In this post and the next, we’ll take a brief look at blessings used in Judaism. In this part we’ll look at the general blessing. In part two, we’ll look at the blessings when reading Torah. And as before, hover your cursor over the Hebrew word or sentence to look at the pronunciation.
What do the words “knees” and “pool” have in common? They remind us of the nature and purpose of a blessing in Judaism. When you want to show honor to someone important – a king, a queen, a president, you bend your knee to show this honor. When you jump into a pool, the cool (or cold!) water surrounds you and shocks you and wakes you up.
When you look around at the different blessings and things of creation surrounding us, is shocks us and wakes us up to the creations of God. You show God honor by reciting a בְרָכָה.
A בְרָכָה is not just a little thing to show appreciation for something. A בְרָכָה is for showing appreciation and joy for what it is the Divine One has given and provided.
The Basic Blessing
To start a בְרָכָה, you must begin with a formula that has three parts:
1. בָּרוּךְ – This indicates you’re about to offer praise and blessings
2. אתָּה יָי – ” you God” – this shows that you are directing the praise and blessings to God.
3. אֳלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם … – Ruler of the Cosmos – You are acknowledging God as a universal God of all peoples.
All together, it is בָּרוּךְ אתָּה יָי אֳלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם …
After this introduction, you would add the blessing that is specific to the occasion. Let’s take a look at some:
Before eating bread
בָּרוּךְ אתָּה יָי אֳלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמּצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ.
(Blessed are You our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth).
Witnessing the wonder of nature
This blessing is said upon witnessing something wonderful about creation – a bolt of lightning, a high mountain, even the stars at night.
בָּרוּךְ אתָּה יָי אֳלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית.
(Blessed are You our God, King of the Universe, who makes the works of Creation).
Before drinking wine
בָּרוּךְ אתָּה יָי אֳלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן.
(Blessed are You our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine).
For special occasions
This blessing is used for occasions like birthdays, wedding anniversaries or even the first sweet fruits of the season:
בָּרוּךְ אתָּה יָי אֳלוֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֳיָנוּ וקִיּמָנוּ והִגִּיעָנוּ לֳזמֳן הֳזֶּה.
(Blessed are You our God, King of the Universe, who keeps us alive and supports the unfolding of our uniqueness and brings us to this very moment for blessings.).
These are just a few of the many blessings you may hear. Feel free to use them, and any others you may hear, learn them and use them too. In the next post, we’ll learn about blessings recited before and after reading the Torah in Synagogue.
