God Hands the Power of Blessing to Aaron and His Sons

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Nasso 14:2

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

(Numbers 6:23:) "THUS SHALL YOU BLESS." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: From the beginning I myself used to bless My creatures; from now on, behold, the blessings are handed over to you. You shall be the ones who bless My children. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to caution Aaron and his sons to be the ones who bless Israel. [As it is said] [From where is it shown? From what they have read on this matter (Numbers 6:23): "Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying:] THUS SHALL YOU BLESS."

Themes

BlessingPriesthoodPrayerMusicSin

Biblical References

Continue Reading

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, NassoWhy a Blemished Priest May Not Raise His Hands in BlessingLet our master teach us, the people ask the Maggid: when a kohen carries a blemish, may he still lift his hands to bless Israel with the words the Holy One placBook of JubileesRebecca Blesses Jacob Before He Deceives IsaacBook of Jubilees turns to Rebecca Blesses Jacob Before He Deceives Isaac. “Blessed be he that blesseth thee, And all flesh that curseth thee falsely may it be cLegends of the JewsIsaac — Jacob's TransgressionAfter Jacob, disguised as his brother Esau, received Isaac's blessing, a lesser man might have tried to retract it. But Isaac, despite the deception, understoodPeri Etz HadarWhy Eating Without a Blessing Makes You a RobberThink about biting into a juicy piece of fruit. It's delicious. But according to some fascinating Kabbalistic teachings, there's a whole lot more going on than Kalach Pitchei ChokhmahUnity, Blessing, and the Other SideIt speaks to a profound principle about unity, blessing, and… even the nature of the "Other Side." The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a Kabbalistic text whose name liSefer HaBahirHow Prayer Works According to the BahirThe Sefer HaBahir asks a simple yet profound question: What is the origin of the word b’rakhah (בְּרָכָה), meaning "blessing"? Our initial thought might be that