Sotah 39a (לט.) — the Talmud in English

And he sprinkled behind him,

and there too were vessels requiring sprinkling -

And if he intended to sprinkle

behind him, but sprinkled before him

on impure vessels that were there,

then

his sprinkling

on those vessels is

invalid,

because intention is required for purification, as it is written: “And the pure person shall sprinkle upon the impure,” meaning that he must intend for him.

And if he intended to sprinkle

directly before him,

actually,

but sprinkled on the sides that were before him,

that is, on vessels located at the sides extending from the sprinkler and outward—and before him,

then

his sprinkling is valid,

as these vessels too are included within “before him,” and he had intended to sprinkle before him.

The same applies with regard to the Birkat Kohanim: Everything from the place of the kohen and before him is considered “before him,” and they are included in the blessing.

But if, when he intended to sprinkle on vessels that were before him, he sprinkled on the sides extending from him and behind him, although the vessels on which he sprinkled were not located directly behind him, his sprinkling is not valid. The same applies with regard to the Birkat Kohanim: They are not included in the blessing, as they are considered like those behind the kohen.

Rava bar Rav Huna said:

Once the Torah scroll is opened

to read from it in the synagogue,

it is forbidden to speak even about a matter of halakha,

but everyone must listen and remain silent, directing their attention to what is being read there.

As it is stated [Nehemiah 8:1]: “And all the people gathered as one man to the street that was before the Water Gate, and they said to Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Torah of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel. And Ezra the kohen brought the Torah. And he read from it before the street that was before the Water Gate, from the light of day until midday, before the men and the women and those who understood; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the scroll of the Torah. And Ezra opened the scroll before the eyes of all the people, for he was above all the people,”

and when he opened it

all the people stood.”

And “

standing”

means nothing other than silence, as it is stated: “

And I waited, for they did not speak, for they stood; they answered no more.”

Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rav Ḥisda: From here

we learn that it is forbidden to speak once the Torah scroll has been opened: “

And the ears of all the people were attentive to the scroll of the Torah.”

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said:

Any kohen who has not washed his hands may not raise his hands.

As it is stated: “

Raise your hands in holiness and bless the Lord,”

that is, sanctify your hands through washing, and then bless the Lord with the Birkat Kohanim.

Rabbi Elazar ben Shammua’s students asked him: By what

merit that you possess

were you granted longevity?

He said to them:

a.

In all my days I never used a synagogue as a shortcut,

to shorten the way by passing through a synagogue.

b.

And

in all my days

I never stepped over the heads of the sacred people,

when the students were sitting on the ground in the beit-midrash: One who walked over the place where they were seated in order to reach his own place appeared to be stepping over the heads of the people. Therefore, he had to arrive before them, or sit outside.

c.

And

in all my days

I never raised my hands without a blessing,

which will be explained later in the discussion.

And the Gemara explains:

What blessing does he recite?

Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rav Ḥisda: “

Who sanctified us

with the sanctity of Aaron and commanded us to bless His people Israel with love.”

Who sanctified us in the holiness of Aaron, and commanded us to bless His people Israel with love.”

When he uproots his feet,

when he moves his feet during the Avoda to go to the platform, reaches it, and stands with his face toward the Holy Ark before the platform,

what does he say

the kohen? “

May it be Your will, Lord

our God, that this blessing with which You have commanded us to bless Your people Israel

contain no stumbling block or iniquity.”

May it be Your will, Lord our God, that this blessing with which You commanded us to bless Your people Israel,” may it not contain stumbling or iniquity.”

And when he turns

the kohen

his face away from the congregation [when he finishes his blessing and turns his face from facing the congregation toward the Holy Ark],

what does he say

the kohen?

Rav Ḥisda instructed

[guided]

Rav Ukva,

and Rav Ukva expounded

: