Sotah 38a — the Talmud in English

In the Temple: he says the Name

the sacred Name in these verses!

as it is written [ [ [A0005]]the Name of the four-letter Name].

with the four-letter Name of God.

And in the country:

he says it

by its substitute

[by the Name Adonai].

In the country: the priests raise their hands opposite their shoulders.

And in the Temple:

they raise their hands

above their heads

[above their heads], because they bless the people with the Explicit Name, and the Divine Presence is above the joints of their fingers.

Except for the High Priest, who does not raise his hands above the frontplate,

because the Name is written upon it.

Rabbi Yehuda says: Even the High Priest raises his hands above the frontplate—

Except for the High Priest, who does not raise his hands above the frontlet,

because the Name is written upon it.

Rabbi Yehuda says: even the High Priest raises his hands above the frontlet—

as it is stated: “

And Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them,” and it follows that he raised them above his head.

The Sages taught:

What the Torah commanded: “

Thus shall you bless,”

Gemara:

The Sages taught:

What the Torah commanded: “

Thus shall you bless,”

namely

in the Holy Tongue.

You say:

that

in the Holy Tongue

alone they recite it.

Or perhaps it is only

even

in every language?

You therefore learn a gzera shava, “blessing, blessing,” from the Levites:

It is stated here

in the priestly blessing: “

Thus shall you bless.”

And it is stated there—

in the blessings and curses of the Levites—“

These shall stand to bless the people

on Mount Gerizim.”

Just as there

with the Levites

in the Holy Tongue

specifically, as explained in the preceding Mishna,

so here,

in the priestly blessing,

in the Holy Tongue

specifically.

Rabbi Yehuda says: It is not necessary

to learn it through a gzera shava, for

indeed it says

in the priestly blessing: “

Thus,” and we learn:

until they say it in this wording,

which was written in the Holy Tongue.

which was written in the sacred language.

It was taught in another beraita:

What the Torah commanded: “

Thus shall you bless,” namely that the priests bless

while standing

of the priests.

in the standing position of the kohanim.

You say that while standing

the priests bless,

or perhaps it is only even while sitting?

You therefore learn by a gzera shava, “blessing, blessing,” from the Levites:

It is stated here

in the priestly blessing: “

Thus shall you bless,”

and it is stated there—

in the blessings and curses of the Levites—“

These shall stand to bless

the people on Mount Gerizim.”

Just as there—

in the blessings and curses of the Levites—it is specifically

while standing,

so here

in the priestly blessing—

while standing.

while standing.

Rabbi Natan says: It is not necessary

to learn—that the priests must stand—by a gzera shava:

For

indeed it says

in the passage of Ekev [Deuteronomy 10:8]: “At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to carry the Ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord

to serve Him [ [A0104]]in the service]

to serve Him

and to bless in His Name [ [A0106]]the priestly blessing].”

Just as one who serves does so while standing, so one who blesses does so while standing.

Just as one who serves does so while standing, so one who blesses does so while standing.

And from where do we know concerning the one who serves himself

that he must stand?

As it is written in the passage of Shoftim [Deuteronomy 18:5]: “For him [the priest] the Lord your God chose from all your tribes to stand to serve in the Name of the Lord, he and his sons, all the days”?

What the Torah said, “

Thus shall you bless,”

means

with the raising of the hands,

that the priests raise their hands.

You say that it is with the raising of the hands, or perhaps it is without the raising of the hands?

You learn through a gzera shava, “blessing” “blessing,” from Aaron’s blessing on the eighth day of the inauguration:

It was taught in another baraita:

It was taught in another beraita:

What the Torah said, “

Thus shall you bless,”

namely

with the raising of the hands,

that the priests raise their hands.

You say, with the raising of the hands, or perhaps it is only without the raising of the hands?

You therefore learn by a gzera shava, “blessing, blessing,” from Aaron’s blessing on the eighth day of the inauguration:

It is stated here—

in the priestly blessing—“

Thus shall you bless,”

and it is stated there—

in Aaron’s blessing—“

And Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them.”

Just as there in Aaron’s blessing, with the raising of the hands, for it is stated, “And Aaron raised his hands,”

so here

in the priestly blessing,

with the raising of the hands.

Rabbi Yonatan found this difficult

concerning this teaching:

Rabbi Natan says: It is not necessary

to learn the raising of the hands in the priestly blessing through a gzera shava, which could be refuted as Rabbi Yonatan refuted it; rather, it is learned through a juxtaposition:

For

If [you say that] just as there,

in Aaron’s blessing, the raising of the hands was on a High Priest, the New Moon, and a communal service.

So here,

a priest should raise his hands only on

a High Priest, the New Moon, and a communal service!?

with him: Just as he

blessed

with the raising of the hands, so his sons

Rabbi Natan says: It is not necessary

to learn the raising of the hands in the priestly blessing by a gzera shava, since it could be refuted as Rabbi Yonatan refutes it; rather, it is learned by a comparison:

For

indeed it says: “For him whom the Lord your God chose from all your tribes to stand to serve in the Name of the Lord, he and his sons all the days,” he compares his sons

of Aaron

to him: just as he

blessed

with the raising of the hands, so his sons

bless with the raising of the hands, and the difficulty “just as he was a High Priest” no longer arises, for one does not refute a comparison.

that is: Do not say that his sons were equated with him only with regard to service, for blessing is equated with service, as is explained in the verse in the passage of Ekev: “To serve Him and to bless in His Name.”

And it was taught in another beraita:

And

behold,

it is written: “

all the days,”

and you learn that it is not specifically a High Priest and a communal service.

they bless them in the Temple.

You say that with the explicit Name

And blessing is compared to service,

And blessing was compared to service,

that is: Do not say that his sons were compared to him only with regard to service, for blessing was compared to service, as explained in the verse in the passage of Ekev: “to serve Him and to bless in His Name.”

And it was taught in another beraita: What the Torah said: “ Thus shall you bless the sons of Israel,” is

with the Explicit Name

when they bless it in the Temple.

You say, with the Explicit Name

they bless it, or perhaps it is only by the substitute [ [A0207]]by the Name Adonai]. The verse teaches: “ And they shall place My Name upon the sons of Israel,” and it implies: My distinctive Name.

[in the rest of the country]

so!?

You learn a gzera shava, “placing” “placing,” from the Temple:

For

it is

stated here,

with regard to the priestly blessing: “

And they shall place

Could it also apply outside the Temple

outside the Temple

as well!?

One learns through a verbal analogy, “placing” and “placing,” from the Temple:

For

it is stated here,

in the Priestly Blessing: “

They shall place My

Could it also be in the outlying regions [ [A0237]]in the country]

and it is stated there,

so!?

You therefore learn a gzera shava, “placing, placing,” from the Temple:

For

it is stated here

in the priestly blessing: “

And they shall place My

Name,”

and it is stated there

in the Temple: “For only to the place that the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes

to place His Name there

shall you seek His dwelling and come there.”

Just as there it is the chosen House, so here it is in the chosen House.

Rabbi Yoshiyah says: It is not necessary

to learn by a gzera shava that they bless with the Explicit Name only in the Temple:

For

indeed it says [Exodus 20:21]: “ In every place where I shall mention My Name, I shall come to you and bless you [ [A0255]]I shall cause My Divine Presence to dwell upon you].” But is it truly “ in every place” conceivable that they would mention the Name as it is written? Behold, the verse says [Exodus 3:15]: “This is My Name forever, and this is My remembrance for every generation”—not as I am written am I read. Moreover, does the Divine Presence come and dwell in every place?! Rather, this verse is transposed [ [A0261]]reversed it is: “ In every place where I shall come to you and bless you, there I shall mention My Name.”

And where

shall I come to you and bless you

in the chosen House,

namely in the Tent of Meeting in the wilderness, and in Shiloh, and in the Temple in Jerusalem.

the children of Israel;

It was taught in another baraita:

It is stated: “

Thus shall you bless the children of Israel.”

I have only

It was taught in another beraita:

that the kohanim bless

the children of Israel;

but from where do we know that the kohanim bless

converts, women, and emancipated slaves?

It was taught in another beraita:

It is stated: “

Thus shall you bless the sons of Israel,” I have only that the priests bless the sons of Israel, but from where do we know concerning converts, women, and emancipated slaves that the priests bless them? The verse teaches: “ Say to them,” and from the superfluity of the verse we learn that they bless all of them the sons of Israel. Another [baraita] was taught: That which the Torah said: “

So shall you bless,”

this blessing shall be

with faces

of the koanim

opposite the faces

of the people.

You say: faces opposite faces; or is it not rather even faces opposite the back of the neck?

The verse therefore says: “Say to them,”

that they should bless the people

as a person who speaks to his fellow

for they speak face to face.

Another [baraita] was taught:

That which the Torah said: “

So shall you bless”

means

in a loud voice.

Or is it not rather in a whisper?

The verse therefore says: “

Say to them,”

as a person who speaks to his fellow.

Abaye said: We have received [

a tradition in our hands and a tradition from our fathers]:

For two

who ascend to the platform

the prayer leader calls

the koanim: “

Koanim”;

but

if

one

alone ascends,

he does not call

the prayer leader: “

Koen.”

As it is stated: “

Say to them,”

to two.

And Rav Hisda said: We have received: A koen

is the one who

calls

“Koanim,”

and an Israelite does not call

“Koanim.”