(1) (A strengthening blessing is the thought, a blessing is the word, a blessing is the deed of the righteous Zarathustra. May the Bountiful Immortals accept and help on the chants. Homage to you, O sacred Gâthas !)

(9) "Blessings three times over on those who were proclaimed by the son before they came into being, so that you might share with them."

(9) "Blessings will be on those who are going up to the father.

(4) How do we know that the word בְּרָכָה (blessing) comes from the word בָּרוּךְ (blessed)? Perhaps it comes from the word בֶּרֶךְ (knee). It is written (Isaiah 44:23), "For to Me shall every knee bend." The Place to which every knee bends. What example does this resemble? People want to see the king, but do not know where to find his house. First they ask "Where is the king's house?" Only then can they ask "Where is the king?" It is thus written, "For to Me shall every knee bend" — even the highest — "every tongue shall swear."

(1) The words of the blessing of Enoch, wherewith he blessed the elect ⌈⌈and⌉⌉ righteous, who will be living in the day of tribulation, when all the wicked ⌈⌈and godless⌉⌉ are to be removed.

(5) Rabbi Rahumai sat and expounded: What is the meaning of the verse (Deuteronomy 33:23), "The filling is God's blessing, possessing the Sea and the South"? This means that wherever we find the letter ב it is blessed. This is the Filling referred to in the verse, "The filling is God's blessing." From there it nourishes those who need it. It was from this Filling that God sought advice. What example does this resemble? A king wanted to build his palace among great cliffs. He mined into the bedrock and uncovered a great spring of living water. The king then said, "Since I have flowing water, I will plant a garden. Then I will delight in it, and so will all the world." It is therefore written (Proverbs 8:30), "I was with Him as a craftsman, I was His delight for a day, a day, frolicking before him at every time." The Torah is saying, "For two thousand years I was in the bosom of the Blessed Holy One as His delight." The verse therefore says, "a day, a day." Each day of the Blessed Holy One is a thousand years, as it is written (Psalm 90:4), "A thousand years in Your eyes is as but yesterday when it is passed." From then on, it is at times, as the verse states, "...at every time." The rest is for the world. It is thus written (Isaiah 48:9), "I will breathe out My praise through My nose for you." What is the meaning of "My praise"? As it is written (Psalm 145:2), "A praise of David, I will raise You high..." Why is this a praise? Because I will "raise You high." And what is this elevation? Because "I will bless Your name for the world and forever."

(3) Why does the Torah begin with the letter ב? In order that it begin with a blessing (בְּרֵכָה). How do we know that the Torah is called a blessing? Because it is written (Deuteronomy 33:23), "The filling is God's blessing possessing the Sea and the South." The Sea is nothing other than the Torah, as it is written (Job 11:9), "It is wider than the sea." What is the meaning of the verse, "The filling is God's blessing"? This means that wherever we find the letter ב it indicates a blessing. It is thus written (Genesis 1:1), "In the beginning..." The word "beginning" is nothing other than Wisdom. It is thus written (Psalm 111:10), "The beginning is wisdom, the fear of God." Wisdom is a blessing. It is thus written, "And God blessed Solomon." It is furthermore written (I Kings 5:26), "And God gave Wisdom to Solomon." This resembles a king who marries his daughter to his son. He gives her to him at the wedding and says to him, "Do with her as you desire."

(5) In those days ye shall make your names an eternal execration unto all the righteous, b. And by you shall ⌈all⌉ who curse, curse, And all the sinners ⌈and godless⌉ shall imprecate by you, 7c. And for you the godless there shall be a curse.

(6) What is a blessing? It can be explained with an example. A king planted trees in his garden. It may rain and water them, and the ground may be wet and provide them with moisture, but still, he must water them from the spring. It is thus written (Psalm 111:10), "The beginning is Wisdom, the fear of God, good intelligence to all who do them..." You may think that it lacks something. It is therefore written, "His praise endures forever."

(5) And all the . . . shall rejoice, e. And there shall be forgiveness of sins, f. And every mercy and peace and forbearance: g. There shall be salvation unto them, a goodly light. i

(8) These things, then, are common both to the Hierarchs, and Priests, and Leitourgoi, in their sacerdotal consecrations,--the conducting to the Divine Altar and kneeling,--the imposition of the Hierarchical hand,--the cruciform seal,--the announcement of name,--the completing salutation. And special and select for the Hierarchs is the imposition of the Oracles upon the head, since the subordinate Ranks have not this; and for the Priests the bending of both knees, since the consecration of the Leitourgoi has not this; for the Leitourgoi, as has been said, bend the one of two knees only.