Birkat Kohanim

Given the prominence of prayer in traditional Jewish life, it is surprising to note how few prayers the Torah actually ordains be recited by the pious as part of their ongoing effort to foster a relationship with the Divine. Indeed, some of the most famous of all Jewish prayers that do have their origin in Scripture are not presented as liturgical texts in that context at all. (The Shema, for example, the confession of faith par excellence which rabbinic tradition ordains be recited twice d...