Following the laws of the Nazirite, the portion of Nasso presents the Priestly Blessing: God spoke to Moses saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons saying: Thus shall you bless the children of Israel, saying to them: ‘May God bless you and protect you. May God illuminate His countenance upon you and be gracious to you. May God lift His continence to you and grant you peace.'” (Numbers 6:22-26) This blessing was uttered in the Tabernacle in the desert and later in the Temple in Jerusalem. After the destruction of the Temple, the Sages incorporated the Priestly Blessing into the synagogue prayer service. This is one of numerous ways the Sages translated and transformed the particulars of the Temple service and their deeper meanings into the new synagogue setting (see “The Tabernacle, the Temple, and the Synagogue” for an extensive discussion of this process). The Priestly Blessing is used at other times as well, especially by parents in blessing their children on Shabbat. The first word of the Priestly Blessing in Hebrew is “bless” and the last word is “peace” (“May God bless you…. and grant you peace”).
This phenomenon prompted the Sages to declare that “great is peace for there is no vessel that contains blessings as well as peace” (Sifrei, Naso). Likewise, this prompted the Sages to end the last blessing of the Amidah (the quintessential Jewish prayer recited three times daily) with the word “peace.” An even more emphatic statement of the centrality of peace appears in the Talmud (Gittin 59b): “The entire Torah is also for the purpose of promoting peace, as it is written: ‘Her [the Torah’s] ways are ways of pleasantness and her paths are peace’ (Proverbs 3:17).”
Although many parents informally give thanks daily for the privilege of having children and bless them in their hearts, the Sages institutionalized a particular time to give thanks and actively bless children – before the first Shabbat meal. Since Shabbat’s very essence is peace (as attested to by the customary greeting of “Shabbat Shalom”) this practice is in keeping with the above dictum that there is no greater vessel of blessing than peace.
The word “shalom” (peace) is derived from the word “shalem,” which means complete or whole. Blessing our children with peace on Shabbat conveys the essential truth that nothing gives us a greater sense of inner fulfillment and wholeness than seeing our children grow and blossom. For our children are a reflection of our innermost hopes and dreams, representing our link to eternity, the realization of our essential purpose in life. This is expressed beautifully by the fact that when God commanded Abraham to leave everything behind and “go … to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1), the Torah uses the phrase “lech lecha.” This phrase, in context, literally means “go,” but the repetition of the root “lech” suggests an even more literal or deeper meaning: “go to your self.” God was subtly hinting to Abraham that his journey would be both a physical and spiritual one, ultimately touching upon his innermost being. The numerical value of the phrase “lech lecha” is one hundred; therefore, it is extremely significant that Abraham gave birth to Isaac, the child who would carry on his lifework, at that age.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach’s well-known song “The Psalm for the Day of Shabbat” begins: “A song for the day of Shabbat.” He incorporated the following sentence into the Hebrew lyrics: “The whole world is waiting to sing the song of Shabbat.” How true this is! Is there anyone in the world who does not seek contentment and peace of mind? Is there anyone who does not long for pleasure that transcends the ephemeral material world? Is there anyone who deep inside does not long to be safe and protected, free from the fear of violence and aggression? The whole world is truly waiting to sing the song of Shabbat, but is, as of yet, unaware of this precious vessel of peace. That is why the future Messianic age is referred to as “a day that is all Shabbat.” May the whole world merit that day soon!
