The mitzvah of Birkas Kohanim is stated יברכך כה תברכו את בני ישראל אמור להם so you should bentch Yisrael say to them. The last two words of the passuk seem superfluous? The Paneiach Raza which is one of the Baalei Tosfos writes that אמור is written with an extra letter vov to hint that Birkas Kohanim must be said in the form of a niggun as it is our custom. This is alluded to in the gematriah of אמור and זמר. This gematriah answers the reason why אמור להם is not extra for it was needed to teach that singing should accompany the beracha given by the Kohanim However, what is so significant of the niggiun that it should partner with the beracha?
The Alter Rebbe in Parshas Korach 55b explains the uniqueness of Birkakas Kohanim from all other berachos. The Rishonim ask how can we request from Hashem our needs of refuah, parnassah etc. when on Rosh Hashanah everything was already decreed? The Rebbe answers that true that it is decreed above in the higher world, packaged and your address printed clearly on it. Nevertheless, there is also a return address printed on the package. One's parcel must journey from the upper spiritual world all the way down to the lower physical world in which we live in order for the package to be delivered. During its trip it must pass through many security checks such a kirtrugim and character evaluations, and then judgement is passed if you are worthy going forward to the next station. If it doesn't make it through all the world customs, then the spiritual UPS resends it back UP heavenward without the S of service, and it will be waiting for you to pick it up in Olam Habah. In contrast if your designated beracha passes all the GO's successfully you can collect the beracha that you requested.
However, concerning the berachos of Ahron Hakohen this above scenario does not apply. Miraculously there are no stops, security checks, customs, conveyer belts, tracking numbers or need for insurances, no lost and found, waiting in lines or priority perks. יברכך ה' וישמרך Hashem will give you His beracha and watch over that it should not be blocked or stopped for any inspections. באורך נראה אור if it is coming from Hashem through Ahron directly, there is no kitrug. The beracha is protected like the letters of his name אהרן which contain the letters נראה, will be seen and present immediately. In the letters of אהרן we also find the letters of נהר. Ahron's chesed for Klal Yisrael stems from the highest caliber called .רב חסדA נהר river symbolizes flowing chesed. The bigger the river the more it breaks through the blockages of wood and debris. Ahron is such a great river of chesed that when he gives the Birkas Kohanim all the kiturgim and check points disappear ע"כ.
With this explanation we can understand that if the passuk says ואני אברכם then why is it necessary for the Kohanim to bentch them as well? Rashi says what it means is that Hashem is מסכים that He agrees to what they say. This is slightly difficult because agreeing to what the Kohanim gave should not be expressed with the term ואני אברכם which sounds like it is Hashem's original beracha and not just a הסכמה. However, according to the Alter Rebbe, we can say that it is Hashem's who is giving the beracha however there can be kitrugim throughout the journey to reach this physical world. However by the kohanim saying Hashem's beracha to Yisrael they will ward off any obstacles or hurdles that usually accompany a beracha from upon high and will thereby ensure that Yisrael will receive Hashem's beracha without an incident.
I wondered why it is a custom for some members of the Kehillah to open their outstretched palms during the beracha as if they are receiving it right now which we don't see by any other berachos that we beseech Hashem for. The answer is correct. Only Birkas Kohanim possesses the iron clad guarantee that it will immediately be delivered, so open your hands to receive it.
Now we can answer why the Birkas Kohanim has to be accompanied with singing. The word זמר means to cut off and prune as it is one of the 39 Melachos of Shabbos. As one of the tzakikim said that a niggun can take you from the place you are and bring you to the place you want to be. Every Yid essentially wants to be close to Hashem since he possesses a neshama which is a part of Hashem. The niggun arouses the neshamah to seek to feel that closeness. The song of deveikus cuts one off from all the pollution and tumah that resides within himself and transports him to a rendezvous with His creator. The Pesukai Dzimra we say before Shmah and Shemoneh Esrai is for the purpose to cut one off all the kitrugim and negative forces, and knock down all the mechitzos that try to hold us back from connecting with Hashem in a deep way.
The letters of זמר are neighbors with the letters of נחש. The power of the זמר is to cut ourselves away from the דעת נחש and fill our heads and hearts with the 'דעת ה. When the kohanim sing the Birkas Kohanim they empower the swiftness of receiving their berachos without delay by reinforcing the רב חסד of אהרן to ensure a נראה an actualization of Hashem's berachos.
This could be the intent of Rashi on the word אמור "like we find in ." Although זכור ושמור the simple intent of Rashi is a grammar issue, we can understand Rashi in a more esoteric fashion. The Ari writes that the kedusha of Shabbos is so holy that it removes from our midst any negative forces especially at the time of Shalosh Seudos. In other words Shabbos and Birkas Kohanim share a similar theme that of יאר ה' פניו אליך that with the revelation of the Hashem's light through the neshama yesairah and Olam Habah, the underworld of evil is dispersed and won't interfere in our deep connection with Hashem.
A support to this concept is found in the Ramban. In creation Hashem gives a beracha to the Shabbos which is ויברך Yet the contents of this . אלקים את יום השביעיberacha is not stated. The Ramban suggests that the beracha of Shabbos is the Birkas Kohanim (see Peri Tzadik Naso 10). We suggest a gematriah to support this interpretation of the Ramban. יום שבת עה"כ adds up to .זה ברכת כהנים The beracha of Hashem to Shabbos is not merely a ten minute beracha of Birkas Kohanim but rather a 24 hour Birkas Kohanim. Those Yidden who still dwell in Chutz Laaretz are jealous of us in Eretz Yisrael because we Duchin every day and they only Duchin on Yom Tov. However, the truth be said, any hour on Shabbos you can stand with your palms stretched out and receive this holy beracha even without Kohanim. You might get some dirty looks but you will be the one who is cleansed from all the shmutz that you have accumulated during the week if you have the proper kavanah.
Last note: the Birkas Kohanim should be said with אמור which is gematriah זמר . Therefore the 24 hour Birkas Kohanim beracha of Shabbos also deserves song. Give thought to the idea of upgrading one's Zemer in Tefillos Shabbos and during his Three Seudos to ensure your quick delivery.
Gut Shabbos
