Kommentar zu Sotah 7:6
בִּרְכַּת כֹּהֲנִים כֵּיצַד, בַּמְּדִינָה אוֹמְרִים אוֹתָהּ שָׁלשׁ בְּרָכוֹת, וּבַמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּרָכָה אֶחָת. בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ אוֹמֵר אֶת הַשֵּׁם כִּכְתָבוֹ, וּבַמְּדִינָה בְכִנּוּיוֹ. בַּמְּדִינָה כֹּהֲנִים נוֹשְׂאִים אֶת יְדֵיהֶן כְּנֶגֶד כִּתְפֵיהֶן, וּבַמִּקְדָּשׁ עַל גַּבֵּי רָאשֵׁיהֶן, חוּץ מִכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַגְבִּיהַּ אֶת יָדָיו לְמַעְלָה מִן הַצִּיץ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, אַף כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל מַגְבִּיהַּ יָדָיו לְמַעְלָה מִן הַצִּיץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא ט) וַיִּשָּׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת יָדָיו אֶל הָעָם וַיְבָרְכֵם:
Der priesterliche Segen: Wie so? In der Provinz (außerhalb des Tempels) wurde es als drei Segnungen gesagt, im Tempel als ein Segen. Im Tempel sagt er den Namen so, wie er geschrieben steht, aber in der Provinz in seinem ersetzten Namen. In der Provinz heben die Priester ihre Hände auf der Höhe ihrer Schultern, aber im Tempel über ihren Köpfen, mit Ausnahme des Hohepriesters, der seine Hände nicht höher als das Frontlet hebt. Rabbi Yehudah sagt: Sogar der Hohepriester hebt seine Hände höher als das Frontlet, wie es heißt: „Und Aaron hob seine Hände zum Volk und segnete es“ (3. Mose 9:22).
Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
במדינה אומר אותה שלש ברכות – that the Kohanim interrupt between each verse, [and the community] answers [Amen].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
Introduction
This mishnah describes how the priestly blessing was performed, both outside of the Temple and in the Temple. The priestly blessing is Numbers 6:24-26. In Israel it is still done every day. Outside of Israel, some synagogues have the blessing on holidays.
Our mishnah discusses differences between how the blessing is done inside the Temple and outside of the Temple.
The mishnah does not address why the priestly blessing must be recited in Hebrew. The Talmud explains that Numbers 6:23 which reads “Thus shall you bless” implies that the priests must use the exact words written in the Torah.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
ובמקדש ברכה אחת – because they do not answer “Amen” in the Temple and there is no interruption here.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
How was the priestly blessing [pronounced]?
In the province (outside of the it was said as three blessings, but in the Temple as one blessing. There are three clauses in the priestly blessing. Outside of the Temple after each clause the people would answer “amen”. However, inside the Temple, the people didn’t respond until all three clauses were recited, and when they did respond they didn’t say “amen” but rather “Blessed is the God of Israel forever and ever”.
In the province (outside of the it was said as three blessings, but in the Temple as one blessing. There are three clauses in the priestly blessing. Outside of the Temple after each clause the people would answer “amen”. However, inside the Temple, the people didn’t respond until all three clauses were recited, and when they did respond they didn’t say “amen” but rather “Blessed is the God of Israel forever and ever”.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
ככתבה – with a Yud, Heih (i.e., the letters of the name of God).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
In the Temple the name was uttered as it is written, but in the province in its substituted name. In the Temple the priests pronounced God’s name as it is written YHWH. (Today we don’t know how this word was pronounced). However, outside the Temple it is pronounced using the substitute name “Adonai”, the way we pronounce God’s name today.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
בכנויו – with an Aleph, Daleth [Nun, Yud] for we don’t mention God’s name as it is written other than in the Temple alone, as it states (Exodus 20:21): “in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.” The Biblical text transposed it and expounded upon it: In every place that I will come to you and bless you, which is in the Temple–Sanctuary, there I will mention My name.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Sotah
In the province the priests raise their hands at the height of their shoulders, but in the Temple above their heads, except the high priest who does not raise his hands higher than the frontlet (on his. Rabbi Judah says: even the high priest raises his hands higher than the frontlet, as it says, “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22). In the Temple the priests raise their hands above their heads when blessing the people, while outside of the Temple, they raise their hands no higher than their shoulders. According to the first opinion, the high priest did not lift his hands higher than his head, for on his head was a “frontlet” upon which was written God’s name (Exodus 28:36). Rabbi Judah believes that just as the rest of the priests raised their hands above their heads, so too did the high priest. Rabbi Judah interprets the blessing mentioned in Leviticus 9:22, a blessing given by Aaron the high priest, to be the priestly blessing in Numbers 6. Just as Aaron lifts his hands above his head, so too do the other priests.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
כנגד כתפותיהם – because it requires the lifting of the palms of the hands, as it is written (Leviticus 9:22): “Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them.” And it is written (Deuteronomy 18:5): “him and his descendants [to be in attendance for service in the name of the LORD] for all time.” Just as he is with the raising of his hands, so too his descendants–children also with the raising of their hands for all time.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
ובמקדש – when they bless the people with the holy name of God and Divine Presence is above from the second joints of their fingers, they lift their hands above their heads.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Sotah
שאין מגביה ידיו למעלה מן הציץ – because the name of God is written upon it. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yehuda.
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