Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Halocho #1017 – Who else get preferential treatment?

A Talmid Chacham (Torah scholar) has preference over a Cohen. Everybody else needs to give preference to the Cohen; he gets called first to the Torah and gets to speak first at functions. At meals the Cohen gets served first and leads the Zimun.

In a business partnership a Cohen does not get preferential treatment. 


One may not use a Cohen to run one's errands nor do other mundane tasks, unless the Cohen has agreed to relinquish his Cohen status for this purpose.
One must stand up for a Torah Scholar even if he's young. 

One must stand up for people over seventy even if they're not Torah Scholars, so long as they're not wicked. Even non-Jews over 70 deserve some show of respect. 

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 144:2, 8-9

To clarify: A Cohen always gets called to the Torah first, so as to prevent the unpleasantness of people arguing as to whether a specific person is a Talmid Chacham worthy of displacing the Cohen or not.

- Danny,
Wednesday, 20 Tevet 5773

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