Can someone take a look at this sign posted outside a garden in Israel? What does it mean? Why no Kohanim?

Question

I was in a town called Safed in Israel. There was an entry way to a garden apparently forbidding "Kohanim". Who are they, and why would they be forbidden to enter this garden?

http://www.theiconmaker.com/shalom.jpg

Answer 1

The area in question must be a cemetery.

according to Judaism Kohanim (who are direct descendants of the priests in the Temple and of Aaron) are forbidden to come in contact with the dead due to ritual impurity.

The sign is their as a warning to Kohanim who are observant that they are not allowed under Jewish law to enter the area.

Answer 2

Kohanim (or cohanim) are as another poster said a direct line of Aaron and therefor of the priestly order. Today, since there is no temple, there is not that much different between Kohanim and everyone else. However, there are still certain restrictions that apply to Kohanim. For example, Kohanim cannot come in contact with a human corpse, excepting the 7 direct family members (father, mother, brother, son, daughter, unmarried sister, and wife). That garden very likely contained a grave, which a Kohen is forbidden to come in contact with, lest he become unpure.

Answer 3

Gratvol is right about the cemetery part. Safed or Tzfat in Hebrew has a huge cemetery there with a concrete stairway straight through. A Kohen (singular for kohanim) is a priest. A kohen, because in the temple times has to serve in the temple has to be holy and pure at all times, and therefore could not come within a certain amount of space of a dead body or grave for that matter because then he will become impure! A kohen has to be extremely careful about not becoming impure and even in Jewish cemeteries today, there is a line in the middle of the road, far enough from both sides of the road where there are graves so that when it is necessary for a kohen to go to the cemetery, they will have a place to walk without becoming impure! I hope my answer made sense! Take care :-)

Answer 4

A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן, "priest", pl. כּהנִים, kohanim or cohanim), is assumed to be a direct male descendant of the Biblical Aaron, brother of Moses.

During the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem, kohanim performed specific duties vis-à-vis the daily and festival sacrificial offerings. The Kohen Gadol (High Priest) played a special role during the service of Yom Kippur. Today, kohanim retain a distinct personal status within Judaism and are still bound by special laws in Orthodox and, to a lesser extent, in Conservative Jewish communities.

Answer 5

In short, there are graves there, or has been built upon graves (that are Jewish).
Hence, kohanim are unable to go there as they would become impure. Kohanim have these laws and not all of Israel, because they are designated to serve in the Temple. The stature did not depart when the Temple was destroyed.

Answer 6

i dont know exactly why, its probably some rule or custom or something that they arent allowed to go in there. There are three groups of jews from way back in the time of moses and the bible. There are the Kohanim, which are the desendents of Aaron the priest (most of them have the last name kohen or cohen or a version of that) there are the levis (most of them have last name levine, levi, etc) and everyone else (i cant remember what they are called) you are a kohen if you are from a cohen family on your fathers side, mothers side doesnt count. hope i helped!