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Channeling God's Blessings
Is Truly A Challenge
both the attainment and the reten-
tion of material blessings. Various
ommentators see the middle words
as a prayer (expressed by God!) that
the divine attribute of mercy will
prevail over God's harsher attribute
of justice.
he most famous words in
Finally, there is the blessing of
this week's Torah portion
peace. Haamek Davar writes, "peace,
are certainly those of the
coming at the end, contains all of
priestly benediction.
the
other blessings, for without
God commands Aaron and his
peace,
there will be no joy in any
sons to serve as the conduit of His
blessing."
Indeed, without peace,
blessings for Israel. These blessings
possessions can provide
are greatly beloved by the
neither security nor happi-
Jewish people, yet they are
ness. The second, spiritual
notoriously difficult to
blessing of God's light (i.e.,
translate. Below are two of
the
Torah) shining upon
the most common transla-
you,
and the resulting state
tions (aside from Tevye's
of grace, is likewise vulner-
version in Fiddler on the
able should the blessing of
Roof).
peace be absent.
• Jewish Publication
Thus, the sum of all our
Society:
blessings
is peace. Peace is
"The Lord bless you and
RABBI DANIEL also the conclusion of
protect you! The Lord deal
NEVINS
many Jewish prayers.
kindly and graciously with
Special
to
the
Without
peace, nothing
you! The Lord bestow His
Jewish News
seems possible; with it,
favor upon you and grant
there is no limit to our
you peace!
blessings.
• Artscroll:
The State of Israel is an extraordi-
"May HashenT bless you and safe-
nary
source of blessing to humanity
guard you. May Hashem illumine
—
Israelis
contribute to medical,
His countenance for you and be gra
agricultural and artistic fields that
cious to you. May Hashem lift His
benefit all people. Yet without the
countenance to you and establish
blessing
of peace, none of this seems
peace for you."
to
count;
and the hatred heaped
In analyzing the translations, the
upon
Israel
has diminished all the
JPS version, which omits the peti-
joy
in
our
hearts.
tionary "may" and concludes each
We may want peace now, but we
phrase with an exclamation, capture s
have
also come to realize that it is
the drama of the priests literally
beyond the ability of Israel or even
blessing the people in God's name.
America simply to impose peace
Artscroll offers a more strictly literal
upon a violent region. Nevertheless,
translation, leaving it to the reader
in
this time of turmoil and despair,
to decipher the meaning of God's
it
is
essential that each of us sees our
countenance being illumined and
role
as a conduit of God's blessing to
lifted.
the world.
What does this famous passage
As the Torah says, "You shall be a
mean? What power did it have in
kingdom
of priests and a holy
antiquity, and what is its importance
nation."
Isaiah
adds, "Then all
today?
nations
shall
walk
by your light."
In ancient times, this biblical pas-
Peace
for
Israel
means
peace and
sage was highly revered, as evidenced
blessing
for
all
people.
May
we togeth-
by its inscription on 2,700-year-old
er
merit
God's
protection;
may
God
scrolls of beaten silver that archaeol-
bless us soon with peace. ❑
ogists discovered in the area of
Jerusalem known as Ketef Hinnom.
The three verses ascend in length
and detail. Starting with the general
concept of blessing, the verses con-
clude with the specific and climactic
blessing of peace. Midrash Sifrei
If the Jewish mission is to be a
understands the initial line to imply
"light unto the nations," how do
Shabbat Naso: Numbers
4•21-7•89; Judges 13:2-
25.
7
Conversations
Daniel Nevins is a spiritual adviser at
Adat Shalom Synagogue.
we fulfill this mandate?