Cytowanie Komentarza do Kapłańska 9:22

In the country the priests raised their hands as high as their shoulders, but in the Temple above their heads, except the high priest, who did not raise his hands above the diadem. Rabbi Judah says: the high priest also raised his hands above the diadem, since it says, “And Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22). Outside of the Temple, the priests would lift their hands to the height of their shoulders (as they do today), whereas in the Temple, they would lift them over their heads. The one exception is the high priest who was not to lift his hands above the diadem (tzitz) on his head. This seems to be because of the holiness of the diadem. Rabbi Judah disagrees and holds that the high priest also would lift his hands above his head.

כנגד כתפותיהם – because they require the raising of their palms, as it is written (Leviticus 9:22): “Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them,” and it is written (Deuteronomy 18:5): “[For the LORD your God has chosen] him and his descendants, [out of all your tribes, to be in attendance for service in the name of the LORD] for all time;” just as it is he regarding the lifting of the palms, even his descendants (literally, “his sons,) for all time.

Draussen erhoben sie ihre Hände bis zur Schulterhöhe. nach Abr. ben Dav.: wenigstens bis zur Schulterhöhe, der Priestersegen muss mit erhobenen Händen gesprochen werden, da es heisst (Lev. 9, 22): „und Ahron erhob seine Hände zum Volke hin und segnete sie“.

שמע אברהם בקלי ABRAHAM HEARKENED TO MY VOICE when I put him to the test.

וישמר משמרתי AND KEPT MY CHARGE — This refers to precautionary measures which are intended to make us avoid the infringement of Biblical prohibitions: such are the Rabbinical inhibition of marriage between relatives in the second degree and the Rabbinical regulations regarding not doing certain acts on the Sabbath (cf. Yevamot 21a).

מצותי MY COMMANDMENTS — those matters which, had they not been written in the Torah, we would nevertheless hold that they are fitting matters to be the subject of a commandment, such as robbery and murder (cf. Yoma 67b).

חקותי MY ORDINANCES — matters which our evil inclination and the heathen nations argue against the necessity of prohibiting, such as the eating of swine’s flesh and the wearing of garments made of a mixture of wool and linen — things for which there are no apparent reasons but which are the King’s decrees and enactments imposed on His subjects (Yoma 67b).

ותורתי AND MY LAWS — The plural serves to include with the written Law also the Oral Law which prescribes commands that are an ancient institution given by God to Moses from Sinai (cf. Genesis Rabbah 64:4).