SO THEY SHALL PUT MY NAME UPON THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. R. Judah said that the term samu (put) conveys the idea of orderly arrangement, as the priests are therein bidden to arrange by their blessing the Crowns of the right to the right, and the Crowns of the left to the left, without confusing them, so that the upper world and the lower will receive the blessing.
If they follow this, then I WILL BLESS THEM, a blessing extended to the priests themselves, as we read: “And blessed be every one that blesseth thee” (Gen. 27, 29), also, “And I will bless them that bless thee” (Ibid. 12, 3).
We are told that a priest not beloved by the people ought not to take part in blessing the people. On one occasion, when a priest went up and spread forth his hands, before he completed the blessing he turned into a heap of bones. This happened to him because there was no love between him and the people. Then another priest went up and pronounced the blessing, and so the day passed without harm. A priest who loves not the people, or whom they love not, may not pronounce the blessing. So Scripture says: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed” (Prov. 22, 9), where the word YeBoRaKH (shall be blessed) can also be read YeBaReKH (shall bless).’
R. Isaac said: ‘Note that the wicked Balaam, when he was entrusted with the task of blessing Israel, fixed on them an evil eye so as to prevent the blessing from being fulfilled. So Scripture says: “The saying of Balaam the son of Beor” (Num. 24, 3), that is, the son of the most hateful enemy of Israel; “and the saying of the man whose eye is closed” ‘1By a change from right to left of the diacritical point, the word shethum (opened) is read sethum (closed). (Ibid.): that means that he closed his benevolent eye so that the blessing should be of no effect.’
R. Judah remarked: ‘This is assuredly so, as indeed we find that a real blessing is associated with the opening of the eye. Thus it is written, “Open thine eyes” (Dan. 9, 16), that is, in order to bless. So R. Hamnuna the Elder’s blessing for anyone took the form of “May the Holy One, blessed be He, keep His eyes open on thee”.’ R. Isaac continued: ‘Thus the blessing pronounced by the priest with a benevolent eye is effective, but if it is not given with a benevolent eye, of such it is written: “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties” (Prov. 23, 6), to wit, in no wise seek any blessing from such a man.’
Said R. Jose: ‘Observe the verse: “Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam” (Deut. 23, 6). Now we should have expected rather “to hearken unto Balak” instead of “unto Balaam”, seeing that Balak was the instigator of the whole attempt. But the reason why Balaam is mentioned is because he closed his eye in order to make his blessing of no effect.’ R. Jose said: ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, said in effect to Balaam: “Wretch! Thou hast closed thine eye in order that My children should not receive any blessing. I, however, will open thine eyes and so I will turn all thy utterances into blessings.” So we read: “But the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee” (Ibid.).
A priest who loves not the people, or whom they love not, may not pronounce the blessing. So Scripture says: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed” (Prov. 22, 9), where the word YeBoRaKH (shall be blessed) can also be read YeBaReKH (shall bless).’ R. Isaac said: ‘Note that the wicked Balaam, when he was entrusted with the task of blessing Israel, fixed on them an evil eye so as to prevent the blessing from being fulfilled. So Scripture says: “The saying of Balaam the son of Beor” (Num. 24, 3), that is, the son of the most hateful enemy of Israel; “and the saying of the man whose eye is closed”’1By a change from right to left of the diacritical point, the word shethum (opened) is read sethum (closed).
It has been taught: How beloved are Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He, in that the upper beings are only blessed for the sake of Israel. Thus R. Judah said in the name of R. Hiya, who had it from R. Jose: ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, swore that he would not enter the heavenly Jerusalem save after Israel had entered the earthly Jerusalem, as it is said: “[I am] the holy one in the midst of thee, and I will not come into the city” (Hos. 11, 9). That means that so long as the Shekinah is here in exile the Name on high is not complete, the arrangements [of the Divine Powers] are not properly effected,1i.e. there is friction between the Grades, v. Appendix. and, if it were possible to say so, the Holy Name is left impaired.’
R. Abba was once going toward Lud when he met R. Zeira, the son of Rab. Said R. Zeira: ‘Now do I behold the presence of the Shekinah, and whoever beholds the presence of the Shekinah ought to quicken his pace and follow Her. So we read: “And let us know and pursue to know the Lord” (Ibid. 6, 3); also, “And many peoples shall go and say: Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord… for out of Zion shall go forth the law” (Isa. 2, 3). I thus desire to follow thee and taste of some of the good things that ye learn daily in the Holy Assembly.1i.e. the full assembly of R. Simeon and the Companions.
(במדבר ו׳:כ״ז) וְשָׂמוּ אֶת שְׁמִי. מַהוּ וְשָׂמוּ אֶת שְׁמִי. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, יְתָּקְּנוּ. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (במדבר ד׳:י״ט) וְשָׂמוּ אוֹתָם אִישׁ אִישׁ עַל עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וְאֶל מַשָּׂאוֹ. לְאַתְקְּנָא בְּבִרְכָתְהוֹן כִּתְרִין דִּימִינָא לִימִינָא, וְכִתְרִין דִּשְׂמָאלָא לִשְׂמָאלָא, כַּדְּקָא חֲזֵי. דְּבַעְיָא דְּלָא יִטְעוּן בְּהוֹן, לְאַתְקְּנָא כֹּלָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְבָּרְכוּן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין.
SO THEY SHALL PUT MY NAME UPON THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. R. Judah said that the term samu (put) conveys the idea of orderly arrangement, as the priests are therein bidden to arrange by their blessing the Crowns of the right to the right, and the Crowns of the left to the left, without confusing them, so that the upper world and the lower will receive the blessing.
וְאִי יַעַבְדוּן הָכִי, מַה כְּתִיב. וַאֲנִי אֲבָרַכֵם. לְמַאן. לְאִינּוּן כַּהֲנֵי, דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית כ״ז:כ״ט) וּמְבָרַכֶיךָ בָּרוּךְ. וּכְתִיב (בראשית י״ב:ג׳) וַאֲבָרְכָה מְבָרַכֶיךָ. אִינּוּן מְבָרְכִין לְעַמָּא, וַאֲנָא אֲבָרֵךְ לְהוּ. וּלְפִיכָךְ כְּתִיב וְשָׂמוּ, וְלָא כְּתִיב יֹאמְרוּ, אוֹ יִזְכְּרוּ.
If they follow this, then I WILL BLESS THEM, a blessing extended to the priests themselves, as we read: “And blessed be every one that blesseth thee” (Gen. 27, 29), also, “And I will bless them that bless thee” (Ibid. 12, 3).
תָּאנָא, כָּל כֹּהֵן דְּלָא רַחֲמִין לֵיהּ עַמָּא, לָא יִפְרוֹס יְדוֹי. וְעוֹבָדָא הֲוָה בְּחַד כֹּהֵן דְּקָם וּפָרִיס יְדוֹי, וְעַד דְּלָא אַשְׁלִים, אִתְעָבִיד תִּלָּא דְּגַרְמֵי. מַאי טַעְמָא. מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא בְּרִיךְ בַּחֲבִיבוּתָא. וְקָם אַחֵר וּפָרִיס יְדוֹי וּבָרִיךְ, וְאִתְתָּקַּן הַהוּא יוֹמָא. כָּל כֹּהֵן דְּהוּא לָא רָחִים לְעַמָּא, אוֹ עַמָּא לָא רַחֲמִין לֵיהּ, לָא יִפְרוֹס יְדוֹי לְבָרְכָא לְעַמָּא, דִּכְתִּיב, (משלי כ״ב:ט׳) טוֹב עַיִן הוּא יְבוֹרָךְ אַל תִּקְרֵי יְבוֹרָךְ, אֶלָּא יְבָרֵךְ.
We are told that a priest not beloved by the people ought not to take part in blessing the people. On one occasion, when a priest went up and spread forth his hands, before he completed the blessing he turned into a heap of bones. This happened to him because there was no love between him and the people. Then another priest went up and pronounced the blessing, and so the day passed without harm. A priest who loves not the people, or whom they love not, may not pronounce the blessing. So Scripture says: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed” (Prov. 22, 9), where the word YeBoRaKH (shall be blessed) can also be read YeBaReKH (shall bless).’
תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, בֹּא וּרְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב בְּהַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּבִלְעָם, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְּמְסַר לֵיהּ לְבָרְכָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲוָה מַשְׁגַּח בְּעֵינָא בִּישָׁא, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְקְיָּים בִּרְכָתָא, וַהֲוָה תָּלֵי מִלּוֹי בְּהַהוּא עֵינָא בִּישָׁא, דִּכְתִּיב, (במדבר כ״ד:ג׳) נְאֻם בִּלְעָם בְּנוֹ בְּעוֹר. מַאי בְּנוֹ בְּעוֹר. מֵהַהוּא דְּהֲוָה סָאנֵי לְהוּ יַתִּיר מִכָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר שְׁתוּם הָעָיִן, דְּסָתִים עֵינָא טָבָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְבָּרְכוּן, וְלָא יִתְקַיֵּים בִּרְכָתָא.
R. Isaac said: ‘Note that the wicked Balaam, when he was entrusted with the task of blessing Israel, fixed on them an evil eye so as to prevent the blessing from being fulfilled. So Scripture says: “The saying of Balaam the son of Beor” (Num. 24, 3), that is, the son of the most hateful enemy of Israel; “and the saying of the man whose eye is closed” ‘1By a change from right to left of the diacritical point, the word shethum (opened) is read sethum (closed). (Ibid.): that means that he closed his benevolent eye so that the blessing should be of no effect.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָכִי הוּא ודַּאי, דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח פְּקִיעָא (ס"א דאשתכחן פקיחא) דְּעֵינָא לְבָרְכָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (דניאל ט) פְּקַח עֵינֶיךָ, בְּגִין לְבָרְכָא. וּבִרְכָתָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, הָכִי אָמַר, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִפְקַח עֵינוֹי עֲלָךְ. וּבְהַהוּא רָשָׁע כְּתִיב, שְׁתוּם הָעָיִן. בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְבָּרְכוּן עַל יְדוֹי. וְאָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, בְּגִין כָּךְ כַּהֲנָא דְּבָרִיךְ בְּעֵינָא טָבָא, בִּרְכָתֵיהּ אִתְקְיָּים. וּדְלָא מְבָרֵךְ בְּעֵינָא טָבָא, כְּתִיב, (משלי כ״ג:ו׳) אַל תִּלְחַם אֶת לֶחֶם רַע עָיִן וְאַל תִּתְאָו לְמַטְעַמּוֹתָיו, כְּלוֹמַר אַל תִּבְעוּ מִנֵּיהּ בִּרְכָתָא כְּלָל.
R. Judah remarked: ‘This is assuredly so, as indeed we find that a real blessing is associated with the opening of the eye. Thus it is written, “Open thine eyes” (Dan. 9, 16), that is, in order to bless. So R. Hamnuna the Elder’s blessing for anyone took the form of “May the Holy One, blessed be He, keep His eyes open on thee”.’ R. Isaac continued: ‘Thus the blessing pronounced by the priest with a benevolent eye is effective, but if it is not given with a benevolent eye, of such it is written: “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties” (Prov. 23, 6), to wit, in no wise seek any blessing from such a man.’
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב (דברים כ״ג:ו׳) וְלֹא אָבָה יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶל בִּלְעָם וְגוֹ'. לִשְׁמוֹעַ אֶל בִּלְעָם, אֶל בָּלָק מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, דְּהָא עָבִיד בָּלָק כֹּלָּא, מַהוּ אֶל בִּלְעָם. אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּהֲוָה סָתִים עֵינוֹי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְבָּרְכוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל. תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְבִלְעָם, רָשָׁע, אַתְּ סָתִים עֵינַךְ בְּגִין דְּלָא יִתְבָּרְכוּן בָּנַי. אֲנָא אַפְקַח עֵינָי, וְכָל מִלִּין דְּתֵימָא, אֶהֱפֹךְ לְהוּ לְבִרְכָאן. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, וַיַהֲפֹךְ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ אֶת הַקְּלָלָה לִבְרָכָה כִּי אַהֵבְךָ וְגוֹ'.
Said R. Jose: ‘Observe the verse: “Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam” (Deut. 23, 6). Now we should have expected rather “to hearken unto Balak” instead of “unto Balaam”, seeing that Balak was the instigator of the whole attempt. But the reason why Balaam is mentioned is because he closed his eye in order to make his blessing of no effect.’ R. Jose said: ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, said in effect to Balaam: “Wretch! Thou hast closed thine eye in order that My children should not receive any blessing. I, however, will open thine eyes and so I will turn all thy utterances into blessings.” So we read: “But the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee” (Ibid.).
וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, טוֹב עַיִן הוּא יְבוֹרָךְ כִּי נָתַן מִלַּחְמוֹ לַדָּל. מַהוּ מִלַּחְמוֹ. כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, דִּכְתִּיב, (ויקרא כ״א:כ״ב) לֶחֶם אֱלֹהָיו מְקָּדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים וְגוֹ'. מַשְׁמַע דְּקָדְשֵׁי הַקֳדָשִׁים לֶחֶם אֱלֹהָיו נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כִּי נָתַן מִלַּחְמוֹ לַדָּל. תַּנְיָא, כַּמָה חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּעִלָאֵי לָא מִתְבָּרְכֵי אֶלָּא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
A priest who loves not the people, or whom they love not, may not pronounce the blessing. So Scripture says: “He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed” (Prov. 22, 9), where the word YeBoRaKH (shall be blessed) can also be read YeBaReKH (shall bless).’ R. Isaac said: ‘Note that the wicked Balaam, when he was entrusted with the task of blessing Israel, fixed on them an evil eye so as to prevent the blessing from being fulfilled. So Scripture says: “The saying of Balaam the son of Beor” (Num. 24, 3), that is, the son of the most hateful enemy of Israel; “and the saying of the man whose eye is closed”’1By a change from right to left of the diacritical point, the word shethum (opened) is read sethum (closed).
דְּתָנֵינָן, אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, נִשְׁבַּע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנֵס בִּיְרוּשָׁלַם שֶׁל מַעֲלָה, עַד שֶׁיִּכָּנְסוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּיְרוּשָׁלַ ם שֶׁל מַטָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע י״א:ט׳) בְּקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא אָבֹא בְּעִיר. כְּלוֹמַר, כָּל זִמְנָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא הָכָא בְּגָלוּתָא, שְׁמָא דִּלְעֵילָּא לָא אִשְׁתְּלִים. וְכָל תִּקּוּנִין לָא אִתְּקָנוּ, כִּבְיָכוֹל אִשְׁתְּאַר שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא חַסְרָא.
It has been taught: How beloved are Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He, in that the upper beings are only blessed for the sake of Israel. Thus R. Judah said in the name of R. Hiya, who had it from R. Jose: ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, swore that he would not enter the heavenly Jerusalem save after Israel had entered the earthly Jerusalem, as it is said: “[I am] the holy one in the midst of thee, and I will not come into the city” (Hos. 11, 9). That means that so long as the Shekinah is here in exile the Name on high is not complete, the arrangements [of the Divine Powers] are not properly effected,1i.e. there is friction between the Grades, v. Appendix. and, if it were possible to say so, the Holy Name is left impaired.’
רִבִּי אַבָּא הֲוָה אָזִיל לְלוּד, פָּגַע בֵּיהּ רִבִּי זֵירָא בַּר רַב, אָמַר לֵיהּ הָא חֲמֵינָא אַפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, וּמַאן דְּחָמֵי אַפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, בָּעֵי לְמֵיזָל וּלְרַהֲטָא בַּתְרָאָה. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (הושע ו׳:ג׳) וְנֵדְעָה נִרְדְּפָה לָדַעַת אֶת ה'. וּכְתִיב (ישעיהו ב׳:ג׳) וְהָלְכוּ עַמִּים רַבִּים וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל הַר יְיָ וְגוֹ'. כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תּוֹרָה וְגוֹ'. וַאֲנָא בָּעֵינָא לְמֵהַךְ בָּתְרָךְ, וּלְמֵילַף מֵאִינּוּן מִלֵּי מְעַלְּיָיתָא, דְּאַתּוּן טַעֲמִין כָּל יוֹמָא, מֵאִדָּרָא קַדִּישָׁא.
R. Abba was once going toward Lud when he met R. Zeira, the son of Rab. Said R. Zeira: ‘Now do I behold the presence of the Shekinah, and whoever beholds the presence of the Shekinah ought to quicken his pace and follow Her. So we read: “And let us know and pursue to know the Lord” (Ibid. 6, 3); also, “And many peoples shall go and say: Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord… for out of Zion shall go forth the law” (Isa. 2, 3). I thus desire to follow thee and taste of some of the good things that ye learn daily in the Holy Assembly.1i.e. the full assembly of R. Simeon and the Companions.