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1) BLESSING OF THE KOHANIM

(a) In the Mikdash, Hash-m's name is said as it is written; outside the Mikdash, a substitute name is said;
(b) Outside the Mikdash, the Kohanim lift their hands to shoulder height; in the Mikdash, they raise their hands above their heads, except for the Kohen Gadol, since he may not raise his hands above the headplate;

1. R. Yehudah says, even the Kohen Gadol raises his hands above his head - "Aharon will lift his hands towards the people and bless them".

(c) (Gemara - Beraisa): "So you will bless" - in Hebrew.
(d) Question: How do we know this - perhaps they may bless in any language!
(e) Answer #1: We learn a Gezeirah Shavah "Bless-bless" from the blessings on Har Grizim, which were in Hebrew.
(f) Answer #2 (R. Yehudah): We do not need to learn from a Gezeirah Shavah - it says, "So you will bless" - exactly as in the Torah, in Hebrew.
(g) (Beraisa): "So you will bless" - standing.
(h) Question: How do we know this - perhaps they may bless sitting!
(i) Answer #1: We learn a Gezeirah Shavah "Bless-bless" from the blessings on Har Grizim, which were said standing.
(j) Answer #2 (R. Noson): We do not need to learn from a Gezeirah Shavah - it says, "To serve (Hash-m), and to bless in His name" - just as Temple service is done standing, also blessing.

1. Question: How do we know that Temple service is done standing?
2. Answer: "To stand and to serve".

(k) (Beraisa): "So you will bless" - with lifted hands.
(l) Question: How do we know this - perhaps they need not lift their hands!
(m) Answer #1: We learn a Gezeirah Shavah. Here it says bless, just as by "Aharon lifted his hands to the people and blessed them".

1. Just as Aharon lifted his hands, also Birkas Kohanim is with lifted hands.

(n) Objection (R. Yonason): If that is our source, we can only learn that the Kohen Gadol raises his hands, only on Rosh Chodesh, and only when doing an offering of the congregation!
(o) Answer #2 (R. Noson): We need not learn from a Gezeirah Shavah. It says "(Aharon) and his children, for all days" - this equates Aharon's children to Aharon.

1. Just as Aharon raised his hands, also his children raise their hands.
2. It says "For all days"; and we have seen that blessing is equated to Temple service.

(p) (Beraisa): "So you will bless" - with Hash-m's actual name.
(q) Question: How do we know this - perhaps they can bless by other names by which we call Hash-m!
(r) Answer: "They will put My name" - My special name.

1. Suggestion: Perhaps Hash-m's special name should be used even outside the Mikdash.
2. Rejection #1: We learn a Gezeirah Shavah from another verse which says "To put His name", which refers to the Beis ha'Mikdash.
3. Rejection #2 (R. Yoshiyah): We nee not learn that from a Gezeirah Shavah - it says, "Every place I will make My name mentioned, I will come to you and bless you".

i. Objection: This cannot be (that the Divine Presence will dwell everywhere)!
ii. Answer: The verse must be (understood) transposed - "Every place I will come and bless you, I will make My name mentioned."

4. Hash-m will come to the Beis ha'Mikdash, and there His special name will be mentioned.

(a) (Beraisa) Question: "So you will bless Bnei Yisrael" - how do we know that they also bless converts, women and freed slaves?
(b) Answer: "Say to them" - to all of them.
(c) (Beraisa): "So you will bless" - face to face.
(d) Question: How do we know this - perhaps they can face their backs!
(e) Answer: "Say to them" - as a man speaking to his friend.
(f) (Beraisa): "So you will bless" - out loud.
(g) Question: How do we know this - perhaps they can whisper!
(h) Answer: "Say to them" - as a man speaking to his friend.
(i) (Abaye): If there are 2 (or more) Kohanim, the Chazan calls to them "Kohanim"; if there is only 1 Kohen, he is not called - "Say to them".
(j) (Rav Chisda): If the Chazan is a Kohen, he calls the other Kohanim to bless; a Yisrael does not call the Kohanim to bless - "Say to them" - the calling is delegated to the Kohanim.

1. The law is as Abaye, but not as Rav Chisda.

(k) (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): "They will put my name on Bnei Yisrael, and I will bless them" - this shows that Hash-m desires Birkas Kohanim.
(l) (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Any Kohen that blesses is blessed, and any Kohen that does not bless is not blessed - "I will bless those that bless you".
(m) (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Any Kohen that does not give Birkas Kohanim transgresses 3 positive Mitzvos - "So you will bless", "Say to them", and "They will put my name".

1. (Rav): We suspect that his mother was divorced or a Chalutzah (which disqualifies him from Kehunah).
2. Rav does not argue on R. Yehoshua ben Levi; we only suspect his lineage if he never blesses.

(n) (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Any Kohen that does not ascend (to the Duchan, where the Kohanim bless) during the blessing of Retzei (in the repetition of the Amidah) may not bless - "Aharon lifted his hands to the people and blessed them, and descended from offering..."

1. Just as there he blesses amidst Temple service, also Kohanim must ascend to bless during the blessing of Temple service.

(o) Objection: R. Ami and Rav Asi blessed, even though they did not ascend during Retzei!
(p) Answer: They started walking during Retzei, they just did not arrive until after Retzei.

1. Support #1 (R. Oshiya): The Kohen is only forbidden to bless if he did not even start walking during Retzai.
2. Support #2 (Mishnah): A Chazan that is the only Kohen in the synagogue, if he is sure that he can bless and resume the repetition of the Amidah, he may bless.

i. Question: But he does not go (to the Duchan during Retzei)!
ii. Answer: It suffices that he moves a drop towards it.

3. The same applies by R. Ami and Rav Asi.

(a) (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): The cup (to lead the blessing after a meal) should only be given to one with a good eye (i.e. he is happy when others have good fortune) - "One with a good eye Yevorach (will be blessed), for he gave from his bread to the poor".

1. This may be read Yevarech (will bless).

(b) (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Even birds recognize people with an evil eye (i.e. resent the good fortune of others) - "For naught the trap is set in the eyes of all fowl".
(c) (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Anyone that benefits from a stingy person transgresses a Lav - "Do not eat the bread of one with an evil eye ... it is bitter to his soul".

1. (Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak): He also transgresses "Do not desire" (at the end of the verse "Do not eat").

(d) (R. Yehoshua ben Levi): The beheaded calf (brought when a murdered corpse is found) comes on account of stingy people - "(The elders) say, 'We did not spill this man's blood'".

1. Question: Would we really suspect that the elders of Beis Din killed him?!
2. Answer: Rather, they mean, don't think that he came to us and we turned him away, that we saw him and left him.

i. That he came to us and we turned him away - without food;
ii. That we saw him and left him - without a group to travel with.

(a) (Ada): If only Kohanim are in the synagogue, they all bless Birkas Kohanim.
(b) Question: Whom do they bless?
(c) Answer (R. Zeira): Yisraelim in the fields.
(d) Question #1: But Aba, the son of Rav Minyamin bar Chiya taught that people in back of the Kohanim are not blessed!
(e) Answer: Those that could have come to face the Kohanim are not blessed; those that were unable to are blessed.
(f) Question #2: But Rav Simi taught, if only Kohanim are in the synagogue, some bless and the others answer Amen!
(g) Answer: If we can leave 10 to answer, then others give the blessing; if there are only 10 in all, all bless Birkas Kohanim.
(h) (Aba, the son of Rav Minyamin bar Chiya): People in back of the Kohanim are not blessed!
(i) The following 2 laws are obvious.

1. A short person in back of a tall person is blessed.
2. The Aron is not a barrier that inhibits those behind it from receiving the blessing.

(j) Question: Does an (other) barrier block the blessing?
(k) Answer: No - R. Yehoshua ben Levi taught, even an iron wall does not intervene between Yisrael and Hash-m.
(l) Question: Do people on the side receive the blessing?
(m) Answer (Aba Mar bar Rav Ashi - Mishnah): If one intended to sprinkle (water sanctified with ashes of the red heifer) on something in front of him, and it sprinkled on something in back of him, or vice-versa, the sprinkling is invalid;