Rabbi Eve Posen

Picking up the pieces following horrific event after horrific event, in D.C. and in Boulder and more and more places around the world, it can feel like there are no words. No time to let one wound heal before the next one is ripped open. But for thousands of years, in times of joy and in times of tragedy, we’ve found strength and comfort in being able to bless each other, using the words of our tradition. We all long to feel blessed — to know that we are seen, loved, and protected. And we all hope to offer blessings to others through our words, our presence, and our actions. Parshat Naso contains one of the most beautiful and enduring blessings in all of Torah, the Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing, which continues to echo through our tradition and our lives today.

Parshat Naso is the longest Torah portion, covering a range of topics. It continues the census begun in Bamidbar, detailing the roles of the Levites, describes the laws of the nazirite, and addresses the ritual for the sotah, the woman suspected of adultery. But in the midst of these detailed and sometimes difficult laws, we find a moment of pure light: God instructs Moses to tell Aaron and his sons how to bless the people. This blessing, just three short verses, transcends time:

Yevarechecha Adonai v’yishmerecha.
May God bless you and protect you.

Ya’er Adonai panav eilecha vichuneka.
May God shine God’s face upon you and be gracious to you.

Yisa Adonai panav eilecha v’yasem lecha shalom.
May God lift God’s face toward you and grant you peace.

The Priestly Blessing is much more than words — it’s a profound statement about the relationship between God, the people, and those who serve as conduits of blessing. Notice that the priests don’t create the blessing; they channel it. God is the source of blessing, but it is through human intermediaries — through people willing to lift their hands, open their hearts, and speak words of goodness — that blessing flows into the world.

Each line of the blessing builds: from physical protection (v’yishmerecha), to inner grace (vichuneka), to the ultimate aspiration of shalom — peace and wholeness. The blessing reminds us that God’s presence is not abstract. It’s felt when we experience safety, when we are shown kindness, and when we rest in the deep calm of peace.

While the priests were the official bearers of blessing in ancient times, today we are all called to be mamlechet kohanim — a kingdom of priests. We are all charged with being vessels of blessing.

What would it look like for each of us to act as channels of blessing this week? To offer protection to someone vulnerable, to show graciousness to someone struggling, to lift our faces and truly see those around us? And perhaps most importantly, to become builders of peace — in our homes, our communities, and our world?