On Channeling and Receiving Blessing

Rabbi Shai Held

Parashat Naso

The threefold priestly blessing (birkat kohanim) is among the best-known and most deeply treasured passages in the Torah. A close look at the blessings, and at the ways they have been understood, yields crucial insight into the role of the priests in Judaism-and just as importantly, into the nature of blessing in Jewish theology. (5774)