PERASHA NASSO
06/14/2024 01:15:05 PM
"Speak to Aharon and to his sons saying- thus shall you bless the Children of Israel…" (6, 23)
Peace
On the words "Speak to Aharon and to his sons saying- thus shall you bless the Children of Israel" Rabeinu Bichayai says: Our Sages ob'm say that G-d gave the Kohanim 24 (כ''ד) priestly gifts corresponding to the 24 books in the Written Torah.
The Baal Haturim says that this is alluded to in that said in this week's Parsha (verses 9-11) "זה יהיה לך מקדש הקדשים... וזה לך תרומת מתנם...לך נתתים ולבניך ולבנותיך".. Twice the word זהis written. The word זה twice adds up to 24 (12 x 2) – alluding to the 24 priestly gifts that G-d gave to the Kohanim.
The 25th gift that G-d gave to the priests is the Priestly Blessing wherein they bless the Children of Israel. An allusion to this 25th blessing is in the words ""כה תברכו את בני ישראל - "Thus shall you bless the Children of Israel" – You the preists shall bless Israel with the 25th blessing.
The Baal Haturim adds that in the word ""כה the merit of Israel is alluded to – the merit of the Binding of Yitzchak for there it says "ויאמר אברהם ...נלכה עד כה".
"כה" also reminds us of the blessing that G-d promised to Avraham "ויאמר לו כה יהיה זרעך".
We ca also say that the word ""כה alludes to the prayer of Shma Yisrael that contains 25 words.
It is interesting to note that the word "ברכה"- blessing- is written in the Torah 25 times and the word "שלום"- peace is also written 25 times in the Torah. The Baal Haturm says that therefore the Priestly Blessings begins with a blessing and ends in peace -"יברכך ה'... וישם לך שלום."
We therefore learn in the Mishna: "Rabbi Shimon ben Chalfta said – G-d did not find a suitable vessel to maintain blessings for Israel other than peace. Therefore, in the Priestly Blessing after all the blessings, we end with the word peace – to teach us that the blessings do not help at all unless there is peace amongst everyone.
SHABBAT SHALOM!!!