#birkat kohanim

today i learnt that there’s this drash in chagiga 16a which says there are three things that if looked at will harm your eyesight: a rainbow, the nasi [prince], hands of kohanim when they do birkat kohanim when the temple stood

(because all of these three things have some kind of concentrated godliness: rainbow since yechezkel 1:28 compares how hashem looks to one, nasi bc num 27:20 refers to hashem putting her splendour on one, hands of kohanim because HASHEM WOULD BE ON THEIR HANDS)

and then the halacha (Mishna Brura on Orach Chaim 128:23) says. well. still don’t STARE at the hands of the kohanim during birkat kohanim in this time, because it distracts them and you. but logically since theyre not in the temple, a little peeking couldnt do any harm!

and THEN the MB continues… that… we’re nowadays accustomed not to do any peeking at all, because of zecher lamikdash [remembering the Temple]! i’m.. wow. not looking at the space where God is not.