Of all the ritual acts once performed in the Temple, only Birkat Kohanim—the Priestly Blessing—remains in regular practice. In most synagogues in Israel, it is recited daily during shaharit (morning services), while in some it is reserved for Shabbat and festivals. Outside of Israel, the custom is often limited to holidays.
This practice is rooted in a passage from Parshat Naso:
“The Lord spoke to Moshe: Speak to Aharon and his sons: Thus, shall you bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
‘The Lord bless you and protect you;
The Lord deal kindly and graciously with you;
The Lord bestow His favor upon you and grant you peace.’
Thus they shall link My name with the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
(Numbers 6:22–27)
Traditionally, the Kohanim (priests) deliver this blessing barefoot, facing the congregation, with their hands raised in a specific formation—symbolizing the channeling of God’s blessing through their outstretched fingers.
The Midrash Tanhuma (6th–8th century Eretz Yisrael) is known for introducing a distinctive style of drasha that begins with a halakhic question. In one of its teachings on Parshat Naso, it addresses the eligibility of priests with physical impairments to perform Birkat Kohanim:
“Our rabbis taught: Is a priest with a physical impairment permitted to perform the priestly blessing? A priest with malformed hands should not raise his hands. Rabbi [Yehudah HaNasi] taught: A priest with physical impairments should not raise his hands. Rabbi Yehudah adds: Even a priest whose hands are dyed blue or red should not raise his hands. Why? Because people tend to stare at [the impairment] …”
(Tanhuma Naso 8)
The midrash articulates a clear concern: visible impairments might distract the congregation, hindering their ability to focus on the blessings. This issue, already raised in the Mishnah (Megillah 4:7), is further explored in the Talmud, which offers a nuanced perspective:
“It was taught in a Baraita: The disqualifying impairments refer to those on the face, hands, or feet…
Rav Huna said: One whose eyes constantly tear should not raise his hands. [The Talmud challenges this:] Wasn’t there such a kohen in Rav Huna’s neighborhood who did raise his hands? [The answer:] That kohen was dash b’iro — familiar in his community — so people were not distracted by his condition.” (Megillah 24b)
This perspective is reflected in the codified halakha:
One who has a flaw on their face, hands, or feet should not lift his hands to bless, lest the congregation stare at him. However, if he is known in his community (dash b’iro), and his appearance does not distract, he may raise his hands. (Shulhan Arukh, Orah Hayim 128:30)
The Shulhan Arukh also introduces an additional mitigating factor:
If the local custom is that the kohanim cover their faces with their tallitot, even if they have facial flaws, they may raise their hands to bless. (Ibid. 31)
A close reading of the Talmudic discussion reveals an important model for engaging with social change. The Mishnah presents a general ruling without stating a rationale. The rationale — that visible impairments are distracting — is articulated in the midrash. The Talmud then presents anecdotal evidence that such impairments no longer universally pose a distraction, especially when the community is familiar with the individual.
This discussion demonstrates an important insight: meaningful social change is gradual. It relies on a process of normalization and community familiarity. The wisdom embedded in this process may be subtle, but its depth and relevance endure. |
