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Answer: The main halachic issue here is that one is not supposed to look at the kohanim during Birkat Kohanim. The sources begin with the mishna (Megilla 24b) that a kohen with blemishes on his hands must not do Birkat Kohanim because it can cause people to stare at the kohen’s hands. The Yerushalmi (Megilla 4:8) says that this shows that it is forbidden for the congregation to look, irrespective of whether the kohanim have blemishes, because it can cause them to not properly concentrate on the berachot. This is codified by the Rambam (Tefilla 14:7) and the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 128:23). (This concern is best understood according to the opinion that the tzibbur has a mitzva to accept the kohanim’s beracha; see Be’ur Halacha to 128:1; Dvar Avraham I:31.) The Mishna Berura (128:89) says, that since concentration is the problem, one should not be looking anywhere, and that the halacha only precludes extended looking, as only this would impair one’s concentration.
The explanation that most people think of is that it is disrespectful and potentially dangerous to look at a kohen’s hands during Birkat Kohanim because of a special Divine Presence (Shechina) that exists there. Indeed, the gemara (Chagiga 16a) says that doing so could damage one’s vision. The Beit Yosef (OC 128) points out that the Shechina is on the hands only in the Beit Hamikdash, where they would use the Shem Hameforash during Birkat Kohanim, and so our present-day practice of not looking relates only to concentration. (Some kabbalistically oriented sources say that the danger effect still exists – see Da’at Torah to the Shulchan Aruch ibid.) Although we have seen that it should thus be permitted to look casually, the Mishna Berura (ibid.) comments that the minhag is to not look at all as a remembrance of the care taken in the Beit Hamikdash.
In fact, some take further precautions. The Beit Yosef (ibid.) reports a minhag, which is indeed followed broadly today, for each kohen to pull their tallit over his head and even his hands. This prevents the kohanim from being distracted by the people, and the people from being distracted by the kohanim. By the same token, it also prevents seeing the hands, with the Shechina implications.
If this is not enough, there is the minhag you ask about, which is mentioned and encouraged by the Kaf Hachayim (OC 128:142), that members of the tzibbur also cover their heads with a tallit. He says that if one does not cover his eyes with a tallit, he at least should shut his eyes. Some mention (see Piskei Teshuvot 128:55) covering children with a tallit. This is probably more logical if the problem is the Shechina issue as opposed to concentration, as the latter is unlikely to be important for a child. At some point, apparently quite recently and as a grass roots idea, some fathers started putting their hands on their child’s head, as some sort of conduit for the beracha of the kohanim to land well on the children. It could be that this was borrowed from the practice of fathers to put their hands on their children’s heads when blessing them (including with Birkat Kohanim) on Friday night.
We have seen how the minhag you experienced in chutz la’aretz, was an extension of an extension of an extension. It could be that it just did not spread to Israeli communities here as much as abroad. The explanation could be that when Birkat Kohanim is a rare, highly anticipated event, people are more inclined to seek every possible enhancement, but not in Israel, where its frequency fosters a more basic approach.
Now that you live in Eretz Yisrael, we suggest to follow the local practice. However, especially since people do not look around at this time, you may, if you prefer, cover your head during Birkat Kohanim, as this is not divisive.
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions (651)
Rabbi Daniel Mann
661 - ASK THE RABBI: EARLY LIGHTING AND/OR LATE BERACHA
662 - ASK THE RABBI: COVERING ONE’S FACE DURING BIRKAT KOHANIM
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