Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessing) at the Kotel in Jerusalem 5771 (2011)

Many thousands of Jews gathered at the Kotel (the Western Wall) on the 2nd day of Chol HaMoed Pesach 5771 (the intermediate days of the Passover festival of 2011) for Birkat Kohanim (the Priestly Blessing) in accordance with the Torah's commandment in the book of Bamidbar (Numbers) chapter 6 verse 23-27.

The ceremony has become a tradition ever since the liberation of Har HaBayit (the Temple Mount) and the rest of the Old City of Jerusalem during the Six Day War in 1967. It is in commemoration of the Biblical obligation to visit the Holy Temple on the three annual festivals, namely, Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles).

It is also a special opportunity for many Cohanim (Jews who trace their lineage to Aaron, the first High Priest) to fulfill the Biblical obligation of blessing the nation, and for non-Cohanim to be blessed (also a Biblical obligation, according to some).

It is to be noted that the Western Wall is merely a supportive wall of the Temple Mount in which the Holy Temple itself stood. The holiday prayers emphasize our goal of returning to the Mount, and not to the courtyards around it: "Bring us to Zion Your city with joy, and to Jerusalem, the House of Your Temple, with everlasting happiness... Build Your house as at the beginning, and establish Your Temple on its foundation; show us its construction and gladden us with its rectification... and to there we will ascend and be seen and bow down before You on our three festivals..."

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Birkat Kohanim
• Birkat Cohanim
• the Priestly Blessing
• Kotel
• Jews
• Har HaBayit
• The Temple Mount
• Jerusalem
• Yerushalyim
• The Jewish Filmmaker
• torah
• hebrew

[TheJewishFilmmaker]

it is my pleasure to create this clip. glad it is inspiring people for all the right reasons. the Jewish people seek true peace - shalom - and that is demonstrated aptly by the blessing of the Priests.

[Jallulah]

Shalom Alechem!! (peace to you) I am Christian, I know my Bible and KNOW Psalm 122:6 to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,"May the prosper who love you" -J

[abdes333]

it's fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[feggydenny]

amazing... the blessing from the chosen people, may God Almighty be with you forever. this words from indonesia.

[Ikeelechiogba]

This is Beautiful. O Holy One of IsraEL, thank you for your love to us all. I cannot but imagine how glorious the millennia reign of the Messiah will be. This is perfect and I thank HASHEM for this.

[ermejochece]

its very fantastic

[kolhacovod]

I cried, this is beautiful, this is why eretz yisroel is kneged lev sheli tamid kol yom viyom

[jsbeard18]

these muslims who occupy our Temple Mount must tremble with rage to see the strength of the FREE JEWS in THE JEWISH HOLY CITY!!!

[KaVanah4Hashem]

I love this video It's great how you put the english interpetation so all can nderstand what the Kohenim is praying ! GOOD JOB BARUCH HASHEM !

SHALOM, SHALOM