בראשית פרך יד:
יח: ומלכי צדק מלך שלם הוציא לחם ויין והוא כהן לאל עליון
יט: ויברכהו ויאמר ברוך אברם לאל עליון קנה שמים וארץ
:כוברוך אל עליון אשר מגן צריך בידך ויתן לו מעשר מכל
Nedarim 32a:
- (R. Zecharyah): (Initially) HaShem wanted that the Cohanim should descend from Shem (son of Noach) - "He was a Cohen to HaShem"
- Then, Shem blessed Avrohom prior to blessing HaShem - "blessed is Avrohom (ברוך אברם)...and blessed is HaShem (ברוך א-ל)"
- Avrohom objected - One does not bless the slave before the master!
- Immediately, HaShem decreed that Kehunah would come from Avrohom – (Tehillim 110:1) "The word of HaShem to (Avrohom) (Tehillim 110:4) that you are a Cohen forever on the words of Malki Tzedek (Shem)" - indicating because of his words Kehunah went to the descendants of Avrohom.
- "He (Shem) was a Cohen to HaShem", but his children would not be Cohanim.
How do we know that Malki Tzedek refers to Shem (the son of Noach)? לםשלך מ Shem
Why did Shem think to bless Avrohom first? Shem thought to learn from HaShem that established the blessings of the Amidah first with Magen Avrohom and then Mechaiyeh haMasim (revival of the dead). He did not understand that HaShem has a different perspective that we are supposed to view (just like we have Shema Yisrael in our Tefillin and HaShem has a reference to the Jewish people in His Tefillin).
How do we know that HaShem passed the Kehunah to the children of Avrohom? “You (Avrohom) are a Cohen forever, on (because) of the words of Malki Tzedek (Shem lost the Kehunah since by his words he blessed Avrohom first).
Where in halacha is this concept of “whom to bless first” applicable?
Orach Chaim 583 hilchos Rosh HaShana: The custom on the first night of Rosh Hashana is to eat an apple and say the “Yehi Ratzon” as a sign for a blessing of good for the forthcoming year. When does one say the “Yehi Ratzon”? Halacha has another principal that the blessing on a food or mitzvah should occur immediately preceding the action (eating or performing the mitzvah). Elef Magen (Rav Frankel) says even though it is not fitting to precede the blessing for humans (“Yehi Ratzon”) to the blessing of HaShem (Creator of the apple); therefore, the majority opinion is that first one says the blessing on eating an apple and then says the “Yehi Ratzon” and then eats the apple. Similarly, the Elef Magen states that one should first say the blessing “HaGefen” or “Shehakol” (blessing to HaShem) and afterwards one makes LeChayim to another person. Similarly, we see by Yitzchak and Yaacov that they first blessed HaShem and then blessed others. A possible hint to this concept "ברכת ה' היא תעשיר"; as if to say that when one blesses HaShem first, then one‘s blessing will be successful and one becomes rich.
Tehillim 110 is interpreted by Commentators as to referring to different people:
- Avrohom Avinu
- Dovid haMelech as a young man (prior to becoming King)
- Dovid haMelech as the established King
- King Moshiach
