יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃
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Bamidbar Rabbah
“May the Lord bless you and protect you” (Numbers 6:24).
“May the Lord bless you and protect you” – with the protection with the blessing. A king of flesh and blood has a slave in Syria, but he resides in Rome. The king sent for him. He ascended and came to him [the king]. He gave him [the slave] one hundred litra of gold. He [the slave] loaded them and set out on the way. Robbers attacked him and took everything that he [the king] had given him and everything that he had with him. Could he [the king], perhaps, have protected him from the robbers? Therefore, “may the Lord bless you” with wealth, “and protect you” from the robbers.
Another matter: “May the Lord bless you” – with money, “and protect you” – so that you will not become the scapegoat29The one to whom the government turns for payment of penalties incurred by all residents of the city. in your province, and that a penalty will not be imposed upon the province in which they say: Give us gold. Rather, may He bless you and protect you.
“May He bless you” – with sons; “and protect you” – with daughters, who require protection. “May He bless you” – with wealth, “and protect you” – that you will fulfill mitzvot with it.
“May the Lord bless you” with the blessing that is explicit in the Torah: “You shall be the most blessed of all the peoples…” (Deuteronomy 7:14); “blessed are you in the city…blessed is your basket…blessed are you upon your arrival” (Deuteronomy 28:3, 5–6); “all these blessings will come upon you…” (Deuteronomy 28:2). Rabbi Natan says: May he bless you regarding your belongings and protect you regarding your body. Rabbi Yitzḥak says: Is it not that if they are blessed they are protected and if they are protected they are blessed? Why does the verse state: “And protect you”? It is from the evil inclination, so that we will not cause you to depart from the world. Likewise it says: “For the Lord will be your hope and will protect your foot from being trapped” (Proverbs 3:26).
Another matter: “And protect you” – that others will not rule over you. Likewise it says: “By day the sun will not strike you” (Psalms 121:6); “Behold, [the Guardian of Israel] neither slumbers [nor sleeps]… The Lord is your guardian” (Psalms 121:4–5). “ The Lord will guard you from all evil… The Lord will guard your going…” (Psalms 121:7–8).
Another matter: “And protect you” – from the demons that surround you, as it is stated: “One thousand may fall at your side.… for He will charge His angels [to guard you in all your ways]” (Psalms 91:7, 11).
Another matter: “And protect you [veyishmerekha]” – He will observe [yishmor] for you the covenant of your patriarchs. Likewise it says: “The Lord your God will observe [veshamar] for you the covenant and the kindness regarding which He took an oath to your patriarchs” (Deuteronomy 7:12).
Another matter: “And protect you [veyishmerekha]” – He will keep [yishmor] the end of days for you. Likewise it says: “A prophecy of Duma: To me one calls from Seir…” (Isaiah 21:11).30This is a prophecy about the end of days, and the continuation of the verse contains the word shomer.
Another matter: “And protect you” – He will protect your soul upon death. Likewise it says: “May the soul of my lord be bound in the bond [of life with the Lord your God]” (I Samuel 25:29). I hear regarding the righteous one and the wicked one? The verse states: “And the souls of your enemies may He cast away [as from a slingshot]” (I Samuel 25:29).
Another matter: “And protect you” – He will protect your feet from Gehenna. Likewise it says: “He protects the feet of His pious ones, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness” (I Samuel 2:9).
They are blessed and protected. From where is it derived that the Divine Presence is in their midst? The verse states: “May the Lord shine His countenance…” (Numbers 6:25). “May the Lord shine…” – may He give you of the light of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Arise, shine, [for your light has come]” (Isaiah 60:1), and it says: “Through Your light we see light” (Psalms 36:10), “The Lord is God; He has given us light” (Psalms 118:27).
“May the Lord bless you and protect you” – with the protection with the blessing. A king of flesh and blood has a slave in Syria, but he resides in Rome. The king sent for him. He ascended and came to him [the king]. He gave him [the slave] one hundred litra of gold. He [the slave] loaded them and set out on the way. Robbers attacked him and took everything that he [the king] had given him and everything that he had with him. Could he [the king], perhaps, have protected him from the robbers? Therefore, “may the Lord bless you” with wealth, “and protect you” from the robbers.
Another matter: “May the Lord bless you” – with money, “and protect you” – so that you will not become the scapegoat29The one to whom the government turns for payment of penalties incurred by all residents of the city. in your province, and that a penalty will not be imposed upon the province in which they say: Give us gold. Rather, may He bless you and protect you.
“May He bless you” – with sons; “and protect you” – with daughters, who require protection. “May He bless you” – with wealth, “and protect you” – that you will fulfill mitzvot with it.
“May the Lord bless you” with the blessing that is explicit in the Torah: “You shall be the most blessed of all the peoples…” (Deuteronomy 7:14); “blessed are you in the city…blessed is your basket…blessed are you upon your arrival” (Deuteronomy 28:3, 5–6); “all these blessings will come upon you…” (Deuteronomy 28:2). Rabbi Natan says: May he bless you regarding your belongings and protect you regarding your body. Rabbi Yitzḥak says: Is it not that if they are blessed they are protected and if they are protected they are blessed? Why does the verse state: “And protect you”? It is from the evil inclination, so that we will not cause you to depart from the world. Likewise it says: “For the Lord will be your hope and will protect your foot from being trapped” (Proverbs 3:26).
Another matter: “And protect you” – that others will not rule over you. Likewise it says: “By day the sun will not strike you” (Psalms 121:6); “Behold, [the Guardian of Israel] neither slumbers [nor sleeps]… The Lord is your guardian” (Psalms 121:4–5). “ The Lord will guard you from all evil… The Lord will guard your going…” (Psalms 121:7–8).
Another matter: “And protect you” – from the demons that surround you, as it is stated: “One thousand may fall at your side.… for He will charge His angels [to guard you in all your ways]” (Psalms 91:7, 11).
Another matter: “And protect you [veyishmerekha]” – He will observe [yishmor] for you the covenant of your patriarchs. Likewise it says: “The Lord your God will observe [veshamar] for you the covenant and the kindness regarding which He took an oath to your patriarchs” (Deuteronomy 7:12).
Another matter: “And protect you [veyishmerekha]” – He will keep [yishmor] the end of days for you. Likewise it says: “A prophecy of Duma: To me one calls from Seir…” (Isaiah 21:11).30This is a prophecy about the end of days, and the continuation of the verse contains the word shomer.
Another matter: “And protect you” – He will protect your soul upon death. Likewise it says: “May the soul of my lord be bound in the bond [of life with the Lord your God]” (I Samuel 25:29). I hear regarding the righteous one and the wicked one? The verse states: “And the souls of your enemies may He cast away [as from a slingshot]” (I Samuel 25:29).
Another matter: “And protect you” – He will protect your feet from Gehenna. Likewise it says: “He protects the feet of His pious ones, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness” (I Samuel 2:9).
They are blessed and protected. From where is it derived that the Divine Presence is in their midst? The verse states: “May the Lord shine His countenance…” (Numbers 6:25). “May the Lord shine…” – may He give you of the light of the Divine Presence, as it is stated: “Arise, shine, [for your light has come]” (Isaiah 60:1), and it says: “Through Your light we see light” (Psalms 36:10), “The Lord is God; He has given us light” (Psalms 118:27).
Sifrei Bamidbar
(Bamidbar 6:24) "The L-rd bless you": with the explicit blessing (Devarim 28:3-6) "Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field … Blessed shall be your basket and your remainder. Blessed shall you be in your coming in and blessed shall you be in your going out." "The L-rd bless you": with possessions "and keep you": with possessions. R. Nathan says: May He bless you with possessions and keep you — in body. R. Yitzchak says "and keep you": from the evil inclination, as it is written (Proverbs 3:26) "For the L-rd will be with you in your trust, and He will guard your feet from entrapment." Variantly: "and keep you": from all evil, viz. (Psalms 121:4-7) "He neither slumbers nor sleeps, the Keeper of Israel … at your right hand … By day the sun … The L-rd will keep you from all evil." Variantly: "and keep you": from mazikkin (destructive agents), viz. (Ibid. 91:11) "For His angels will He charge for you to keep you in all your ways." Variantly: "and keep you": He will keep for you the covenant of your fathers, viz. (Devarim 7:12) "… then the L-rd your G-d will keep for you the covenant and the lovingkindness which He swore to your fathers." Variantly: "and keep you": He will keep for you the "end" (i.e., the time of redemption). And thus is it written (Isaiah 21:11-12) "A prophecy concerning Duma (Edom): He (Israel) calls to Me from Seir: 'Keeper, what of the night?' 'Keeper, what of the night?' The Keeper says: 'Morning is coming and also night, etc.'" Variantly: "and keep you": He will keep your soul at the time of death, viz. (I Samuel 25:29) "and my master's soul will be bound up (after death) in the bond of life." From this I would understand both (the soul of) the righteous and the wicked to be intended. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "but the soul of your foes will He hurl away from the hollow of a sling." Variantly: "and keep you": He will keep your feet from Gehinnom, viz.: (Ibid. 2:9) "He will keep (from Gehennom) the feet of His pious ones." Variantly: "and keep you": He will keep you in the world to come, viz. (Isaiah 4:31) "But those who trust in the L-rd will renew strength. They will lift their wings as eagles, etc."