07 Jun BLESSING WITH LOVE

HaShem spoke to Moshe: “Speak to Aaron and his sons. This is how you shall bless the people of Israel. Say to them:

May HaShem bless you and protect you.

May HaShem shine His face upon you, and be gracious to you.

May HaShem turn His face towards you, and grant you peace.”

(Bamidbar 6:22-26)

This week’s parshah, Nasso, includes Birchas Kohanim, the blessing that HaShem instructed the kohanim to transmit to the Jewish nation.

The kohanim bless us on the Sholosh Regalim – Pesach, Shavuos and Succos, as well as on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. In Israel, there are varying customs, and in many shuls it is recited every day. Birchas Kohanim is also referred to as “duchanning”, since the kohanim stand on a raised platform, which in Yiddish is referred to as a duchan.

Birchas Kohanim begins with the kohanim saying a berachah “… And has commanded us to bless His people b’ahavah, with love.”

With love. We have so many mitzvos – daily mitzvos, like washing our hands upon rising in the morning, and reciting Birchas HaShachar, the morning prayers. There are mitzvos that are unique to Shabbos, like candle lighting and making Kiddush. Mitzvos in honor of the holidays – such as eating matzah on Pesach, sitting in the succah, reciting Megillas Esther, blowing shofar, and kindling the Chanukah menorah. Yet, none of the berachos recited prior to performing these mitzvos include the term “b’ahavah”, to observe the mitzvah with love.

The Zohar tells us that the kohain’s blessings must come from the heart and be sincere. A kohain must look at everyone stranding before him, each member of Am Yisroel with love. To bless them with ahavah. To “fargin” – to be happy for another’s joy, well-being, nachas and mazel. To be selfless, to rise above any feelings of jealousy or ill will. To have a pure, giving heart towards all.

In the Hebrew text of Birchas Kohanim, the kohanim bless the congregation in the personal – singular, even though they are blessing an entire group. This sends an important message to the kohanim, that each and every individual is important. Every group is comprised of individuals, and each one needs blessings. Blessings to be given b’ahavah, with love.

Standing in shul, receiving the berachah from the kohanim, and listening to the niggunim, the melodies they sing, one can truly feel that they are the recipient of HaShem’s berachos.

The kohanim stand with outstretched hands, as if to be “touching” everyone they are blessing. In addition,

there is a beautiful custom among some Sephardic congregations, where all those in shul stand during Birchas Kohanim with their hands outstretched, and their palms facing upwards, to symbolize their readiness to accept the berachos being bestowed upon them by the kohanim.

Birchas Kohanim is comprised of three distinct blessings:

Yevorechecho – HaShem should bless us. Rashi quotes from the Midrash that this is a blessing for prosperity. That HaShem should provide for our material needs. The blessing includes “v’yishmerecha – to guard and protect us.” HaShem should not only gift us prosperity, but watch over our possessions as well.

Yo’er – HaShem should shine His light, His ohr upon us. This refers to our spiritual growth. A berachah that we should be capable of understanding the wisdom of the Torah, and that we find favor in HaShem’s eyes.

Yisso – HaShem should turn His face towards us, and bestow upon us the blessing of shalom, peace. Peace and harmony between nations, communities, families, and peace within oneself.

Blessings that we can all relate to. Berachos we can all use.

“V’heyei berachah, You shall be for a blessing.” HaShem’s words to Avraham Avinu. A message for all of Am Yisroel, for all times. To be a people of blessing. A nation that cherishes both giving and receiving berachos.

It is 26 years since my beloved father, HaRav Meshulem ben HaRav Osher Anshil HaLevi zt”l, passed away. But there are some papers, some mementos that I still cherish and hold onto.

My father was a big believer in utilizing visual aids during his many classes and sermons. He would often distribute beautifully handwritten notes, diagrams and charts to make it easier for those listening to follow the subject matter being taught.

In a box with his many papers, we found an info-graphic he wrote up, explaining the Priestly Blessing. One year, on my father’s yahrzeit, my mother a”h, made copies of it, and distributed them to all the children and grandchildren. How meaningful it was to us to have a berachah written out in our father’s handwriting.

One of the most special childhood memories I have, are my parents’ berachos, every leil Shabbos and especially Erev Yom Kippur. As is customary in many families, we would line up, oldest to youngest, and receive a berachah from our Abba, as he lovingly placed his hands upon us. We would then go to our mother, and she too would bentch us, and whisper a personal prayer to each of us – always knowing exactly what we needed to hear.

I am often asked what I miss the most about my parents. They were larger than life personalities, both so accomplished. I miss so many things, but high up on that list are their berachos. That feeling that everything will be ok, that sense of security, and of course that special ahavah, love that accompanied their berachos.

B’ahavah. With love. While we are not all kohanim, we should still view each other with love. We can offer blessings to one another. We can treat each other with respect; we can care for and help one another.

We can all give blessings b’ahavah, with love.