Parashat Naso- The Way to Bless Am Yisrael
The Way to Bless Am Yisrael
Among the many topics discussed in Parashat Naso is "Birkat Kohanim," the blessing with which the Kohanim bless Am Yisrael each and every day. This section begins with God's instruction to Moshe to tell the Kohanim, "So shall you bless Benei Yisrael: Say to them…" (6:23).
As a number of commentators have noted, the final words of this verse seem redundant. God could have simply said, "So shall you bless Benei Yisrael" and then dictated the blessing. Why did He emphasize, "Amor Lahem" – "Say to them"?
One Rabbi suggested that the word "Amor" in this verse should perhaps be understood differently. Later in the Torah (Devarim 26:17) Moshe tells Benei Yisrael, "Et Hashem He'emarta Ha'yom" – "Today you have set God apart." There, the verb "A.M.R." refers not to speaking, but rather to affording importance and distinction, praising, exalting and complimenting. Moshe speaks in that verse of the unique honor and distinction with which Benei Yisrael approach the Almighty, and he employs in this context the verb "A.M.R."
We might apply this same meaning to the verse in Parashat Naso. When Moshe instructs the Kohanim "Amor Lahem," he means "Give them distinction," or "Make them feel important." Before the Kohanim can bless Benei Yisrael with the priestly blessing, they must first remind them of their stature and importance. The Birkat Kohanim includes the blessing "Vichuneka," which means "He shall show you favor," or, put simply, "He shall love you." The Kohanim bless the Jewish people that God should show them love and concern. But many Jews consider themselves unworthy of God's love. They feel ashamed of their failings and shortcomings and conclude that the Almighty could not possibly cherish them. The Kohanim must therefore remind the people that they are mistaken. Just as a parent will always love a child, even when he misbehaves, so does God love and cherish His people regardless of their spiritual ills. Before the Kohanim could bless the people "Vichuneka," that God should show them love, they must first remind Benei Yisrael of their unique distinction as the Almighty's beloved nation and that they are always worthy of His love.
A person should never give up on himself and despair from earning God's favor. His love for us is unconditional, and we are therefore always worthy of it, even when we feel worthy of rejection. To the contrary, it is specifically when a person suffers from spiritual illness that God, like a caring parent, displays patience, sensitivity and compassion and helps the individual recover and find his way back to the proper path.
