NOBODY IS HAPPY - Parshas Naso

 

NOBODY IS HAPPY

כה תברכו את בני ישראל

The רדב"ז writes:

 " Single men may Duchan
נשיאת כפיים. 

Even though they are without
Simcha. (בלא אשה בלא שמחה)

They are not worse off than married men בזמן הזה  
who are also without Simcha because of their
פרנסה and household דאגות (worries)."

Vort On Parshas Vayeishev -The Kesones Pasim

ותתננו לאהבה—כשם שנתת את יוסף צדיקך בשעה שהלבישו אביו כתונת פסים לחן

     ולחסד ולרחמים בעינך ובעיני כל רואיו                                                              

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How can  we say so, when this was the cause of the hatred from the brothers towards Yosef ? 

I asked this question from Mori V’rabi Hagaon Reb Shlomo Miller shlita.

His answer was:

 that you can’t have questions on this Tefillah.

R. Shmuel Salant zt"l says that this is an unreliable Tefillah.

The  מהרם מרוטנבורג, תרומת הדשן, מהרשל, רמ"א, לבוש, דרישה, של"ה, ב"ח, תוס' יו"ט

  מג"אand  ט"ז all hold to say the Ribono shel Olam (for chalomos) three times (the last one at Sholom) 

 

The Tefillah of “Yehi Ratzon” printed in most Sidurim, is from the Sharei Tzion (R. Nosson Nota Hanover)

The Sharei Tzion is a collection of Kabalistic Tefilos.  

Reb Nossan Nota writes in his Hakdama that these Tefillos  were taken from Reb Chaim Vital’s writings based on the Ari Zal.

In both Seforim of R. Chaim Vital “Pri Eitz Chaim & Shaar Hakavonos" The Arizal is quoted to have said:

 “ If one has a bad dream he should say the Ribono shel

Olam when the Kohanim say Sholom."

 There is no mention there of the Yehi Ratzon.

 Story from Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky Z"TL

A Talmid once asked R. Yakov Kamenetsky zt”l  if he should he be Noheg, like the printed Sidurim and say the Yehi Ratzon or like the Halacha in Rema and say Ribono Shel Olam 3 times.

Reb Yakov answered that he should do the way the Halacha dictates and say Ribono Shel Olam 3 times and not the Yehi Ratzon.

Shortly afterwards he noticed R Yakov (during Duchening) saying the Yehi Ratzon at Sholom.

He went back to R. Yakov and asked him “Didn’t Rebbi tell me not to say the Yehi Ratzon  so why does Rebbi  say it?”

R. Yakov answered, "וואס זאל איך טאהן, איך טוא וואס מיין טאטע האט געטאהן "

("What should I do ,I do the way my father did".)

Mesora  overrides Halacha.

                    

Hat On The Nose

There are two reasons why not to look at the face or hands of the כהנים during נשיאת כפיים.

1) היסח הדעת  (distraction) Both, the כהנים & עם must concentrate on the ברכת כהנים and not get distracted.

2) זכר למקדש  In the Bais Hamikdash, they did  ברכת כהנים with the שם המפורש. Since the שכינה hovered over the Kohanim

during נשיאת כפיים, it blinded the eyes of those who gazed at them. (only when it is done with the שם המפורש ) 

Since today staring at the Kohanim won't blind you, a short glance would be OK but because of  זכר למקדש the Minhag is to refrain even from a short glance  (משנה ברורה)

There are two Minhagim:
1) The Kohen covers only his face with the Tallis and keeps his hands exposed.

 2) He covers both his face & his hands under the Tallis. (רמ"א)

In those places where the Kohanim exposed their hands, the Minhag was also for the עם to cover their faces with their Tallis. (דרכי משה)

Today, many Yidden cover their face with the Tallis even at places where the כהנים do cover their hands. this is done because of מנהג אבותיהן even though it's not really necessary. 

Placing the hat on the nose during ברכת כהנים is definitely nonsensical.