If he blesses him, then he himself is blessed from above….

Rabbi Yitzchak opened his discourse with the verse: "G‑d has been mindful of us to bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron." (Psalms 115:12) The term for "mindful of us" [in Hebrew, "zachareinu"] shares the same letters as the word "male" ["zachar"] and can be read "G‑d will bless our males". The males were elevated to be counted in the desert and The Holy One Blessed Be He blesses them and adds to that blessing at all times.

Come and see: The person who praises his friend, his children or his property should bless him and then confirm the blessing. We learn this from Moses from the verse "The Lord your G‑d has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day as many as the stars in heaven" (Deut. 1:10). What is written afterwards? "May the Lord G‑d of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous as you are now, and bless you as He has promised you!" (Deut. 1:11) There are two blessings here; the first blessing relates to the large number of the people, that is the first blessing; afterwards, "May you be blessed to become even more numerous", which confirms the first blessing and is a blessing upon a blessing.

When he makes a blessing he should have…a feeling of love in his heart….

If a person recounts the praise of his friend and doesn't confirm that the praise is for a blessing, then that person is ensnared [to his harm] in the spiritual realms first. However, if he blesses him, then he himself is blessed from above. Furthermore he should bless with a good eye and not with a bad [i.e. jealous] eye. In every instance the Holy One, Blessed Be He, wishes that the person blessing has love in his heart for his friend. The Holy One, Blessed Be He, wants the person to bless with good intentions and an expansive heart and with merciful love. How much more so is this valid for one who blesses G‑d! When he makes a blessing he should have a good eye and a good heart and a feeling of love in his heart. This is the reason it is written, "And you shall love the Lord your G‑d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." (Deut. 6:5)

Zohar Page 117b; translation and commentary by Simcha-Shmuel Treister

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