Birkat Kohanim – Rav Michael Susman I must admit that I am partial to Birkat Kohanim. It could be because I am a Kohen myself. Because I am blessed to Live in Israel I get to “duchan” on a daily basis, a mitzvah which my compatriots in Chutz L’Aretz only fulfill a mere thirteen times a year (more on that later). Perhaps it is because my grandson’s name, “Ya’air”, is taken directly from the Bracha. Or perhaps it is simply because I have the zechut to be the conduit for a beautiful blessing that Hashem wishes to bestow on Am Yisrael. For whatever the reason, I like Birkat Kohanim. Given its ubiquitous nature, we often pay little attention to Birkat Kohanim. It is, after all, the most common of berachot. Here in Israel, the Kohanim say it once and sometimes twice a day (and three times on Yom Kippur). In Chutz L’Aretz, the Shaliach Tzibbur says it the same amount of times during Chazarat HaShatz. It is a long standing custom for parents to bless their children using the text of the bracha. Over the next several paragraphs I would like to address three specific issues regarding Birkat Kohanim. Birkat Kohanim appears in a seemingly random place in the Torah. Smack in the middle of our Parsha, Birkat Kohanim follows the laws of the Nazir and precedes the lengthy section describing the dedication of the Mishkan. Is there any discernible reason for this placement? Ramban (6:23) links the bracha to the dedication of the Mishkan. The Mishkan is the place from where God’s blessing goes out to the world. In fact, the bracha only finds its full power in the context of the Mishkan or the Beit HaMikdash. It is only there that the bracha is recited as an uninterrupted whole (as opposed to our custom of splitting the beracha into three) using the “Shem HaMefurash”. Thus, it is only appropriate that the mitzvah be placed prior to the dedication of the Mishkan. On the other side of the spectrum, Ibn Ezra and Chizkuni see a connection to the previous Parsha of the Nazir. One purpose of an individual taking an oath to become a Nazir is to raise oneself to a spiritual plane which would be unobtainable under normal circumstances. The Torah therefore links the Parsha of the Kohanim, who are holy on a regular basis, to the Parsha of Nazir. Ralbag (6:22) also chooses to link Birkat Kohanim to the previous Parsha, but casts a much wider net. Rather than limit the linkage to just the Nazir, Ralbag links Birkat Kohanim to the three Parshiot which preceded it, Nazir, Sotah, and the command to remove ritually impure individuals from the camp (Perakim 5-6). Ralbag explains that the Birkat Kohanim reflects the achievement of the highest value of perfection and peace within Am Yisrael. This state can only be achieved after inner harmony has been established on a number of other levels. The first level of harmony is within oneself. This is the purpose of the oath that the Nazir takes. When an individual finds himself struggling with his physical desires, he may choose to negate them through total abstention. As Rambam famously described in his Introduction to Pirkei Avot, Shemona Perakim (chapter 4), in order to properly balance one’s expression of various midot it may be necessary to overcompensate for a negative characteristic by moving in a radically opposite direction. While this changed behavior is neither sustainable nor even desirable, following it for a relatively short period of time can help a person establish a more desirable equilibrium in their behavior. This is another aspect of the Nazir. Establishing this internal harmony is the first step an individual must take to be a functioning member of society. The second step is taken on the family level. This idea is demonstrated by the Sotah. A situation where there is a lack of trust between husband and wife makes a family relationship both intolerable and unsustainable. The ceremony prescribed for the Sotah demonstrates both the depths that a couple can plunge to when the lack of trust exists as well as providing a way out and a possibility of rebuilding that trust. Finally, when there is harmony on a family level we can turn to the national level. This is the message of the removal of the Zav and Zava from the national camp. While it is true that this harmony needs to be established beginning with the individual and then moving to the family and national level, Ralbag suggests that the Torah chooses to describe it in reverse order, beginning with the national level and ending with the Nazir. Having achieved this multi-faceted harmony, Bnei Yisrael is now ready to receive the Bracha from the Kohanim. And what is the nature of this Bracha? While many explanations have been given (for a wonderful synopsis see Nechama Leibowitz, Iyunim B’Sefer BaMidbar, pp 83-91) I would like to focus on the explanation of the Netziv. Yevarecha Hashem, V’Yishmerecha (Hashem should bless you and watch over you). This blessing is an individual one. Every person is blessed according to his needs and talents. The talmid chacham should achieve greater heights in learning, the businessman more success in his field. However, the more significant part of this blessing is “VeYishmerecha”, Hashem should watch over you. A blessing, says the Netziv, can easily turn bad. When the Kohanim say that Hashem should watch over you there are two things that they have in mind. The first is obvious. Hashem should preserve what He has given us, our wealth, our health, our knowledge. The second part of this shemira is more subtle. An individual can be ruined by success. A talmid chacham may become arrogant and create a Chillul Hashem. A wealthy person may become selfish and greedy. The shemira that we are blessed with is shemira from our own worst instincts, in effect Hashem promises to save us from ourselves. Ya’air Hashem Panav Elecha V’Chunecha (Hashem should shine His face on you and be gracious to you). According to the Netziv, this shining of His face refers to Hashgacha – Divine Providence. But for the bracha, “mere” Hashgacha does not suffice. Rather, the blessing is that it should be clear to all that the source of your success is Hashem’s hashgacha, not mere luck or fate. The logical extension of this is “V’Chunecha”, which the Netziv interprets as tefilla. When our destiny is guided by Hashgacha, our prayers become more meaningful. This blessing suggests that our personal prayers will not only be accepted but that our relationship with God will spur others to ask that we pray for them as well, so that they too will share in our success. Yisah Hashem Panav Elecha V’Yasem Lecha Shalom (Hashem should turn his face to you and give you peace). The Netziv understands Hashem’s face as referring to His attributes. Hashem should turn to us with a full measure of His mercy and love. And of course, no Bracha can be complete without peace. If we look at the progression of the bracha according to the Netziv we see that we begin with the fulfillment and maintenance of our physical needs, followed by our spiritual needs. The bridge between them is Hashgacha, Divine Providence. When we recognize our blessing of Hashgacha we can fully appreciate God sharing all his Midot with us. Finally, I would like to return to the anomaly that I noted at the beginning of our analysis. How can it be that a Kohen such as me has the zechut to bless Am Yisrael hundreds of times over the course of the year while Kohanim in Chutz L’Aretz suffice with a baker’s dozen? The most famous answer is offered by the Remah (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 128:44) who explains that in Chutz L’Aretz only on Yom Tov is there an appropriately joyous and festive atmosphere in which the Kohanim can bless the nation. At all other times we are too overwhelmed by the difficulties of making a living to be able to appreciate the bracha. The truth is that this is a very problematic position. Do we have many other examples of canceling a mitzvah because of the worries of life? In fact, R. Yechiel Michal Epstein (Orach HaShulchan 128:64) flatly states that there is simply no defensible reason (ein shum taam nachon) for our practice of not saying Birkat Kohanim on a daily basis everywhere. So why do we continue with this desultory practice (minhag garua)? R. Epstein does not know, but in a fascinating comment attributes the practice to being akin to a Bat Kol, a Divine decree. He even alludes to failed attempts to reinstitute the practice. In Piskei Teshuvot (siman 128 note 415) R. Simcha Rabinovitz quotes attempts by both The Gr”a and R. Chaim of Volozin to reinstate the practice, both of which ended in tragedy. So I end where I began. I love Birkat Kohanim. And I thank God for having enabled me to live in the only place where apparently the Bracha was made to be said and to be fulfilled, in Eretz Yisrael. Shabbat Shalom