after the avoda. Since tefilla takes the place of avoda, tefilla without kavana is like an undesirable korban, and during the week, when people are busy with their work, they do not have the requisite kavana. Alternatively, the minyan is compromised in its status of a tzibbur, which is necessary for Birkas Kohanim (מרן פוסק הדור במועדים וזמנים ח''א סי' ל''א ). These reasons do not apply on Yamim Tovim, when people daven properly, without distractions (שו''ת חת''ס סוף ס י' כ''ג ).
16. Yichus of Kohanim. One posek writes that the reason is because today’s Kohanim only have a chazaka [assumed status], not true yichus. If a Kohen is really a Yisroel, he violates a mitzvas asei by doing Birkas Kohanim and also makes a bracha l’vatala, and the Yisre’eilim do not get a bracha. Thus, there was a need to minimize Birkas Kohanim in chutz l’aretz. However, it was allowed at Mussaf on Yom Tov so that the concept of Birkas Kohanim would not be forgotten altogether (שו''ת בית אפרים סי' ו').
17. סוד ה' ליראיו. There were some outstanding tzaddikim who tried at times to restore the original minhag of daily Birkas Kohanim in chutz l’aretz (הבעל התניא, הגר''א הובא בפסקי תשובות סי' קכ''ח הע' 415) but were prevented min haShomayim in all kinds of extraordinary ways. These tzaddikim saw there is some obstacle min haShomayim preventing Birkas Kohanim in chutz l’aretz. Since then, it became the established minhag of Ashkenazim not to do Birkas Kohanim in chutz l’aretz besides for at Yom Tov Mussaf.
In Eretz Yisroel
18. Minhag Yerushalayim. The minhag in Eretz Yisroel is to do Birkas Kohanim every day (מ''ב ס''ק קס''ד ). However, this is not the minhag of Ashkenazim everywhere in Eretz Yisroel. In Yerushalayim, even Ashkenazim do Birkas Kohanim every day, as there are several areas in halacha where they accepted the psak of the Beis Yosef in Eretz Yisroel (פאת השלחן הל' א''י סי' ב' סט''ז ). Today, there are also many cities in Eretz Yisroel with communities of people who left Yerushalayim where they do Birkas Kohanim every day.
19. Galil. Many Ashkenazim in the cities of the Galil only do Birkas Kohanim at Mussaf, e.g., on every Shabbos and Yom Tov—some also do so on Rosh Chodesh—but not at Shacharis on weekdays (עיר הקודש והמקדש ח''ג פכ''ה ס''ו, שו''ת מנחת יצחק ח''ח סי' א' וב'). This was implemented after mass immigration to Eretz Yisroel as a sort of compromise between the minhag Eretz Yisroel and the minhag of those who came from the countries of Ashkenaz.
