#66: Blessing the Children (Part 1)

Rabbi Eli Ozarowski
  1. It is widely accepted for parents to bless their children sometime on Friday night, as this is considered an auspicious time for giving berachot (Siddur of R. Yaakov Emden; Piskei Teshuvot 271:1). The parent blesses their sons to become like Ephraim and Menasheh and their daughters to become like Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah, and concludes with the text of the Birkat Kohanim (priestly blessing) (Bamidbar 6:24-26).
  2. Poskim disagree as to the proper way for the parent to bless the child. Some hold that one should rest one hand on the child’s head, others write that one should place two hands on the child’s head, and some maintain that one should not place either hand on the child’s head (see Piskei Teshuvot, siman 271; https://outorah.org/p/27239/). All of the practices are acceptable.

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.