The Aaronic Blessing in Parsha Nasso

More than halfway through the Torah readings, In Bamidbar, the Book of Numbers, from 6:24,  the Aaronic Blessing

ADONAI Bless you and keep you!
ADONAI make His face to shine on you
and be gracious to you!
ADONAI turn His face toward you
and grant you shalom!

---Numbers 6:24~26

This is such a beautiful blessing, and it is said at Shabbat to bless the children and also in the congregation.  You have probably heard it, and said it, and read it many times.  There is a special connection between this blessing and where we are in the weekly Parsha readings, as it occus in verse 6 in Numbers, in Parsha Nasso!  The readings refer to the cycle of reading the Torah from Genesis in `order` of the first five books along with accompanying Haftorah and Brit Chadashah readings (please see `Link to Weekly readings on the right Sidebar).

In the book of  Numbers,  we are reading about the Children of Israel and what like is like in the camp around the Tabernacle, with G`d`s divine presence dwelling among them, as they are in their first days of living with ADONAI in their midst.  There is such a feeling of ADONAI`s intimacy and love and caring for His children.

It was  so exciting and even intimate to come across the Aaronic blessing in the context of the Parsha.

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I just started saying this blessing to my daughter on Shabbat, and even though she is no longer a child, she is already 18!  I`m sorry I didn`t know about saying it to bless our children when she was younger, but am glad at least I had a chance to start it now.

If you have children, even if they are grown up, I hope this post might inspire you to say it and pray it for them.  And if you don`t have children, you can bless others by praying it and saying it for them.  And to all who are stopping by here, I say it and pray it for you!

May The Lord Bless you and keep you!! May He shine His face upon you and be Gracious to you! May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you PEACE!!

Love and  Blessings

♡

Shayndel

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There are many beautiful versions of this blessing in a song.  This Link is to a beautiful version by Misha Goetz, featuring her father and worship singer, Marty Goetz.