By Rabbi Ari Enkin, Rabbinic Director, United with Israel
Why don’t all of you in the Diaspora come and join us? Your homeland is calling out to you!
This week’s Torah portion is called Nasso (Numbers 4:21 – 7:89). It is the longest Parsha (weekly portion) in the entire Torah!. Included in Nasso is the famous passage of the Birkat Kohanim – The Priestly Blessing. In the times of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, the Kohanim (Jewish Priests) would bless the people every single day. In our day and age, however, things have changed. In Israel, the blessing is recited by the Kohanim in synagogue every single day, while outside of Israel, it is generally only recited on Jewish holidays.
Why the difference?
Our sages explain that one of the prerequisites that a Kohen must have before he is permitted to bless the people is….happiness! That’s right – a Kohen who is unhappy or angry is not permitted to ascend the holy platform to bless the people.
You guessed it! We are taught that one who lives in Israel is always happy! How can you not be? When living in Israel, one is living in the King’s Palace, living among our people, walking the same streets as our forefathers and prophets, and, of course, McDonalds and Burger King are kosher here – we don’t go hungry! That’s why Birkat Kohanim can be and is recited every single day in Israel.
In the Diaspora, however, a Jew is never fully, truly happy. How can he be happy far away from his homeland and his people? Hence, only the Jewish holidays can supplement the needed level of happiness required for the Kohanim to bless the people.
It’s a great message: Living in Israel is Happiness 24 -7!
Why don’t all of you in the Diaspora come and join us? Your homeland is calling out to you!