Today's Daf Yomi
May 6, 2023 | ט״ו באייר תשפ״ג
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This month's learning is sponsored by Sami Groff in honor of Shoshana Keats Jaskoll and Chochmat Nashim.
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Masechet Sotah is sponsored by Ahava Leibtag in honor of Dr. Bryna Levy who helped her fall deep in love with learning.
Sotah 38
What are differences between birkhat kohanim that was performed in the Temple and the one that is performed outside the Temple? Seven braitot are brought which each derive laws of the birkhat kohanim from the words “this is how you should bless.” Each braita deals with a different issue, raises questions about it and makes derivations from other verses in order to explain the rule. The rules are – the blessing is done in Hebrew only, while standing, with hands lifted, using the special name of God (in the Temple only), women, converts and freed slaves are included in the blessing, the kohanim and the people face each other and it is said out loud. How are the kohanim called up and on what does it depend? Eight statements of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi are brought – four about birkhat kohanim and four showing the importance of not being stingy. What is done in a case where all the congregants are kohanim? There are two contradictory statements about this, but they are resolved. Those who stand behind the kohanim are not included in the blessing. What about those who stand facing the kohanim but there is some sort of barrier in between them? What about those on the side?
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ככתבו ובמדינה בכינויו במדינה כהנים נושאים את ידיהן כנגד כתפיהן ובמקדש על גבי ראשיהן חוץ מכהן גדול שאינו מגביה את ידיו למעלה מן הציץ רבי יהודה אומר אף כהן גדול מגביה ידיו למעלה מן הציץ שנאמר וישא אהרן את ידו אל העם ויברכם:
as it is written in the Torah, i.e., the Tetragrammaton, and in the country they use its substitute name of Lordship. In the country, the priests lift their hands so they are aligned with their shoulders during the benediction. And in the Temple they lift them above their heads, except for the High Priest, who does not lift his hands above the frontplate. Since the Tetragrammaton is inscribed on it, it is inappropriate for him to lift his hands above it. Rabbi Yehuda says: Even the High Priest lifts his hands above the frontplate, as it is stated: “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22).
גמ׳ תנו רבנן כה תברכו בלשון הקודש אתה אומר בלשון הקודש או אינו אלא בכל לשון נאמר כאן כה תברכו ונאמר להלן אלה יעמדו לברך את העם מה להלן בלשון הקודש אף כאן בלשון הקודש
GEMARA: The Sages taught: The mitzva given to the priests: “So you shall bless the children of Israel” (Numbers 6:23), is that they bless them in the sacred tongue, Hebrew. Do you say that the benediction must be recited in the sacred tongue, or perhaps it may be recited in any language? The baraita answers: It is stated here, with regard to the Priestly Benediction: “So you shall bless,” and it is stated there, with regard to the blessings and curses: “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people” (Deuteronomy 27:12). There is a verbal analogy between these two usages of the word “bless”: Just as there, the blessings and curses were recited in the sacred tongue, as stated above (33a), so too here, the Priestly Benediction is recited in the sacred tongue.
רבי יהודה אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר כה עד שיאמרו בלשון הזה
Rabbi Yehuda says: It is not necessary to derive this from a verbal analogy, as it says with regard to the Priestly Benediction: “Thus,” which means that it is not recited correctly unless they recite it in this exact language, as it is written in the Torah.
תניא אידך כה תברכו בעמידה אתה אומר בעמידה או אינו אלא אפילו בישיבה נאמר כאן כה תברכו ונאמר להלן אלה יעמדו לברך מה להלן בעמידה אף כאן בעמידה
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless,” means while standing. Do you say that the benediction must be recited while standing, or perhaps it may even be recited while sitting? It is stated here: “So you shall bless,” and it is stated there, with regard to the blessings and curses: “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless.” Just as there, the blessing was recited while standing, so too here, the priests must recite the Priestly Benediction while standing.
רבי נתן אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר לשרתו ולברך בשמו מה משרת בעמידה אף מברך בעמידה ומשרת גופיה מנלן דכתיב לעמד לשרת
Rabbi Natan says: It is not necessary to derive this from a verbal analogy, as it says in the verse: “At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister to Him and to bless in His name” (Deuteronomy 10:8). Just as a priest performs the Temple service while standing, so too, he blesses while standing. The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that he performs the service itself while standing? As it is written: “To stand to minister in the name of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:5).
תניא אידך כה תברכו בנשיאות כפים אתה אומר בנשיאות כפים או אינו אלא שלא בנשיאות כפים נאמר כאן כה תברכו ונאמר להלן וישא אהרן את ידו אל העם ויברכם מה להלן בנשיאות כפים אף כאן בנשיאות כפים
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless” means with lifted hands. Do you say that the priests must recite the benediction with lifted hands, or perhaps they may recite it without lifted hands? It is stated here: “So you shall bless,” and it is stated there, with regard to the dedication of the Tabernacle: “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22). Just as there, Aaron blessed the nation with lifted hands, so too here, the Priestly Benediction is recited with lifted hands.
קשיא ליה לרבי יונתן אי מה להלן כהן גדול וראש חודש ועבודת צבור אף כאן כהן גדול וראש חודש ועבודת ציבור
This halakha was difficult for Rabbi Yonatan to understand: If this halakha is derived from the dedication of the Tabernacle, then why not also say: Just as there, the High Priest was the one who recited the blessing, and it was the New Moon, and the offerings that were brought were a communal service, so too here, the Priestly Benediction must be recited only by the High Priest, and on the New Moon, and when performing a communal service?
רבי נתן אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר הוא ובניו כל הימים מקיש בניו לו מה הוא בנשיאות כפים אף בניו בנשיאות כפים וכתיב כל הימים ואיתקש ברכה לשירות
Rabbi Natan says: It is not necessary to derive from a verbal analogy that the Priestly Benediction is recited with lifted hands, as it says with regard to Aaron: “To stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons forever” (Deuteronomy 18:5). In this verse, his sons are juxtaposed with him. Just as Aaron recited the Priestly Benediction with lifted hands, so too, his sons recite the benediction with lifted hands. And furthermore, it is written “forever,” which indicates that it is referring not only to special occasions. And although the verse is not referring to the Priestly Benediction, the benediction is juxtaposed to the Temple service in another verse: “To minister to Him and to bless in His name” (Deuteronomy 10:8).
ותניא אידך כה תברכו את בני ישראל בשם המפורש אתה אומר בשם המפורש או אינו אלא בכינוי תלמוד לומר ושמו את שמי שמי המיוחד לי
And it is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless the children of Israel” means the blessing should be recited with the ineffable name. Do you say that the Priestly Benediction must be recited with the ineffable name, or perhaps it is recited with only the substitute name, Adonai? The verse states: “So shall they put My name” (Numbers 6:27), which means My name that is unique to Me.
יכול אף בגבולין כן נאמר כאן ושמו את שמי ונאמר להלן לשום את שמו שם מה להלן בית הבחירה אף כאן בבית הבחירה
One might have thought that even in the outlying areas, outside the Temple, this ineffable name is used. It is stated here, with regard to the Priestly Benediction: “So shall they put My name,” and it is stated there, with regard to the place one must sacrifice offerings: “The place that the Lord your God has chosen out of all your tribes to put His name there” (Deuteronomy 12:5). The verbal analogy teaches that just as there, the expression “to put His name there” is referring to the Temple, so too here, the mitzva of “so shall they put My name” applies in the Temple and not anywhere else.
רבי יאשיה אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי אבוא אליך בכל מקום סלקא דעתך אלא מקרא זה מסורס הוא בכל מקום אשר אבוא אליך וברכתיך שם אזכיר את שמי והיכן אבוא אליך וברכתיך בבית הבחירה שם אזכיר את שמי בבית הבחירה
Rabbi Yoshiya says: It is not necessary to derive this halakha from the verbal analogy, as it can be derived from a verse. It says in the verse: “In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you” (Exodus 20:20). Does it enter your mind that this verse literally means that the Divine Presence will be revealed everywhere? Rather, this verse must be interpreted by transposition. It must be reordered and read as follows: In every place where I will come to you and bless you, there I will cause My name to be mentioned. Rabbi Yoshiya explains that God is stating: And where will I come to you and bless you? In the Temple. Therefore, he derives: There, in the Temple, I will cause My name to be mentioned, but the ineffable name is not mentioned elsewhere.
תניא אידך כה תברכו את בני ישראל אין לי אלא בני ישראל גרים נשים ועבדים משוחררים מנין תלמוד לומר אמור להם לכולהו
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless the sons of Israel” (Numbers 6:23). I have derived only the halakha to bless the sons of Israel. From where do I derive the halakha of blessing converts, women, and emancipated slaves? The verse states immediately afterward: “You shall say to them,” meaning to all of the Jewish people.
תניא אידך כה תברכו פנים כנגד פנים אתה אומר פנים כנגד פנים או אינו אלא פנים כנגד עורף תלמוד לומר אמור להם כאדם האומר לחבירו
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless,” means that the priests must recite the Priestly Benediction face-to-face with the congregation. Do you say that the Benediction must be recited face-to-face, or perhaps it is only recited with the faces of the priests facing the back of the necks of the congregation? The verse states: “You shall say to them,” face-to-face, like a person who is talking to another.
תניא אידך כה תברכו בקול רם או אינו אלא בלחש תלמוד לומר אמור להם כאדם שאומר לחבירו
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless” means that the benediction must be recited out loud. Or, perhaps, is it recited only in a whisper? The verse states: “You shall say to them,” like a person who is talking to another.
אמר אביי נקטינן לשנים קורא כהנים ולאחד אינו קורא כהן שנאמר אמור להם לשנים ואמר רב חסדא נקטינן כהן קורא כהנים ואין ישראל קורא כהנים שנאמר אמור להם אמירה
Abaye said: We have a tradition with regard to the prayer leader calling the priests to recite the Priestly Benediction: When there are two priests, he calls: Priests, but when there is one priest he does not call: Priest, as it is stated: “You shall say to them,” in plural, meaning to a minimum of two priests. And Rav Ḥisda said: We have a tradition that a priest calls: Priests, but an Israelite does not call: Priests, as it is stated: “You shall say to them,” which means that the saying
משלהם תהא והילכתא כוותיה דאביי ולית הילכתא כוותיה דרב חסדא:
should be from them; one of the priests themselves should call: Priests. The Gemara concludes: And the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Abaye, that when only one priest is present, the prayer leader does not call: Priest. And the halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rav Ḥisda, as an Israelite may also call: Priests.
(סימן מתאו״ה לברכ״ה דוכ״ן בעבוד״ה כו״ס מכי״ר נהנ״ה בעגל״ה):
§ The Gemara cites a mnemonic device for the statements of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Desires the benediction, platform, during the service, cup, recognize, derives benefit, from a heifer.
אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי מנין שהקדוש ברוך הוא מתאוה לברכת כהנים שנאמר ושמו את שמי על בני ישראל ואני אברכם ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל כהן שמברך מתברך ושאינו מברך אין מתברך שנאמר ואברכה מברכיך
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, desires the Priestly Benediction? As it is stated: “So shall they put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27). This shows that God waits for the priests to bless the people, and only then He Himself blesses them. And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Any priest who blesses the people is blessed from Heaven, and one who does not bless the people is not blessed, as it is stated: “And I will bless those who bless you” (Genesis 12:3).
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל כהן שאינו עולה לדוכן עובר בשלשה עשה כה תברכו אמור להם ושמו את שמי
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Any priest who does not ascend the platform to recite the Priestly Benediction violates three positive mitzvot: “So you shall bless,” “And you shall say to them” (Numbers 6:23), and “So shall they put My name” (Numbers 6:27).
רב אמר חוששין שמא בן גרושה או בן חלוצה הוא
Rav says: One need be concerned that a priest who does not ascend to recite the Priestly Benediction is perhaps the son of a priest and a divorced woman, or the son of a priest and a yevama who has performed ḥalitza [ḥalutza]. Perhaps he does not ascend to recite the Priestly Benediction because he is disqualified from the priesthood.
ולא פליגי הא דסליק לפרקים הא דלא סליק לפרקים
The Gemara comments: And they do not disagree. This statement of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi is referring to a case where he ascends periodically. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that he is disqualified from the priesthood, and the assumption is that he violates three positive mitzvot. Whereas that statement of Rav is referring to a case where one does not ascend to recite the Priestly Benediction even periodically, and therefore there is reason to suspect that he is disqualified from the priesthood.
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל כהן שאינו עולה בעבודה שוב אינו עולה שנאמר וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם וירד מעשת החטאת והעולה והשלמים מה להלן בעבודה אף כאן בעבודה
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Any priest who does not ascend the platform during the blessing of the Temple service recited in the Amida prayer may no longer ascend to recite the benediction, as it is stated: “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings” (Leviticus 9:22). Just as there, in the Tabernacle, Aaron lifted up his hands during the service, as evident from the fact that only after he blessed them does it say that he came down from sacrificing the offerings, so too here, in the Amida prayer, the Priestly Benediction is recited during the blessing of Temple service.
איני והא רבי אמי ורבי אסי סלקי רבי אמי ורבי אסי מעיקרא הוו עקרי כרעייהו ממטא לא הוה מטו התם וכדתני רבי אושעיא לא שנו אלא שלא עקר את רגליו אבל עקר את רגליו עולה
The Gemara asks: Is that so? But didn’t the priests Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi ascend after the blessing of the service? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi would begin walking to the platform during the blessing of the service, but they would not arrive there until after the conclusion of this blessing. And this is sufficient in accordance with what Rabbi Oshaya taught: They taught that a priest may not recite the benediction if he did not ascend the platform during the blessing of Temple service only in a case where he did not begin walking. But if he began walking before the prayer leader finished the blessing, he may ascend the platform even after he has finished the blessing.
ותנן נמי אם הבטחתו שנושא את כפיו וחוזר לתפלתו רשאי והוינן בה הא לא עקר אלא דנד פורתא הכא נמי דעקר פורתא
And concerning this issue, we also learned in a mishna (Berakhot 34a): A priest who serves as prayer leader does not recite the Priestly Benediction, but if he is certain that he can lift his hands and recite the benediction, and then resume his prayer without becoming confused, he is permitted to do so. And we discussed it and raised the following difficulty: If he did not begin walking to ascend the platform during the blessing of the service, how is it permitted for him to recite the benediction? Rather, it must be explained that he moved slightly to show that he also wanted to ascend the platform. Here too, the statement of Rabbi Oshaya is referring even to a case where the priest uprooted himself slightly from his place during the blessing of the service.
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אין נותנין כוס של ברכה לברך אלא לטוב עין שנאמר טוב עין הוא יברך כי נתן מלחמו לדל אל תיקרי יברך אלא יברך
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: One may give a cup of blessing to recite the blessing of Grace after Meals only to someone with a good eye, i.e., a generous person, as it is stated: “One who has a good eye will be blessed [yevorakh], for he gives of his bread to the poor” (Proverbs 22:9). Do not read it: “Will be blessed.” Rather, read it: Will bless [yevarekh].
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי מנין שאפילו עופות מכירין בצרי העין שנאמר כי חנם מזרה הרשת בעיני כל בעל כנף
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: From where is it derived that even birds recognize miserly people and do not eat the food they have set in bird traps? As it is stated: “For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird” (Proverbs 1:17).
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל הנהנה מצרי העין עובר בלאו שנאמר אל תלחם את לחם רע עין וגו׳ כי כמו שער בנפשו כן הוא אכול ושתה יאמר לך וגו׳ רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר עובר בשני לאוין אל תלחם ואל תתאו
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Anyone who derives benefit from miserly people transgresses a prohibition, as it is stated: “Do not eat the bread of one who has an evil eye, and do not desire his delicacies, for as one that has reckoned within himself, so he is. He says to you: Eat and drink, but his heart is not with you” (Proverbs 23:6–7). Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: He transgresses two prohibitions, as it says “do not eat” and also “do not desire.”
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אין עגלה ערופה באה אלא בשביל צרי העין
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: When a person is found slain between two cities and it is not known who killed him, a heifer whose neck is broken is brought. This occurs only because of miserly people.
שנאמר וענו ואמרו ידינו לא שפכו את הדם הזה וכי על לבנו עלתה שזקני בית דין שופכי דמים הם אלא לא בא לידינו ופטרנוהו ולא ראינוהו והנחנוהו לא בא לידינו ופטרנוהו בלא מזונות לא ראינוהו והנחנוהו בלא לוייה
As it is stated: “And they shall speak and say: Our hands have not shed this blood” (Deuteronomy 21:7). But did it enter our hearts to think that the Elders of the court are murderers? Why it is necessary for them to publicize that they did not kill him? Rather, they must declare: It is not so that this victim came to us and we dismissed him, and it is not so that we saw him and left him. In other words, he did not come to us and we in turn dismissed him without food, and we did not see him and then leave him without an escort. It is miserly people who do not provide others with food and cause them to travel to places where they might be murdered.
אמר אדא אמר רבי שמלאי בית הכנסת שכולה כהנים כולן עולין לדוכן למי מברכין אמר רבי זירא לאחיהם שבשדות
§ Adda said that Rabbi Samlai says: In a synagogue that is made up entirely of priests, everyone ascends the platform to recite the Priestly Benediction. The Gemara asks: If the entire congregation is composed of priests, for whom do they utter the blessing? Rabbi Zeira says: They say the blessing for their brethren who are in the fields.
איני והתני אבא בריה דרב מנימין בר חייא עם שאחורי כהנים אינן בכלל ברכה לא קשיא הא דאניסי הא דלא אניסי
The Gemara asks: Is that so? But didn’t Abba, son of Rav Minyamin bar Ḥiyya, teach that the people who are standing behind the backs of the priests are not included in the Priestly Benediction? The Gemara answers: That is not difficult. This is a case where the people are compelled to be in the fields because of their work, and they are therefore included in the benediction. Whereas that statement is referring to people who are not compelled to be away but still do not stand face-to-face with the priests. Consequently, they are not included in the benediction.
והתני רב שימי מבירתא דשיחורי בית הכנסת שכולה כהנים מקצתן עולין ומקצתן עונין אמן
The Gemara asks: But didn’t Rav Shimi of Birte deShiḥorei teach the following baraita: In a synagogue that is made up entirely of priests, some of them ascend to recite the benediction and some of them answer amen?
לא קשיא הא דאישתייר בי עשרה הא דלא אישתייר בי עשרה
The Gemara answers: That is not difficult. That is a case where, if some of the priests recite the benediction, a quorum of ten priests still remains to receive the benediction and answer amen. Therefore, only some of the priests ascend to recite the benediction. By contrast, this case, which Rabbi Simlai was referring to, is a case where a quorum of ten does not remain to answer amen, so it is better for all of the priests to ascend and bless the people working in the fields.
גופא תנא אבא בריה דרב מנימין בר חייא עם שאחורי כהנים אינן בכלל ברכה
The Gemara returns to the matter itself cited above: Abba, son of Rav Minyamin bar Ḥiyya, taught: The people who are standing behind the priests are not included in the benediction.
פשיטא אריכי באפי גוצי לא מפסקי תיבה לא מפסקא מחיצה מאי תא שמע דאמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אפילו מחיצה של ברזל אינה מפסקת בין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים
The Gemara raises several questions with regard to this statement: It is obvious that tall people standing in front of short people do not interpose between the priests and the shorter people with regard to the Priestly Benediction. Similarly, a chest or ark containing a Torah scroll does not interpose between the priests and the people. However, what is the halakha with regard to a partition? Come and hear an answer from what Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Even an iron partition does not interpose between the Jewish people and their Father in Heaven; the people are included in the benediction.
איבעיא להו צדדין מהו אמר אבא מר בר רב אשי תא שמע דתנן נתכוון להזות לפניו
A dilemma was raised before the Sages: What is the halakha in the case of people who are standing to the sides of the priests? Are they included in the blessing? Abba Mar bar Rav Ashi said: Come and hear an answer, as we learned in a mishna (Para 12:2) with regard to the halakha of sprinkling the waters of purification on vessels that contracted ritual impurity imparted by a corpse: If one intended to sprinkle the water forward
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This month's learning is sponsored by Sami Groff in honor of Shoshana Keats Jaskoll and Chochmat Nashim.
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Masechet Sotah is sponsored by Ahava Leibtag in honor of Dr. Bryna Levy who helped her fall deep in love with learning.
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Sotah: 35-41 – Daf Yomi One Week at a Time
Sotah 38
The William Davidson Talmud | Powered by Sefaria
ככתבו ובמדינה בכינויו במדינה כהנים נושאים את ידיהן כנגד כתפיהן ובמקדש על גבי ראשיהן חוץ מכהן גדול שאינו מגביה את ידיו למעלה מן הציץ רבי יהודה אומר אף כהן גדול מגביה ידיו למעלה מן הציץ שנאמר וישא אהרן את ידו אל העם ויברכם:
as it is written in the Torah, i.e., the Tetragrammaton, and in the country they use its substitute name of Lordship. In the country, the priests lift their hands so they are aligned with their shoulders during the benediction. And in the Temple they lift them above their heads, except for the High Priest, who does not lift his hands above the frontplate. Since the Tetragrammaton is inscribed on it, it is inappropriate for him to lift his hands above it. Rabbi Yehuda says: Even the High Priest lifts his hands above the frontplate, as it is stated: “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22).
גמ׳ תנו רבנן כה תברכו בלשון הקודש אתה אומר בלשון הקודש או אינו אלא בכל לשון נאמר כאן כה תברכו ונאמר להלן אלה יעמדו לברך את העם מה להלן בלשון הקודש אף כאן בלשון הקודש
GEMARA: The Sages taught: The mitzva given to the priests: “So you shall bless the children of Israel” (Numbers 6:23), is that they bless them in the sacred tongue, Hebrew. Do you say that the benediction must be recited in the sacred tongue, or perhaps it may be recited in any language? The baraita answers: It is stated here, with regard to the Priestly Benediction: “So you shall bless,” and it is stated there, with regard to the blessings and curses: “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people” (Deuteronomy 27:12). There is a verbal analogy between these two usages of the word “bless”: Just as there, the blessings and curses were recited in the sacred tongue, as stated above (33a), so too here, the Priestly Benediction is recited in the sacred tongue.
רבי יהודה אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר כה עד שיאמרו בלשון הזה
Rabbi Yehuda says: It is not necessary to derive this from a verbal analogy, as it says with regard to the Priestly Benediction: “Thus,” which means that it is not recited correctly unless they recite it in this exact language, as it is written in the Torah.
תניא אידך כה תברכו בעמידה אתה אומר בעמידה או אינו אלא אפילו בישיבה נאמר כאן כה תברכו ונאמר להלן אלה יעמדו לברך מה להלן בעמידה אף כאן בעמידה
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless,” means while standing. Do you say that the benediction must be recited while standing, or perhaps it may even be recited while sitting? It is stated here: “So you shall bless,” and it is stated there, with regard to the blessings and curses: “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless.” Just as there, the blessing was recited while standing, so too here, the priests must recite the Priestly Benediction while standing.
רבי נתן אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר לשרתו ולברך בשמו מה משרת בעמידה אף מברך בעמידה ומשרת גופיה מנלן דכתיב לעמד לשרת
Rabbi Natan says: It is not necessary to derive this from a verbal analogy, as it says in the verse: “At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister to Him and to bless in His name” (Deuteronomy 10:8). Just as a priest performs the Temple service while standing, so too, he blesses while standing. The Gemara asks: And from where do we derive that he performs the service itself while standing? As it is written: “To stand to minister in the name of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 18:5).
תניא אידך כה תברכו בנשיאות כפים אתה אומר בנשיאות כפים או אינו אלא שלא בנשיאות כפים נאמר כאן כה תברכו ונאמר להלן וישא אהרן את ידו אל העם ויברכם מה להלן בנשיאות כפים אף כאן בנשיאות כפים
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless” means with lifted hands. Do you say that the priests must recite the benediction with lifted hands, or perhaps they may recite it without lifted hands? It is stated here: “So you shall bless,” and it is stated there, with regard to the dedication of the Tabernacle: “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22). Just as there, Aaron blessed the nation with lifted hands, so too here, the Priestly Benediction is recited with lifted hands.
קשיא ליה לרבי יונתן אי מה להלן כהן גדול וראש חודש ועבודת צבור אף כאן כהן גדול וראש חודש ועבודת ציבור
This halakha was difficult for Rabbi Yonatan to understand: If this halakha is derived from the dedication of the Tabernacle, then why not also say: Just as there, the High Priest was the one who recited the blessing, and it was the New Moon, and the offerings that were brought were a communal service, so too here, the Priestly Benediction must be recited only by the High Priest, and on the New Moon, and when performing a communal service?
רבי נתן אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר הוא ובניו כל הימים מקיש בניו לו מה הוא בנשיאות כפים אף בניו בנשיאות כפים וכתיב כל הימים ואיתקש ברכה לשירות
Rabbi Natan says: It is not necessary to derive from a verbal analogy that the Priestly Benediction is recited with lifted hands, as it says with regard to Aaron: “To stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons forever” (Deuteronomy 18:5). In this verse, his sons are juxtaposed with him. Just as Aaron recited the Priestly Benediction with lifted hands, so too, his sons recite the benediction with lifted hands. And furthermore, it is written “forever,” which indicates that it is referring not only to special occasions. And although the verse is not referring to the Priestly Benediction, the benediction is juxtaposed to the Temple service in another verse: “To minister to Him and to bless in His name” (Deuteronomy 10:8).
ותניא אידך כה תברכו את בני ישראל בשם המפורש אתה אומר בשם המפורש או אינו אלא בכינוי תלמוד לומר ושמו את שמי שמי המיוחד לי
And it is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless the children of Israel” means the blessing should be recited with the ineffable name. Do you say that the Priestly Benediction must be recited with the ineffable name, or perhaps it is recited with only the substitute name, Adonai? The verse states: “So shall they put My name” (Numbers 6:27), which means My name that is unique to Me.
יכול אף בגבולין כן נאמר כאן ושמו את שמי ונאמר להלן לשום את שמו שם מה להלן בית הבחירה אף כאן בבית הבחירה
One might have thought that even in the outlying areas, outside the Temple, this ineffable name is used. It is stated here, with regard to the Priestly Benediction: “So shall they put My name,” and it is stated there, with regard to the place one must sacrifice offerings: “The place that the Lord your God has chosen out of all your tribes to put His name there” (Deuteronomy 12:5). The verbal analogy teaches that just as there, the expression “to put His name there” is referring to the Temple, so too here, the mitzva of “so shall they put My name” applies in the Temple and not anywhere else.
רבי יאשיה אומר אינו צריך הרי הוא אומר בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי אבוא אליך בכל מקום סלקא דעתך אלא מקרא זה מסורס הוא בכל מקום אשר אבוא אליך וברכתיך שם אזכיר את שמי והיכן אבוא אליך וברכתיך בבית הבחירה שם אזכיר את שמי בבית הבחירה
Rabbi Yoshiya says: It is not necessary to derive this halakha from the verbal analogy, as it can be derived from a verse. It says in the verse: “In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you” (Exodus 20:20). Does it enter your mind that this verse literally means that the Divine Presence will be revealed everywhere? Rather, this verse must be interpreted by transposition. It must be reordered and read as follows: In every place where I will come to you and bless you, there I will cause My name to be mentioned. Rabbi Yoshiya explains that God is stating: And where will I come to you and bless you? In the Temple. Therefore, he derives: There, in the Temple, I will cause My name to be mentioned, but the ineffable name is not mentioned elsewhere.
תניא אידך כה תברכו את בני ישראל אין לי אלא בני ישראל גרים נשים ועבדים משוחררים מנין תלמוד לומר אמור להם לכולהו
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless the sons of Israel” (Numbers 6:23). I have derived only the halakha to bless the sons of Israel. From where do I derive the halakha of blessing converts, women, and emancipated slaves? The verse states immediately afterward: “You shall say to them,” meaning to all of the Jewish people.
תניא אידך כה תברכו פנים כנגד פנים אתה אומר פנים כנגד פנים או אינו אלא פנים כנגד עורף תלמוד לומר אמור להם כאדם האומר לחבירו
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless,” means that the priests must recite the Priestly Benediction face-to-face with the congregation. Do you say that the Benediction must be recited face-to-face, or perhaps it is only recited with the faces of the priests facing the back of the necks of the congregation? The verse states: “You shall say to them,” face-to-face, like a person who is talking to another.
תניא אידך כה תברכו בקול רם או אינו אלא בלחש תלמוד לומר אמור להם כאדם שאומר לחבירו
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless” means that the benediction must be recited out loud. Or, perhaps, is it recited only in a whisper? The verse states: “You shall say to them,” like a person who is talking to another.
אמר אביי נקטינן לשנים קורא כהנים ולאחד אינו קורא כהן שנאמר אמור להם לשנים ואמר רב חסדא נקטינן כהן קורא כהנים ואין ישראל קורא כהנים שנאמר אמור להם אמירה
Abaye said: We have a tradition with regard to the prayer leader calling the priests to recite the Priestly Benediction: When there are two priests, he calls: Priests, but when there is one priest he does not call: Priest, as it is stated: “You shall say to them,” in plural, meaning to a minimum of two priests. And Rav Ḥisda said: We have a tradition that a priest calls: Priests, but an Israelite does not call: Priests, as it is stated: “You shall say to them,” which means that the saying
משלהם תהא והילכתא כוותיה דאביי ולית הילכתא כוותיה דרב חסדא:
should be from them; one of the priests themselves should call: Priests. The Gemara concludes: And the halakha is in accordance with the opinion of Abaye, that when only one priest is present, the prayer leader does not call: Priest. And the halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rav Ḥisda, as an Israelite may also call: Priests.
(סימן מתאו״ה לברכ״ה דוכ״ן בעבוד״ה כו״ס מכי״ר נהנ״ה בעגל״ה):
§ The Gemara cites a mnemonic device for the statements of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Desires the benediction, platform, during the service, cup, recognize, derives benefit, from a heifer.
אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי מנין שהקדוש ברוך הוא מתאוה לברכת כהנים שנאמר ושמו את שמי על בני ישראל ואני אברכם ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל כהן שמברך מתברך ושאינו מברך אין מתברך שנאמר ואברכה מברכיך
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, desires the Priestly Benediction? As it is stated: “So shall they put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27). This shows that God waits for the priests to bless the people, and only then He Himself blesses them. And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Any priest who blesses the people is blessed from Heaven, and one who does not bless the people is not blessed, as it is stated: “And I will bless those who bless you” (Genesis 12:3).
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל כהן שאינו עולה לדוכן עובר בשלשה עשה כה תברכו אמור להם ושמו את שמי
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Any priest who does not ascend the platform to recite the Priestly Benediction violates three positive mitzvot: “So you shall bless,” “And you shall say to them” (Numbers 6:23), and “So shall they put My name” (Numbers 6:27).
רב אמר חוששין שמא בן גרושה או בן חלוצה הוא
Rav says: One need be concerned that a priest who does not ascend to recite the Priestly Benediction is perhaps the son of a priest and a divorced woman, or the son of a priest and a yevama who has performed ḥalitza [ḥalutza]. Perhaps he does not ascend to recite the Priestly Benediction because he is disqualified from the priesthood.
ולא פליגי הא דסליק לפרקים הא דלא סליק לפרקים
The Gemara comments: And they do not disagree. This statement of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi is referring to a case where he ascends periodically. Therefore, there is no reason to believe that he is disqualified from the priesthood, and the assumption is that he violates three positive mitzvot. Whereas that statement of Rav is referring to a case where one does not ascend to recite the Priestly Benediction even periodically, and therefore there is reason to suspect that he is disqualified from the priesthood.
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל כהן שאינו עולה בעבודה שוב אינו עולה שנאמר וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם וירד מעשת החטאת והעולה והשלמים מה להלן בעבודה אף כאן בעבודה
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Any priest who does not ascend the platform during the blessing of the Temple service recited in the Amida prayer may no longer ascend to recite the benediction, as it is stated: “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings” (Leviticus 9:22). Just as there, in the Tabernacle, Aaron lifted up his hands during the service, as evident from the fact that only after he blessed them does it say that he came down from sacrificing the offerings, so too here, in the Amida prayer, the Priestly Benediction is recited during the blessing of Temple service.
איני והא רבי אמי ורבי אסי סלקי רבי אמי ורבי אסי מעיקרא הוו עקרי כרעייהו ממטא לא הוה מטו התם וכדתני רבי אושעיא לא שנו אלא שלא עקר את רגליו אבל עקר את רגליו עולה
The Gemara asks: Is that so? But didn’t the priests Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi ascend after the blessing of the service? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi would begin walking to the platform during the blessing of the service, but they would not arrive there until after the conclusion of this blessing. And this is sufficient in accordance with what Rabbi Oshaya taught: They taught that a priest may not recite the benediction if he did not ascend the platform during the blessing of Temple service only in a case where he did not begin walking. But if he began walking before the prayer leader finished the blessing, he may ascend the platform even after he has finished the blessing.
ותנן נמי אם הבטחתו שנושא את כפיו וחוזר לתפלתו רשאי והוינן בה הא לא עקר אלא דנד פורתא הכא נמי דעקר פורתא
And concerning this issue, we also learned in a mishna (Berakhot 34a): A priest who serves as prayer leader does not recite the Priestly Benediction, but if he is certain that he can lift his hands and recite the benediction, and then resume his prayer without becoming confused, he is permitted to do so. And we discussed it and raised the following difficulty: If he did not begin walking to ascend the platform during the blessing of the service, how is it permitted for him to recite the benediction? Rather, it must be explained that he moved slightly to show that he also wanted to ascend the platform. Here too, the statement of Rabbi Oshaya is referring even to a case where the priest uprooted himself slightly from his place during the blessing of the service.
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אין נותנין כוס של ברכה לברך אלא לטוב עין שנאמר טוב עין הוא יברך כי נתן מלחמו לדל אל תיקרי יברך אלא יברך
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: One may give a cup of blessing to recite the blessing of Grace after Meals only to someone with a good eye, i.e., a generous person, as it is stated: “One who has a good eye will be blessed [yevorakh], for he gives of his bread to the poor” (Proverbs 22:9). Do not read it: “Will be blessed.” Rather, read it: Will bless [yevarekh].
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי מנין שאפילו עופות מכירין בצרי העין שנאמר כי חנם מזרה הרשת בעיני כל בעל כנף
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: From where is it derived that even birds recognize miserly people and do not eat the food they have set in bird traps? As it is stated: “For in vain the net is spread in the eyes of any bird” (Proverbs 1:17).
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי כל הנהנה מצרי העין עובר בלאו שנאמר אל תלחם את לחם רע עין וגו׳ כי כמו שער בנפשו כן הוא אכול ושתה יאמר לך וגו׳ רב נחמן בר יצחק אמר עובר בשני לאוין אל תלחם ואל תתאו
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: Anyone who derives benefit from miserly people transgresses a prohibition, as it is stated: “Do not eat the bread of one who has an evil eye, and do not desire his delicacies, for as one that has reckoned within himself, so he is. He says to you: Eat and drink, but his heart is not with you” (Proverbs 23:6–7). Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: He transgresses two prohibitions, as it says “do not eat” and also “do not desire.”
ואמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אין עגלה ערופה באה אלא בשביל צרי העין
And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says: When a person is found slain between two cities and it is not known who killed him, a heifer whose neck is broken is brought. This occurs only because of miserly people.
שנאמר וענו ואמרו ידינו לא שפכו את הדם הזה וכי על לבנו עלתה שזקני בית דין שופכי דמים הם אלא לא בא לידינו ופטרנוהו ולא ראינוהו והנחנוהו לא בא לידינו ופטרנוהו בלא מזונות לא ראינוהו והנחנוהו בלא לוייה
As it is stated: “And they shall speak and say: Our hands have not shed this blood” (Deuteronomy 21:7). But did it enter our hearts to think that the Elders of the court are murderers? Why it is necessary for them to publicize that they did not kill him? Rather, they must declare: It is not so that this victim came to us and we dismissed him, and it is not so that we saw him and left him. In other words, he did not come to us and we in turn dismissed him without food, and we did not see him and then leave him without an escort. It is miserly people who do not provide others with food and cause them to travel to places where they might be murdered.
אמר אדא אמר רבי שמלאי בית הכנסת שכולה כהנים כולן עולין לדוכן למי מברכין אמר רבי זירא לאחיהם שבשדות
§ Adda said that Rabbi Samlai says: In a synagogue that is made up entirely of priests, everyone ascends the platform to recite the Priestly Benediction. The Gemara asks: If the entire congregation is composed of priests, for whom do they utter the blessing? Rabbi Zeira says: They say the blessing for their brethren who are in the fields.
איני והתני אבא בריה דרב מנימין בר חייא עם שאחורי כהנים אינן בכלל ברכה לא קשיא הא דאניסי הא דלא אניסי
The Gemara asks: Is that so? But didn’t Abba, son of Rav Minyamin bar Ḥiyya, teach that the people who are standing behind the backs of the priests are not included in the Priestly Benediction? The Gemara answers: That is not difficult. This is a case where the people are compelled to be in the fields because of their work, and they are therefore included in the benediction. Whereas that statement is referring to people who are not compelled to be away but still do not stand face-to-face with the priests. Consequently, they are not included in the benediction.
והתני רב שימי מבירתא דשיחורי בית הכנסת שכולה כהנים מקצתן עולין ומקצתן עונין אמן
The Gemara asks: But didn’t Rav Shimi of Birte deShiḥorei teach the following baraita: In a synagogue that is made up entirely of priests, some of them ascend to recite the benediction and some of them answer amen?
לא קשיא הא דאישתייר בי עשרה הא דלא אישתייר בי עשרה
The Gemara answers: That is not difficult. That is a case where, if some of the priests recite the benediction, a quorum of ten priests still remains to receive the benediction and answer amen. Therefore, only some of the priests ascend to recite the benediction. By contrast, this case, which Rabbi Simlai was referring to, is a case where a quorum of ten does not remain to answer amen, so it is better for all of the priests to ascend and bless the people working in the fields.
גופא תנא אבא בריה דרב מנימין בר חייא עם שאחורי כהנים אינן בכלל ברכה
The Gemara returns to the matter itself cited above: Abba, son of Rav Minyamin bar Ḥiyya, taught: The people who are standing behind the priests are not included in the benediction.
פשיטא אריכי באפי גוצי לא מפסקי תיבה לא מפסקא מחיצה מאי תא שמע דאמר רבי יהושע בן לוי אפילו מחיצה של ברזל אינה מפסקת בין ישראל לאביהם שבשמים
The Gemara raises several questions with regard to this statement: It is obvious that tall people standing in front of short people do not interpose between the priests and the shorter people with regard to the Priestly Benediction. Similarly, a chest or ark containing a Torah scroll does not interpose between the priests and the people. However, what is the halakha with regard to a partition? Come and hear an answer from what Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Even an iron partition does not interpose between the Jewish people and their Father in Heaven; the people are included in the benediction.
איבעיא להו צדדין מהו אמר אבא מר בר רב אשי תא שמע דתנן נתכוון להזות לפניו
A dilemma was raised before the Sages: What is the halakha in the case of people who are standing to the sides of the priests? Are they included in the blessing? Abba Mar bar Rav Ashi said: Come and hear an answer, as we learned in a mishna (Para 12:2) with regard to the halakha of sprinkling the waters of purification on vessels that contracted ritual impurity imparted by a corpse: If one intended to sprinkle the water forward
