With this week’s d’var torah, I come to the end of the attempt to write a d’var torah each and every week, since I am about to begin my retirement. With God’s blessings, my wife Abby and I will continue to enjoy good health and love. Over the next months, we’ll be doing quite a bit of travel, and the frequency of these weekly comments will vary, depending on time and access to the internet. The best part of this process has been the interchange of ideas, and for that, I thank all of my regular correspondents! And now to this week’s d’var torah.
Naso
Numbers 4:21-7:89
Précis: The parasha opens with a continuation of the listing of the Levitical families and their duties regarding the transportation of holy vessels. This is followed by a brief commandment concerning restitution for wrongs. The parasha then turns to a mysterious procedure for testing a wife’s fidelity when questioned by her jealous husband. Next we have a discussion of the laws of Nazerites, and the recitation of the “Priestly Benediction.” The parasha concludes with the presentation of identical gifts by each tribe for the dedication of the Altar.
Num. 6:22-26 “And Adonai spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, “This is how you will bless the children of Israel; say to them: ‘May Adonai bless you and watch over you. May Adonai make His face shine to you and be gracious to you. May Adonai raise His face to you and give you peace.”’
Rabbi Joshua Heller has taught us on the meaning of the priestly blessings (MyJewishlearning.com, 5/14/13).
The verses of the priestly blessing are among the oldest words of liturgical usage, and archaeological evidence shows that these words were used as early as the 7th century BCE. 900 years later, these words were included by the Sages in daily prayer (Mishnah Tamid 5:1), and incorporated into the central prayer, the Amidah.
With the destruction of the Temple and the end of the sacrificial system overseen by the Priests, most of the rituals associated with the Temple disappeared. The priestly blessing remained an exception; in traditional congregations, it is still recited today by descendants of the Priests (the Kohanim). This recitation is a reproduction of the ancient ritual, with the Levites washing the hands of the Kohanim, who doff their shoes, place their talitot over their heads and hands, and form the ancient Priestly sign beneath the tallit as they intone the words of this blessing.
Some believe that this practice is no longer appropriate. After all, what provides the “power” (or authority) for modern Kohanim to “bless” the congregation? Does a random fact of birth provide the Kohain with some special authority to give importance to his blessing?
Others, however, understand that the Kohanim are not the source of the blessing; the Kohanim are asking God to bless the People as they perform the ceremony. As they pray for God’s blessing on our behalf, we join them in a ritual dating back almost 3,000 years. This is almost the definition of tradition.
