Yahudilikte özel bir sınıf: Yahudi din adamları kohenler
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Date
2019-12-22
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Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi
Abstract
Kohenlik kurumu Harun ile başlamış olup babadan oğula geçerek günümüze kadar gelmiştir. Dinî açıdan yüksek ve değerli kabul edilen bu sınıf başkohen ve kohenler olmak üzere ikiye ayrılmıştır. Başkohenlik sadece bir kişi ile temsil edilirken kohenlerin sayısı birden fazladır. Bu sınıfın imtiyazları olduğu gibi sorumlukları da bulunmaktadır. Süleyman Mabedi’nin ayakta olduğu dönemde bazı ibadetlerin yerine getirilmesi sadece başkohen/kohenler tarafından gerçekleşmiştir. Başkohenin çok özel olması nedeniyle ibadet esnasında giyeceği kıyafet de ayrıntılı olarak Tevrat’ta anlatılmıştır. Başkohen gibi kohenlerin de görevleri Tanrı tarafından belirlenmiştir. Sivil hâkim olarak da görev yapan kohenlere bazı yasaklar getirilmiştir. Mesela ölüye yaklaşmalarına izin verilmemiştir. Evlenecekleri kişilerde bazı özelliklerin aranması nedeniyle sıradan biriyle evlenmeleri de yasaklanmıştır. Yahudilikte Tanrı tarafından belirlenen başkohen/kohenler sınıfının görevi Süleyman Mabedi’nin yıkılmasıyla sona ermiştir. Günümüzde ise kohenlere sembolik bazı dinî görevler verilmektedir. Öte yandan Mesih’in gelmesiyle Süleyman Mabedi’nin yeniden inşa edileceğine ve bu özel sınıfın tekrar görev yapacağına inanıldığı için Harun’un şeceresinin muhafazasına hâlâ önem verilmektedir.
Institution of cohen (priesthood) began with Aaron and passed from father to son until today. This class which is considered to be religiously high and valuable is divided into two groups: cohen gadol (the high priest) and cohen (priest). While the high priesthood is represented only by one person, the number of priests is more than one. This class has privileges as well as responsibilities. During the period when the Temple of Solomon was standing, the practice of worship was conducted only by the high priest/priests. Since the high priest was certainly significant, the dress he is required to wear during the worship was explained in detail in the Torah. Such as the high priest, the duties of the priests were also determined by God. The priests who also served as civilian judges had to comply with some prohibitions. For example, they were not allowed to approach the dead. They were also forbidden to marry any ordinary woman because the women they would marry had to have certain characteristics. The task of the class of the high priest/priests, who were determined by God in Judaism, ended with the destruction of the Temple of Solomon. Today, the cohens are given some symbolic religious duties. On the other hand, since it is believed that the Temple of Solomon will be rebuilt with the arrival of the Messiah and this special class will fulfill their duty again, the preservation of Aaron's genealogy is still somehow a matter of importance.
Institution of cohen (priesthood) began with Aaron and passed from father to son until today. This class which is considered to be religiously high and valuable is divided into two groups: cohen gadol (the high priest) and cohen (priest). While the high priesthood is represented only by one person, the number of priests is more than one. This class has privileges as well as responsibilities. During the period when the Temple of Solomon was standing, the practice of worship was conducted only by the high priest/priests. Since the high priest was certainly significant, the dress he is required to wear during the worship was explained in detail in the Torah. Such as the high priest, the duties of the priests were also determined by God. The priests who also served as civilian judges had to comply with some prohibitions. For example, they were not allowed to approach the dead. They were also forbidden to marry any ordinary woman because the women they would marry had to have certain characteristics. The task of the class of the high priest/priests, who were determined by God in Judaism, ended with the destruction of the Temple of Solomon. Today, the cohens are given some symbolic religious duties. On the other hand, since it is believed that the Temple of Solomon will be rebuilt with the arrival of the Messiah and this special class will fulfill their duty again, the preservation of Aaron's genealogy is still somehow a matter of importance.
Description
Dinlerin varlıklarını devam ettirebilmeleri lidere ve rehbere ihtiyacı zorunlu kılmıştır. Bütün dinlerde bu ihtiyacı hissetmek mümkündür. Bu bağlamda kutsal metinleri yorumlamanın yanı sıra manevi hakikatleri insanlara duyurmak, Tanrı’nın emir ve yasaklarına göre hüküm vermek, içtimai ve siyasi hareketlerde liderlik yapmak gibi muhtelif görevleri yerine getirenler din adamları olmuştur. Yahudi tarihinin ilk dönemi olarak bilinen atalar döneminde resmî anlamda din adamı sınıfı bulunmamaktaydı. Bu dönemde ibadet, ataların Tanrı’ya gösterdiği saygı, Tanrı’nın da atalara şefkat göstermesi şeklinde telakki edilmiştir. Ataların içinde bulunduğu şartların uygun olmaması nedeniyle bu dönemde toplu ibadetler de icra edilmemiştir. Musa dönemi ise atalar döneminden farklılık göstermiştir. Bu dönemde çeşitli ibadetler ihdas edilmiştir. Atalar döneminde basit ve sade olan ibadet, Musa’dan itibaren ayrıntılı ve kapsamlı bir şekle bürünmüştür. Musa’yla birlikte ortaya çıkan yenilikler de haliyle atalar döneminde olmayan din adamı sınıfının zuhuruna neden olmuştur. Bu din adamı sınıfı kohenler ve Levililer olmak üzere iki gruptan oluşmuştur. Yahudilikte din adamı sınıfı olarak kohenlerin soyları Yakup’un üçüncü oğlu Levi’ye dayanmaktadır. Kohenler, Musa döneminde Tanrı tarafından seçilen, Harun ve onun soyundan gelen özel bir sınıftır. Bu nedenle sonradan kohen olunamaz, bu statü ancak doğum ile kazanılır. Bu kurumun sonsuza kadar bu soydan devam etmesi gerektiği Tanrı tarafından kesin ifadelerle kayıt altına alınmıştır. Kohenlik kurumu, Tanrı ile Yahudiler arasında iletişimi sağlayan aracı kurum olduğu gibi bu ikisi arasındaki birlik bağını temsil eden bir unsur olarak da görülmüştür. Bu bağlamda Yahudiler kohenlerin kutsallığına saygı duymuş ve mümkün olduğunca onları korumaya çalışmışlardır. Kohenlik kurumu başkohen ve kohenler olmak üzere iki sınıftan oluşmaktadır. Başkohen aynı zamanda kohenlerden de sorumlu kişidir. Kohenlerin görevleri Yahudilerin göç ettikleri yere taşıyabildikleri portatif olan çadır mabet diyebileceğimiz Mişkan ve Mişkan’da yerine getirilen ibadetlerle alakalıydı. Mesela Mişkan’daki kandillerin bakımını yapmak ve akşamdan sabaha kadar yanması için gerekli tedbirleri almak kohenlerin göreviydi. Kurbanların sunulması ve arınma ritüelleri gibi oldukça ayrıntılı dinî hizmetleri yerine getirme görevi de kohenlere verilmişti. Kohenlerin görevleri Süleyman Mabedi’nin inşasından sonra burada devam etmiştir. Kohenlerin Mabet ve ibadetler dışında da görevleri bulunmaktaydı. Yahudi halkını Tanrı’nın buyrukları hakkında bilgilendirmek kohenlerin göreviydi. Adli işlerle de ilgilenen kohenler, yeri geldiğinde mahkemelerde yargıç olarak da görev yapmışlardı. Kohenlerin gerek Mişkan’da gerekse Süleyman Mabedi’nde dinî vazifelerini yerine getirirken giymeleri zorunlu olan özel dinî kıyafetleri vardı. Mabet’teki görevleri esnasında kohenlerin başka bir kıyafet giymesi kesinlikle yasaklanmıştır. Tanrı yaz kış fark etmeksizin kutsal kıyafetlerin giyilmesini istemiştir. Hatta bu kıyafetleri giydikleri sürece kohenlerin gerek nem gerekse soğuktan ölmeyeceklerini belirtmiştir. Bu kıyafetlerin nasıl olması gerektiği Tevrat’ta yazılmıştır. Tanrı, kutsal kıldığı kıyafetlerin giyilmesini emrederek kohenlerin görkem ve saygınlık kazanmasını amaçlamıştır. Ayrıca kutsal kıyafetler giyilmeden yerine getirilen dinî işlerin de geçersiz sayılacağı bildirilmiştir. Kohenlerin en yaşlısı başkohen seçilirken bu durum onun en kutsal kişi olmasını da beraberinde getirmiştir. Başkohenin kutsal olmasından ötürü onun işlediği günah da Yahudi halkının günahı olarak kabul edilmiştir. Kohenlerin başı kabul edilen başkohen, gerek sorumlulukları ve kıyafeti gerekse uyması gereken kurallar nedeniyle kohenlerden bariz bir şekilde ayrılmıştır. Kutsal olduğu belirtilen başkohen de kohenler gibi Tanrı ile kullar arasında aracı olmuşlardır. Başkoheni diğer kohenlerden ayıran en büyük özellik, içine sadece Kefaret Günü’nde girilebilen Kutsallar Kutsalı’na girme ayrıcalığına sahip tek kişi olmasıdır. Böylesine kutsal bir mekâna giren kişiye meleklerin zarar vermemesi için başkohenin, sadece ona mahsus kıyafetleri giymesi gerektiği belirtilmiştir. Zira inanışa göre, başkohen ne kadar günahsız ve kutsal olursa olsun Tanrı’nın belirlediği kıyafetlerden birini giymez ise meleklerin saldırısına karşı savunmasız olacaktır. Başkohenin kıyafeti vücudu örtmenin çok daha ötesinde bir öneme, yani kutsal bir işleve sahiptir. Çünkü başkohen senede bir gün Kutsallar Kutsalı’na girerek, Yahudi milletinin günahlarını bağışlaması için Tanrı’ya yakarışta bulunmaktadır. Böylesine önemli dinî bir görevi eda ederken düşüncelerini de muhafaza edip onun saflığını koruması son derece önemlidir. Bu bağlamda başkohen, görevini yerine getirirken kıyafetine bakarak görevinin ne kadar önemli olduğunu, Tanrı’nın huzurunda tüm Yahudi halkını temsil ettiğini aklından kesinlikle çıkarmayacaktır. Seçilmiş olmanın yanı sıra Tanrı’nın kutsal kıldığı kohenlerin bu kutsallıklarını muhafaza etmeleri, ona zarar verecek her türlü davranıştan uzak durmaları emredilmiştir. Tanrı, buyruklarına riayet etmenin son derece önemli olduğuna dikkat çekerken aksi davranışta bulunan kohenleri, günahlarından ötürü ceza göreceklerini hatta öleceklerini söyleyerek ikaz etmiştir. Zira kohenlerin yasaklanan davranışlarda bulunmaları sadece kendi kutsallıklarını değil, aynı zamanda görev yaptıkları Süleyman Mabedi’nin kutsallığını hatta bizzat Tanrı’nın kutsallığını kirletmektedir. Kohenlerin kutsallıklarını korumaları için de belli düzenlemeler getirilmiştir. Mesela kohenlerin evlenecekleri kadınların belli niteliklere haiz olması şart koşulmuştur. Bu kadının bir cesedin yanında, hatta cesetle aynı çatı altında dahi bulunmaması; bedensel kusurlarının olmaması gerekli görülmüştür. Süleyman Mabedi’nin M.S. 70 yılında yıkılması, kohenlerin gücünü ve prestijini önemli ölçüde azaltırken rabbilerin otoritesini arttırmıştır. Buna rağmen Yahudiler kohenlerin soyağacını kayıt altına alarak bu bilgiyi babadan oğula, nesilden nesile aktarmışlardır. Kohenlere günümüzde sembolik olarak bazı dinî uygulamaları yerine getirmeleri için görevler verilmektedir. Sembolik de olsa bazı görevleri yerine getirmelerinden ötürü kohenler, Yahudilerin saygı duyduğu kimseler olarak etkinliklerini hâlâ sürdürmektedirler.
For the religions to survive, the need for a leader and a guide was required. This essentiality of a guide can be perceived in every religion. In this context, it was the clergy who performed various tasks such as interpreting the sacred texts, announcing the spiritual truths to people, judging according to God's orders and prohibitions, and performing leadership duties in social and political movements. There was no official clergy in the period of the ancestors known as the first period of Jewish history. In this period, worship was considered as the respect of the ancestors to God and God's affection for the ancestors. Since the conditions of the ancestors were not appropriate, no mass meetings were performed during this period. The period of Moses was different from that of the ancestors. During this period, various worships were established. As from the period of Moses, simple and modest worship of the ancestral period began to have a detailed and comprehensive structure. The innovations that emerged with Moses also led to the emergence of the clergy which was not available in the ancestral period. This clergy class consisted of two groups: cohens and Levites. In Judaism, the cohens descend from Jacob's third son, Levi. The cohens are a special class chosen by God during the period of Moses, and descending from Aaron and his descendants. Therefore, being cohen is something inherited and it is not possible to become a cohen subsequently. It is firmly recorded by God that this institution should continue in this lineage forever. The cohen institution is seen as a mediator between God and the Jews, as well as representing the unity bond between the two. In this context, the Jews respected the sanctity of the cohens and tried to protect them as much as possible. The cohen institution consists of two classes: cohen gadol and the cohens. Cohen Gadol was also responsible for the cohens. The tasks of the cohens were related to the Mishkan, a tent sanctuary, which was portable, where the Jews could move to the place where they migrated. It was also related to the worship performed in Mishkan. For example, it was the duty of the cohens to take care of the oil lamps in Mishkan and take the necessary measures to burn them from evening to morning. It was also given to the cohens to perform highly detailed religious services, such as the offering of sacrifices and purification rituals. After the construction of the Temple of Solomon, the tasks of the cohens continued here. The cohens also had duties outside the Temple and worship. It was the duty of the cohens to inform the Jewish people of God's commandments. The cohens, who were also interested in judicial affairs, also served as judges in the courts when appropriate. The cohens had special religious clothing that they had to wear when performing their religious duties both in Mishkan and in the Temple of Solomon. The cohens were strictly forbidden to wear any other clothing during their service in the Temple. God wanted the holy garments to be worn regardless of summer or winter. He even stated that as long as they were wearing these clothes, the cohens would not die of both moisture and cold. The required qualifications of the clothes were written in the Torah. By ordering the garments he sanctified should be worn, God wanted the cohens to gain glory and dignity. It was also reported that religious work performed without wearing holy clothing would be considered invalid. While the oldest of the cohens was selected as the cohen gadol, this made him the most sacred person. Because the cohen gadol was sacred, his sin was accepted as the sin of the Jewish people. Cohen gadol, the head of the cohens, was clearly distinguished from the cohens by both his responsibilities and his dress and the rules he had to follow. Cohen Gadol, who is said to be sacred, has been the intermediary between God and His servants like the cohens. The main feature that distinguishes cohen gadol from other cohens is that he was the only one who had the privilege of entering the Holy of the Holiness, which could be entered only on the Day of Atonement. To prevent the angels from harming the person entering such a sacred space, it was stated that the cohen gadol should only wear clothes specific to him. According to the belief, no matter how sinless and holy, the cohen gadol would be vulnerable to the attack of the angels if he did not wear one of God's clothes. The garb of the cohen gadol has a sacred function, which is much more than covering the body. For one day in the year, the cohen gadol enters the holy of Holiness and pleads with God to forgive the sins of the Jewish nation. He must maintain his purity while maintaining such an important religious mission. In this context, the cohen gadol will never forget how important his duty is to represent his entire Jewish people in the presence of God by looking at his clothing in the course of his duty. In addition to being chosen, the cohens who were sanctified by God were ordered to preserve their sanctity and refrain from any act that may harm it. While God pointed out that it is very important to obey his commandments, he warned the cohens who acted otherwise, saying that they would be punished for their sins and even would die. The fact that the cohens behave in a way that was prohibited did not only pollute their holiness but also the sanctity of the Temple of Solomon, and even the sanctity of God himself. Certain regulations have also been introduced for the cohens to preserve their sanctity. For example, it is stipulated that the women to be married to the cohens must have certain qualities. Cohens are forbidden to be near a corpse, even under the same roof. The lack of physical defects is necessary. The destruction of the Temple of Solomon in 70 CE significantly reduced the power and prestige of the cohens and strengthened the authority of the rabbis. Nevertheless, the Jews recorded the family tree of the cohens and transferred this information from father to son, from generation to generation. Nowadays, the cohens are assigned to carry out some religious practices symbolically. The cohens still carry out their activities as people the Jews respect, because they perform some tasks, albeit symbolically.
For the religions to survive, the need for a leader and a guide was required. This essentiality of a guide can be perceived in every religion. In this context, it was the clergy who performed various tasks such as interpreting the sacred texts, announcing the spiritual truths to people, judging according to God's orders and prohibitions, and performing leadership duties in social and political movements. There was no official clergy in the period of the ancestors known as the first period of Jewish history. In this period, worship was considered as the respect of the ancestors to God and God's affection for the ancestors. Since the conditions of the ancestors were not appropriate, no mass meetings were performed during this period. The period of Moses was different from that of the ancestors. During this period, various worships were established. As from the period of Moses, simple and modest worship of the ancestral period began to have a detailed and comprehensive structure. The innovations that emerged with Moses also led to the emergence of the clergy which was not available in the ancestral period. This clergy class consisted of two groups: cohens and Levites. In Judaism, the cohens descend from Jacob's third son, Levi. The cohens are a special class chosen by God during the period of Moses, and descending from Aaron and his descendants. Therefore, being cohen is something inherited and it is not possible to become a cohen subsequently. It is firmly recorded by God that this institution should continue in this lineage forever. The cohen institution is seen as a mediator between God and the Jews, as well as representing the unity bond between the two. In this context, the Jews respected the sanctity of the cohens and tried to protect them as much as possible. The cohen institution consists of two classes: cohen gadol and the cohens. Cohen Gadol was also responsible for the cohens. The tasks of the cohens were related to the Mishkan, a tent sanctuary, which was portable, where the Jews could move to the place where they migrated. It was also related to the worship performed in Mishkan. For example, it was the duty of the cohens to take care of the oil lamps in Mishkan and take the necessary measures to burn them from evening to morning. It was also given to the cohens to perform highly detailed religious services, such as the offering of sacrifices and purification rituals. After the construction of the Temple of Solomon, the tasks of the cohens continued here. The cohens also had duties outside the Temple and worship. It was the duty of the cohens to inform the Jewish people of God's commandments. The cohens, who were also interested in judicial affairs, also served as judges in the courts when appropriate. The cohens had special religious clothing that they had to wear when performing their religious duties both in Mishkan and in the Temple of Solomon. The cohens were strictly forbidden to wear any other clothing during their service in the Temple. God wanted the holy garments to be worn regardless of summer or winter. He even stated that as long as they were wearing these clothes, the cohens would not die of both moisture and cold. The required qualifications of the clothes were written in the Torah. By ordering the garments he sanctified should be worn, God wanted the cohens to gain glory and dignity. It was also reported that religious work performed without wearing holy clothing would be considered invalid. While the oldest of the cohens was selected as the cohen gadol, this made him the most sacred person. Because the cohen gadol was sacred, his sin was accepted as the sin of the Jewish people. Cohen gadol, the head of the cohens, was clearly distinguished from the cohens by both his responsibilities and his dress and the rules he had to follow. Cohen Gadol, who is said to be sacred, has been the intermediary between God and His servants like the cohens. The main feature that distinguishes cohen gadol from other cohens is that he was the only one who had the privilege of entering the Holy of the Holiness, which could be entered only on the Day of Atonement. To prevent the angels from harming the person entering such a sacred space, it was stated that the cohen gadol should only wear clothes specific to him. According to the belief, no matter how sinless and holy, the cohen gadol would be vulnerable to the attack of the angels if he did not wear one of God's clothes. The garb of the cohen gadol has a sacred function, which is much more than covering the body. For one day in the year, the cohen gadol enters the holy of Holiness and pleads with God to forgive the sins of the Jewish nation. He must maintain his purity while maintaining such an important religious mission. In this context, the cohen gadol will never forget how important his duty is to represent his entire Jewish people in the presence of God by looking at his clothing in the course of his duty. In addition to being chosen, the cohens who were sanctified by God were ordered to preserve their sanctity and refrain from any act that may harm it. While God pointed out that it is very important to obey his commandments, he warned the cohens who acted otherwise, saying that they would be punished for their sins and even would die. The fact that the cohens behave in a way that was prohibited did not only pollute their holiness but also the sanctity of the Temple of Solomon, and even the sanctity of God himself. Certain regulations have also been introduced for the cohens to preserve their sanctity. For example, it is stipulated that the women to be married to the cohens must have certain qualities. Cohens are forbidden to be near a corpse, even under the same roof. The lack of physical defects is necessary. The destruction of the Temple of Solomon in 70 CE significantly reduced the power and prestige of the cohens and strengthened the authority of the rabbis. Nevertheless, the Jews recorded the family tree of the cohens and transferred this information from father to son, from generation to generation. Nowadays, the cohens are assigned to carry out some religious practices symbolically. The cohens still carry out their activities as people the Jews respect, because they perform some tasks, albeit symbolically.
Keywords
Dinler tarihi, Yahudilik, Din adamı sınıfı, Başkohen, Kohen, History of religions, Judaism, Clergy, The high priest (cohen gadol), Priest (cohen)
Citation
Güngör, M. (2019). “Yahudilikte özel bir sınıf: Yahudi din adamları kohenler”. Oksident: Yahudilik, Hıristiyanlık ve Batı Araştırmaları Dergisi, 1(2), 193-218.