The feeling of our dependence on the goodness of God must constantly be
present to our mind. Whatever we enjoy, be it in the form of eating or
drinking, or some pleasing or remarkable sight, an agreeable smell, a
festivity on a joyful event, or the performance of a Divine commandment
(מצוה); whatever befall us, whether it be pleasant or unpleasant—all
this we consider as sent to us by the Will of the Almighty, and we
express our conviction by a suitable berachah. The general rule is thus
laid down by our Sages: It is unlawful for man to enjoy anything on
earth without previously acknowledging by a berachah that God is the
source whence the enjoyment is derived. For different cases different
forms of “blessings” have been fixed by our Sages. In some cases the
enjoyment is also followed by a prayer of thanksgiving, the most
important being the prayer after meals, called ברכת המזון
“Benediction for food or Grace.” [161] In the Mishnah it is called
“Three Blessings” (שלש ברכות), because it consisted originally of
three paragraphs, each ending with a benediction. The three paragraphs
are the following: (1) ברכת הזן (“Benediction commencing הזן”), in
which we praise God’s providential care of all creatures. (2) הודאה
“Thanksgiving,” or ברכת הארץ (Benediction referring to Palestine). In
this paragraph we offer thanks for our individual sustenance, as well
as for our national gifts: Palestine, the Covenant, and the Law. (3)
Prayer for the restoration of Zion and the rebuilding of the Temple
(בנין ירושלם).—Subsequently a fourth paragraph was added (הטוב
והמטיב “who is good and causes His creatures to be good”) in
commemoration of the relief given to the Jews after the close of the
war with Hadrian. [162]—On certain occasions, e.g., at a wedding
repast, suitable additions are made. Besides these, various
supplications have been added in later times.
There are various short forms of this ברכת המזון; the shortest is
that for children, “Blessed be the Merciful, the Giver of this bread.”
[163]—When three grown-up male persons or more have their meal
together, a special introductory form is used, called זמון “summons
to prayer,” one of the company acting as Reader, and the rest forming
the congregation.
Another form of thanksgiving is the “Abstract of the Three Blessings”
(מעין שלש), consisting of one paragraph which contains the whole of
the Grace in a contracted form, and is used after cake, wine, and the
like.
No restriction is enforced upon us if we desire on our part to give
expression to our feeling of gratitude and reverence toward the
Almighty in our own words on occasions not provided for in the ancient
forms of benedictions and prayers. In order, however, to make a
distinction between the forms of obligatory berachoth fixed by our
Sages and the optional ones introduced by ourselves, we do not employ
the words, “O Lord, our God, King of the Universe,” which are essential
in the former.