Jewish Temperament

In this week’s Parsha, Naso, we learn about the ברכת כהנים, the priestly blessings. Traditionally, the priests are instructed to bless the Jewish People daily. Nowadays this generally occurs on holidays. The priestly blessings include three specific blessings:

יְבָרֶכְךָ ה’ וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ — May G-d bless you and protect you.
יָאֵר ה’ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ — May G-d shine His countenance toward you and favor you.
יִשָּׂא ה’ פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם — May G-d lift His countenance toward you and grant you peace.

The בעל הטורים, a commentary on the Torah, correlates these three blessings to the forefathers: Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. It becomes clear, then, that these three blessings are also related to temperament.

The first blessing is the blessing of Avraham, the Artisan. It says in the verse “וה’ ברך את אברהם בכל” — G-d blessed Avraham with everything. In a similar vein, the commentaries explain that the first blessing, יברכך, refers to acquiring — and retaining — physical possessions.
Artisans, concrete as they are, seek physical stimulation in all things. Artisans have a tendency to acquire tangible things they can touch, feel, smell, taste. To an Artisan, the more they have, the more they own, the more they can touch, the bigger their world is. In Sefirot as well, the Artisan sits on the right path, the path of expansion, expanding their world at an ever-increasing pace.
In the first blessing of the priestly blessings, we receive the ability to influence as many physical items as possible, connecting them to G-d and imbuing them with G-d’s presence.

The second blessing is that of Yitzchak, the Guardian. A little known story about Yitzchak is that when he was being sacrificed by his father on the altar, his soul departed from the sheer trauma of the event. G-d had to bring the “shine” back to his eyes, bring his life back to him, so he could continue his mission in the world. That is the reference in the second blessing of G-d’s countenance “shining” toward us. On a more practical level, the commentaries explain, the second blessing alludes to spiritual growth, represented by both the “shining” light as well as “favor” mentioned in the blessing.
Guardians, explains Keirsey, have naturally low self-confidence. Fitting cleanly with the left path of the Sefirot, they don’t feel like they are very deserving without actually earning it. Many Guardians, in fact, would much rather begin at the bottom rung than at the top rung, if only to be able to climb the ladder and personally attain a level of authority and respectability. To a Guardian, self-worth is a life-long Avodah (labor), becoming ever-more respectable with their hard work.
In the second blessing, we receive the blessing of the Guardian: a life-long personal and spiritual ascent toward becoming more and more deserving of G-d’s countenance and His favor.

The third blessing belongs to Yaakov, the Idealist. Just as it says in the blessing that G-d will “lift His countenance”, so is the expression used that Yaakov “lifted his feet” to travel to his uncle. In the third blessing, we ask G-d to reach higher than even His name, to draw down the greatest blessing of all: peace. In fact, Rashi states that Yaakov specifically requested this particular blessing, after a lifetime of struggles, asking G-d for tranquility.
Keirsey calls Idealists “harmonizers”. Interestingly, Idealists live a most struggling life, always trying to bridge the gap between the way they perceive themselves and their need to be authentic. Idealists often berate themselves for negative thoughts and feelings they might have toward others, and in fact, feel pain whenever and wherever cruelty is to be found. If an Idealist were to be given a single wish that they could make come true, they would almost certainly wish for peace.
With the third blessing, we receive the ability to harmonize; for ourselves, for our families and friends, and peace and harmony for the world over. And as harmony goes, we need to reach deeper than the two sides to bring them peace. In the case of the priestly blessings, in order to bring harmony between the first blessing — physical possessions, and the second blessing — the spirituality of G-d’s countenance, we must reach even deeper than spirituality, into G-d Himself, to achieve true peace and harmony. And in Avodah, this refers to studying Torah, the harbinger of peace, along with the G-dly teachings of Chassidus.

And what of the Rational‘s blessing? Well, what do you think? Offer your thoughts in the comments.