Many have the custom to give their children a blessing before they sit down to the Friday night Shabbos meal.  We place our hands on our children's head and wish our daughters to be like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah and our sons to be like Ephraim and Menashe and conclude with the Priestly blessings. Why do we give this blessing on Friday night?  Why do we compare compare our daughters to the Mothers of the Jewish nation but our sons to Ephraim and Menashe (Joseph's sons) and not to the forefathers?  Why do we add the priestly blessing?  How can a non-priest say the priestly blessings? For an answer to all these questions and a deeper understanding of birchas habonim, the blessing of our children, check out episode 57. Happy Listening! Rabbi Moshe To sponsor a podcast or make a tax-deductible donation to support this podcast and DATA of Richardson go to: https://thethinkingjew.com/support-us/ To contact me, please email [email protected] All the sources quoted in this podcast can be viewed on this source sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/372250?lang=bi