JERUSALEM, Israel – Thousands of Jews flocked to the Western Wall on Monday for the semi-annual priestly blessing in Jerusalem.
The traditional priestly blessing – known in Hebrew as Birkat Kohanim – takes place during the Passover and Sukkot festivals.
In the Book of Numbers, God commands Moses and Aaron to bless the Children of Israel:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
This year’s priestly blessing is split into two events – one on Monday and another on Wednesday – for security purposes and to reduce crowd size.
The event comes amid increased tensions in Jerusalem and recent clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian rioters on the Temple Mount.
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