BLESS YOU!

“When you shall conclude to tithe all the tithes of your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you gave it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the orphan, and to the widow and they ate within your gates and were satisfied. You shall say before the Lord your God: I have disposed of the consecrated [produce] from my house; and also I gave them to the Levite, and to the stranger, to the orphan, and to the widow, in accordance with all Your commandments that You commanded me. I did not violate any of Your commandments, and I did not forget.” (Devarim 26:12-13)

In the fourth year of the agricultural cycle in Israel, every farmer was required to remove any outstanding tithes from his home and to recite a passage known as viduy ma’aser, the confession of the tithe. In the confession, he would state that he gave the tithes to the correct recipients in the proper order and that he did not use the tithes for other purposes, even to buy shrouds for an indigent person who had passed away.  He would also say that he did not separate the tithes in a state of impurity or consume any of the tithes while he was in mourning. One of the statements the farmer made was “and I did not forget.” What did he not forget? The Sifrei (cited by Rashi) explains, “I did not forget to bless You and to mention Your Name upon it [the separating of the tithes]”. The farmer affirms before God that he blessed Him while setting aside the tithes. The exact wording of this blessing is not prescribed by the Torah – as long as the farmer praised God. However, in the times of the Second Temple, the Men of the Great Assembly formulated the blessings for separating tithes as they did all the other blessings that we recite. 

Rambam (Hilchot Brachot 1:1-5) provides a wonderful introduction to the laws of blessings, which are such a vital aspect of Jewish life, as we shall see below: “It is a positive mitzvah from the Torah to bless [God] after eating satisfying food, as [Devarim 8:10] states: ‘When you have eaten and are satiated, you shall bless God, your Lord.’ …Similarly, the Rabbis ordained that we recite blessings before partaking of any food. Even when one wants to eat the slightest amount of food or drink, one should recite a blessing, and then derive benefit from it. Similarly, when smelling a pleasant fragrance, one should recite a blessing and then smell. Anyone who derives benefit [from this world] without reciting a blessing is considered as if he misappropriated a sacred article. The Rabbis also ordained that one should recite a blessing after eating or drinking… Just as we recite blessings for benefit which we derive from the world, we should also recite blessings for each mitzvah before we fulfill it. Similarly, the Sages instituted many blessings as expressions of praise and thanks to God and as a means of petition, so that we will always remember the Creator, even though we have not received any benefit or performed a mitzvah. Thus, all the blessings can be divided into three categories: a) blessings over benefit; b) blessings over mitzvoth; c) blessings recited as expressions of praise and thanks to God and as a means of petition, so that we will always remember the Creator and fear Him. The text of all the blessings was ordained by Ezra and his court [The Men of the Great Assembly]. It is not fit to alter it, to add to it, or to detract from it. Whoever alters the text of a blessing from that ordained by the Sages is making an error…”

In his usual, meticulous manner, the Rambam categorises all blessings into three groups: blessings recited before (and after) physical enjoyment, such as eating, drinking or smelling fragrances; blessings recited before performing mitzvoth and blessings of praise and thanks. It is relatively simple to identify into which category a blessing falls  by examining the wording. Thus, a blessing for a mitzvah will have the phrase, “Who has made us holy through His commandments and has commanded us to…” A blessing before receiving physical benefit will itemise the food, drink or fragrance, for example, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates fruit of the vine” or “…who creates fragrant trees.” The final category contains many blessings, some of which are recited daily (such as “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who dresses the naked” or “…who gives the heart understanding to distinguish day from night”) and some of which are recited occasionally, such as when one experiences certain natural phenomena (such as seeing a rainbow: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who remembers the covenant, is faithful to the covenant, and fulfils His word” or when purchasing a new, significant garment or partaking of seasonal fruits, “…who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time.”) In most siddurim, there will be several pages where these three types of blessing are listed, usually under the same headings mentioned by the Rambam (see, for example, the Artscroll siddur pages 224-230 and the Koren siddur, pages 994-1005).

There are many rules and conditions that govern the recitation of blessings. For example, a blessing for physical benefit is recited before one partakes of the food and drink. Likewise, a blessing for a mitzvah is recited immediately before performing the mitzvah, with only some exceptions, such as the blessing for washing hands and for lighting the Shabbat candles, both of which are recited after performing the action.  Blessings of praise and thanks are perforce recited after experiencing the natural phenomena. One cannot make a blessing on thunder before one has heard it or on the ocean before seeing it. There are also rules regarding how often a blessing is recited, for example, one who sees lofty mountains will only make a blessing after thirty days have elapsed since he last beheld them. Another issue relating to blessings is which blessing takes priority. For example, if one is having coffee and a biscuit, does one recite the blessing on the coffee first or on the biscuit first? Moreover, there are times when one blessing “covers” another. Thus, if one is having a meal with bread, as a general rule, the blessing recited over the bread will cover all other food types eaten at the meal, such as salad, meat and vegetables. These laws are quite intricate, hence the Talmud (Brachot 50a) states, “From the style of one’s blessings it is obvious whether or not one is a Torah scholar.”

In the Talmud (Bava Kama 30a), there is a discussion about which area of Jewish learning one should focus on in order to become a chasid, a pious person. One opinion is to focus on the teachings in Pirkei Avot; a second is to be scrupulous in the laws of nezikin, damages, and a third urges one to become proficient in the laws of blessings. The Maharal (introduction to Derech HaChaim) explains that each of these opinions is emphasising a different relationship. A Jew must foster healthy relationships with God, with people and with himself. Pirkei Avot, which deals with personal growth and ethics, will allow one to achieve self-actualisation. The laws of damages, which regulate the way in which we interact with others and their property, will help one to achieve piety in the area of human relationships. And finally, the laws of blessings will assist one in achieving a positive relationship with Hashem. It is impossible to develop a bond with someone if one does not communicate regularly with them. When a Jew recites blessings constantly and consistently, he is connecting to God many times during the day. He becomes more aware of the beauty of God’s creation, of nature, of the human body and of Hashem’s kindness. It is our way of saying thank you to God for all He has done and will do for us.

Lee, Chani Merryl and Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom!   

Rabbi Liebenberg Link to Rabbi’s YouTube message for Shabbat: https://youtu.be/ESJaXmaXRuU?si=znDk5KAyJ1i7MrhV