On the Jewish festival holidays, and additionally in some communities on Shabbat, the Birkat Kohanim–the Priestly Blessing–is traditionally offered as part of the Musaf service, the additional service that follows the Torah reading. But on Simchat Torah, which we just celebrated, the Birkat Kohanim is traditionally offered during the earlier Shacharit service. What is the reason for the earlier recitation of the Birkat Kohanim on Simchat Torah?

Birkat kohanim Vorsetzblatt by Ephraim Moses Lilien is in the public domain

A. Simchat Torah celebrates the point in the Torah reading cycle when we complete the book of Deuteronomy and begin reading Breishit again. This is a moment of great joy, as indicated by the congregational dancing with the Torah. In contrast, the Birkat Kohanim is one of the holiest and most serious moments in the Jewish liturgy. Therefore it was decided to perform that ceremony first, before changing the mood of the service to one of merriment, as we dance with the Torah scrolls.

B. Before the Priests ascend the altar to offer the Birkat Kohanim, they prepare for this holy moment by duchaning, a ceremonial cleansing. At this time the Leviim wash the hands of the Kohanim. The rabbis determined that on the day when the Torah scrolls are carried around the sanctuary (and in some congregations outside around the synagogue as well), that the cleansing ceremony should take place first, so that the Kohanim would be in the highest state of ritual purity before lifting the Torahs aloft.

C. The Birkat Kohanim is also known as Nesi’at Kapayim, the “lifting of the hands,” as the Priests raise their hands aloft with fingers spread in the traditional pose. But on Simchat Torah, we lift all of the Torah scrolls high as we dance in celebration. The rabbis decided that the raising of the Torah scrolls takes precedent over the raising of the Priests’ hands; therefore the Birkat Kohanim was moved earlier in the service, making the raising of the Torahs the focal point of the Simchat Torah celebration.

D. The tradition during the Priestly Blessing is for congregants not to look at the Kohanim. In contrast, during the reading of the beginning and end of the Torah we are commanded to open our eyes and ears (tir’eh v’tishma) to the word of God. Therefore, the rabbis decided to offer the Birkat Kohanim first, when we close our eyes, followed by the Torah reading, when we look up at the Torah and receive God’s laws.

E. The custom on Simchat Torah is for all participants to drink schnapps (alcohol) after receiving an aliyah to recite the Torah blessing. Because it would be improper for the Kohanim to perform the Birkat Kohanim while drunk, this ceremony takes place earlier in the service before the Priests start drinking.

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