(22) The LORD spoke to Moses: (23) Speak to Aaron and his sons: Thus shall you bless the people of Israel. Say to them: (24) The LORD bless you and protect you! (25) The LORD deal kindly and graciously with you! (26) The LORD bestow His favor upon you and grant you peace! (27) Thus they shall link My name with the people of Israel, and I will bless them.
(2) וישמרך, and protect you from those who steal material possessions.
(1) יברכך, with material wealth. The reason this is the first of the blessing is explained by our sages in Avot 3,15 אם אין קמח אין תורה, “if there is no flour, (no economic base) a Torah environment cannot flourish.”
(2) וישמרך, and protect you from those who steal material possessions.
(1) יאר, may He grant light to your eyes to see and appreciate all the wonderful things G’d has done and keeps on doing. You should become aware that all that you achieve is due to His blessing.
(ד) יאר ה' פניו אליך ויחונך (במדבר ו, כו). הכלל, כשאדם יש לו חן אזי בודאי יש לו מעלה. ובאמת מי יכול להתפאר עצמו נגד ה' שיש לו מעלה, כי להשם יתברך כל דיירא ארעא כלא חשיבין. ולזה מרמז הפסוק חסד הבורא ברוך הוא שעושה עם ישראל שנותן לישראל התפארת והדרת פנים בכדי שיהיה להם מעלה ויהיה לישראל חן בעיניו יתברך. וזהו הרמז ישא ה' פניו אליך, שנושא לך פנים, היינו הדרת פנים והתפארת בכדי שיהיה לך מעלה לישא חן בעיניו. וזהו ויחונך, בכדי שתמצא חן בעיניו יתברך:
(4) Numbers 6,25. “may the Lord shine His face upon you and grant you grace.”
When a person enjoys grace he certainly feels elevated, promoted. On the other hand, how is it possible for a mere creature, a human being to entertain feelings of pride or glory when facing his Creator?
Did not Daniel 4,32 already state that “all the inhabitants of the earth are of no account,” i.e. ודירי ארעא כלא חשיבין.
By contrast, our verse confirms that G’d Himself bestowed glory on His people Israel. He did so in order that they find grace in His eyes.
(26) And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that creep on earth.” (27) And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
The mishna teaches: And this serves to tell of the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, as when a person stamps several coins with one seal, they are all similar to each other. But the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamped all people with the seal of Adam the first man, as all are his offspring, and not one of them is similar to another. The Sages taught in a baraita (Tosefta 8:5): The fact that Adam the first man was created alone serves to declare the greatness of the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, Blessed be He, as a person stamps several coins with one seal, and they are all similar to each other. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, stamps all people with the seal of Adam the first man, and not one of them is similar to another. As it is stated: “It is changed like clay under the seal and they stand as a garment” (Job 38:14). The verse describes people as being created “under the seal,” but their external appearance is different, just as garments can differ in appearance.
(2) וישם לך שלום, the serenity of peace which is equivalent to an infinite, unbroken and undisturbed existence, not tainted by punishment, something which is a feature of life in the world to come.
"May you feel happy. May you feel safe." - Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg's distillation of the priestly blessing.