Why 10 priests and a rabbi presided over Cohen’s burial

By , K24 Digital
On Wed, 25 Sep, 2019 16:27 | 2 mins read
Tob Cohen
The late Dutch tycoon, Tob Cohen. PHOTO | FILE
The late Dutch tycoon, Tob Cohen. PHOTO | FILE

Funerals of prominent personalities in Kenya often draw attention, especially because politicians take advantage to talk politics.

But the recent burial of slain Dutch tycoon Tob Cohen left many Kenyans with questions when it emerged that 10 priests and one rabbi had to preside over his funeral.

Unbeknownst to many, Cohen is not just an ordinary name. It is a special name given to Jewish priests or people who are descendants of Zadok, the founder of the priesthood of Jerusalem, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia.

Zadock descends from Aaron, who was appointed to that office by his younger brother, Moses.

The Cohen surname and its variants, Cowen and Kahn, indicated their status and they are given first preference in Synagogues in the reading of the Torah.

A Cohen must be ritually pure by avoiding contact with the dead, hence they are not allowed to attend funerals, except those of close relatives.

A city lawyer, Danstan Omari, told scribes that burial rites for Levites (the Jewish tribe which produces all priests) require 10 priests, who recite a specific verse each during the ceremony.

Jewish custom insists on prompt burial as a matter of respect for the dead, a consideration of particular relevance in hot climates where Jews originally resided.

This was the reason Cohen’s sister insisted on having the funeral held the earliest possible after her brother’s body was found.

Cohens are also restricted regarding marriage but it is not clear if this was the reason Tob Cohen left out his widow, Sarah Wairimu Kamotho, in his will.

During the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem, Cohens performed the daily and festival offerings and they also wrote much of the Hebrew Bible.

They live under strict rules and are forbidden from marrying a divorcee, prostitute, a convert to Judaism or a dishonoured woman.

According to the www.newworldencyclopedia.com, any Cohen who enters into such marriage loses his priestly status while in that union.