Museums and Kohanim

DrMom

Fri, Jul 19 2013, 11:19 am

Mrs Bissli wrote:

Good point. Thanks for educating me. (No cohanim on my or DH's sides so rather rusty on this topic). Would visiting a large hospital be an issue then, considering they have mortuaries on premises?

I'm curious about this too (no kohanim in my family). People die in hospitals all the time. Even if the mortuary is separate, can Kohanim visit a sick person in a hospital? (Please don't tell me he has to put himself in a plastic baggie like that ridiculous man on the airplane.)

Tova

Fri, Jul 19 2013, 12:20 pm

DrMom wrote:

Mrs Bissli wrote:

Good point. Thanks for educating me. (No cohanim on my or DH's sides so rather rusty on this topic). Would visiting a large hospital be an issue then, considering they have mortuaries on premises?

I can probably speak more intelligently about this after discussing with my husband, who of course has learned all pertinent halachos, but I do know that when my FIL was a shul rabbi he did visit people in hospitals (if he couldn't he probably would not have gotten the job. They were not happy about him not being able to officiate at funerals).

skcomputer

Fri, Jul 19 2013, 7:43 pm

My brother-in-law got my husband and son a book titled "The Kohen Handbook A complete guide to help today's kohen maintain his spiritual distinction" by Rav Yochanan Alexander Lombard. He said it encompasses years of research. Published by Jerusalem Publications. It is in English. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0976186241 Great gift for the kohen in your life. I still have my husband take out the trash (which he isn't supposed to do).

BTW - many large art museums have mummies, so those are off-limits too.

DrMom

Sat, Jul 20 2013, 2:11 pm

skcomputer wrote:

What's the reasoning behind this? I assume you don't dispose of dead bodies in your household garbage...

amother

Babypink

Sat, Jul 20 2013, 10:56 pm

DH was once at the luggage carousel and asked an older woman if he could help her with her bags. The woman asked, "Ihr zeit a kohen? Ich bin nisht meshamesh mit a kohen" Translation: are you a kohen, because I won't take service (or make use of) a kohen.

One is not supposed to ask a kohen to things for him because of "vekidashto" (you should make him holy), I think.

Nevertheless, one is allowed to ask one's DH for help because.... there's nobody else? He gave you a kesuba & promised to cherish you? Ve'ahavta lerayacha kamocha? Not sure of the reason, but I am sure it's a fact.

devo1982

Sat, Jul 20 2013, 11:06 pm

DrMom wrote:

skcomputer wrote:

What's the reasoning behind this? I assume you don't dispose of dead bodies in your household garbage...

If I had to guess from the preview of the book mentioned (it's out of print), there is a debate as to whether or not a Kohen should perform menial labor. There's some debate as to whether or not his volunteering for it makes it permissible or not.

I wish the book wasn't out of print - no Kohanim in this family, but it seems like fascinating reading!

shabri

Sun, Jul 21 2013, 2:09 am

Another wife of a Cohein here. We use Rabbi Lumbard's book a lot and my husband emails with Cohein questions when they come up.

The issue with the garbage is that the rest of klall Yisrael has a mitzvah of vikidashto. Which amongst other things prohibits them from asking a Cohein to do a menial task. However according to rabbi Lombard. If the Cohein is being paid for the task it's fine and if he volunteers it might be ok (Machlokes). If he is getting something other than being paid, its still prob ok. In the case of me asking DH to take put the garbage, he is getting shalom bayis, an appreciative wife etc which makes it fine.

In terms of the hospitals, Tumas me is for a Jew is an issue dioraisa for a Cohein. For a non Jew its a Machlokes and many (most) are machmir for it. However, when there is another mitzva involved, such as bikur cholim then there is room to be machmir on bikur cholim and meikil on the tuma for a non Jew. Specifically when there is a reason for that specific person to be the one performing the mitzva (as in the case of tova's FIL as a shul rabbi, ppl wanted him specifically there and not someone else. So he was performing a mitzva that someone else can't do.

However in Israel, where most of the meisim are Jewish it is a much larger problem. DH does not go visiting his friends in hospitals here. Even when my father was recently hospitalized, DH was not able to go. I give birth in a specific hospital where the birthing ward is separate halachikly from the rest of the hospital. When I was pregnant with number 1 we asked and were told DH can come with me to the birth and stay up to an hour later to make sure everyone is ok and settled then depending on the hospital he either could not visit me, could visit only when there was no sign up saying there was a meis, or visit me all the time since its a separate building (we chose option 3)

Thanks for this thread though. I have a son after a bunch of girls and still getting used to what he can and can't do. We are traveling soon to the us and didnt even occur to me about museums I asked DH and he confirmed some are problematic to take the baby to, (dh wont be around, otherwise he would have realized it) so I appreciate the heads up.

mamaleh

Sun, Jul 21 2013, 6:16 pm

shabri wrote:

Thanks for this thread though. I have a son after a bunch of girls and still getting used to what he can and can't do. We are traveling soon to the us and didnt even occur to me about museums I asked DH and he confirmed some are problematic to take the baby to, (dh wont be around, otherwise he would have realized it) so I appreciate the heads up.

Make sure you check the flights you are going on, to be sure you won't have problems with DS. ElAl to & from newark is supposed to be fine (last I heard) almost anything else can be problematic (depending on how you pasken & numerous other factors)

Tova

Sun, Jul 21 2013, 9:18 pm

shabri wrote:

That was so interesting, thanks. I'm excited for Succos as that will be the first time my husband said he will take my son - who recently turned 6 - up to duchen for chinuch purposes. It's so special (I guess more special in E"Y where you duchen every day).

shabri

Mon, Jul 22 2013, 7:14 am

mamaleh wrote:

shabri wrote:

That used to be the case. As per rabbi Lumbard' its now that cohanim can fly on flights that arrive between certain hours since there are never meisim on those (I think because the chevra kiddisha won't accept them then.). B"h my husband is flying with us and worked it out. I am used to DH being makpid on his Cohein stuff what's new for me since ds was born is I have to be on top of being makpid for him, even though he is only 1

mamaleh

Mon, Jul 22 2013, 8:17 am

shabri wrote:

mamaleh wrote:

shabri wrote:

That's very interesting. I knew timing was a consideration when leaving Israel because at certain hours they don't fly over the cemetery (which some rabanim pasken is a prob) never knew it could be a factor in arrivals.
My DH asked if you have contact info for Rabbi Lumbard. He will be doing a lot of flying back and forth & this could be very helpful. Feel free to pm me if you don't want to post it.

shabri

Mon, Jul 22 2013, 11:38 pm

mamaleh wrote:

shabri wrote:

mamaleh wrote:

shabri wrote:

I'll ask DH, but if I don't get back to you in a couple of days, send me a pm, I might forget

SaraK90

Mon, Aug 17 2015, 6:40 pm

Please be advised:
As of 8/16/2015, the Guggenheim Museum in NYC contains an exhibit by a painter named Doris Salcedo that contains human remains (rib bones). Please be advised that kohanim and their families should NOT visit the museum at this time! Unfortunately, my husband and I found out the hard way while listening to the museum's audio about the exhibit, and we were told by our Rav to leave immediately! I am trying to publicize this as much as possible to prevent the headache and tumult that we had yesterday.
Thank you and enjoy the rest of your summer!
Sara