The passuk says, “Ko sevorchu es bnei Yisroel.” Rabbeinu Bechayei says that we learn from the extra word “es” that even the malachim are blessed through Birkas Kohanim!
The Medrash tells us that the animals and carriages used by the Nesi’im to bring korbanos to the Mishkan remained alive and healthy until today!
Why do we shake hands when we say, “Shalom”? The Yehudi HaKadosh explains: Each hand has 14 joints, three per finger and two for the thumb. We add to that amount the single word “Shalom” for a total of 15 — the same number of words in Birkas Kohanim!
The Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron, Rav Aharon Cohen zt”l, was once very sick and staying in a rehabilitation home while he recovered. One morning, he woke up in a lot of pain. He tried to go to Shacharis, but the pain was too strong and he couldn’t make it.
Later, when he felt a little better, he asked if there was another place nearby where he could find a minyan. They told him about a shul that was farther away, so even though it was difficult, he went.
A long time passed, and he still hadn’t come back. His talmidim became worried and went looking for him. They found him resting in the back of the shul because he was too weak to walk back home.
They asked him, “Rebbe, do you really have to go through so much pain just to daven with a minyan?” Rav Aharon looked up and answered, “I am a Kohein. I have the special mitzvah of bentching Yidden. I didn’t want to miss such a beautiful mitzvah!”
Rav Aharon Cohen zt”l loved Klal Yisroel so much that he did not want to miss the chance to give a brocha to Am Yisroel with love — l’varech es amo Yisroel b’ahava!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 83.
