HIGHLIGHTS:  Johnny Spence's effulgent piano, Alex Lukashevsky-the-Ancient's voice in minyan. "The brilliance even of a handful of world …"

DESCRIPTION:

Birkat Kohanim unfolds over the course of three lines, like an asymmetrical Hebrew haiku where the lines lengthen syllabically as the blessing progresses. Between each affirmation, there is a responsive group utterance, “Keyn Yehi Ratzon,” which translates roughly to “Yeah, what she said!” There is also a progression of connotation, from the material to the immaterial, and finally to spiritual abundance. The first line wishes for blessings of physical safety, the second wishes for spiritual favor. Once those blessings take root in one’s life, in that order, the harmonious state of peace can emerge. The poetic form stacks on words in an exuberant gallop towards the bounty of attainment.   

In ancient iterations of Judaism, Birkat Kohanim was recited only by a priestly class on behalf of the congregation. They recited it in the morning, after a ritual purification bath, to avoid the chance of being intoxicated. They would hold their hands out in a lattice formation over the heads of the congregation. The congregation would shield their eyes. The priests, or Kohanim, were the only ones who were allowed to learn the true pronunciation of God’s name. 

There are very few instances of mitigated prayer in Jewish tradition— most of the liturgy provides direct, communal dialogue with the divine. There is an implication with the Priestly Blessing that certain facets of truth and beauty keep us reaching for words,  and lose their potency when named directly. 


יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ׃
כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן

 יָאֵ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃
כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן

 יִשָּׂ֨א יְהוָ֤ה פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם׃
כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן


May God Bless you and watch over you. 

May God’s face shine toward you and show you favor.

May God look favorably upon you, and grant you peace.

Daniela Gesundheit - Priestly Blessing II / Birkat Kohanim ברכת כהנים

Non-denominational devotional pop music from Toronto / Los Angeles. 

Daniela Gesundheit - Priestly Blessing II / Birkat Kohanim ברכת כהנים

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