[Avodah] Chezkas Kehunah

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

jew at when.com asked:
> Are kohanim lemeita entitled to kavod from ashkenazim?

I'm not familiar with this term. What are "kohanim lemeita"?

> There is a Teshuvah of the RIVASH (94) that says that Kohanim
> today are only Safek Kohanim (same reason why kohanim cannot
> demand payment for pidyon haben).

First: My understanding is that most poskim reject this idea, and hold today's kohanim to be *vadai* kohanim. The proof is that if the safek was a real safek, then how could they say the birkas hamitzvah when they duchen?

Second: Even if that safek is accepted, there's a much simpler reason why a kohen cannot demand payment for pidyon haben: Because the father has the right to choose any kohen he likes. Even when Trumah was a real d'Oraisa, no kohen could demand any; they were all dependent on the good will of the farmers.

Akiva Miller