The Priestly Blessing (Birkat Kohahim in Hebrew), sometimes also called the threefold blessing, is an ancient benediction recited by the priests (kohanim) in the holy temple in Jerusalem. Based on the blessing given by the original priests to the Children of Israel, the Priestly blessing is an ancient and profound text that asks God to protect and favor His children. Today, it is recited in synagogues most commonly during the Musaf prayer, the additional holiday service recited after the Torah reading. Priestly Blessings. In the mid-1960s, actor Leonard Nimoy, who was raised in a traditional Jewish home, used a single-handed version of this gesture to create the Vulcan salute for his character, Spock, on Star Trek. Hands forming the Hebrew letter Shin. This blessing will make a great addition to any home or office for continuance blessing, encouragement and peace. The Hebrew term for the Priestly Blessing, administered by the descendants of Aaron, is Birkat Kohanim, also known as Nesi’at Kapayim, the “lifting of the hands,” because of the priests’ uplifted hands, through which the divine blessings flow. This custom is especially followed if only one Kohen is available to give the blessing. 2010. The Aaronic Blessings, also called the Priestly Blessing, is the blessing God instructed Aaron and his sons to say over the Israelites in Numbers 6:24–26. [27] German communities perform the blessing in Shaharit, Musaf, and (on Yom Kippur) in Neilah. [citation needed]. When the blessing is omitted from a prayer in which it could be recited (on weekdays and Shabbat in Ashkenazic diaspora communities, or in any community if a Kohen is not present), the text of the prayer is recited by the hazzan instead, without any special chant or gestures.[28]. Instead one should look at the ground and concentrate on the blessing. Hilchot Tefilla: A Comprehensive Guide to the Laws of Daily Prayer, David Brofsky, KTAV Publishing House/OU Press/Yeshivat Har Etzion. In Israel, though, this chanting is not the custom. Jewish Blessings; Priestly Blessings; Priestly Blessings. Performing the Jewish ceremony of the priestly blessing is known in Yiddish as duchening, a reference to the bimah on which the blessing is said. They cover their heads with their tallitot, recite the blessing over the performance of the mitzvah, turn to face the congregation, and then the hazzan slowly and melodiously recites the three verse blessing, with the Kohanim repeating it word by word after him. • Only Kohanim (males aged 13 or older, in direct patrilineal descent from Aaron) may perform the Priestly Benediction. The Priestly Blessing or priestly benediction, (Hebrew: ברכת כהנים ‎; translit. Therefore, with minimal effort, you will be able to recite these verses in Hebrew and gain a deeper understanding of the Word of God. The priestly blessing (Num 6:22-24) is the most familiar passage in Numbers 5-6. Each kohen's tallit is draped over his head and hands so that the congregation cannot see his hands while the blessing is said. [41], Reform, Reconstructionist and Liberal Judaism, יִשָּׂא יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם, During the First Temple period, people wore as amulets silver scrolls on which the Birkhat Kohanim was inscribed, as described in the article, Rabbis Stanley Bramnick and Judah Kagen, 1994; and a responsa by the Va'ad Halakha of the. Thus, this blessing is usually omitted or simply read by the hazzan. The central message of the blessing is stated in the closing Hebrew word, שׁלום (šālôm), translated “peace”. In the Yemenite tradition when there is a solitary Kohen, he says the first word of the blessing without prompting after having said the preparatory blessing. 1983 television show "Leonard Nimoy's Star Trek Memories" This story was told by Nimoy on camera and repeated in somewhat abbreviated form in 1999 on the SciFi Channel "Star Trek: Special Edition" commentary for the episode "Amok Time". In many communities, it is customary for congregants to spread their, A tradition common among Ashkenazim rests on the basis that during the recital of this blessing the, In the case where no Kohanim are present in the synagogue (but there still is a, The text of the Priestly Blessing is also used by Jewish parents to bless their children on Friday night before the. Looking at the Kohanim could be distracting. In Conservative Judaism, the majority of congregations do not perform the priestly blessing ceremony, but some do. Eastern European congregations only perform it at Musaf. Birkat Kohanim. However, if there is only one Kohan performing the blessings, he starts the blessing over performing the blessings without any prompting from the congregation; the hazzan then continues as normal. יְשִׂימְךָ אֱלֹהיִם כְּאֶפְרַיְם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה It is a traditional blessing, arousing the above to manifest below, yet is recited in the context of prayer, which gives the blessing an additional boon. By a wonderful stroke of fate, it contains perhaps the oldest liturgical formula still in regular use: the priestly blessings, set out in today’s sedra. There are different tunes for this chant in different communities. The Hebrew verb translated as gracious in the Aaronic blessing is the verb חנן (hhanan, Strong's #2603) and is often paralleled with other Hebrew words meaning healing, help, being lifted up, finding refuge, strength and rescue. In Liberal (and American Reform) congregations, the concept of the priesthood has been largely abandoned, along with other caste and gender distinctions. World-famous Messianic Worship Leader Paul Wilbur then sings the prayer over you in Hebrew. Ya’eir Adonai panav eilecha vichunecha. From a concrete Hebraic perspective this verb means to “provide protection.” Y’varech’cha Adonai v’yishm’recha. [31] The Conservative movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has approved two opposing positions: One view holds that a bat kohen may deliver the blessing; another view holds that a bat kohen is not permitted to participate in the Priestly Blessing because it is a continuation of a Temple ritual that women were not eligible to perform. ", "עוד בעניין נשיאת-כפיים בארץ-ישראל, הנחת הידיים ב'מודה אני, "The Priest in the Concluding Rites of the Mass", "Common Worship > Common Material > New Patterns for Worship > Resource Section > Conclusion > J67", "Book of Common Prayer: Order for the Visitation of the Sick", Reasons for the customs of the Priestly Blessings (Birchat Kohanim), Priestly Blessing, from the Union of Reform Judaism, www.cohen-levi.org procedure for the blessing of the kohanim, Recording of the Priestly Blessing on the Zemirot Database, Why the Priestly Blessing is not recited daily in the Diaspora, Article provided by the Jewish Outreach Institute, an organization dedicated to creating a more open and welcoming Judaism, Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing, at Hebrew for Christians, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Priestly_Blessing&oldid=1000023211, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. This poster features the biblical Hebrew text of the Priestly Blessing (also known as the “Aaronic Benediction”), with each Hebrew word broken into syllables and transliterated using the English alphabet. Apparently this prompting is done to avoid errors or embarrassment if any of the Kohanim should be ignorant of the words of the recitation. [26] This Ashkenazic practice is based on a ruling by the Remoh, who argued that the Kohanim were commanded to bless the people "with joy", and that Kohanim in the diaspora could not be expected to feel joyful except on the above-mentioned holidays where all Jews are commanded to feel joy. Priestly Blessing. It is common for whoever is reciting the blessing to make their hands resemble the Hebrew letter shin representing one of the Hebrew word (Shim) of the word – Shaddai. The words of the blessing are taken from the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) and the introduction is altered depending on whether the child being blessed is a boy or girl. The Priestly Blessing - The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. The text of the blessing is found in Numbers 6:23–27. Blessings Book with Audio CD. hebrewish. Hebrew Priests seen above doing the Priestly Blessing (ברכת כהנים), a sign of benediction also known as the raising of the hands, or priestly benediction.. Like the pyramid sign and its derivatives (ex: Jay Z’s Roc Sign) the sign is made by holding your hands out with you palms facing outwards and your index fingers and thumbs touching at the tip. In the Book of Numbers we read: The Lord spoke to Moses saying: [32] Conservative Judaism has also lifted some of the restrictions on Kohanim including prohibited marriages. [8], Among Jews in Israel (except in Galilee),[24] and among most Sephardic Jews worldwide, the ceremony is performed every day during the repetition of the Shacharit and Mussaf Amidah. Priestly Blessing in Hebrew, Numbers 6:24-26, Bible Verse Wall Art Print, Scripture Quotes, May God Bless You and Keep You, Hebrew Prayer. Complete and accurate transliteration and translation into English. During the course of the blessing, the hands of the Kohanim are spread out over the congregation, with the fingers of both hands separated so as to make five spaces between them; the spaces are (1) between the ring finger and middle finger of each hand, (2) between the index finger and thumb of each hand, and (3) the two thumbs touch each other at the knuckle and the aperture is the space above or below the touching knuckles. In later centuries, the practice became for all Kohanim to cover their hands so that any disfigurement would not be seen by the Congregation. 'May G‑d turn His countenance toward you and grant you peace.'" Aside from its pleasant sound, the chant is done so that the congregation may silently offer certain prayers containing individual requests of God after each of the three blessings of the Kohanim. [40], Leonard Cohen ended his concert in Ramat Gan, Israel, on 24 September 2009, with the Priestly Blessing, reciting it in Hebrew. In the Diaspora in Ashkenazic Orthodox communities, the Jewish ceremony is performed only on Pesach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Ya'er Adonai panav elecha veechuneka. Why someone wrote them down on this piece of parchment, it is impossible to say, though it is likely that it was used as a kamea – a charm of good luck or blessing. All Kohanim present are obligated to participate, unless disqualified in some way. He recites aloud the fifteen words of the blessing: 'May G‑d bless you and guard you. The text to be used for the blessing is specified in Numbers 6:24–26: This is the oldest known Biblical text that has been found; amulets with these verses written on them have been found in graves at Ketef Hinnom, dating from the First Temple Period. Again, the story was told by Nimoy on camera. After each verse, the congregation responds Amen. One is not supposed to look at anything during the blessing. The Priestly Blessing: “The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His face on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26) The Priestly Blessing Hebrew Poster, provide an easy way for learning this powerful and important blessing in its original Hebrew language. [33], Some congregations alter the grammar so that the blessing is read in the first person plural: "May God bless us and keep us..."[34]. Priestly Blessing Priestly Blessing Jewish Rings. Leviticus 9:22 and Deuteronomy 10:8 and 21:5 mention Aaron or the other priests blessing the Israelites. He has explained that while attending Orthodox services as a child, he peeked from under his father's tallit and saw the gesture; many years later, when introducing the character of Mr. Spock, he and series creator Gene Roddenberry thought a physical component should accompany the verbal "Live long and prosper" greeting. (1) The LORD make his face to … This Jewish ceremony is sometimes called Nesiat Kapayim, the "lifting of the hands." (Numbers 6:24-26) The Hebrew words are: Yivarechecha Adonai viyishmirecha. In some Jewish communities, it is customary for the Kohanim to raise their hands and recite an extended musical chant without words before reciting the last word of each phrase. The Masorti movement in Israel, and some Conservative congregations in North America, require male kohanim as well, and retain restrictions on Kohanim. A Kohen who is on bad terms with the congregation or who is unwilling to perform the ritual should not perform it. On fast days other than Yom Kippur, it is performed at Mincha, if said in the late afternoon. - Buy this stock vector and explore similar vectors at Adobe Stock I have included the passage below and the Hebrew translation. The reason for offering the blessing in the afternoon only on fast days is that on these days Kohanim cannot drink alcohol prior to the ceremony.[25]. [7] The Jewish Sages stressed that although the priests are the ones carrying out the blessing, it is not them or the ceremonial practice of raising their hands that results in the blessing, but rather it is God's desire that His blessing should be symbolised by the Kohanim's hands. According to the Torah,[4] Aaron blessed the people,[5] and YHWH[6] promises that "I will place my name on their hands" (the Kohanim's hands) "and bless them" (the Jews receiving the blessing). lam, . The tradition of covering the hands stems from the biblical prohibition against a Kohen with hands that are disfigured in any way from offering the blessing. North American Reform Jews omit the Musaf service, as do most other liberal communities, and so if they choose to include the priestly blessing, it is usually appended to the end of the Shacharit Amidah. “Birkhat Kohanim” – The Priestly Blessing is an ancient Jewish tradition. Instead, a non-Kohen is designated with that task, and the leader remains silent. The four fingers on each hand are customarily split into two sets of two fingers each (thus forming the letter Shin (שׁ), an emblem for Shaddai, "Almighty [God]"), or sometimes they are arranged to form an overlapping lattice of 'windows.' Prayer Proclaimed in English and Sung in Hebrew. The Priestly Blessing - And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Yisa Adonai panav eilecha v’yaseim l’cha shalom. The Priestly Blessing (Hebrew: ברכת כהנים ‎; translit: "birkat kohanim"), is unusual it that it contains both of these elements. 'May G‑d shine His countenance upon you and be gracious to you. The Priestly Blessing: “The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His face on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26) The Priestly Blessing Hebrew Poster, provide an easy way for learning this powerful and important blessing in its original Hebrew language.

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