Priestly court

In Judaism, the priestly court (beit din shel kohanim, Hebrew: בית דין של כהנים; also translated as the beit din of the priests^[1] or Court of the Priests^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]) was a court of Jewish law, composed of priests descended from Aaron, which operated at the Temple in Jerusalem and oversaw matters related to the priesthood and Temple rituals.

The priestly court coexisted with the Sanhedrin, which was generally the legal authority for non-Temple matters. According to rabbinic literature, the priestly court consisted solely of priests of verified patrilineal descent from Aaron ("Kohanim meyuchashim"), while the Sanhedrin which was composed of members of all twelve tribes of Israel. Some scholars are of the opinion that the 23 members of the priestly court also served in the Sanhedrin, roughly a third of the latter's 71 members.^[7]

^ The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia 1943 "... other matters of the state — administrative, executive and priestly and ritual affairs — were left to such other existing institutions as the Heber or Beth Din of the priests."
^ Mishnah Yoma ed. Isidore Epstein 1989 "(9) Between the Court of the Israelites and the Court of the Priests. (10) It is the platform of the Lévites, on which they stood, when singing or teaching, and from which the priests pronounced the benediction, V. Mid. II, 6."
^ Ze'ev W. Falk Introduction to Jewish Law of the Second Commonwealth 1972 p.57 "... and we hear of their concurrent activity designed to protect the lineage : "The court of the priests would collect for a virgin four ... "we are the agents of the court and you are our agent and the agent of the court" (Mishnah Yoma 1 5)."
^ Encyclopedia Talmudica Volume 4 - Page 158 Yad Ha-Rav Herzog Institute Staff - 1991 "Court of the Priests," n. 2. 30."
^ Francis Roubiliac Conder, Claude Reignier Conder A handbook to the Bible 1879 "The present plan places the Court of the Priests in such a situation that none of the numerous cisterns of the Haram area come within its boundaries."
^ Jacob Neusner Judaism Handbuch der Orientalistik: Der Nahe und Mittlere Osten. 1995 "From this vantage one could see into the Court of the Priests"
^ "beit hillel" (Rabbi Y. Greenweild) p. 94a

[1] The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia 1943 "... other matters of the state — administrative, executive and priestly and ritual affairs — were left to such other existing institutions as the Heber or Beth Din of the priests."

[2] Mishnah Yoma ed. Isidore Epstein 1989 "(9) Between the Court of the Israelites and the Court of the Priests. (10) It is the platform of the Lévites, on which they stood, when singing or teaching, and from which the priests pronounced the benediction, V. Mid. II, 6."

[3] Ze'ev W. Falk Introduction to Jewish Law of the Second Commonwealth 1972 p.57 "... and we hear of their concurrent activity designed to protect the lineage : "The court of the priests would collect for a virgin four ... "we are the agents of the court and you are our agent and the agent of the court" (Mishnah Yoma 1 5)."

[4] Encyclopedia Talmudica Volume 4 - Page 158 Yad Ha-Rav Herzog Institute Staff - 1991 "Court of the Priests," n. 2. 30."

[5] Francis Roubiliac Conder, Claude Reignier Conder A handbook to the Bible 1879 "The present plan places the Court of the Priests in such a situation that none of the numerous cisterns of the Haram area come within its boundaries."

[6] Jacob Neusner Judaism Handbuch der Orientalistik: Der Nahe und Mittlere Osten. 1995 "From this vantage one could see into the Court of the Priests"

[7] "beit hillel" (Rabbi Y. Greenweild) p. 94a

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