The Ethics, and Blessings, of Eating

The verse which states "Take for yourself from all that is edible" is said in the language that implies one who feeds others. This is explained in the Midrash which states, "The woman that was given to me gave me (fruit) from the tree (and I eat)." The past tense, I ate, was not used in the verse. The Midrash teaches a general rule that through eating,a Jew eats in the manner of fixing the flaw of Adam HaRishon that was made through his eating. This fixing is done by way of the mitzvot that Jews do when eating, which are blessings said of one's food and other blessings said in regards to food before consumption. Therefore, the reason why the verse says "I eat" and not "I ate" implies that an element of Adam's original eating continues to this day. Thus through the consciousness of our eating, we can repair that which was flawed before.

And God blessed Noah and his sons, and He said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. And your fear and your dread shall be upon all the beasts of the earth and upon all the fowl of the heaven; upon everything that creeps upon the ground and upon all the fish of the sea, [for] they have been given into your hand[s]. Every moving thing that lives shall be yours to eat; like the green vegetation, I have given you everything. [Chabad Online Translation]

Every creature that lives shall be yours to eat; as with the green grasses, I give you all these. You must not, however, eat flesh with its life-blood in it. [JPS translation]

A person should not taste anything before blessing, as it says “To God is the land, and God fills it.” One who benefits from this world without blessing has stolen from God, until [one performs] all the commandments which permit the food to that person. A person should only use their face, hands, and feet for the honor of the Creator, as it says, “All acts of God are for God’s sake.” [Translation by Uri L’Tzedek. Edited for gender neutrality]

Our Rabbis have taught: It is forbidden to a person to enjoy anything of this world without a blessing, and if anyone enjoys anything of this world without a blessing, that person commits sacrilege. What is the remedy? They should consult a wise person. But what will the wise person do? The person has already committed the offence! Raba said: What this means is that one should consult a wise person beforehand, so that the wise person would teach them blessings, so that they should not commit sacrilege. [translation by Hazon. Edited for gender neutrality]

How does one recite blessings for fruits? For fruits growing on a tree, one says, "...Who creates the fruit of the tree," Except for wine; For wine, one says, "...Who creates the fruit of the vine." For fruits growing from the earth, one says, "...Who creates the fruit of the ground," Except for bread; For bread, one says, "...Who brings forth bread from the earth." For vegetables, one says, "...Who creates the fruit of the ground." Rabbi Yehudah says: One should say instead, "...Who creates various types of herbs." [Translation by Kayam Farms]

If they brought before one types of desserts, one recites over them the blessing, 'Creator of types of sweets;' over edible seeds one recites, 'Creator of types of seeds;' and over other herbs one recites, 'Creator of types of herbs;' and over greens one recites, 'Creator of the fruit of the ground.' Rabbi Judah says: [One recites,] 'Blessed are You Whose word the earth sprouts.' Rabbi Meir says: Even if one saw a loaf [of bread] and said, 'Blessed are You Who created this loaf, how nice it is,' that serves as its blessing. If one saw figs and said, 'Blessed are You Who created these figs, how nice they are," that serves as their blessing. Rabbi Yose says: Anyone who departs from the formula which the sages established for blessings has not fulfilled one's obligation. [translation by Hazon. Edited for gender neutrality]