(Mishnah): The Shali'ach Tzibur does not answer "Amen" after [Birkas] Kohanim, lest he get confused. (We assume that he prays by heart, without a Sidur);

[Even] if he is the only Kohen, he does not recite Birkas Kohanim.

If he is sure that he can recite Birkas Kohanim and resume the prayer, he may do so.

(Gemara - Beraisa): One who is Pores Al Shma (says Kaddish, Borechu, and the first Berachah before Keri'as Shema), comes in front of the Aron, gives Birkas Kohanim, reads in the Torah or the Haftorah in the Navi, and one who blesses on any Mitzvah in the Torah, does not answer Amen after himself. If he answered, he is a Bor (crude person).

Some teach that he is a Bor, and some teach that he is a Chacham.

(Rav Chisda): The one who says that he is a Chacham discusses one who answers at the end [of all the Brachos]. The one who says that he is a Bor discusses one who answers to every Brachah.

(R. Chanina): If two Yisraelim and a Kohen were walking, we put the Kohen in the middle. When is this? It is when they are all equal [in Chachmah], but if one of them was a Chacham, we put the Chacham in the middle.

R. Yehoshua ben Levi: I never blessed before a Kohen, and I never allowed a Yisrael to bless before me.

(R. Yudah ben Pazi citing R. Elazar): Any Kohen who stands in the Beis ha'Keneses and does not give Birkas Kohanim, he transgresses an Aseh;

When R. Yudah ben Pazi was weak (and he could not give Birkas Kohanim), he tied his head and stood in back of the pillar (so people will understand why he does not Duchan). R. Elazar would go outside.

(R. Acha citing R. Tanchuma b'Ribi Chiya citing R. Simlai): If all the people in it a city are Kohanim, they give Birkas Kohanim.

Whom do they bless? They bless their brothers in the north, their brothers in the south, their brothers in the east and their brothers in the west.

Who answers Amen to them? The women and minors. (Why didn't we say that they bless the women and minors? Perhaps this would imply that they Duchan only if there are women or children in the Beis ha'Keneses. Alternatively, we wanted to teach that the Brachah applies to people everywhere. - PF)

(Abaye bei R. Binyamin - Beraisa): People who stand in back of the Kohanim are not included in the Brachah.

Those who stand in front of the Kohanim - R. Chiya bar Va said, even an iron wall does not interrupt (they receive the Brachah).

Question: What is the law of people standing to the side?

Answer: We learn from the following. If one intended to sprinkle [Mei Chatas] in front of himself and he sprinkled in back, or [he intended to sprinkle] in back and he sprinkled in front, the sprinkling is Pasul;

If he intended in front and he sprinkled to the side, the sprinkling is Kosher.

Inference: People standing to the side are included in the Brachah.

(Rav Chisda): The Chazan (Makri, the one who says the words for the Kohanim to repeat) must be a Yisrael.

Note: Presumably, this is only l'Chatchilah, for above we said that there is Birkas Kohanim even in a city of all Kohanim. (PF) The RAMBAM (Hilchos Tefilah 14:14) says that we strive that the Makri be a Yisrael.

(Rav Nachman bar Yakov): If there was one Kohen, [the one who calls them to bless] says 'Kohen'. If there were two Kohanim, he says 'Kohanim'.

(Rav Chisda): Even to one Kohen he says 'Kohanim', for he calls to the Shevet, lest [a Kohen be suspected of Aveiros, and] you will say 'how is it that Ploni transgresses Arayos or murders, and he blesses us?!'

(Mishnah): If one erred in his Tefilah (Shemoneh Esreh), it is a bad sign for him;

If [the one who erred] is a Shali'ach Tzibur, it is a bad sign for those who sent him (the congregation), for one's Shali'ach is like himself.

They said about R. Chanina ben Dosa that he would pray for sick people. He would say 'this one will live, and this one will die.'

Talmidim: How do you know this?

R. Chanina: If my prayer flows smoothly in my mouth, I know that it is accepted. If not, I know that it is not accepted.

(Gemara - Rav Acha bar Yakov): [A mistake is a bad sign] only in Birkas Avos

(Beraisa): A case occurred in which R. Gamliel's son fell sick. He sent two Chachamim to R. Chanina ben Dosa in his city. He told 'wait for me, until I ascend to the Aliyah (upper story). He ascended to the Aliyah and descended, and said 'I am sure that R. Gamliel's son recovered from his illness.

They recorded the time [and later found that exactly then, his] son requested food from [the people attending to him].

(R. Shmuel bar Nachmani): If you had intent in your heart in Tefilah, you will be informed that your Tefilah was heard.

What is the source? "Tachin Libam Takshiv Aznecha."

(R. Yehoshua ben Levi): If a person's lips say his Tefilah fluently, he will be informed that his Tefilah was heard.

What is the source? "Borei Niv Seafasayim Shalom Shalom la'Rachok vela'Karov Amar Hash-m u'Refasiv."