Fifteen words of blessing – Naso
The synagogue echoes this Shabbat to the moving, majestic sound of the priestly blessing, which is the jewel of this week’s Torah portion.
In English the blessing, invoked from ancient times onwards by the priestly descendants of Aaron, asks that “The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious to thee; the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
The Hebrew has fifteen words, like the fifteen steps that led up to the main court of the Temple in Jerusalem; like the fifteen Shirei Hama’alot or Songs of Ascents, they constitute a spiritual staircase, by which the blessing ascends by stages to the climactic word, “peace”.
First come three words, Yevarechecha HaShem veyishmerecha, “The Lord bless thee and keep thee”. They speak of physical, earthly blessing.
Then there are five words, Ya’er HaShem panav elecha viy’chuneka, “The Lord make His face shine upon thee and be gracious to thee”. This is spiritual, heavenly blessing.
Finally come seven words, Yissa HaShem panav elecha veyasem lecha shalom, “The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace”. This is total well-being, in which everything is in place and life could not be more perfect.
The recital of this blessing is one of the few privileges which kohanim still enjoy. They begin with a b’rachah acknowledging that their task is commanded by God, to be carried out b’ahavah, “with love”. Yet no other blessing concludes b’ahavah! Do we say God commands us to fix the mezuzah “in love” or requires the sounding of the shofar “in love”?
But it is easier to act lovingly in carrying out a mitzvah directed to God, than to look lovingly at human beings, with all their faults and failings, and genuinely wish them blessing and fulfilment.
Another question. Why, when so much of our liturgy is in the plural (“We have sinned.” “Heal us and we shall be healed”) is the priestly blessing in the singular (“The Lord bless thee and keep thee“?)
The Chafetz Chayyim offers an answer. Just as every creature is individually loved and cherished by the Almighty, so should the kohen and every one of us care for and love every other person and deem them precious, whatever their background and beliefs, politics or party, habits and ways.
Finally a comment on the culminating word of the blessing, shalom. In the simplest sense peace is absence of conflict – already an immense achievement. But shalom comes from shalem, which means whole, complete, sound, perfect.
Real shalom begins in the individual who has inner peace and serenity. It is seen in the family where parents and children – without always agreeing on everything – feel basically good and at ease with each other. And in the community and nation, shalom is where people have risen above selfishness and suspicion and have learned to appreciate each other and wish each other well.
