במדבר פרק ו כג דַּבֵּר אֶל-אַּהֲרֹן וְאֶל-בָּנָּיו לֵּאמֹר כֹה תְבָּרֲכוּ אֶת-בְנֵּי יִשְרָּאֵּל אָּמוֹר לָּהֶם :
Understanding
Rashi Constant; said not in haste but with intent; a whole heart; all should hear
Lubavitcher Rebbe Ztz”l Lekutei Sichos Volume 18
Constant: a progressive verb form indicating being in a consistent state i.e. Zachor and Shamor (the positive and negative obligations which are consistent regarding Shabbos); the blessings are one unified idea of positive and preventing negative
Not in haste, but with intent - obligation to bless with a full heart each Jew (singular language of the blessing) and also bless the general community (plural in the introduction); yet do not hurriedly blurt out the words but bless with a whole heart
All should hear – Every Jew prepares for receiving the blessing, yet should appreciate that every other Jew is also receiving a blessing (bitul)
The goal is the complete love of HaShem, the Cohanim and the Jews
Rashbam Cohanim should bless in the name of HaShem (and not in their own name)
Shulchan Aruch
Laws of Bircas Cohanim learned from the above verse:
- Use the Explicit Name
- Said in Lashon HaKodesh
- Done by standing
- Loud voice to be hear by the Jews
- Shliach Tzibor prompts word for word
- Bless with raised hands
- Face to face
- Requires love from the Cohanim
Medrosh Yalkut Shimoni
The Jews say to HaShem, “You have commanded the Cohanim to bless us, but we want you to bless us (directly).” HaShem responses “the blessing does come from the Cohanim but from Me. When the Cohanim raise their hands I look through the windows (the space between the extended fingers) and bless the Jews.”
R’ Bahaye
כה concept should be like this; structure of blessing
Medrash - Gift to bless given to the Cohanim; here is the power to bless the Jewish People; This is the gift in addition to the 24 gifts, get this 25th (כה) gift to bless
Prophecy with כה an approximate; an extra levush to facilitate (and to an extent modify) the prophecy to be able to hear/see and appreciate (as opposite to זה)
Chinuch
HaShem wants to bless His people and wants done it through the Cohanim (due to their merits); for the people, we have to prepare ourselves to receive
Rav Shimshon Hirsch
This is not a blessing dependent on the good will of the Cohanim or to seek the good graces of the people; rather this is an obligation upon the Cohanim as part of their holy service (in the Bais haMikdash and in Galus)
Rakanti
Pass through with כה (Cohen) the midas of Malchus; a focused channel to enable receipt Bring Rachamim into Dinim; a sweetened כה
Lubavitcher Rebbe Ztz”l Volume 33
Beracha (blessing) a reservoir which one draws from existing resources; not creating anything but tapping into spiritual bank account to bring down.
Tefilah (prayer) requesting HaShem to create a new Will that was not previously present.
Bircas Cohanim contains both aspects.
HaShem commands the Cohen to bless on behalf of HaShem through the created channels; plus, bless the Source to create a new Will.
Kesuvos (25b) indicates “you” (Cohanim) should bless, and not zarim (non-priests).
Rabbi Baruch Epstein heard from a trustworthy person in Vilna, who heard from his elderly father that heard from Rav Yechezkel Landa, head of the Bais Din in Vilna (who died in the year תרל"א at the age of 91) that at the Chupah of Rav Landa, the Vilna Gaon placed one hand on Rav Landau’s head when he conveyed the Priestly blessings. When asked about the incident, the Vilna Gaon said that we only find blessing with two hands in the Bais HaMikdash.
It appears to Rabbi Epstein that many Rabbis and Tzadikim are not careful about this matter and offer blessings to others with two hands. (Please note that the Vilna Gaon did many things different than everybody, even different than Ashkenazim)
Allusions
Baal HaTurim
כה – Gematria 25 Verse “Shema Yisrael” has 25 letters
25 times in Torah: Beracha (first word), Shalom (last word of this Blessing)
אמור additional Vav (6) - indicates 6 blessings in the Bircas Cohanim (2 per verse)
6 presents from HaShem: “Toras HaShem”; “Eidus HaShem”; “Pikudei HaShem”; “Mitzvas HaShem”; “Mishpatei HaShem” (Tehillim 19, 8-10)
6 sections of the Mishnah
Medrash Rabbah
Word כה alludes to merits of the three Fathers:
Avrohom (Bereshis 15,5) כה יהיה זערך lesson in Ahavas Yisrael
Yitzchak (Bereshis 22,5) ואני ונער נלכה עד כה Dedication; Kiddush HaShem
Yaacov (Shmos, 19,3) כה תומר לבית יעקב Study Torah setting tone in the home
Peneach Raza אמור Gematria 247 same as זמר; the Cohanim use a tone when making the Blessing
R’ Bahaye אמור Gematria 247 plus one (for the word) = 248; effects a person’s 248 limbs
Sixty letters in Bircas Cohanim (15,20,25)
Sixty might warriors of Shlomo
Sixty myriads (600,000 people) who stood at Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah
Sixty tractates in the Talmud
Fifteen words in Bircas Cohanim (3,5,7)
Gematria of the first two letters of G-d’s name; source for Creation
There are 15 words in the priestly benediction, and the word באהבה (love) also has the numerical value of 15; the Cohen needs to say the words with loving care.
Shvilei Pinches
3 verses refer to the שלש רגלים (Three Festivals)
15 words refer to the 15 days contained within those Three Festivals
60 letters teach that the hours within these 15 days nullify, by 60 times (15X24=360) the six hours spend on the sin of the Golden Calf
Why is Bircas Cohanim stated in this place in the Torah?
Taanis 26b
Just as a Nazir (the immediate preceding Parsha) is forbidden to drink wine, so a Cohen that is to bless is forbidden with wine
Medrash Nazir and Cohen Gadol have kedusha; forbidden to become tameh to close relatives
Ramban
Bircas Cohanim earlier in Parshas Shmeni for Aharon at the set-up of the Mishkan; here stated for future generations
Tur
Bircas Cohanim in Parshas Shmeni is a command to Cohanim for the Mishkan (Bais HaMikdash) with one blessing and the explicit Name; in Parshas Naso for outside the Mikdash the Blessing has three verses and is with the “nickname”
Chizkuni
In the first year in the desert the Jews were encamped in one place and posed no challenge to the locals (Canaanites); in the second year, the Jews now organized, assumed battle formation with flags, etc., now they posed a threat to the Canaanites and needed the positive blessing of the Cohanim.
Gematria (numerical values) indicating connection between two concepts (Rokeach)
"הן מלכות בבית דוד" פניו אליך וישם לך שלום "הן השכינה" יאר ה' פניו אליך בנכסים ובגוף"” יברכך ה'
"הנה ביציאה ובכניסה ובביתך" וישם לך שלום "זה חפציך ימלא" פניו אליך ויחנך "יצר הרע" וישמרך
"הן ללמוד תורה" וישם לך שלום "זה הוא בבינה" ויחנך "לא ישלטו אליך גוים" וישמרך
"זהו משיח" שלום "זהו בחכמה" ויחנך "זהו צכל מיני השדים" וישמרך
"הנה מיכן ברכה לישראל לכהנים וללוים ולנשים ולגרים ולעבדים"
ושמו את שמי על בני ישראל
"הלמוד" ויחנך "ממשפט גיהנום" וישמרך
"ומסכים על ידם" ואני אברכם "זהו בתפילה" ישא ה' פניו אליך "יזכר הברית" ויברכך ה' וישמרך
"כל הכהנים בכלל" ואני אברכם "בזה יעבור כעסו" ישא ה' פניו "זהו מאור עינים" יאר ה' פניו אליך
