above (§ 1) were elaborately developed in later Jewisli usage. Here the most important points for the illustration of the Gosjiels may be briefly sumiiiarized.
(A) Blea-tinci of /)e)-so».s.— According to Jewish ideas, God is the sole source of all blessing, both material and spiritual ; and to Him alone, there- fore, praise and thanksgiving are due (cf. Eph P for a beautiful Christian application of the idea). Thus, even in the great Priestly Blessing (Nu 6-=-"), which filled so large a place in Jewish liturgical worship botli in the temple and (in a less degree) in the synagogue, it was not the priest »ej- se who blessed, but God (Sifrc, ad loc.).* The blessing of man by man finds one of its most prominent ex- pressions in greeting and farewell, a custom of great antiquity, and not, of course, in itself specifically Jewish.t But the formulas connected with it naturally reflect Jewish religious senti- ment in a marked degree. The fundamental idea of goodwill is worked out into an invocation of the Divine favour and providence, and consequent prosperity, on the recipient. These ideas find beautiful expression in the Priestly Blessing, and in the poetical amplification of it embodied in Ps 67. J The characteristic word employed in greeting and farewell is ' peace' (Heb. shclldm, Greek elpvuri), which has a wide connotation, embracing the notions of security, safety, prosperity, and feli- city.§ Thus the regular formula of greeting is 'Peace be to thee' (Jg 6=^ Dn 10"), and, for fare- well, 'Go in peace' (cf. 1 S 1" etc.). 'To greet' is expressed in Hebrew by the phrase 'to ask of ajjerson concerning peace (welfare)' (cf. Gn 4.32', Ex 18' etc.), and similar formulas.H The use of the word 'blessed' (Heb. barukh), both in solemn greeting (1 S 15" 'Blessed be thou of J",' cf. Ps 118-« 'Blessed is he that cometh ') and parting (1 K 10"), should also be noted in this
The custom of imparting a solemn blessing at final departure (from lifet) is attested in the Talmud (e.g. Ber. 286 — death of Johanan ben Zakkai, c. 75-80 A.D.).
Besides the salutation, other forms of blessing prevailed, notably the blessing of children by parents (and sometimes by others). This custom 13 well attested in the OT (cf. e.g. Gn 9^ 27"- 48»). Jacob's blessing of Epliraim and Manasseh is esp. notable, because it fixed the formula which has been used among the Jews in later times.** The earliest literary evidence for the existence of this particular custom is quite late (17tli cent.); but that some form of parental blessing was well known by the NT period may be inferred from Sir 39 (cf. Mk 10i»-i« and ||).
Jerusalem there was the godly custom to initiate the children at the beginning of the thirteenth year by fasting the whole Day of Atonement. During this year they took the boy to the
the
il sanctity with which the Aaronic blessing was
1' later period !a\- in the pronunciation of 'the
, which wa:: permitted to the priests only.
M\er, this restriction was not in force. Thus '" /■- \. 4) cites Ru '2-1 as proving that 'the name'
ilniar^- greetings ; cf. also Ps 1'298.
rticle "' Salutation ' (with reff.) in KMo's Biblical
739 f.
i the Priestly Blessing
; The whole Psalm gives a Hebrew idea of blessing. Other ecnoes < occur in the Psalter (Ps 46 3116 803- '■ 19).
5 Note that this word forms the climax of the Priestly Bless- ing (Nu 626).
II For further details see the Hebrew Lexicons, .■!.!;. D1S7.
H Cf. 2 K 29.
** I''or boys the foi-mula runs: 'May God tiiake thnf like Ephraim and Manasseh'; for girls: 'Muv noil uiakf thie like Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah' (.1. Kujn; Am other blessing suggested by the occasion or s]., ri:,l , nviiiintanoes might be added. See, further, Jemsh i'luyi . (,13 ciud helow, } «, end).
BLESSING
BLESSING
priests and learned men that they might bless him, and pray for him that God might thinli him worthy of a life devoted to the study of the Torah and pious works.' *
(B) Blessing of things. — The feeling of praise and tlianksgiving, whicli is so striking and promi- nent a feature of Jewish devotional life and worship, has crystallized itself into a regular form of bene- diction known &s Berakhah (lit. 'Blessing'). In its technical sense the term denotes a set form of prayer, which opens with the words, ' Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who," etc., and, in its fully developed form, closes with a repetition of the same words. This class t plays an important part in the Jewish Liturgy.
In its simplest and shortest form the Bh-akhdh opens as described, but has no closing refrain. It contains a brief expression of thanks to God for .some benefit conferred or privilege enjoyed. {
Undoubtedly the most ancient kind of benedic- tion is that recited at the meal. The Book of Samuel attests the antiquity of the custom, for in one passage (1 S 9'') we are told that the people refused to eat the sacrificial meal until it had been blessed.
The Biblical command on which the obligation of grace at meals (Heb. birkath ha-7iiaz6n)—i.c. according to the Eabbis (Ber. 21a, 486 ; Tos. Bcr. vii. 1), grace both before and after eating — is founded, occurs in Dt 8'° ('When thou hast eaten and art full, thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee ').