Parshat Naso; Leviticus 4:21-7:89

One of the highlights of this week’s portion, Naso, is the Priestly Benediction. The three fold blessing given by the priest to the people. Poetic in nature, the blessing is used during the worship service as well as at special occasions. The parents bless the children with these words at the Shabbat table and these sacred words can be heard at B’nai Mitzvah ceremonies, weddings and baby namings. It is an all purpose blessing and a very ancient one.

During holy days in an Orthodox synagogue, it is traditional for the descendants of priests to gather in front of the congregation to offer this blessing. Often called duchening—for the platform used in ancient days was the duchen. The blessing also has unique hand signs that are used by the priest or Kohen. The hand is spread in the shape of the Hebrew letter shin, the first letter of one of God’s names—Shaddai, Almighty. The kohen stands in front of the congregation. Sometimes the kohen drapes the tallit over the head and it has become traditional for the congregation not to look at the priest while the blessing is being intoned. As is taught in the Zohar -“It matters that the Divine Name is reflected in the fingers of the priests’ hands so although people cannot see the Shekinah they out not to look towards the hands of the priests, as that would indicate irreverence towards the Shekinah.” The hand sign of the priest was the model for Leonard Nimoy’s Spock character in Star Trek when Mr. Spock would say, “Live Long and Prosper”.

The blessing:
May God bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine upon you and be smile upon you.
May God’s face be lifted toward you and grant you peace.

These words clearly ask for God’s Divine presence and graciousness and divine gifts of peace to be bestowed upon the one who is being blessed.

In Torah it is only Moses who meets God face to face and whose face radiates after the encounter. And in this blessing the descendants of Aaron now invite the people of Israel to that same encounter of the Holy One. No intermediary. But the blessing wishes for the one is being blessed that same immediate experience of God’s glory.

Clearly to have that kind of intimate knowledge of God is unique. And to ask for that intimate knowledge of God requires one to have a special nature. The blessing calls out to us to live up to that goodness and that prophetic quality.

Posted by Lee at May 25, 2004 11:24 AM