Priestly Blessing for Our Times

The Torah portion for this week is Naso, from the book of Numbers. It is best known for the sudden, shocking death of Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu, when they bring “strange fire” before God and are themselves consumed by flame. But today I want to focus on another section of this portion: the Priestly blessing.

The blessing itself is foreshadowed in the book of Leviticus, chapter 9, when Moses is installing Aaron as High Priest. After Aaron has been purified for several days, he prepares some sacrifices to offer as per the command of God. Continuing to follow God’s orders, he lifts up his hands toward the people and blesses them (verse 22). He then goes back into the Tent of Meeting with Moses, after which they both come out again and together bless the people. Only then does fire come down from God and consume the sacrifices that Aaron had prepared.

This week, in verses 24-26 of chapter 6 of Numbers, we are finally told what words Aaron was supposed to use in this blessing of the people:

יְבָֽרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָֹ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ

May God bless you and keep you;

יָאֵ֨ר יְהוָֹ֧ה | פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ

May God shine God’s countenance on you and favor you;

יִשָּׂ֨א יְהוָֹ֤ה | פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם

May God lift up God’s countenance toward you and bring you peace.

These images are so powerful that I am entranced in contemplating this scene! Aaron has just been annointed and installed as High Priest, the first one the people have ever had, and he comes out and stands on the stairs above them, raises his hands, and asks God’s blessing on them all. Subsequently, Moses and Aaron both come out together and together bless the people. Can you imagine what it must have been like to be standing in that crowd? Not very long ago, you and your family and ancestors as far back as anybody remembers were all slaves. Then you stood at Sinai and heard the voice of God intoning the Ten Commandments with smoke and fire and thunder. You’re hot and tired and thirsty and hungry for something other than manna, and you’re not really very sure about this Promised Land or what it will mean for your family or your future. If you even get there in one piece! And then the holiest man in your whole fledgling nation, in his gorgeous gowns after a weeklong secret purification ritual, comes out and asks this same God’s blessing on you and your loved ones! Followed by your leader coming out and joining him and both together asking for blessings on you! I find this profoundly moving.

In these times, where we keep looking at all of our loved ones, both family and friends, and praying that every one of them will be spared, I ask God’s blessing on you:

May God bless you and all of your loved ones, keeping you all safe and sheltered from the frightening events of today’s world.

May you feel the presence of God and know that God is there to support you.

May the sense that God has turned toward you and your loved ones bring you peace and calm and trust.