“May the Lord shine His countenance to you, and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:25). “May the Lord shine [yaer] His countenance to you” – may He grant you brightness [meor] of the eyes. Alternatively, “may the Lord shine…” – may He look upon you with a bright countenance and not with an angered countenance. Another matter: “May…shine [yaer]” – this is the light of Torah; He will enlighten your eyes and your heart in the Torah, and grant you sons who are devoted to Torah, just as it says: “For mitzva is a lamp, and Torah is light [or].” (Proverbs 6:23).
“May the Lord shine [yaer] His countenance” – may He produce from you priests who kindle the altar, just as it says: “So you will not kindle [ta’iru] My altar in vain” (Malachi 1:10). And it says: “The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be extinguished” (Leviticus 6:5). “And be gracious to you” – they are blessed and protected, and the Divine Presence is in their midst, from where is it derived that they are graced with knowledge and understanding?
The verse states: “And be gracious to you” – just as we pray: You grace man with knowledge and teach a person understanding. Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will instill knowledge in you so that you will be gracious to one another and have mercy upon one another, like the matter that is stated: “And He will give you mercy…” (Deuteronomy 13:18). Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will grace you with children, just as it says: “The children with whom God has graced your servant” (Genesis 33:5), and it says: “God be gracious to you, my son” (Genesis 43:29).31The second verse from Genesis refers to Benjamin, whereas the first verse from Genesis refers to all the other tribes, as at that point Benjamin had not yet been born.
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – just as it says: “May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He shine His countenance upon us, Selah” (Psalms 67:2). Another matter: “And be gracious to you [viḥuneka]” – he will grant you [yoḥnekha] your wishes. Likewise it says: “He will show grace to you [yoḥnekha] at the sound of your outcry; upon His hearing, He will answer you” (Isaiah 30:19). Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great taught: The Lord will encamp [yaḥaneh] in your midst.
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – He will produce prophets from you, just as it says: “I will pour a spirit of grace and supplication upon the house of David [and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 12:10). Another matter: “And be gracious to you [viḥuneka]” – He will place His grace upon you everywhere that you go, just as it says: “He placed his favor [ḥino] in the eyes of [the prison warden]” (Genesis 39:21), “Esther found favor [ḥen] [in the eyes of everyone who saw her]” (Esther 2:15), “God granted Daniel kindness32The term in the verse is ḥesed, which the midrash considers synonymous with ḥen. and compassion [before the chief of the chamberlains]” (Daniel 1:9), “and you will find grace and approbation [in the eyes of God and man]” (Proverbs 3:4).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – regarding Torah study. Likewise it says: “It will give your head an adornment of grace…” (Proverbs 4:9), “for they will be a graceful adornment for your head…” (Proverbs 1:9). Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – with gratuitous gifts; likewise it says: “Be gracious to us, Lord; be gracious to us…” (Psalms 123:3), “so our eyes are to the Lord our God until He will be gracious to us” (Psalms 123:2).
Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – to take you from subjugation to the kingdoms, just as it says: “Be gracious to us, Lord; be gracious to us, for we are sated with scorn” (Psalms 123:3). Another matter: “And be gracious to you” – to redeem you, just as it says: “Lord, be gracious to us; [we have longed] for You. [Be…our salvation in a time of suffering]” (Isaiah 33:2).