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May God bless you and keep you

May God cause the divine light to shine upon you and be gracious to you

May God turn toward you and grant you peace

(Numbers 6: 24-26).

We read the above blessing (commonly known as the Priestly Benediction) in this week’s Torah Portion, Naso. As many of you know, the Priestly Benediction is an essential aspect of spiritual life at Temple Sinai. We recite it at B'nai Mitzvah, weddings, holidays and more. The timeless words are threaded throughout Jewish ritual, prayer and beyond. In fact, for those of you who woke up in the dawn hours of last Shabbat, you heard this blessing sung by the Choir of Saint George Chapel at the Royal Wedding.

Immediately preceding the blessing, the Torah states:

God spoke to Moses saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is how you shall bless the children of Israel."

(Numbers 6:22-23).

God wants the blessing to be transferred from Aaron to the people of Rather To me, what is striking is that God does not bless the people of Israel directly.
Israel. Perhaps this is teaching us that God prefers to not transfer blessings directly upon us. Rather, we transfer blessings to one another through our relationships, actions, and deeds. For example, by lending an ear to a friend in need, volunteering for a worthy cause, and being patient with our family members. In this sense, blessings are not necessarily a direct line from God to the people, but from people to people.

With Shabbat upon us, this weekend I will pay special attention to the words of the Priestly Benediction. As I do so, I will ponder how I can transfer blessings to all those who surround me in my life, and I invite you to do the same.