Sotah 39b — the Talmud in English

expounded: This is what the priest says when he has finished reciting the Priestly Blessing and has turned his face away from opposite the people: "

Master of the world, we have done what You decreed upon us

and we have blessed Israel; and You too

do with us ![](pamud.bmp "

exact page location")

what You promised us

['And I shall bless them,' meaning, that You should ratify our action; and we ask You]:

Look down from Your holy dwelling, from the heavens

and bless Your people, Israel, and the land that You gave us, as You swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey."

Rav Hisda said:

The priests are not permitted to bend

the

finger joints

with which they spread their fingers at the time of the blessing—

until they turn their faces away from the congregation,

for then, if they wish, they may clench their fists like other people.

Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rav Hisda:

a.

The reader is not permitted to call out "

Priests,"

until the

Amen

after the blessing of thanksgiving has been completed

from the mouths of the congregation.

b.

And the priests are not permitted to begin the blessing

that they recite before the Priestly Blessing,

until the utterance ["Priests"]

has been completed

from the mouth of the reader.

c.

And the congregation is not permitted to answer Amen until

the blessing has been completed from the mouths of the priests.

d. “

And the priests are not permitted to begin another blessing

such as: “May He shine,” “May He lift up,”

until the Amen has been completed from the mouths of the congregation.

And Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rav Hisda:

a.

The priests are not permitted to turn their faces away from the congregation

after the “Priestly Blessing,”

until the prayer leader begins

“Grant peace.”

b.

And they are not permitted to uproot their feet

from the platform

and walk,

but they stand bent before the Holy Ark,

until the prayer leader finishes "

Grant peace."

And Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rav Hisda

laws stated as definitive rulings concerning the laws of the Torah reading:

a.

The congregation is not permitted to answer Amen until the blessing has been completed from the mouth of the reader,

that is, from the mouth of the one reciting the blessing, who in their time was the reader.

b.

And the reader is not permitted to read from the Torah until the Amen

after the blessing

has been completed from the mouths of the congregation.

c.

And the translator is not permitted to begin the translation until the verse has been completed from the mouth of the reader,

for this was their practice, to translate each verse after its reading.

d.

And the reader is not permitted to begin another verse until the translation has been completed from the mouth of the translator.

Rabbi Tanhum said in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi:

The one who reads the concluding passage from the Prophets must first read from the Torah.

And Rabbi Tanhum said in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi: the one who reads the concluding passage is not permitted to read the concluding passage from the Prophets until the Torah scroll has been rolled

in its wrappings, so that those rolling it will not be occupied with the rolling and fail to hear the concluding passage from the Prophets from the mouth of the reader of the concluding passage.

And Rabbi Tanhum said in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi:

Their practice was that they would bring a Torah scroll from a guarded place to the Ark in which they would place the Torah scroll until it was read, and they would adorn that Ark with fine garments; and after the reading or the prayer, the congregation would accompany the Torah scroll to its place.

A prayer leader is not permitted to strip

of its fine garments

the chest—

in which the Torah scroll was kept—

before

the

congregation, for the honor of the congregation,

because it is burdensome for the congregation to wait until the prayer leader strips the chest, and afterward they will carry the Torah scroll to its place; rather, they should return the Torah scroll to its place, and afterward the prayer leader should come and strip the chest.

And Rabbi Tanhum said in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi: the congregation is not permitted to leave

the entrance of the synagogue

until the Torah scroll has been taken up

in order to leave the synagogue.

And Samuel said: until it has gone out

the Torah scroll.

And they do not disagree;

for:

This—

that Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: “until it has been taken up”—is in a case

where there is another entrance

to the synagogue besides the entrance through which the Torah scroll is meant to leave.

This—

that Samuel said: “until it has gone out”—is in a case

where there is no other entrance

to the synagogue besides the entrance through which the Torah scroll is meant to leave; and therefore it is proper that the Torah scroll leave first, and that the person not leave through the entrance before the Torah scroll.

Rava said: Bar Ahina

[the name of a sage]

explained to me

the reason for the matter, that it is because it is stated: "

After the Lord

your God you shall walk,"

and not before Him.

Here the Gemara returns to the laws of the “Priestly Blessing” and explains:

When the priests bless, what do the people say

in order to give thanks for the blessings, to show that they are pleasing to them:

Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rav Hisda:

there are three verses that they say corresponding to the three blessings:

a. "

Bless the Lord

His angels, mighty in strength

who do His word, obeying the voice of His word."

b. "

Bless the Lord

all His hosts, His servants who do His will."

c. "

Bless the Lord

all His works, in all the places of His dominion; bless the Lord, O my soul." In the Priestly Blessing that

is

in the additional prayer of Shabbat

[the additional prayer of Shabbat],

what do

the Israelites

say?

Rabbi Asi said:

a. [Psalms 134:1]: "

A Song of Ascents: behold, bless the Lord

all servants of the Lord

who stand in the House of the Lord by night."

b. [Psalms 134:2]: "

Lift up your hands in holiness and bless the Lord."

c. [Psalms 135:21]: "

Blessed is the Lord

from Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem, Halleluyah"?

And we raise an objection:

And let him also say

[let him say as the third verse] the verse [Psalms 134:3]: "

May the Lord bless you

from Zion

Who makes heaven and earth,"

for

this verse

is written in that same context

[it is adjacent to the first two verses]?!

Judah, son of Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi, said:

Since he began with the blessings of the Holy One, blessed is He

—

["Bless the Lord"],

he concludes with the blessings of the Holy One, blessed is He

—

["Blessed is the Lord"], and he does not say, “May the Lord bless you,” which is the blessing of the Holy One, blessed is He, to Israel. In the Priestly Blessing that

is

in the afternoon prayer of a fast day

[in the afternoon prayer on a fast day],

what do

Israel

say? Rav Aha bar Jacob said:

a. "

If our iniquities testify against us, O Lord

act for the sake of Your name

for our backslidings are many; against You we have sinned."

b. "

Hope of Israel, its savior in time of distress, why should You be like a stranger in the land

and like a traveler who turns aside to lodge?"

c. "

Why should You be like a man stunned, like a mighty man unable to save

while You are in our midst, O Lord, and Your name is called upon us; do not forsake us."