By Rabbi Moshe Goldberger | Series: Weekly Mitzvah | Level: Intermediate
“Sanctify him.” (Vayikra 21:8)
Hashem chose the kohanim to be His special servants because they demonstrated their zeal for His honor. We are therefore commanded to treat kohanim with respect. This includes:
* Giving them the first aliyah when we read from the Torah.
* Allowing them to lead the blessings at the end of a meal.
* Serving them with the first and nicest portion.
Honoring kohanim is a form of honoring Hashem (Sefer HaChinuch, mitzvah 269).
Text Copyright © 2007 by Rabbi Moshe Goldberger and Torah.org.