Sign at a cemetery in Israel prohibiting Kohanim from entering
In an impressive meeting in the home of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and with the blessings of HaRav Shalom Cohen, president of Moetzet Hachmei HaTorah of Shas, a new body has been established bearing the name "Mamlechet Kohanim" which will supervise the various aspects of the sanctity of kohanim in hospitals. This is following long years of pain and frustration on the part of the many thousands of kohanim throughout the country.
HaRav Ben Zion HaKohen Kook, from the heads of the Badatz, opened the founding meeting with the words: "Kohanim experience much pain each time that they visit hospitals because of their halachic restrictions. Regretfully, while even in those hospitals where ostensibly the issues are under control, kohanim must often wait many hours before they can have access to enter."
HaRav Ben Zion Kook quoted the words of the gemara regarding Rashbi who purified Tiveria in order to mitigate the suffering of kohanim. "The difficulty of that time is nothing compared to the distress of kohanim in hospitals today. The numbers of that period is also negligible compared to the number of kohanim today."
