It is a mitzvah to wash one's hands in the morning, both for hygienic and symbolic reasons: the cleansing represents the removal of spiritual impurity. The first blessing ( al netilat yadayim) relates to washing the hands. It is customary to stand while reciting the preliminary blessings. Because the order of the preliminary prayers was never fixed in Jewish law, it differs not only between Ashkenazim and Sephardim, but even between different prayer books of the same liturgy. Even today, some people continue to say the morning blessings either at home or privately at the synagogue. But gradually, as people became less knowledgeable about the blessings, they began to be included in the synagogue service so that the cantor could recite them out loud for those who were not able to recite them on their own. These blessings, which address many aspects of Jewish life, were originally said in the home, not in the synagogue. The morning prayers start with a series of blessings that center around the routine of waking up in the morning. And it is precisely at the moment when our bellies are full and our immediate physical needs have just been satisfied that this reminder is most needed.Jewish Prayers: Table of Contents| Torah Reading| Shema None of these things come to us solely as a result of our personal efforts. It is a reminder to be grateful for all our blessings - not just food, but a healthy planet, loving parents and family, a sufficient livelihood. This is why Grace After Meals is so much longer and broader than the short blessings said before eating. A bountiful meal, elegantly prepared, purchased with one’s own money (or grown in one’s own garden) can lead to a sense of overconfidence in our power. The temptation will be to forget God and revel in the human power over nature. It is precisely at that moment - of abundance, security, satiety - that expressing faith and gratitude become vitally important.Ĭomfort and security, Moses is telling the Jewish people, may be wonderful - but they are also spiritually perilous. They will establish sovereignty, drive out their enemies, plant fields and vineyards in a land God promised will overflow with abundance. Now the Israelites are entering a new period in their history. But reminders of their ultimate dependance on a higher power were often in evidence. None of this prevented the ancient Israelites from going astray (see: calf, golden). There were the miracles surrounding the Exodus - the plagues on Egypt, the splitting of the sea - followed by the revelation at Sinai and the protections afforded during the wandering in the wilderness. These are among his final parting words for a people soon to venture forth without him.įor most of Moses’ period of leadership, God’s authority was routinely and obviously manifest. This amounts to something of a valedictory for Moses, who will not be accompanying his followers to the promised land after leading the Jewish people out of Egypt and through their wanderings in the desert. Moses’ instruction comes in the context of a long speech to the Jewish people prior to their entry into the land of Israel. But the length and breadth of Grace After Meals - particularly compared to the much shorter and more focused blessings the rabbis ordained should be said prior to eating - suggest a larger objective than mere gratitude for food. Food ultimately comes from land, so by thanking God for land, we are implicitly thanking him also for the bounty of the land. The blessing, according to Moses, is not for the food one eats, but “for the good land.” This makes some sense, of course. In Deuteronomy 8:10, Moses delivers this instruction to the Jewish people: “When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.” The simple reason for expanding this prayer beyond food traces to the biblical source of saying Grace After Meals. The remainder thank God for the land of Israel and his general goodness, plead for the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and make a series of requests for livelihood, the coming of the messiah, and more. But it’s not just about food only the first of the set of blessings in the Birkat Hamazon explicitly thank God for food. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help Donateīirkat Hamazon, also known as Grace After Meals, is a series of blessings of thanksgiving recited after eating a meal.
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