Tefilah: Waking Up Jewish

Blessing with Love: Understanding the Mitzva of Birkas Kohanim

Hashem's Blessing

My wife and I once found ourselves in an extremely difficult situation and went to discuss the problem with our shadchan, Rav David Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron, in Jerusalem. He told us that Chazal say that listening to ten kohanim say Birkas Kohanim is a powerful segula. Many people experiencing suffering and hardships have found relief after doing this.

Getting ten kohanim together at the same time was not an easy task, but my wife and I were finally able to do it. All of the kohanim showed up, and we received their bracha with hope and prayer that Hashem would help us. The very next day, we met the person who was instrumental in helping us solve our problem.

The source of Rav David Cohen's advice is in the Zohar: “During Birkas Kohanim the Divine attribute of mercy is strong throughout the world. Anyone who prays that their suffering should be removed will be answered” (Naso 147b).

“And they [the kohanim] should put my Name upon the Jewish people and I will bless them” (Bamidbar 6,27). Perhaps there is no greater expression of Hashem’s great love of am Yisrael than Birkas Kohanim. Let us investigate some of the halachos of this mitzva and understand how Hashem’s devotion to His children is expressed through Birkas Kohanim.

Text Copyright © 2011 by Rabbi Daniel Travis and Torah.org