By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
SAN DIEGO — In this week’s parasha, Naso, “to lift up,’’ the longest single parasha in the Torah with its 176 pasukim, the Torah reading, following Shavuot, opens with a description of the responsibilities placed on the Levites, who are “lifted up” to perform their duties. We are introduced to the Birkat Kohanim, the “Priestly Blessing” with which we all familiar. We’ve heard it said, recited it ourselves, and offered it to others, many times:
| “May the Lord bless you and watch over you. | כדיְבָֽרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָֹ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ: | |
| May the Lord cause His countenance to shine to you and favor you. | כהיָאֵ֨ר יְהוָֹ֧ה | פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ: | |
| May the Lord raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace.” | כויִשָּׂ֨א יְהוָֹ֤ה | פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם: |
And we say, “Baruch shem k’vod malchuto l’olam vaed, “Blessed be the name of God’s glorious kingdom for all eternity.” After all, Hashem is the source of all our blessings.
This is the oldest Biblical fragment that we continue to use in contemporary times, with Hashem’s name in the second word of each stanza. For those who look carefully, you’ll see the growing meaning and increasing power in these words and letters. From three words, it grows to five words, and then to seven words. It grows from 15 letters to 20 letters, to 25 letters.
Hashem’s instruction to the Kohanim to bless the Jewish People begins with the word, “koh – so” which has the numerical value of twenty-five and this is also the number of times the terms “bracha – blessing” and “shalom – peace” appear in the Torah. For this reason, the priestly blessing begins with blessing and concludes with peace which is alluded to in the pasuk in Tehillim, “May Hashem bless His people with peace.”
From being watched over for material blessings, to spiritual blessings, to the ultimate gift for a healthy life, peace, this b’racha points us to what really matters – especially essential during our chaotic, threatening, stressful times – Divine intervention and earthly benefits. Being blessed in both our spiritual and physical lives is what truly matters.
The blessing is for every individual to feel a sense of completeness, to feel included, secure, and unafraid. The blessing helps us understand that the value of our lives is dependent on ourselves and on Hashem, not on the opinions of others. With Hashem shining His countenance upon an individual, that person sees that life is ultimately defined by the relationship of oneself with Hashem. Perhaps chaos, threat and stress may also be seen as blessings, an indication of Hashem redirecting, not rejecting, or rebuffing our lives. Those with trust and faith (“Forward All Issues to Hashem”) see blessings daily, and focus on where peace through this time – and all time – will come from, as we are taught in the Birkat Kohanim. He will grant us peace. Look inside of this prayer and you will reaffirm an important insight, that we live in both a physical and spiritual world. You will see both physical and spiritual benefits seeded within each of the prayer’s lines.
A life of favor, vichuneka, anchored in the word chein or grace, is a different life than one filled with materialism. The b’racha seems to begin with blessings of materialism and then moves beyond that…as we would be wise to do as well.
Interestingly, we are told that “Hashem will bless you and protect you…” On this, the Chidushei HaRim wonders about the reason for mentioning protection and blessing together in this first verse. He teaches us that G-d’s blessings and the blessings of a king are entirely different. The king’s blessing does not offer protection from harm. What he provides can be stolen from us. Hashem’s blessings include protection within the blessing itself. His protection is intrinsic and inseparable from His will for us.
We learn in in Chapter 3, Mishna 17, “Rabbi Eleazar ben Azaria used to say: Where there is no flour, there is no Torah, and where there is no Torah, there is no food.” Our material and spiritual blessings are tools to bring us closer to Hashem. We are provided the opportunity, not always as we’d like it, to balance our flour with our Torah. Perhaps this is the real message of the Priestly Benediction in this week’s Torah reading.
Doing so however, seeing the value in the flow and direction of this message, may take a lifetime to truly, and deeply, understand and embrace. From material success, to acquiring genuine spiritual growth, the wisdom and light of Torah, these words move us to purposeful action, united, as one. Supporting and lifting those who are vulnerable, speaking and acting against injustice, remaining strong and never backing down in the face of “evil,” standing against divisiveness and dissension among all, are indicators that we take the blessings in Naso. It’s more than reciting words. It’s putting our entire self into serving others and ultimately thereby serving Hashem. We learn in Shemos, 19:6, that we are all to be Mamleches Kohanim, a kingdom of priests, people who are Oheiv shalom v’rodeif shalom, with the desire and ability to seek and build peace, the ultimate gift of Hashem’s blessings.
Perhaps a deeper gift of Hashem’s blessings to us, is our ability to be a blessing to, and for, others. This depends on how we speak with others. We can break down barriers, welcome others, build links to others and turn strangers into friends.
An interesting insight into the need so many people have to feel special, unique, and often “better than” the next person is seen in how the Torah brings the offerings of each of the 12 tribes. Each prince brought the same sacrifices and offerings described in extensive pasukim. The Rabbis ask about why the Torah repeated these same offerings every day. None of the princes brought offerings to make them stand out. They did not lift themselves up by bringing others down. Each brought the same with full appreciation and gratitude. The lesson here, I believe, is to note the intrinsic value of each person we meet. See the good beyond the outside. Speaking ill of another doesn’t truly lift the speaker above that person.
In the Birkat Kohanim we see the importance of this. We are given the blessing of shalom in the third and final verse. It says that Hashem lifts up His face – isn’t this the face we are not to see? The face that if we see we are told we will not live? But here we see that Hashem making contact with us by lifting His face, and as a result we have eye contact with Him. We are in all-embracing harmony with Hashem here, panim el panim, “face to face.” If we use this insight to improve our relationships with others, we see that while gifts may be nice, it’s intimacy, the quiet closeness that comes with true connection, eye contact, with others, that matters most. This requires that we remove the notion that “he or she is better than me,” or that “I am better than” the other, to remove our insecurities and live instead with complete empathy and affinity with others.
Our task is to see, to hear, to listen to the messages of Hashem to live in this manner. He speaks to each of us in different ways. How can you cut through the fog in your life to listen, really listen, and recognize the value of His messages, to follow them truly, to live a better life? Living on spiritual autopilot diminishes life. He speaks to us every moment of our life, giving us a new blessing, a new gift, to allow us to achieve and accomplish something during our limited journey in this world. Take it for granted? That’s not the Torah way. We need to wake up to these messages, and live.
*
Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com