<HTML>[I am mentoring a student in Midreshet Lindenbaum who is working on a
research project on "Bat Kohen". As noted below, some sources in the
Gemara point to a role of Halakhic significance to a Bat Kohen, and any
suggestions as to how to pursue further research on this topic would be
welcomed. Shalom]
Even though a bat kohen performs no Temple service, it seems she has some
extra privileges and restrictions which imply some sort of higher status.
*Vayikra* 21:9 describes a bat kohen who turns to znut. She gets a more
severe punishment than a bat yisrael who would commit the same
crime, even if she has "married out" and is no longer a member of her
father's household.
The mishna in *Masechet Kidushin* 29a specifies three negative commands
that do not apply to women, one of them the restriction of a kohen
becoming "tameh l'met". The clear implication is that we would have
thought that it should apply to women, even though they do no
avodah in the mikdash and have no reason to be held to a higher standard
of purity.
Finally, in *Masechet Chulin* 132a, the Gemara lists an entire group of
rabbis who ate from teruma as representatives of their wives who were
apparently bnot kohanim. Also, *Kidushin* 8a, relates that Rav Kahana
collected money for "pidyon haben". The Tosfot there specify that Rav
Kahana was not a kohen, but that he collected it for his wife. From these
examples it seems that bnot kohen are entitled to some sort of kehuna
privileges.
Any suggestions regarding the Halakhic status of the bat kohen or the role
of the bat kohen in post-temple society up until the modern era, would be
appreciated.
Many thanks,
Rachel Kohl</HTML>
