BIRKAT KOHANIM - ברכת כהנים

A BLESSING FOR YOR FAMILY—DON’T MISS IT!

Rosh Hashanah, Both Days: Approximately 1:15 PM 

Yom Kippur: Approximately 2:15 PM

 

We bless our children,

but who blesses us?

Our blessing come from God.

The ancient ritual of

Birkat Kohanim,

the Priestly Blessing,

helps us sense

the blessing

of God in our lives.

                                                        

In ancient Israel,

the kohanim, the priests, 

                                                                                                                                  would bless the people

everyday. Today, outside of Israel,

this practice continues only on special holidays.

The High Holidays are special enough for all of us to receive a blessing

as ancient as the Torah itself.

 

What to Expect:

The Levites wash the hands of the Kohanim. 

The Kohanim ascend the bimah and place their talliyot or prayer shawls over their heads.  The congregation stands throughout the blessing, which takes all of three minutes. 

 

What to Do:

The tradition is to not look at the Kohanim during the blessing so we bow our heads.

We cover our children and grandchildren with our talliyot.

 

What to Feel:

The shalom, peace, which comes with the blessing of the Kohanim.

 

Come with Your Children, and Your Grandchildren, and Tell Your Friends to Bring their Children and Grandchildren too.