Uploaded June 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The Birkat Kohanim is an ancient prayer from the Torah that speaks to our highest hopes for blessing. Learn more about this priestly blessing with Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell from the Institute of Jewish Spirituality in Chicago.
The Birkat Kohanim comes from the Torah when G-d instructs Moses to speak to his sons, the first Priests, and tell them about a way to bless the people of Israel.
While different Jewish communities have different ways to reciting the Birkat Kohanim, these words still occupy a central place in prayer both in the synagogue and in the home.
The Birkat Kohanim is often recited but some Jewish communities take it a step further making this blessing the most dramatic moment of a Jewish prayer service. Members of the Kohanim wash their hands, remove their shoes, cover their heads with a tallit and raise their hands in the shape of the Hebrew letter "Shin" to prepare for the blessing.
The Priestly blessing is also recited in the home as a blessing over one's children as Shabbat begins.
Fun Fact: The raised hand symbol of the Kohanim is most commonly seen in Star Trek as character Spock held up his hand in the same way. The actor of Spock, Leonard Nimoy, recalled childhood memories of peeking out from under his father's tallit and seeing others raising their hands in this way.
This video was created at the Chicago Rabbinic Writers Lab, a program where 10 rabbis wrote Introduction to Tefillah videos in chevruta as a group.This series breaks down and explains major Jewish prayers so you can feel more knowledgeable and comfortable while attending a Jewish service.
SUBSCRIBE to RJ on the GO: reformjudaism.org/rjonthego to attend live, interactive, virtual experiences for children and families.
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ABOUT US
BimBam sparks connections to Judaism through digital storytelling for learners of all ages. Founded in 2008, BimBam’s catalog of hundreds of animated videos and other digital content are now under the auspices of the Union for Reform Judaism, and many can be found on its flagship educational website, ReformJudaism.org. Watch something Jewish at https://reformjudaism.org.
The Birkat Kohanim is an ancient prayer from the Torah that speaks to our highest hopes for blessing. Learn more about this priestly blessing with Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell from the Institute of Jewish Spirituality in Chicago.
The Birkat Kohanim comes from the Torah when G-d instructs Moses to speak to his sons, the first Priests, and tell them about a way to bless the people of Israel.
While different Jewish communities have different ways to reciting the Birkat Kohanim, these words still occupy a central place in prayer both in the synagogue and in the home.
The Birkat Kohanim is often recited but some Jewish communities take it a step further making this blessing the most dramatic moment of a Jewish prayer service. Members of the Kohanim wash their hands, remove their shoes, cover their heads with a tallit and raise their hands in the shape of the Hebrew letter "Shin" to prepare for the blessing.
The Priestly blessing is also recited in the home as a blessing over one's children as Shabbat begins.
Fun Fact: The raised hand symbol of the Kohanim is most commonly seen in Star Trek as character Spock held up his hand in the same way. The actor of Spock, Leonard Nimoy, recalled childhood memories of peeking out from under his father's tallit and seeing others raising their hands in this way.
This video was created at the Chicago Rabbinic Writers Lab, a program where 10 rabbis wrote Introduction to Tefillah videos in chevruta as a group.This series breaks down and explains major Jewish prayers so you can feel more knowledgeable and comfortable while attending a Jewish service.
SUBSCRIBE to RJ on the GO: reformjudaism.org/rjonthego to attend live, interactive, virtual experiences for children and families.
FOLLOW
Facebook: facebook.com/reformjudaism
Twitter: twitter.com/reformjudaism
Instagram: instagram.com/reformjudaism
ABOUT US
BimBam sparks connections to Judaism through digital storytelling for learners of all ages. Founded in 2008, BimBam’s catalog of hundreds of animated videos and other digital content are now under the auspices of the Union for Reform Judaism, and many can be found on its flagship educational website, ReformJudaism.org. Watch something Jewish at https://reformjudaism.org.
