סימן ק סעיף י
בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים מְבָרְכִים אֶת הָעָם, לֹא יַבִּיטוּ וְלֹא יַסִּיחוּ דַּעְתָּם, אֶלָּא יִהְיוּ עֵינֵיהֶם כְּלַפֵּי מַטָּה, כְּמוֹ בַּתְּפִלָּה, וְהָעָם יְכַוְּנוּ לַבְּרָכָה, וְיִהְיוּ פְּנֵיהֶם נֶגֶד פְּנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים, אֲבָל לֹא יִסְתַּכְּלוּ בָּהֶם. וְגַם הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּעַצְמָם לֹא יִסְתַּכְּלוּ בִּידֵיהֶם. וְנָהֲגוּ לְשַׁלְשֵׁל אֶת הַטַּלִּית עַל פְּנֵיהֶם, וִידֵיהֶם חוּץ לַטַּלִּית. וְגַם הַצִּבּוּר מְשַׁלְשְׁלִין אֶת הַטַּלִּיתִים עַל פְּנֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹּא יִסְתַּכְּלוּ.
When the kohanim35Shulchan Aruch 128:23. bless the people, they should not look around, nor should they cause their mind to stray; but their eyes should be directed downward as in prayer.36They are praying that Hashem will bless His people. (Levush) The people should concentrate on the blessing, and face the kohanim, but they should not gaze at them,37Staring at them is forbidden, for you distract yourself from the berachah. Seeing or looking was only forbidden in the Beis Hamikdash, where the Divine Presence rested on their hands at the duchan. Now it is a custom not to look, in remembrance of the Beis Hamikdash. (Magain Avraham, Mishnah Berurah 128:89) The Neziras Shimshon, Zohar says in our times, too, there is Divine Presence on their hands and, out of respect, you should not look. neither should the kohanim gaze at their hands. It is [therefore] their custom to lower the tallis over their faces, extending their hands outside the tallis. The worshippers also lower their tallissim over their faces in order not to gaze at the kohanim.38Darkei Moshe.
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא שנאמר הליכות עולם לו אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות (נדה ע"ג.)