SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH...
A series of articles on Beit HaMikdash-related topics by Catriel Sugarman intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

The Kohanic Court - a story
Unseasonably cool, it was a beautiful Tamuz morning in the Azara. Resplendent in their white garments, the Kohanim had just finished offering the Korban Tamid on the Mizbei'ach. Tossing blood on the northeastern and southwestern corners of the altar, they obtained (IY"H) atonement for K'lal Yisrael. The conscientious Kohanim did not neglect to add the required fine flour mixed with olive oil or the Chavitin of the Kohein Gadol to the sacrificial flames. As they threw the oil- blended flour into the fire, another Kohein poured the Nisuch HaYayin, the wine libation, into a silver cup embedded in the southwestern corner of the Altar. Accompanied by flutes, harps, lyres, and a cymbal, the Levitical choir sang the Shir Shel Yom.

Present were the men of the Ma'amad who represented Am Yisrael. As these "suitable men and fearers of sin" stood in close proximity to the ministering Kohanim, they "prayed over the Korban of their brethren, that it may be favorably accepted(Hil. Klei HaMikdash 6:1). Meir HaKohein, Mikdash troubleshooter, stood on the side and watched approvingly. Recently appointed by the Segan "to act as his eyes and ears", Meir spent his days happily roaming around the Mikdash Complex, double-checking that everything was as it should be, whether it be crowd control, the state of the Levites' musical instruments, the Mikdash plumbing system, maintenance, etc. Though he reported to his boss directly, he was still surprised when a young Levite tapped him on the shoulder and whispered in his ear, "The Segan wants to see you in his office now!"

Ensconced behind his massive desk, the Segan looked at Meir and said, "I'll get right to the point. We want to know how the Beit Din Shel Kohanim (the Kohanic Court, BDK) implemented the recommendations submitted by the Mikdash Joint Computerization Committee in their Genealogical Research Department." Meir knew that the BDK was a court comprised exclusively of Kohanim that supervised the day-to-day performance of the Avoda. Comparatively unknown outside the immediate "Mikdash community", the Kohanic Court's seat was "behind" - i.e. to the west of - Kodesh Hakodashim. The BDK based its authority to manage the internal affairs of the Mikdash on the verse, "You [Aaron] and your sons with you [the Kohanim] shall safeguard your priesthood regarding every matter of the altar… (Bamidbar 18:7). For example, as per the Mishna, on Erev Yom Kippur, the BDK taught the Kohein Gadol the intricacies of how to offer Ketoret in the Kodesh HaKodashim during the Avoda. However, Meir knew that the members of the BDK could be quite jealous of their prerogatives. He recalled that according to halacha, any Yisrael was "eligible" to escort the Sa'ir HaMishtalei'ach - the "scapegoat" - out of the Mikdash to the wilderness on Yom Kippur, but the BDK "established it as a custom not to permit a Yisrael to do so" (Yoma 6:3, Bartenura). Like many others in the "Mikdash community", Meir agreed that the most important contribution of the BDK was to facilitate the atonement process of the Mechusrei Kapara (those who were impure for one reason or another - e.g. women who had given birth - and who had already undergone the proper rite of purification but still had not brought the required Korban necessary to complete the process).

Kohanim prepared "13 Shofar- chests" for their convenience and thereby spared thousands of Mechusrei Kapara the necessity of endless waiting to give birds and animals to the Kohanim for sacrifice. Instead, Mechusrei Kapara just deposited the correct sum of money which would cover the cost of their Korbanot (plus their names, circumstance, Korbanot required, etc.) into the appropriately labeled "Shofar" (i.e. containers narrow on top, wide on the bottom and constructed in a curved form similar to a Shofar - Bartenura, Shekalim 6:1,5). "It is a presumption that the BDK do not rise from there until the money [collected] in the Shofrot is finished" - i.e. expended on the prerequisite Korbanot and then offered on the Mizbei'ach that same day (Pesachim 90b).

The BDK also based its authority to verify the genealogical records of Kohanim on the previously mentioned verse from Bamidbar. The Torah's ordinances designed to maintain the purity of the priestly line were quite strict. A Kohein could not marry a divorcee, a convert, or a freed woman (Vayikra 21:7). Usually, Kohanim married women from other priestly families. The family trees of all Kohanim were carefully scrutinized to ascertain that their unblemished lineage extended all the way back to Aaron, or more realistically, as far back as they were able to check. A Kohein who wished to marry a woman, known to be of priestly stock, was required to authenticate the validity of her maternal decent four generations back. The maternal lineage of a woman, not of priestly stock, had to be verified for five generations back (Kiddushin 4:4). A woman whose father served in the Mikdash, or who was a member of the Sanhedrin or who had served in a public office, was accepted without any further search. It was assumed that his ancestry already had been thoroughly researched (Kiddushin 4:4,5). The BDK enforced these "house laws" rigorously. Before serving at the Mizbei'ach, a Kohein was required to prove his priestly descent and, for this reason, the BDK scrupulously maintained accurate records.Even though Meir knew some of the judges of the Kohanic Court personally, he had never visited their center.

Once inside, Mier was stunned. The inside of this grim, nondescript stone building had been completely gutted and remodeled into a state of the art genealogical center illuminated by graphic light diffuser panels of various designs. Looking around, he saw 100 patron computers, 210 microfilm readers, 25 microfiche readers,and 20 microfilm and microfiche copiers. Meir noted how the court's staff was efficiently uploading new data into the Mikdash Master Computer as it flowed in from "field" computers all over the world. The BDK's archives included hundreds of thousands of rolls of microfilmed genealogical records of Kohanim going back centuries;60,000 microfiche; tens of thousands of books, serials, and other formats; 250 electronic resources. There was a seating capacity for 125 at tables. Scores of Kohanim and representatives of various Batei Din were downloading data. The Genealogical Index (E.Y.) database contained the names of scores of thousands of Kohanim linked into families in Eretz Yisrael. Another database, the Pedigree Resource File (Chu''l) listed the names of tens of thousands of Kohanim and their families abroad. The Ancestral File (Niftarim) database contained the names of hundreds of thousands of deceased Kohanim. The files were amply cross- referenced and constantly being updated (i.e., births, marriages, deaths, etc.). All these names were either submitted by Kohanim and authenticated by their local Batei Din or extracted from valid birth and marriage records. Simply overwhelmed and thoroughly briefed, Meir Hakohein opened up his laptop and got to work. <TBC>

Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim’s Perspective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service