אורח חיים ר״אOrach Chayim 201

Se’if 1א׳

גָּדוֹל מְבָרֵךְ, אֲפִלּוּ בָּא בַּסוֹף; וְאִם רָצָה לִתֵּן רְשׁוּת לַקָּטָן לְבָרֵךְ, רַשַּׁאי; וְהָנֵי מִלֵּי כְּשֶׁאֵין שָׁם אוֹרֵחַ, אֲבָל אִם יֵשׁ שָׁם אוֹרֵחַ, הוּא מְבָרֵךְ אֲפִלּוּ אִם בַּעַל הַבַּיִת גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת. וּמַה בְּרָכָה מְבָרְכוֹ, יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁלֹּא יֵבוֹשׁ וְלֹא יִכָּלֵם בַּעַל הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה לֹא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְלֹא בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְיַצְלִיחַ בְּכָל נְכָסָיו, וְיִהְיוּ נְכָסָיו מֻצְלָחִים וּקְרוֹבִים לָעִיר, וְלֹא יִשְׁלֹּט שָׂטָן בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יָדָיו, וְאַל יִזְדַּקֵּק לְפָנָיו שׁוּם דְּבַר חֵטְא וְהִרְהוּר עָוֹן מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם. וְאִם בַּעַל הַבַּיִת רוֹצֶה לְוַתֵּר (פֵּרוּשׁ שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְהַקְפִּיד) עַל בִּרְכָּתוֹ, וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן בְּעַצְמוֹ, רַשַּׁאי. הַגָּה: וְהוּא הַדִּין שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִתֵּן לְבָרֵךְ לְמִי שֶׁיִּרְצֶה (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד).

The greatest one blesses, even if he came at the end; and if he wishes to give permission to the lesser one to bless, he may. And these words apply when there is no guest there; but if there is a guest there, he blesses, even if the householder is greater than he, so that he may bless the householder. And with what blessing does he bless him? "May it be Your will that this householder not be put to shame and not be humiliated, neither in this world nor in the world to come; and may he prosper in all his possessions, and may his possessions be prosperous and near to the town; and may Satan have no power over the works of his hands; and may there not spring up before him any matter of sin or thought of iniquity, from now and for ever." And if the householder wishes to forgo (that is, he does not want to be particular about) his blessing and to recite the Grace after Meals himself, he may. Hagah [Rema]: And the same is the law that he may give it to whomever he wishes to bless (Beit Yosef in the name of Ohel Moed).

Se’if 2ב׳

לֹא יַקְדִּים חָכָם יִשְׂרָאֵל לְכֹהֵן עַם הָאָרֶץ לְבָרֵךְ לְפָנָיו דֶּרֶךְ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט כְּהֻנָּה, אֲבָל לָתֵת לוֹ הֶחָכָם רְשׁוּת שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ, אֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם; אֲבָל כֹּהֵן תַּלְמִיד חָכָם מִצְוָה לְהַקְדִּימוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ (וַיִּקְרָא כא, ח) לִפְתֹּחַ רִאשׁוֹן וּלְבָרֵךְ רִאשׁוֹן וְע"ל סִימָן קס"ז (סי"ד).

A sage who is an Israelite should not give precedence to a priest who is an am ha-aretz (one unlearned in the Torah) to bless before him by way of the statute and right of the priesthood; but for the sage to give him permission to bless — there is nothing in that. But a priest who is a Torah scholar — it is a commandment to give him precedence, as it is said: "and you shall sanctify him" (Leviticus 21:8) — to open first and to bless first. And see above, siman 167 (se'if 14).

Se’if 3ג׳

מִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנִים לוֹ לְבָרֵךְ וְאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ, מְקַצְּרִים יָמָיו.

One to whom they give the honour of blessing and he does not bless — his days are shortened.