THE PRIESTLY BENEDICTION
Concerning the laws of the Priestly Blessing, consult page 608.
Once the congregation has said We thankfully together with the chazzan, the Kohanim then utter the following:
Hebrew
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ*, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁתְּהֵא* הַבְּרָכָה*
הַזֹּאת שֶׁצִּוִּיתָנוּ* לְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרָכָה שְׁלֵמָה
שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא בָהּ מִכְשׁוֹל וְעָוֹן, מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם:1
Chabad
y'hi rotzoyn mil'fonecho*, Adonoy Eloyheinu veiloyhei avoyseinu, shet'hei* hab'rochoh*
hazoys shetzivisonu* l'voreich es am'cho Yisro-eil b'rochoh sh'leimoh
sheloy y'hei voh michshoyl v'ovoyn, mei-atoh v'ad oylom:
The Kohanim lengthen their recitation so as to finish it when the chazzan finishes the blessing Beneficent is Your Name, that the congregation may answer Amen to both.
Quietly the chazzan recites:
Hebrew
אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, בָּרְכֵנוּ* בַּבְּרָכָה* הַמְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת*
בַּתּוֹרָה הַכְּתוּבָה* עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ,
הָאֲמוּרָה מִפִּי אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו,
Chabad
Eloyheinu veiloyhei avoyseinu, bor'cheinu* bab'rochoh* ham'shuleshes*
batoyroh hak'suvoh* al y'dei Moysheh avdecho,
ho-amuroh mipi Aharoyn uvonov,
Aloud, the chazzan calls out to the Kohanim:
Quietly the chazzan finishes:
Hebrew
עַם קְדוֹשֶׁךָ, כָּאָמוּר:
Chabad
am k'doyshecho, ko-omur:
With their tallitot the congregation covers their faces. One without a tallit ought to stand beside someone who wears one, and veil his face with that person's tallit.
Facing the Ark, the Kohanim then turn toward the congregation before reciting the blessing that follows:
Transliteration is on page 637.
Hebrew
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ*
בִּקְדֻשָּׁתוֹ* שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן, וְצִוָּנוּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ
יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה. (אָמֵן—Cong.)
Chabad
boruch atoh Adonoy, Eloyheinu melech ho-oylom, asher kid'shonu*
bikdushosoy* shel Aharoyn, v'tzivonu l'voreich es amoy
Yisro-eil b'ahavoh. (omein-cong.)
The chazzan ought not start The Lord bless you until the congregation has finished saying Amen. The Kohanim ought not start each word until the chazzan has finished it, and the congregation ought not answer Amen until the Kohanim have finished each blessing.
Those standing behind the Kohanim are not included in the Priestly Blessing, yet those before them or at their side are included, for even an iron curtain cannot divide Israel from their Father in Heaven. They should nonetheless face the Kohanim (but not look at them) and not glance about, as the Kohanim's blessing must be face-to-face. The people should attend to the blessing.