The Priestly Blessing

As the Chazzan calls up the Kohanim for the Priestly Blessing they ascend to the duchan in front of the Torah Ark and face it as they pray, the service continues on from this point. While the congregation and Chazzan are saying their sections of “מוֹדִים”, the Kohanim say the following:

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ, יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתְּהֵא הַבְּרָכָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁצִּוִּיתָנוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמְּךָ יִשִֹרָאֵל בְּרָכָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בָּהּ שׁוּם מִכְשׁוֹל וְעָוֹן, מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם:

The Kohanim draw out their recital of this prayer, prolonging it so that they complete it in unison with the Chazzan's blessing of “הַטּוֹב שִׁמְךָ”; thus the congregation is able to respond אָמֵן to both both the blessings and this supplication. The Chazzan says quietly:

אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵנוּ, בָּרְכֵנוּ בַּבְּרָכָה הַמְשֶֹלוֹשֶֹת בַּתּוֹרָה הַכְּתוּבָה עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ, הָאֲמוּרָה מִפִּי אַהֲרן וּבָנָיו:

The Chazzan calls forth the Kohanim:

כֹּהֲנִים:

The Chazzan then concludes quietly:

עַם קְדוֹשֶׁיךָ, כָּאָמוּר:

The congregation should now cover their face with their tallitot. One who does not wear a tallit gadol should stand close to one who does in order to be covered along with them, while facing the Kohanim but not gazing upon them as they bless. The Kohanim will now turn to face the congregation. Everyone who is before them and facing them is including in the blessing, however those that are standing behind them however are not. Though there is no type of barrier that can separate one from receiving this blessing (not even a metal barrier), it is understood that this blessing is transferred face-to-face. The Kohanim face those who they are intending to bless, and likewise those who are receiving the blessing face the Kohanim with the intent on receiving a blessing. Therefore everyone should face forward, without distraction for entire duration of the blessing.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, וְצִוָּנוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ יִשְֹרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה:

The Kohanim should not being to say the blessing below until the congregation has responded אָמֵן to the above blessing. The Kohanim will be cued by the Chazzan in saying each word of the blessing, they should not begin to say any of these words until the other has completed saying it first. Likewise the congregation should not respond אָמֵן until the Kohanim have actually finished saying the blessing; one responds were indicated in parenthesis.

יְבָרֶכְךָ יְיָ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ: אָמֵן

יָאֵר יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ: אָמֵן

יִשָֹּא יְיָ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵֹם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם: אָמֵן

The Priestly Blessing is said in conjunction with a wordless melody that precedes each word. As the melody begins to be sung for the final three words of the blessings the congregation should begin to say the following prayer; during the melody, but not during the actual pronouncement of the words of blessing. At the melody of “וְיָשֵֹם” say:

רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲנִי שֶׁלָּךְ וַחֲלוֹמוֹתַי שֶׁלָּךְ, חֲלוֹם חָלַמְתִּי וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה הוּא. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּל חֲלוֹמוֹתַי עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְֹרָאֵל לְטוֹבָה, בֵּין שֶׁחָלַמְתִּי עַל עַצְמִי וּבֵין שֶׁחָלַמְתִּי עַל אֲחֵרִים, וּבֵין שֶׁחָלְמוּ אֲחֵרִים עָלַי, אִם טוֹבִים הֵם, חַזְּקֵם וְאַמְּצֵם, וְיִתְקַיְּמוּ בִי וּבָהֶם כַּחֲלוֹמוֹתָיו שֶׁל יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּי:

At the melody of “לְךָ” say:

וְאִם צְרִיכִים רְפוּאָה, רְפָאֵם, כְּחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה מֵחָלְיוֹ, וּכְמִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה מִצָּרַעְתָּהּ, וּכְנַעֲמָן מִצָּרַעְתּוֹ, וּכְמֵי מָרָה עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, וּכְמֵי יְרִחוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֱלִישָׁע:

At the melody of “שָׁלוֹם” say:

וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהָפַכְתָּ אֶת קִלְלַת בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע מִקְּלָלָה לִבְרָכָה, כֵּן תַּהֲפוֹךְ כָּל חֲלוֹמוֹתַי עָלַי וְעַל כָּל יִשְֹרָאֵל לְטוֹבָה:

As the Kohanim say the actual word “שָׁלוֹם” say:

וְתִשְׁמְרֵנִי וּתְחָנֵּנִי וְתִרְצֵּנִי:

Upon completion of the the Blessing, the congregation then responds אָמֵן to the blessing, and says the following prayer while the face is still covered.

אַדִּיר בַּמָּרוֹם שׁוֹכֵן בִּגְבוּרָה אַתָּה שָׁלוֹם וְשִׁמְךָ שָׁלוֹם, יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ שֶׁתָּשִֹים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמְךָ בֵּית יִשְֹרָאֵל, חַיִּים וּבְרָכָה לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת שָׁלוֹם:

Upon completion of the Blessing the Kohanim then say the following prayer, while the Chazzan recites “שִׂים שָׁלוֹם”

רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, עָשִֹינוּ מַה שֶּׁגָּזַרְתָּ עָלֵינוּ, עֲשֵֹה אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ כְּמָה שֶׁהִבְטַחְתָּנוּ, הַשְּׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, וּבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמְּךָ אֶת יִשְֹרָאֵל, וְאֵת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה לָנוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵנוּ אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ: