מכות כב

When Amram moved into a new community and was asked whether he was a כהן, he said yes.  For many months, the kibud of כהן was his.  One שבת, when his brother came to visit, the brother was called up for the כהן aliyah.  “I’m not a כהן,” he said.  Surprised, the Rabbi confronted Amram and asked “If your brother isn’t a כהן, how are you a כהן?”  Embarrassed, Amram admitted the truth and asked for forgiveness.  “That’s punishable by 39 lashes,” the Rabbi said.  “Do you want me to administer them?”  Amram said yes and the Rabbi began administering them one by one.  However, he did not stop at 39.  When the 40th lash came down on his back, Amram said “What’s going on?  I’m supposed to get 39 lashes.”  “What about כהן במקום לוי?” the Rabbi asked.

06/10/2021