“May HaShem bless you and protect you, may He illuminate the countenance of His face upon you and show you favour, and may He grant you peace” (Bamidbar 6:23).
When the Kohanim bless Klal Yisrael they should say their blessings sincerely and wholeheartedly. Prior to blessing Klal Yisrael, the Kohen is required to recite the blessing, “Blessed are You HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who sanctifies us with His commandments and commands us to bless His people Israel with love.”
The Kohen is commanded to bless the Jewish nation with love because the blessing is manifest and emanates from love. If the Kohen does not feel love in his heart for Klal Yisrael, no blessing will come forth.
Love is not an extra portion of Birkat Kohanim; it is the very essence of the Mitzvah. The blessing of the Shechinah is only conveyed through the Kohen when he holds love in his heart for Klal Yisrael. In this way, the Kohen emulates HaShem, Who is the Source of love and blessings, and desires that His love and blessings flow upon us.
The Kohen has a specific Mitzvah to “love Klal Yisrael” so the that all the blessings of HaShem will rest upon His people. Similarly, all of Klal Yisrael is commanded to love all of HaShem’s creations. Just as the Kohen awakens his love by engaging his whole heart to love Klal Yisrael, so too, we can awaken our hearts to love Klal Yisrael as well as all of HaShem’s creations. Let us begin this vital Mitzvah by consciously expressing love to every member of our family and all of our friends.
(Based on Da’at Torah of Rav Yerucham Levovitz)
