The "Torah Minutes" often generate many questions. The last few days' Torah minutes were about Kohanim and Lewiyim (Levites) (See http://www.atorahminute.com/2010-07-27 and http://www.atorahminute.com/2010-07-26 and http://www.atorahminute.com/2010-07-25 ). Let us answer some of the questions they generated.
If the Shammash/Gabbai calls up the Kohen when the Kohen is in a place in the prayer where he is unable to go up, the Shammash calls up someone else instead, because we do not place a burden on the congregation by having them wait till the Kohen is ready to go up. We are also not concerned that it is like the case of someone who is called up to the Torah and refuses to go. In our case the Kohen is in the middle of his prayers and is not permitted to go to the Torah and everyone sees that it is so.
If there is no Kohen and a Yisrael goes up instead, a Lewi may not go up after him because people will assume that the Yisrael who went up first was actually a Kohen. Even though the Hazzan will have said "Bimqom Kohen" (in place of a Kohen) latecomers will not have heard it.
There are various reasons why those who hold that a Lewi may not go up to the Torah in place of a Kohen when there is no Kohen present, are of that opinion. The Mor Uqsi'ah gives a Kabbalistic reason for it. He states that Kohen is Hesed, Lewi is Geburah and Yisrael is Tifereth and we do not wish to begin with Geburah.
(See Sh. 'A 135:6 with Rema. M.B. ibid 23. Kaf HaHayim ibid, 40)
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