Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is how you shall bless the children of Israel: “May the L-rd bless you and watch over you. May the L-rd cause His countenance to shine to you and favor you. May the L-rd raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace.” They shall bestow My Name upon the children of Israel, so that I will bless them. (Numbers 6:23)

The Hebrew term for the Priestly Blessing, administered by the descendants of Aaron, is Birkat Kohanim, also known as Nesi’at Kapayim, the “lifting of the hands,” because of the priests’ uplifted hands, through which the divine blessings flow. Performed in the synagogue, the Priestly Blessing is one of the most spiritually uplifting moments in Jewish life, as the entire congregation is embraced in a “divine hug.”