המל את הגרים–מברך ברוך אתה ה’ אלוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קידשנו במצוותיו וציוונו למול את הגרים ולהטיף מהן דם ברית, שאלמלא דם ברית, לא נתקיימו שמיים וארץ: שנאמר “אם לא בריתי יומם ולילה–חוקות שמיים וארץ, לא שמתי” The Bracha on Milah for converts and slaves include the Pasuk from Yirmiyah 33:25 “If not for my…
The Mishnah begins its discussion of the Brachot on food with the Blessings before eating. Similarly, it starts by talking about different types of produce, with bread as a subtype of things which grow from the ground. The mishnah asks about blessings on produce, without even mentioning the category of “Birkot Hanaah”, blessings on pleasure/benefit….
ולעולם ייזהר אדם מברכה שאינה צריכה, וירבה בברכות הצריכות; וכן דויד אומר “בכל יום, אברכך; ואהללה שמך, לעולם ועד” תהילים קמה,ב The Rambam concludes the laws of Brachot with a tension underlying the entire area. On the one hand, we want to maximize saying Brachot. As a way of thinking about God every opportunity is…
Just like we say a Bracha before eating we also say one before enjoying pleasant smells (not only at havdala). Even though it is only an enjoyment, and not satisfying a biological need, it still calls upon us to praise God as the creator of the world that we are enjoying. Just like the blessing…
The Mitzva of saying a Bracha forces us to think about and categorize what we are eating. By doing so we not only enjoy it more by paying attention, but also reframe our eating as an act of divine service. By understanding eating as a part of the natural order (albeit with a uniquely human…
