Sotah - Daf 39
- One may not speak once the sefer Torah has been opened
Rava bar Rav Huna said: כיון שנפתח ספר תורה אסור לספר אפילו בדבר הלכה – Once the sefer Torah has been opened, it is forbidden to speak, even about a halachic matter, as it says: "ובפתחו עמדו כל העם" – and when [Ezra] began to read from the Torah, all the people stood, and the word עמידה can be shown elsewhere to mean to be silent. Rebbe Zeira brought a different source in the name of Rav Chisda: "ואזני כל העם אל ספר התורה" – And the ears of all the people were listening to the sefer Torah.
- The berachah and tefillos of the Kohanim during Birkas Kohanim
Rebbe Elazar ben Shamua’s talmidim asked him how he merited long life, and among his answers was: ולא נשאתי כפי בלא ברכה – I never raised my hands for Birkas Kohanim without first reciting the berachah. The berachah is: אשר קדשנו בקדושתו של אהרן – “…Who has sanctified us with the kedushah of Aharon, וצונו לברך את עמו ישראל באהבה – and commanded us to bless his nation Yisroel with love.” When the Kohen leaves his place to approach the platform, he says: יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלקינו שתהא ברכה זו שצויתנו לברך את עמך ישראל לא יהא בה מכשול ועון – “May it be the will before You, Hashem our G-d, that this blessing that You commanded us to bless your nation Yisroel should not have in it a stumbling block or sin.” When he turns away from the congregation at the conclusion of Birkas Kohanim, he says: רבונו של עולם עשינו מה שגזרת עלינו – “Master of the world! We have done what You have decreed upon us.
עשה עמנו מה שהבטחתנו – Do for us that which You have promised us (that You will bless Klal Yisroel when we do), השקיפה ממעון קדשך מן השמים וגו' – ‘Look down from Your sacred dwelling, from the Heavens, and bless Your people, Yisroel, etc.’”
- The sequence of events of Birkas Kohanim
The Gemara presents a series of seven halachos of Birkas Kohanim in which the next step cannot proceed before the previous one is completed. Rav Chisda begins: אין הכהנים רשאים לכוף קישרי אצבעותיהן עד שיחזרו פניהם מן הצבור – The Kohanim may not bend their finger joints after finishing the berachah until they turn their faces away from the congregation. Rebbe Zeira quoted six more halachos from Rav Chisda:
1.The chazzan cannot call out “Kohanim” until the congregation finishes responding “Amen” to the berachah of מודים.
2.The Kohanim cannot begin the berachah on the mitzvah (taught above) until the chazzan finishes calling out “Kohanim.”
3.The congregation may not answer “Amen” until the Kohanim complete the berachah.
4.The Kohanim cannot begin Birkas Kohanim until the congregation finishes saying “Amen” to the berachah.
5.The Kohanim cannot turn away from the congregation after completing Birkas Kohanim until the chazzan begins שים שלום.
6.The Kohanim cannot leave the platform until the chazzan finishes שים שלום.
