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<font size=3>I received the message below from someone on my list who
lives in Switzerland. Does anyone have any information about it?
YL<br><br>
Dear Prof. Levine,<br><br>
There is a strange Minhag here in Zurich: <br><br>
Some women during Duchenen (Birkat Kohanim) on Yom Tov turn to side<br>
(90 degrees) or turn their back to the Kohen (turn of 180 degrees).<br>
I imagine the reason this started is that since the men cover<br>
themselves with the Talit, and women do not have a Talit, some<br>
thought they attain the same purpose, not looking at the Kohanim, by<br>
turning themselves.<br><br>
But this seems to be a mistake: the covering with the Talit is
mainly<br>
for keeping concentration, as explained in the Shulchan Aruch and
his<br>
commentaries.<br><br>
And this Minhag seems to be against Halacha: The Shulchan Aruch OCh <br>
128,23 writes that during Duchenen the listeners and the Kohanim
have<br>
to be "face to face". This is based on Rambam Mishne Torah
Tefila<br>
14,7, and ultimately on the Gemara Sota 38a.<br><br>
Do you know of this Minhag? What could it be based on? Or is it a<br>
Minhag Shtus which should be abolished?<br><br>
Could you ask your audience if someone knows of this Minhag? They<br>
would have to ask their wives - here even the Rabbanim did not know<br>
about it, because they do not look at the Ezrat Nashim, especially<br>
during Duchenen, and nobody ever told them.<br><br>
Thank you very much.<br><br>
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