The commandment of the priestly blessing every day: That the priests were commanded that they should bless Israel every day, as it is stated (Numbers 6:23), “Thus shall you bless the Children of Israel; say to them.”
It is from the roots of the commandment that God wanted in His great goodness to bless His people through the servants that are always encamped in the House of God and all of their thoughts cling to His service and their souls are connected to His fear the whole day. And in their merit the blessing rests upon [the Jewish people] and all of their deeds are blessed, and the pleasantness of God will be upon them. And do not wonder to say, “Were God to desire their blessing, He would command the blessing to them, and there is no need for the priestly blessing.” As I have already anticipated [this] many times [by saying] that blessing rests upon us according to the preparation of our deeds. As His hand, blessed be He, is open to all that ask if they are fit and prepared to receive the good. And therefore, when He chose us from all of the nations and wanted that we merit His goodness, He warned us and commanded us to prepare our deeds and refine our bodies with His commandments, so that we will be fit [to receive] the good. He also commanded us in His great goodness to request blessing from Him, and that we should ask for it through the pure servants. As all of this will be a merit for our souls, and through it, we will merit His goodness.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Megillah 23b) that the priests only raise their hands (to make the blessing) when there are ten (a prayer quorum), and the priests [are included in] the tally. And how is the raising of the hands? (Sotah 38b, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 14:3-4) At the time the prayer leader reaches the [blessing of] service, meaning to say when he wants to begin to say the blessing of Retseh, all the priests in the synagogue go up to the platform [with] their faces towards the ark, their backs towards the people, and their fingers bent upon their palms, until the prayer leader finishes the blessing of thanksgiving. And afterwards, they turn their faces towards the people, extend their fingers and raise their hands across from their shoulders and begin, “May He bless you.” And the prayer leader dictates to them word by word, as it is stated, “say to them”; and they repeat after him with a pleasant tone. And when they finish the first verse [of the blessing], all of the people answer, “Amen.” And so [too,] with the second verse, and the third. And when they finish [all] three verses, the prayer leader begins “Sim shalom, etc.” (the next blessing) and the priests turn their faces towards the holy [ark] and bend their fingers and stand there on the platform until he finishes the blessing of Sim shalom, and [then] return to their places. And our custom today is that the priests do not go up to the platform, but rather stand in front of the ark and follow the [rest of the] order that we have written.
And before they turn their faces to bless the people, they recite the blessing, “Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with the holiness of Aharon and commanded us to bless His people, Israel, with love.” And all of the turns that they turn — such as turning their faces to the congregation or to the chamber — should always be to the right. And six things prevent the priests from the “raising of the hands” (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 15:1): the tongue; blemishes; sin; impurity of the hands; years; and wine. And the elucidation of these things together with the rest of the details of the commandment are all elucidated in the last chapter of Megillah and Taanit, and the seventh [one] of Sotah. (See Tur, Orach Chaim 128.)
And this commandment is practiced every day and at all times by the priests, as this commandment to bless Israel is upon them. And they are obligated to bless them in the morning service, in the additional service, and at the sealing of the gates (Neilah service on Yom Kippur). But in the afternoon service, there is no “raising of the hands,” because all men have already had their [lunch] meal by the afternoon service, and [so] there is a concern of wine, as a drunk is forbidden in the “raising of the hands.” They, may their memory be blessed, decreed [not to say it] even in the afternoon service of a fast day, based on the afternoon service of every day, and as Rav Nachman decided in the last chapter of Taanit 26b. But over there, they said, “But nowadays, what is the reason [that] priests spread their hands in the afternoon prayer of a fast? Since they prayed it near sunset, it is considered like the Neilah service.”
מִצְוַת בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים בְּכָל יוֹם – שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים שֶׁיְּבָרְכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל יוֹם. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ו כג) כֹּה תְבָרֲכוּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמוֹר לָהֶם.
The commandment of the priestly blessing every day: That the priests were commanded that they should bless Israel every day, as it is stated (Numbers 6:23), “Thus shall you bless the Children of Israel; say to them.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. שֶׁחָפֵץ הַשֵּׁם בְּטוּבוֹ הַגָּדוֹל לְבָרֵךְ עַמּוֹ עַל יְדֵי הַמְּשָׁרְתִים הַחוֹנִים תָּמִיד בְּבֵית הַשֵּׁם, וְכָל מַחְשַׁבְתָּם דְּבֵקָה בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, וְנַפְשָׁם קְשׁוּרָה בְּיִרְאָתוֹ כָּל הַיּוֹם, וּבִזְכוּתָם תָּחוּל הַבְּרָכָה עֲלֵיהֶם, וְיִתְבָּרְכוּ כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, וִיהִי נֹעַם הַשֵּׁם עֲלֵיהֶם. וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ לֵאמֹר וְלוּ חֵפֶץ הַשֵּׁם בְּבִרְכָתָם יְצַו אִתָּם אֶת הַבְּרָכָה, וְאֵין צֹרֶךְ בְּבִרְכַּת הַכֹּהֲנִים, כִּי כְּבָר הִקְדַּמְתִּי לְךָ פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת, כִּי בְּכֹחַ הֶכְשֵׁר מַעֲשֵׂינוּ תָּחוּל הַבְּרָכָה עָלֵינוּ, כִּי יָדוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פְּתוּחָה לְכָל שׁוֹאֵל בִּהְיוֹתוֹ מֻכְשָׁר וּמוּכָן לְקַבָּלַת הַטּוֹב, וְעַל כֵּן כִּי בָּחַר בָּנוּ מִכָּל הָעַמִּים וְרָצָה שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה בְּטוּבוֹ הִזְהִירָנוּ וְצִוָּנוּ לְהָכִין מַעֲשֵׂינוּ וּלְהַכְשִׁיר גּוּפֵינוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, לִהְיוֹתֵנוּ רְאוּיִים אֶל הַטּוֹב, גַּם צִוָּנוּ בְּטוּבוֹ הַגָּדוֹל לְבַקֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ הַבְּרָכָה, וְשֶׁנִּשְׁאַל אוֹתָהּ עַל יְדֵי הַמְּשָׁרְתִים הַטְּהוֹרִים, כִּי כָּל זֶה יִהְיֶה זְכוּת לְנַפְשׁוֹתֵינוּ, וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ נִזְכֶּה בְּטוּבוֹ.
It is from the roots of the commandment that God wanted in His great goodness to bless His people through the servants that are always encamped in the House of God and all of their thoughts cling to His service and their souls are connected to His fear the whole day. And in their merit the blessing rests upon [the Jewish people] and all of their deeds are blessed, and the pleasantness of God will be upon them. And do not wonder to say, “Were God to desire their blessing, He would command the blessing to them, and there is no need for the priestly blessing.” As I have already anticipated [this] many times [by saying] that blessing rests upon us according to the preparation of our deeds. As His hand, blessed be He, is open to all that ask if they are fit and prepared to receive the good. And therefore, when He chose us from all of the nations and wanted that we merit His goodness, He warned us and commanded us to prepare our deeds and refine our bodies with His commandments, so that we will be fit [to receive] the good. He also commanded us in His great goodness to request blessing from Him, and that we should ask for it through the pure servants. As all of this will be a merit for our souls, and through it, we will merit His goodness.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מגילה כג, ב) שֶׁאֵין הַכֹּהֲנִים נוֹשְׂאִים כַּפֵּיהֶם אֶלָּא בַּעֲשָׂרָה, וְהַכֹּהֲנִים מִן הַמִּנְיָן. וְכֵיצַד הִיא נְשִׂיאוּת כַּפַּיִם? (סוטה לח, ב רמב"ם תפלה יד ג ד) בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר לַעֲבוֹדָה, כְּלוֹמַר כְּשֶׁיִּרְצֶה לְהַתְחִיל בְּבִרְכַּת רְצֵה כָּל הַכֹּהֲנִים הָעוֹמְדִים בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת עוֹלִין לַדּוּכָן, וּפְנֵיהֶם לְמוּל הַהֵיכָל, וַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי הָעָם, וְאֶצְבְּעוֹתֵיהֶם כְּפוּפוֹת עַל כַּפֵּיהֶם עַד שֶׁיַּשְׁלִים שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר בִּרְכַּת הוֹדָאָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַחְזִירִין פְּנֵיהֶן כְּלַפֵּי הָעָם וּפוֹשְׁטִין אֶצְבְּעוֹתֵיהֶם וּמַגְבִּיהִין יְדֵיהֶן כְּנֶגֶד כִּתְפֵיהֶם, וּמַתְחִילִין יְבָרֶכְךָ, וּשְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מַקְרֵא אוֹתָן מִלָּה מִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָמוֹר לָהֶם, וְהֵם עוֹנִים אַחֲרָיו בְּקוֹל נָאֶה, וּכְשֶׁמַּשְׁלִימִין פָּסוּק רִאשׁוֹן כָּל הָעָם עוֹנִין אָמֵן וְכֵן בְּפָסוּק שֵׁנִי וּשְׁלִישִׁי, וּכְשֶׁיַּשְׁלִימוּ הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה פְּסוּקִים מַתְחִיל שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר בְּשִׂים שָׁלוֹם וכו', וְהַכֹּהֲנִים מַחְזִירִין פְּנֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְכוֹפְפִין אֶצְבְּעוֹתֵיהֶם וְעוֹמְדִין שָׁם בַּדּוּכָן עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר בִּרְכַּת שִׂים שָׁלוֹם וְחוֹזְרִין לִמְקוֹמָן. וּמִנְהָגֵנוּ הַיּוֹם, שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים אֵינָן עוֹלִים לַדּוּכָן, אֶלָּא עוֹמְדִים לִפְנֵי הָאָרוֹן וְעוֹשִׂין כַּסֵּדֶר שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Megillah 23b) that the priests only raise their hands (to make the blessing) when there are ten (a prayer quorum), and the priests [are included in] the tally. And how is the raising of the hands? (Sotah 38b, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 14:3-4) At the time the prayer leader reaches the [blessing of] service, meaning to say when he wants to begin to say the blessing of Retseh, all the priests in the synagogue go up to the platform [with] their faces towards the ark, their backs towards the people, and their fingers bent upon their palms, until the prayer leader finishes the blessing of thanksgiving. And afterwards, they turn their faces towards the people, extend their fingers and raise their hands across from their shoulders and begin, “May He bless you.” And the prayer leader dictates to them word by word, as it is stated, “say to them”; and they repeat after him with a pleasant tone. And when they finish the first verse [of the blessing], all of the people answer, “Amen.” And so [too,] with the second verse, and the third. And when they finish [all] three verses, the prayer leader begins “Sim shalom, etc.” (the next blessing) and the priests turn their faces towards the holy [ark] and bend their fingers and stand there on the platform until he finishes the blessing of Sim shalom, and [then] return to their places. And our custom today is that the priests do not go up to the platform, but rather stand in front of the ark and follow the [rest of the] order that we have written.
וְקֹדֶם שֶׁיַּחְזִירוּ פְּנֵיהֶם לְבָרֵךְ הָעָם מְבָרְכִים בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן וְצִוָּנוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה. וְכָל פּוֹנוֹת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ פּוֹנִין כְּגוֹן חֲזָרַת פְּנֵיהֶם לַצִּבּוּר אוֹ לַהֵיכָל יִהְיוּ לְעוֹלָם דֶּרֶךְ יָמִין. וְשִׁשָּׁה דְּבָרִים מוֹנְעִין מִן הַכֹּהֲנִים נְשִׂיאוּת כַּפַּיִם (רמב"ם תפלה טו, א) הַלָּשׁוֹן, וְהַמּוּמִין, וְהָעֲבֵרָה, וְטֻמְאַת הַיָּדַיִם, וְהַשָּׁנִים, וְהַיַּיִן, וּבֵאוּר דְּבָרִים אֵלֶּה עִם יֶתֶר פְּרָטֵי הַמִּצְוָה הַכֹּל מְבֹאָר בְּפֶרֶק אַחֲרוֹן מִמְּגִלָּה וְתַעֲנִית, וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי מִמַּסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה [א"ח סי' קכח].
And before they turn their faces to bless the people, they recite the blessing, “Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with the holiness of Aharon and commanded us to bless His people, Israel, with love.” And all of the turns that they turn — such as turning their faces to the congregation or to the chamber — should always be to the right. And six things prevent the priests from the “raising of the hands” (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Prayer and the Priestly Blessing 15:1): the tongue; blemishes; sin; impurity of the hands; years; and wine. And the elucidation of these things together with the rest of the details of the commandment are all elucidated in the last chapter of Megillah and Taanit, and the seventh [one] of Sotah. (See Tur, Orach Chaim 128.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בַּכֹּהֲנִים, כִּי עֲלֵיהֶם מִצְוָה זוֹ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּבְשַׁחֲרִית וּבְמוּסָף וּבִנְעִילָה חַיָּבִין לְבָרְכָם, אֲבָל בְּמִנְחָה שֶׁל כָּל יוֹם אֵין שָׁם נְשִׂיאוּת כַּפַּיִם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבְּמִנְחָה כְּבָר סָעֲדוּ כָּל אָדָם וְיֵשׁ שָׁם חֲשָׁשׁ יַיִן, וְשִׁכּוֹר אָסוּר בִּנְשִׂיאוּת כַּפַּיִם. אֲפִילּוּ בְּמִנְחַת תַּעֲנִית, גָּזְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, אַטּוּ מִנְחָה שֶׁל כָּל יוֹם, וְכִדְפָסַק רַב נַחְמָן בְּפֶרֶק בָּתְרָא דְּתַעֲנִית (כו, ב) אֲבָל אָמְרוּ שָׁם, אֶלָּא הָאִדָּנָא מַאי טַעְמָא פָּרְסִי יְדַיְהוּ כָּהֲנֵי בְּמִנְחֲתָא דְּתַעֲנִיתָא, הוֹאִיל וְסָמוּךְ לִשְׁקִיעַת הַחַמָּה מְצַלֵּי לַהּ כִּתְפִלַּת נְעִילָה דָּמְיָא.
And this commandment is practiced every day and at all times by the priests, as this commandment to bless Israel is upon them. And they are obligated to bless them in the morning service, in the additional service, and at the sealing of the gates (Neilah service on Yom Kippur). But in the afternoon service, there is no “raising of the hands,” because all men have already had their [lunch] meal by the afternoon service, and [so] there is a concern of wine, as a drunk is forbidden in the “raising of the hands.” They, may their memory be blessed, decreed [not to say it] even in the afternoon service of a fast day, based on the afternoon service of every day, and as Rav Nachman decided in the last chapter of Taanit 26b. But over there, they said, “But nowadays, what is the reason [that] priests spread their hands in the afternoon prayer of a fast? Since they prayed it near sunset, it is considered like the Neilah service.”