"Baruch ata Hashem? – How can we bestow blessings on Hashem?

Rabbi Miller, tz’l says that the above IS the basic pshat that was intented in the original words. the explanation above is how to teich those words. You are Blessed, meaning Blessing comes from you.

I guess like you are light, light comes from you, dont really know how to explain the teich myself but this is what R’M,tz’l says.

ive heard it in his tapes im sure it is also in Praise My Soul”

i have also heard from other reliable sources that this is the basic pshat, but i think others argue on this.

i dont know

i imagine the n’veim could explain it to you

nothing in the torah if extra, if it says it there it’s meant to be there, so just say it and and have kavana that your going to eat something from the ribono shel olem. and then enjoy the food to it’s fullest. hearty appetete!

As I usually do when I feel he has a unique (or perhaps not so unique, but useful) insight into an issue raised in the CR, I’ll try to convey R. S.R. Hirsch’s approach to Brachos.

R. Hirsch viewed the word “bracha” as related to “beraichayim” – knees. In his view, the purpose of a bracha is not for the giver to actually bestow the content of the bracha on the recipient. Rather, the purpose of a bracha is to make a definite mission statement that the giver or recipient is to internalize and strive to realize.

When we say “Baruch Atah Hashem . . .” we are not blessing God. Rather we are verbalizing a state or self-realization that we should internalize. Before we do a mitzva, we are to verbalize and strive to really appreciate why we are doing the mitzva – “asher kidishanu b’mitzvosav . . .” (exactly what that means is another long discussion). When we eat somthing, we must verbalize and internalize the idea of where it comes from, why we are eating it, and what the fact that the food is available to us means in terms of how we should utilize it in accordance with the Torah. When we are mispallel (which R. Hirsch understands to mean an act of self-reflection and self-judgement), we verbalize and hopefully internalize the idea of where our health, wealth, security, intellect, ect. comes from, what we need to be doing in order to merit these gifts, and how we are to use them once they are given to us.

Thus, Baruch Atah Hashem – You Hashem (middas harachamim) set goals and objectives for us, Elokeinu Melech haolam – You God (midas hadin) evaluate us based on our realization and fulfillment of these goals, then the rest of the bracha, which verbalizes the goal He has set for us in the particular circumstance (a mitzva, eating a food, ect.), and urges us to fully internalize the import of this goal and strive to accomplish it in our everyday life.

I once met the CEO of GM, I said, “You are a car”.

thats exactly what Atah Rachum and Atah Gibor means. You and only you are the source of all Rachamim and Gevurah

the question (like most questions) has its source in lack of knowledge. i personally have no difficulty whatsoever with the answer(s)

“Ata gibor” means you are a gibor. While Hashem may be the source of gevura, that is not what we are praising him for. The evidence is from the examples we give: rofeh cholim, matir assurim… We don’t say ata gibor, and then speak about Napoleon and ascribe it to Hashem- that, while true, is not the point of that praise.

read “Praise My Soul” if youre interested

i dont think youre going to understand this from the CR

Oh please, this is not so difficult. We are acknowledging that Hashem is Blessed, not that WE are blessing Him! Let’s say that “baruch” transalated to “wonderful” or “sweet” instead of “blessed.” The it would be like saying, “You are wonderful, Hashem, You are sweet, Hashem, ” or, as in the actual meaning of the word, “You are blessed, Hashem.” Hashem is our greated bracha in life.

Yes. Thank you for finding that.

I’m still not 100% satisfied. Doesn’t it bother you that chazal would choose such an odd way for us to express ourselves?

Anything I don’t do is odd.

It would be interesting.

No, the bracha hamotzi makes sense. It is a praise for Hashem who produces bread from the earth, in the form of grain.

Besides, I have probably eaten bread off the ground in my day.

I need to think about it.

I am a Rabbi. Yoreh Yadin.

What happened, you’re stumped?

Anyhow, B”H I got to a Rashba Chiddushei Aggados. He explains that Hashem speaks to us in a manner of begging us to live up to his expectations, as though it affects Him, Chalila. Therefore, Chazal also say that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is Mispalel. This means that He wants things to turn out good. Of course, the ball is in our hands, but Hashem wants us to be holy and righteous so that He can bestow His blessings, protection, closeness, good will and peace.

Hakadosh Baruch Hu asked Rebbe Yishmael to give Him a Bracha. Rebbe Yishmael’s Bracha was that Hashem should have pity on His children. This is what Hashem wants.

Although you might be wondering, what good is Rebbe Yishmael’s Bracha, doesn’t it depend on the merits of Klal Yisroel? To this the Rashba says that a Teffila of a Tzaddik can help. So in other words, Rebbe Yishmael Davened to Hashem that things should be good for His children, and that prayer was accepted as a Bracha.

The Aruch Hashulchan that Reb popa mentioned, is connecting this concept to Brachos in general. (The Rashba also says that that Gemara holds the key to Brachos in general.) By acknowledging that Hashem is Baruch; by attributing to Him that title and giving that praise, we are in essence giving Him our acknowledgement. When we do this and connect to, by recognizing, Hashem’s open hand, that causes more Brachos to come. But moreover, this is what Hashem wants.

WIY, I will now address my troubles with the contents of your response, which, had you read my comments objectively, would have, I believe precountered some of you contentions. We say “Borchu es Hashem Hamvorach”-what does Borchu mean in this context?-it is a command for the tsibbur to do something related to the word Boruch-what, if not to bless Hashem, is the command?- Hashem asked Reb Yishmoel to bless Him-Well, I guess you have to tell Hashem that He doesnt understand Hashem, because Hashem doesnt need blessing, so how could Hashem ask someone to bless Hashem-glad you know more than Hashem about Hashem!! The contsruct of the word Baruch is the same as the construct of the word Kasuv-just like it seems to think that the words that are written are the source of all words, then it seems equally innacurate to say that the word Baruch means source of all blessing.

EDITED

WIY-for some reason you are not addressing my issues,so I will try to lay it out simply, and, if you are going to respond, then perhaps respond point by point.

1-Kasuv means “is written”, does it not?-If so, then how does “baruch”, which is the same construct, not mean “is blessed”?-dont tell me that it doesnt, tell me HOW it doesnt.

2-“Barchu” is the command form of the imperfect plural form of a the verb Baruch-either show me that it is NOT the imperfect (future) command plural form of the verb, or, explain to me how commanding a tsibur to Bless is NOT commanding them to give Hashem a blessing.

3-What did Hashem mean when He asked R Yishmoel to bless Him, if He didnt mean to bless Him?-

Perhaps answering the details of the questions might make the answers more understandable.

And, although my response was edited by the editor earlier, with the ideal to “keep the peace”, I dont think you should call another Jew’s thoughts comical or insane. My response was much harsher, but the editor, with wisdom I suppose, edited them out.