How can the Parasha help us grow this week?
In this week’s Parasha of Naso, we are introduced to the well-known pasukim that constitute Birkat Kohanim – the Priestly blessing:
יברכך ה’ וישמרך. יאר ה’ פניו אליך ויחנך. ישא ה’ פניו אליך וישם לך שלום.
May Hashem bless you and
watch over you. May Hashem cause his countenance to shone towards you and endow
you with grace. May Hashem raise his countenance to you and grant you peace.
(Our Parasha, Bamidbar 6:24-26)
If we pay attention to their meaning, these beautiful words can instil within us a feeling of safety, protection and calm. We recite these words numerous times in a typical day or week:
- We traditionally recite these verses during the morning blessings, after reciting Birkat HaTorah every morning.[1]
- We recite these pasukim as part of the bedtime Shema.[2]
- Many parents traditionally bless their children with these words every Friday night.[3]
However, the highlight is when the Kohanim are called up during shul to ‘duchan’.[4] This is a special time when Hashem showers His blessings upon us through his agents, the Kohanim. Outside of Israel, the specialness of this time is magnified by the fact that it is a relatively rare occurrence. It only occurs on the Yom Tovim, a few times a year. While living in Australia, I remember the excitement of this special time. As Leviim, we had the unique opportunity of being personally involved – our job was to wash the hands of the Kohanim. The shule was packed in anticipation. All the young children left the “children’s service” so they would not miss out on this special event.
In Israel, we have the privilege of experience Birkat Kohanim much more frequently. Most congregations have Birkat Kohanim every single morning! And twice on Shabbat, Yom Tov and Rosh Chodesh![5]
Obtaining this bracha so frequently is a remarkable privilege. However, there is also a potential downside. The regular occurrence of Birkat Kohanim means that it loses some of its specialness. If someone misses it today, it’s not such a big deal. They can just catch it tomorrow, or the next day.
In order to minimise this lack of appreciation and the risk of taking it for granted, we have to work hard to retain that special feeling. How can we achieve this? The following ideas might help:
- We can try to pay attention to the beautiful meaning of these words, perhaps by following along in the siddur.
- We can contemplate the fact that at this time, the Kohanim are asking Hashem to give us His blessings. Think about where we would be without all of those blessings!
- We can try to engage our imagination and imagine that we are literally being showered with blessings. Some even have the custom to cup their hands during Birkat Kohanim, as if to catch the brachot.
When something occurs more frequently, it is generally given priority in Halacha. This principle is known as: “Tadir v’she’eino tadir, tadir kodem” – if we are faced with two mitzvot, the mitzvah that is performed more frequently takes precedence.[6] That is why, for example, we don our tallit first in the morning and then our tefillin[7]. That is also one reason why, if Shabbat falls on Rosh Chodesh, we recite the special addition for Shabbat in Birkat Hamazon (Retze) before the special addition for Rosh Chodesh (Ya’ale v’Yavo).[8]
Why do we give priority to the mitzvot that are more frequent? Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan explains that there is an important benefit to being consistent and regular.[9] This is similar to the message that Rabbi Akiva obtained from noticing drops of water carving out rock over a long period of time[10]. The unceasing effect of little drops of water consistently hitting the hard rock eventually had a profound effect. Similarly, if one wants to acquire Torah one should try to learn consistently every day. A small amount on a daily basis is more powerful than a large amount on an ad-hoc basis. When something is consistent and regular it may seem boring and repetitive.[11] However, we can learn that when something happens consistently, it can have a much stronger effect over time.
This principle is also relevant in our relationships with those around us. There is a risk that the people that we see more frequently, like our close family members, may be taken for granted. Like Birkat Kohanim when recited in Israel, we may get used to their regular presence and they may seem less special as a result. But the principle of ‘tadir kodem’ applies here as well. Those people that we interact with most often should usually take priority.
Reducing the likelihood of taking our close family members for granted requires effort on our part. How can we accomplish this? The same ideas that we mentioned above in relation to Birkat Hakohanim might help us here as well:
- We can try to pay attention to our family’s words when they speak to us.
- We can contemplate how much richer our life is with that person in our life. Think about how Hashem gifted is with this person to be in our close circle, and imagine where we would be without that person in our lives!
- We could try to engage our imagination and imagine all of the wonderful things and the special moments that we have shared with this person in the past.
Can you think of any more ideas that might help? We need to work on ourselves to remember what an important role those closest to us play in our lives and treat them accordingly.
Let’s try something this week:
- Notice how we treat people that we see regularly compared to people that we see less often.
- Try to make an extra effort with the people that we see most often – our close family members, our work colleagues, our neighbours.
- Keep our relationships fresh and vibrant by composing lists of the kindnesses these people give us. And thank Hashem for them.
Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Ledder
[1] See page 16 of the standard Artscroll Ashkenazi siddur. It is forbidden to learn Torah each day before reciting these Brachot.
[2] See page 294 of the standard Artscroll Ashkenazi siddur.
[3] See page 354 of the standard Artscroll Ashkenazi siddur.
[4] The word “duchan” signifies a platform. When the Kohanim are called up to bless the people it is commonly referred to as “Oleh l’Duchan” (ascend the platform) (see for example Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 128). Presumably this is because the Kohanim assemble on the “platform” at the front of the shule.
[5] Some communities in Israel do not have this custom, but even those communities have Birkat Kohanim every Shabbat, Yom Tov and Rosh Chodesh.
[6] This principle is mentioned a number of times in the Gemara, for example, Brachot 27a.
[7] We wear our tallit every morning. We wear our tefillin less frequently (i.e. not on Shabbat or Yom Tov).
[8] The other reason for this is because Shabbat is holier than Rosh Chodesh.
[9] “Tzitzit – A Thread of Light”, by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, NCSY 1993.
[10] This famous story is brought in Avot d’Rebbi Natan. Rabbi Akiva was inspired to begin studying Torah by the sight of the water carving out the rock.
[11] Hugh Mackay: ‘There’s no such thing as a boring subject, only a bored listener who hasn’t bothered to search for the relevance of the message to them.’