Kabbalistic Aspects of Birkat Kohanim

The Zohar’s treatment of Birkat Kohanim incorporates both traditional rabbinic materials and innovative concepts, but not all Zoharic traditions were automatically adopted. Indeed, a significant number of the Zohar’s statements relating to Birkat Kohanim were not widely accepted as normative or followed.

Qualifications of the Kohein

Beyond the basic requirement that one be a kohein—a priest—without the normal disqualifications listed in Leviticus 21, the Zohar adds a number of additional requirements for a kohein to be deemed worthy publicly to pronounce the Priestly Benediction, Birkat Kohanim, as ordained in the Torah at Numbers 6:22–27. These qualifications are not insisted upon in normative practice. It is only among pietistic groups, such as ḥasidim and kabbalistic y’shivot, that these qualifications are taken into account. The relevant passages from the Zohar are as follows:

1. 1. If a kohein is ignorant of the inward significance of the blessing and does not know whom he blesses or what his blessing connotes, his blessing is meaningless.¹

2. 2. We are told that a kohein not beloved by the people ought not to take part in blessing the people. On one occasion, when a kohein went up and spread 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 kohein went up and pronounced the blessing and the day passed without harm. A kohein who does not love the people or whom they do not love may not pronounce the blessing.²

3. 3. A kohein who has no wife is forbidden to participate in the service [i.e., by reciting the blessing], as it is written, ‘and he shall make atonement for his himself and for his house’ (Leviticus 16:6). Rabbi Isaac said that the reason is because the Sh’khinah does not abide with one who is not married, and the kohein in particular must be one with whom the Sh’khinah abides.³

Levites Washing the Hands of the Kohanim

The Talmud states that the kohein’s hands should be washed before he ascends to the platform to bless the people of Israel.⁴ However, it does not provide details as to how this should be done or who should do it. The Zohar builds on this and states:

The kohein who is about to spread his hands [for the blessing] needs an inflow of holiness in addition to his own. He must therefore have his hands washed by one who is himself holy, that is, a Levite, about whom it is written: “And you shall sanctify the Levites.”⁵ Thus the kohein may not receive the sanctification of the washing of the hands from any commoner who is not himself sanctified. It may be asked: Why only a Levite? Why should the kohein not be sanctified by the hands of another kohein? The answer is because the other kohein would not be complete, but the Levite is complete, being qualified for his service, and he is also designated “cleansed,” as it says, “and cleanse them” (Numbers 8:6).⁶

Position of the Kohein’s Hands

The Zohar states:

The kohein should not have his fingers joined close together when spreading his hands. It is required that the sacred crowns should receive the blessing each one apart in a manner proper to each, because the letters of the divine name also require that they be kept distinct and not to run into each other.⁷

This is an interesting example of a Zoharic tradition that is not followed for the most part. There are, in fact, a variety of traditions about how the fingers are to be held during Birkat Kohanim. In general practice, however, this Zoharic tradition is disregarded and not even mentioned by the halakhic authorities.⁸

Another aspect of how the kohein should hold his hands, according to the Zohar, is the following:

Rabbi Isaac said: The kohein needs to raise the right hand above the left, as it is written, “Aaron lifted his hand toward the people...