By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

REASONS FOR THE BRACHOS

Generally speaking, there are four reason why the sages initiated the blessings.

1. To thank G-d for the specific item from which one is benefitting. Otherwise, it would be considered as a form of theft.

2. To develop ourselves into Baalei Hakaras HaTov – people that recognize that which others do for us. The Neviim have taught us of the greatest ideals: love, brotherhood, gratitude. However, these thoughts and ideals do not come about instantly as if by magic. They come through many years of hard work. It is no different than a piano player or karate expert. The brachos change us into people who appreciate that which is done for us.

3. To ensure that no matter what we are involved in, we will always be thinking about Hashem – about things far beyond our own small world.

4. To help us develop a unique bond with Hashem called, “Dveikus.” In this bond we attempt to emulate Hashem as well.

BLESSINGS

Bentching after we eat bread is Torah in origin, provided that we ate until we were satisfied. By Rabbinic decree, even if we ate a mere kezayis of bread – we still must bentch. The Rabbis who established the other blessings were Ezra and his Bais Din. They are called the “Anshei Knesses HaGedolah – the Men of the Great Assembly.”

They enacted that every blessing must contain something called “Shaim” and “Malchus.” Shaim is Hashem’s Great name. malchus is the mention of His great Kingdon.

ONE HUNDRED BLESSINGS A DAY

Dovid HaMelech was experiencing a terrible national calamity wherein one hundred people were dying of a plague each day. He discerned that there was lack of Yiras Shamayim, of fear of Heaven. In order to address this problem, he ordained that it was necessary to recite 100 blessings each day. After this was ordained, the plague had stopped. Who is obligated in reciting these 100 blessings? Rav Wolbe zt”l, author of the Alei Shor, writes that women are exempt. He writes that, generally speaking, women have a naturally high level of fear of Heaven.

The Gemorah (Menachos 43b) tells us that the obligation is alluded to in a pasuk in Dvarim (10:12), “V’atta Yisroel, mah Hashem Elokecha sho’el m’imcha” – do not read mah, but read it as me’ah – one hundred.
Rav ‘Bun said that in the future each person is going to have to give an account and reckoning on that which his eyes saw, but he did not eat of.

BRACHA LEVATALA

There is a prohibition to recite something called a Bracha Sh’aina tzricha. There is something that we can call “word evolution” – that is words can take on different meanings and connotations over time. When the Gemorah discusses Bracha sh’aina tzricha it refers to something that we now call a bracha levatalah. A bracha levatalah is a bracha that is COMPLETELY in vain. In other words, it should not be said. Indeed, the Gemorah tells us that whomsoever recites it, it is as if he has violated taking the Name of Hashem in vain.

There seems to be a debate as to whether or not this statement is meant to be taken literally or not. Many Poskim (Mishna Brurah, Mogain Avrohom) understand the Rambam as being of the opinion that a bracha levatalah is actually a Torah prohibition. Tosfos, however, explain that it is a Rabbinic violation. Why was it couched in such a serious terms? In order to emphasize to us how serious we should take it.
Some Poskim (Chazon Ish) suggest that even the Rambam might hold that it is not a biblical prohibition, but rather Rabbinic. Why then does he write that it is biblical? They answer that it is for the same reason that the Gemorah did – to teach us how far we should stay away from it.

BRACHA SH’AINA TZRICHA

There is also, something that we now call a Bracha Sh’aina Tzricha and that is having caused an unnecessary bracha. There are a few examples of this:

1. If someone has fruits in front of him, all of the same blessing, and the person specifically excludes some of the fruits and recites another blessing on those that he excluded.

2. Reciting a bracha achrona, terminating the eating session, and thus having to recite another blessing again.

3. Changing one’s place in a manner that another blessing must be recited.

4. Eating foods of the meal before one has washed.

FIXING A BRACHA LEVATALA

When a bracha levatalah was recited, it is necessary to repair it by saying, “Borcuh Shaim Kvod Malchuso l’olam vo’aid.” This is true even if one merely says the shaim Hashem inappropriately. Indeed, Gedolim have ruled that it must still be said even if one said the shaim hashem in another language. Oh Em ____, is an example.

If one had just said the words, “Boruch atta hashem” he should append the words, “Lamdeini chukecha – which is a pasuk in Tehillim (119:10). Thus he ended up not having said a bracha levatalah.
If he had already pronounced the first three syllables of the next shaim hashem – “elokai” but did not pronounce the fourth syllable of “nu” he should complete it with the words, “Yisroel avinu m’olam v’ad olam.” This would make it a pasuk in Divrei HaYamim I (29:1). The problem is that, it is only the latter half of that pasuk. It begins with the words , “And Dovid haMelech blessed and said:” Therefore, although it may help to reduce the impact of the bracha levatalah, we still recite, “boruch shaim kevod malchuso l’olam vo’ed” afterward.

TOCH KEDAI DIBBUR – HOW LONG?

If one recited an incorrect blessing which would not be effective for that food, it can be corrected if one changes his wording in the time frame called, “toch kedai dibbur.” How long is “toch kedai dibbur?” It is the time that it takes to say (See MB 206:10), “Shalom Alecha Rebbe.” There is a bit of a contradiction in the Mishna Brurah, however. Elsewhere (267:9), he writes that it is the time it takes to say, “Shalom Alecha Rebbe umori.” Most Poskim go with the three word time frame, rather than the four word one. In this author’s experience and experiments, the three word time frame ranges from 1.11 to 1.49 seconds. The “umori” would add .4 of a second.

One of my Rebbeim had posed the following question to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l. Does use, of “uh, uh, uh” extend the time frame of “toch k’dai dibbur?” He responded, in fact, that it does. “This can go on, almost indefinitely,” responded Rav Shlomo Zalman.

The author can be reached at [email protected]