Derasha 7 on Vayikra 9:22

TT #33 · Parshas Shemini · Aliyah 2 · Passuk 22

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּשָּׂ֨א אַהֲרֹ֧ן אֶת־יָדָ֛ו אֶל־הָעָ֖ם וַֽיְבָרְכֵ֑ם וַיֵּ֗רֶד מֵעֲשֹׂ֧ת הַֽחַטָּ֛את וְהָעֹלָ֖ה וְהַשְּׁלָמִֽים׃

Chabad.org — English translation + Rashi

English: “He blessed them and descended”: the unusual order teaches that during his descent from the altar Aaron raised his hands and blessed the people.

Source Citation

Jerusalem Talmud, Taanis 4:1.

Jerusalem Talmud, Taanis 4:1

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיֵּרֶד מֵעֲשׂוֹת. תַּנְיָא, מִנַּיִן לִנְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם בְּמוּסָף? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְבָרְכֵם וַיֵּרֶד מֵעֲשׂוֹת הַחַטָּאת, וַהֲלֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר וַיֵּרֶד מֵעֲשׂוֹת הַחַטָּאת וַיְבָרְכֵם, אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבִּירִידָתוֹ לַמִּזְבֵּחַ הָיָה נוֹשֵׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו וּמְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם [כ].

Textual inference

Textual inference — the unusual order of “he blessed them and descended” teaches that the priestly blessing accompanies the descent from the altar.

What Is Learned

The unusual word order is read as teaching that the priest blesses the people while descending from the altar, supporting the practice of priestly blessing in Musaf.