| "May HaShem bless you and protect you. May He shine His countenance upon you and be gracious to you. May He lift His face toward you and grant you peace." (Bamidbar 6:23)
When the Kohanim bless Klal Yisrael, they must do so with sincerity and wholehearted devotion. Before offering this sacred blessing, the Kohen recites: "Blessed are You, HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to bless His people Israel with love."
The Kohen is specifically commanded to bless with love, because love is not merely an added dimension of Birchat Kohanim—it is its very essence. The blessing must be born of genuine love; without it, no true blessing can flow. If the Kohen's heart does not hold love for Klal Yisrael, the blessing remains dormant.
The Shechinah’s blessing is only conveyed through a Kohen whose heart is filled with love for the Jewish people. In doing so, the Kohen mirrors HaShem Himself—the Source of all love and blessing—who desires to shower His people with kindness and peace.
Thus, the Kohen has a unique Mitzvah to love Klal Yisrael, so that HaShem’s blessings may rest upon them. Likewise, all of Klal Yisrael is commanded to love all of HaShem’s creations. Just as the Kohen awakens this love through conscious, heartfelt intention, so too can we awaken love within ourselves—for our fellow Jews, and for all of HaShem’s handiwork.
Today: Let us begin fulfilling this vital Mitzvah by deliberately expressing love to each member of our family and to all our friends. From there, let that love expand outward—until it embraces all of Klal Yisrael and all of creation. (Based on the Da’at Torah of Rav Yerucham Levovitz)
| 
