Study Sotah folio 38A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
as it is written in the Torah, i.e., the Tetragrammaton, and in the country they use its substitute name of Lordship. In the country, the priests lift their hands so they are aligned with their shoulders during the benediction. And in the Temple they lift them above their heads, except for the High
Talmud: A baraita states: The mitzva given to the priests: “So you shall bless the children of Israel” (Numbers 6:23), is that they bless them in the sacred tongue, Hebrew. Do you say that the benediction must be recited in the sacred tongue, or perhaps it may be recited in any language? The bar
R' Yehuda says: It is not necessary to derive this from a verbal analogy, as it says with regard to the Priestly Benediction: “Thus,” which means that it is not recited correctly unless they recite it in this exact language, as it is written in the Torah.
It is taught in another baraita: “So you shall bless,” means while standing. Do you say that the benediction must be recited while standing, or perhaps it may even be recited while sitting? It is stated here: “So you shall bless,” and it is stated there, with regard to the blessings and curses: “
R' Natan says: It is not necessary to derive this from a verbal analogy, as it says in the verse: “At that time YHWH separated the tribe of Levi to bear the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH, to stand before YHWH to minister to Him and to bless in His name” (Deuteronomy 10:8). Just as a priest performs th