Priestly blessing
| Halakhic texts relating to this article | |
|---|---|
| Torah: | Numbers 6:23–27 |
| Shulchan Aruch: | Orach Chayim 128–130 |
The Priestly Blessing or priestly benediction, (Hebrew: ברכת כהנים; translit. birkat kohanim), also known in rabbinic literature as raising of the hands (Hebrew nesiat kapayim), or Dukhanen (from the Yiddish word dukhan – platform – because the blessing is given from a raised rostrum), is a Hebrew prayer recited by Kohanim - the Hebrew Priests. According to Torah, they are descendants of Aaron the first High Priest, older brother of Moses and have been divinely chosen by God to work in the Tabernacle and assist the Israelites in blessings, ministering, sacrifices and atoning for their sins to God, for all eternity.
According to the Torah, Aaron blessed the people after offering sacrifices, and YHWH promises that "I will place my name on their hands" (the Kohanim's hands) "and bless them" (the Jews receiving the blessing). 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 which results in the blessing, but rather it is God's desire that His blessing should be transferred by means of the Kohanim's hands.
Even after the destruction of the second Hebrew Temple in Jerusalem, the practice has been continued in Jewish synagogues, and today in most Jewish communities, Kohanim bless the worshippers in the synagogue during special Jewish prayer services.
The text of the Priestly Blessing recited by the Kohanim, which appears verbatim in the Torah, is:
The source of the text is Numbers 6:23–27, where Aaron and his sons bless the Israelites with this blessing.
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, and are now in the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
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