Drash – Naso

Rabbi Dr.Orna Triguboff

Emanuel Synagogue

How do Jewish rituals promote peace—both inner tranquility and harmony in our surroundings?

During my rabbinical training, I spent six months serving as a pastoral caregiver in a geriatric ward. My encounters with Jewish patients were filled with patients’ captivating life stories. Interestingly, many Christian patients didn’t want to tell me their stories, they requested blessings, with the priestly blessing being their preferred choice. That experience made me reflect on how fortunate we are as Jews to have such a cherished ritual, and it leads me to ponder how we can incorporate it into our lives in a meaningful.

This week’s Torah reading includes the three blessings that the priests would bestow upon the Children of Israel. In ancient times, the cohanim (priests) would bless the people en masse; today, this ritual is often performed within the synagogue. However, it can also be shared in the home, providing us with a wonderful opportunity to use Jewish ritual to foster closeness among family members and friends.

Parents frequently recite this blessing over their children at bedtime, sometimes gently laying their hands upon their heads as they recite the words. On Sabbath eve, before the family meal, some parents bless their children; or family and friends are invited to bestow blessings upon one another using the traditional priestly blessing. Every time I have participated in this practice with a group, I have witnessed how profoundly meaningful it is for everyone involved. Many people give the feedback that it brought a sense of peace and light into whichever social circle it was.

The Torah states that, in a sense, we are all priests, capable of bestowing blessings upon one another. In Exodus 19:6, God instructs Moses to tell the people: “And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

The Hasidic Reb Nachman of Breslov taught that when we recite this blessing, we become channels of a divine flow of spiritual light – we receive it and then radiate it to others and to the world. Each blessing has its own character: the first one is about receiving the light and being kept safe, the second is about a flow of kindness that we tap into for ourselves and for our loved ones. The third blessing is the culmination of all blessings as it is a prayer for peace – inner peace as well as peace in the world.

Here it is:

May God bless you and keep you safe

May God’s presence shine on you and may life be kind to you

May God’s presence be lifted towards you and bring you Peace

(Numbers chapter 6:24-26)

This week, I invite you to embrace this ritual and observe what unfolds. I’d love to hear from you.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Dr. Orna Triguboff