תלמוד על ברכות 5:5

MISHNAH: After they stood to pray they place before the Ark an old knowledgeable man who has children but his house is empty⁷³He has to be poor but must be knowledgeable enough to be able to recite all prayers without slowing down or interruption, and must have young children who are dependent on him. so that his mind should be concentrated on prayer. He recites before them 24 benedictions, eighteen of the daily prayers and additional six. These are they, Zikhronot and Shofarot⁷⁴The two additional benedictions in the musaf prayer of New Year’s Day; each one accompanied by the blowing of the shofar. The text of each addition is followed by an invocation and a doxology as spelled out in Mishnaiot 4–10.. To the Eternal in my straights⁷⁵Ps. 120.. I lifted my eyes to the Mountains⁷⁶Ps. 121.. From the depths I called on You, Eternal⁷⁷Ps. 130.. Prayer of the poor who is fainting⁷⁸Ps. 102.

HALAKHAH: “The following was said for communal peace,” etc. The saying of Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai implies that it is of the words of the Torah, for Rebbi Simeon ben Ioḥai stated: “Moses wrote this Torah and gave it to the Cohanim, the Levites (etc.)” and afterwards “to all the Elders of Israel.²²³Deut. 31:9. The implication is that in all matters of reading the Torah the Cohanim and Levites have precedence over Israel Elders. In the Babli, 58b, the author of the statement is given as the Amora R. Mattaniah.” The saying of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi implies that it is of their words, as Rebbi Joshua said, never did I recite the benediction before a Cohen and I did not allow an Israel to do it before him²²⁴If it were a Torah obligation to give precedence to Cohanim, there would be no reason to point it out as a sign of particular religiosity. In the Babli, Megillah 28a, the statement is attributed to the wonder-working R. Perida. In Yerushalmi Berakhot 5:5 (9d 1.3), the reference is that R. Joshua ben Levi never let any non-Cohen publicly recite Grace in the presence of a Cohen (Halakhah 5:5, Notes 163,164.). The saying of Rebbi Ḥanina implies that it is of their words, as Rebbi Ḥanina said, in a city of only Cohanim, an Israel reads first because of communal peace²²⁵If it were a Torah obligation, then even to avoid quarrels it would not be possible to call an Israel..