What is "Barech Hashem Cheilo" referring to?
Rashi: When Moshe foresaw that twelve B'nei Chashmonai and Elazar would take on the Greek army comprising tens of thousands of troops, he Davened "Barech Hashem Cheilo... Mechatz Mosnayim Kamav u'Mesanav... ".
Ramban #1: It is referring to their numbers - a prayer that the tribe of K'has should not diminish when they enter the Kodesh. 1
Ramban #2 (citing Targum Onkelos) and Targum Yonasan: It is referring to their property 2 3 4 - a prayer for their wealth 5 to increase (because they give T'rumas Ma'aser - Targum Yonasan).
Seforno: May Hashem bless their property - in that they require only a minimal effort in earning their Parnasah, to enable them to spend their time learning Torah and teaching it.
Rosh (in Pasuk 9): It refers to Aharon, who stopped the plague via Ketores. "u'Fo'al Yadav Tirtzeh" - through the Ketores, he atoned for Yisrael. "Mechatz Mosnayim Kamav" - he grasped the angel of death by the legs, and held him back.
Makos 12a: It teaches us that, if a Kohen who served is found to be a Chalal (his mother was forbidden to Kehunah, or he descends from such a Kohen), Bedi'eved his Avodah is Kosher - even Chalalim, ("u'Fo'al Yadav Tirtzeh", their deeds are accepted). 6
Ramban: See Bamidbar, 4:18, 19.
Ramban: Following the mention of the Ketores in the previous Pasuk, it is referring to the B'rachah that accompanies the bringing of the Ketores - Refer to 33:11:1.1:1. See also Ba'al ha'Turim on Pasuk 9, DH 'Yasimu Ketorah'.
Ramban (citing the Sifri): From this Pasuk, Chazal extrapolated that the majority of Kohanim were wealthy.
Targum Yonasan: With reference to the Levi'im, who give the Kohanim T'rumas Ma'aser - See Na'ar Yonasan and Nos'ei K'lei Yonasan.
Ramban: As in Bamidbar 31:9.
See Torah Temimah, note 35.
What is the significance of the juxtaposition of "Barech Hashem Cheilo" to "Yasimu Ketorah be'Apecha"?
Yoma, 27a: It teaches us that the Ketores caused the Kohen who brought it to become rich. 1
See Torah Temimah, note 34.
What is the significance of the juxtaposition of "u'Fo'al Yadav Tirtzeh" to "Barech Hashem Cheilo"?
Kidushin, 66b: Interpreting "Cheilo" from a Lashom of Chulin, 1 it teaches us that (Bedi'eved) the Avodah of a ben Gerushah or a ben Chalutzah who serves on the Mizbe'ach is Kasher.
See Torah Temimah, note 35.
What is "u'Fo'al Yadav Tirtzeh" referring to?
Seforno and Targum Onkelos: It is a Tefilah that Hashem should accept the Avodah of the Levi'im in the Beis-Hamikdash with goodwill. 1
Targum Yonasan: 'Accept the Korban that Eliyahu the Kohen will bring on Mount Carmel'. 2
Refer to 33:11:1:4 & 5.
What is the translation of "M'chatz Mosnayim Kamav"?
Rashi and Targum Onkelos: 'Smite the loins of those who rise against [the Kehunah].' 1
Rosh: Refer to 33:11:1:5.
Targum Yonasan: 'Break the loins of Achav, [Eliyahu's] hater, and the altars of the false prophets who stand against him',
Rashi: As in Tehilim, 69:24.
Whom are "Kamav and "Mesan'av" referring to?
Targum Yonasan: and do not give the haters of Yochanan Kohen Gadol a leg to stand on. 1
Targum Yonasan does not diferentite between the words "Kamav" and "Mesan'av".
What are the implications of the words "min Yekumun"?
Rashi: It implies that the enemy should fall and not be able to rise.
Seforno: It implies that all those who threaten the Kehunah should be stopped in their tracks - like Korach, whom the earth swallowed up, and King Uziyah, who was struck with Tzara'as - when they threatened the Kehunah Gedolah. 1
Targum Yonasan: Refer to 33:11:4:2.
Seforno: See Oznayim la'Torah who elaborates.
