Hashem lifts the inner point

במדרש ישא ה' פניו וכתיב אשר לא ישא פנים כאן כשעושין רצונו של מקום כו'.

In the Midrash: "May Hashem lift His countenance to you" (Bamidbar 6:26) — yet it is written, "Who does not show favor (lift the face)" (Devarim 10:17). Here — when they do the will of the Omnipresent… (Berachos 20b)

The Midrash confronts an apparent contradiction: one verse says Hashem "lifts His face" toward Yisrael, while another says He shows no favoritism. The resolution: He lifts His countenance when they do His will.

וקשה כשעושין רצונו למה נצרך נשיאת פנים.

And it is difficult: when they do His will, why is any "lifting of the face" (favor) needed?

If a person has actually fulfilled Hashem's will, he deserves reward outright — so why should "favor" be necessary at all?

אך ודאי אין להקב"ה לישא פני איש כי אין צריך לכבד שום ברי' כי הוא מלך הכבוד.

But surely the Holy One has no reason to show favor to any man's face, for He need not honor any creature, since He is the King of Glory.

"Lifting the face" cannot mean ordinary favoritism, for Hashem, the King of Glory, owes honor to no created being.

רק מי שיש בו נקודה פנימיות הוא מכיר ונושא פניו ממש דלא כתיב ישא פנים רק ישא פניו כו'.

Rather, one who has within him the inner point — He recognizes it and literally lifts up his face; for it does not say "He lifts faces" but "He lifts his face."

The verse's precise wording — "his face," not "faces" — shows that Hashem responds to the nekudah penimis (the inner point) within the person, recognizing and elevating that inner spark.

והוא שנושא פנים לישראל שהכרת פניהם הוא חיות אלקי ממעל כמ"ש כל רואיהם יכירום כו'.

And this is that He lifts the face of Yisrael, for the look of their faces is Divine vitality from above, as it says: "All who see them will recognize them." (Yeshayahu 61:9)

The "face" of a Jew radiates a Divine life-force from above; Hashem "lifts" precisely this — the holy inner glow that even others can perceive.

ולכן מעט הנקודה זו נותנת כח להאדם שיוכל לגמור.

And therefore this small point gives a person the strength to be able to complete the task.

Even a small awakening of the inner point empowers a person to carry his avodah through to completion.

כי בלי סיוע עליון א"א לתקן מעשיו כמ"ש ז"ל לולי הקב"ה עוזרו כו'.

For without supernal assistance it is impossible to perfect one's deeds, as Chazal said: "Were it not that the Holy One helps him…" (Kiddushin 30b)

No one can overcome the yetzer hara and perfect his actions by his own strength; Chazal teach that without Hashem's help a person could not prevail.

רק פתחו כחודה של מחט כו'.

Only: "Open for Me an opening like the eye of a needle…" (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 5:2)

Hashem asks only that a person make the tiniest opening — an opening as small as a needle's point — and He responds by opening wide gates of help.

וכשעושין רצונו ית'.

And when they do His will —

When a person does even a little to fulfill Hashem's will —

השי"ת נושא פנים ומכיר רצון פנימי של העושה רצונו שיוכל לגמור עבודתו בסיוע ועזר עליון כו'.

Hashem lifts the face and recognizes the inner desire of the one who does His will, so that he can complete his avodah with supernal aid and assistance.

"Lifting the face" means Hashem looks past the limited deed to the inner ratzon (desire) behind it, and grants Heavenly help so the person can finish his service.

והוא הברכה שמברכין ישא פניו שיהי' נחשב לפניו המעט כמ"ש ויהי נועם ה' כו'.

And this is the blessing we bless — "May He lift His countenance" — that the little he does should be esteemed before Him, as it says: "May the pleasantness of Hashem be upon us…" (Tehillim 90:17)

The priestly blessing of "lifting the face" is a prayer that Hashem regard our small efforts as precious, crowning them with His pleasantness.

ופי' בזוה"ק אף דא"י לכוין כראוי השי"ת מצרף מחשבה טובה כו':

And the Zohar explains: even though one cannot have the proper kavanah, Hashem joins a good thought [to the deed]…

Even when we lack full kavanah (intention), Hashem combines our sincere good intention with the act and counts it as complete — this is the deeper sense of His "lifting the face."

Summary: "May Hashem lift His countenance" is not favoritism — rather, Hashem recognizes the inner point and inner desire within a Jew. When a person makes even the smallest opening toward fulfilling Hashem's will, Hashem regards his sincere intention as precious and grants the Heavenly help needed to complete his avodah.