Parshat Emor, 5759

The Commentators discuss the enigmatic phrase "the priests, the sons of Aharon," with regard to the question, "Isn't it obvious that the priests are the sons of Aharon?" Rabbi Shimshon Rephoel Hirsch explains the phrase to mean "You are Kohanim by virtue of the fact that you are the sons of Aharon."

The words of Rav Hirsch seem to take on extra meaning in light of the cover story of the Jerusalem report of May 10, 1999, concerning the discovery of the "Priestly Gene," distinct DNA patterns in a very high percentage of men who consider themselves Kohanim. Further, these genetic markers seem to point to their origin in a single individual, presumably Aharon HaKohen, some 3,000 years ago.

The methodology of the research used to come to the above conclusions was DNA-Analysis of throat swabs taken at the Kotel in Israel, and in the U.K. The sampled population consisted of Orthodox Jews of Ashenazi and of Sephardi background.

The idea to conduct the research experiment was Dr. Karl Skorecki's. Skorecki, an Orthodox Jew and himself a Kohen, was wondering if any biological relationship could be detected linking all Kohanim. He realized that since the status of Kohen is obtained, in Jewish Law, through patrilineal inheritance, via the Y Chromosome, the chromosome of male-ness, that chromosome could be analyzed for features common to all Kohanim.

The results were spectacular! Studies showed that the incidence of common gene markers among those claiming the status of kohen exceeded 70, and perhaps 80, percent.

The next question was whether a date could be attached to the origin of the Kehunah-linked gene. Since the Kohen chromosome had been found both among the Ashkenazi and the Sephardi communities, this indicated that the origin pre-dated the split of the Jewish community centuries ago.

"Enter Oxford Genetic Evolution expert Professor Goldstein. Using a method for genetic dating based on the rate at which certain bits of the Y Chromosome mutate, Goldstein came up with an estimate consistent with the oral tradition: 3000 years," and says that "with a high degree of certainty we can rule out a recent origin."

As an aside, this method cannot be used to look for common genetic patterns among all Jews for several reasons. Chief among these is that at various times in history, there was large-scale conversion into Judaism, disturbing the genetic pattern of the Jewish People, if that were important, which it isn't. This proves that Judaism is not race-based; anybody can become a Jew: Spaniards (in fact, many did join the Jewish faith at one time), Vietnamese, Chinese or Eskimos can become Jewish. No national or ethnic grouping is excluded, provided that the proper Conversion procedures are followed.

This demonstrates that the Jewish People as a whole is essentially a "faith-community," the common faith and joyful acceptance of the "yolk" of the Mitzvot binding all of its adherents into a nation which is called by G-d a "Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation."

However, the three classes which exist within Jewish society, namely the "Kehunah," the Priestly Class, the "Leviah," descendants of Levi, to which the Kohanim also belong (a Kohen is, as it were, a "super-Levi"), and the basic class of "Yisrael," descendants of Yaakov Avinu, Jacob our Father (who was called "Yisrael" by G-d), are determined by paterlineal ancestral descent, and Conversion simply does not apply.

Another necessary assumption for the existence of the Priestly gene, and a fact proved by its existence, is the "high fidelity" of the wives of the Jewish Priests.

In our tradition, we find instances where the Jewish People took measures on their own to guarantee the "purity" of the Kohen line, and sources which suggest Divine support of this effort.

In the first category belong the following two references:

• In Divrei HaYamim (Chronicles) II we find a list of individuals whose job it was, in the time of King Yechizkiyahu, to distribute the portions of the sacrifices "besides their duty to register the males for their service in their charges… and to register the priests by the houses of their fathers …They also had the duty of registering them by genealogy with all their little ones, their wives,… For in this office they sanctified themselves in holiness."

• Later, when the great Ezra coordinated the return of a minority of the Jewish People from the Babylonian Exile ca. 520 B.C.E., we find (Ezra 2:61-63), "And from the sons of the Priests, the sons of Chanayah, the sons of Hakotz, the sons of Barzilai, who married daughters of Barzilai the Gileadite, and they took their name. These sought their document of legitimacy, but it could not be found, and they were rejected from the Kehunah. And the governor said to them that they might not eat from the holy sacrifices, until their legacy was validated by the 'Urim V'Tumim (the precious stone arrangement which provided answers to questions beyond the ken of human knowledge).' "

Ezra ran a very "tight ship," and is given credit in Jewish Tradition for restoring the Jewish People to its greatness after the Babylonian Captivity, and for the Rebuilding of the Temple.

In the area of Divine aid, we find, among others, the following:

• In Midrash Sifra on Parshat Shemini (Vayikra 9:22) we find, "on the day in which Aharon's two sons, Nadav and Avihu, perished, 'And Aharon raised his hands to bless the People…' By this act, he merited that his descendants would continue to bless the Jewish People until the Day that the dead would be brought back to life."

• In Mechilta to Yitro, Parshah 2, we find, "Three things were given to the Jewish People on condition: the Land of israel, the Holy Temple and the Dynasty of David; unlike the Torah and the Covenant with Aharon, which were not given on condition, as it says, "a 'salted-away,' eternal covenant of Priesthood that there shall be for his descendants,"

• In Malachi (3:1,3), G-d says, "Behold I am sending my Angel and He will clear the way for Me - and suddenly the Master whom you have desired will return to His palace; and the Messenger of the Covenant whom you have desired, behold he is come, says Hashem, L-rd of Hosts,…And he will purify the silver, and he will purify the House of Levi (of which the families of the Kohanim are a sub-set)…and they will be for Hashem the bringers of His Meal Offerings, in Righteousness."

In the Old City of Jerusalem, there is a group called "Ateret Kohanim," "Crown of the Kohanim," who are working at the re-fashioning of the vessels of the Temple. They are also studying the Laws of the Divine Service, in preparation for the Redemption, and the Rebuilding, never to be destroyed again, of the Bait HaMikdash.

Rabbi Pinchas Frankel

Rabbi Frankel is an Educational Coordinator at the OU