Mishnah Mondays: Blessing Bee Bootcamp
(י) וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃

When you have eaten, and been satisfied, give thanks to the Eternal your God for the good land which God has given you.

אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא: כׇּל הַנֶּהֱנֶה מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה כְּאִילּוּ גּוֹזֵל לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״גּוֹזֵל אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר אֵין פָּשַׁע חָבֵר הוּא לְאִישׁ מַשְׁחִית״. וְאֵין ״אָבִיו״ אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֲלֹא הוּא אָבִיךְ קָּנֶךָ״, וְאֵין ״אִמּוֹ״ אֶלָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ וְאַל תִּטּוֹשׁ תּוֹרַת אִמֶּךָ״.

Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: Anyone who derives benefit from this world without a blessing, it is as if he stole from God and the community of Israel, as it is stated: “Whoever robs their father and their mother and says: It is no transgression, they are the companions of a destroyer” (Proverbs 28:24). The phrase, their father, refers to none other than God, as it is stated: “Is God not your Father Who created you, Who made you and established you” (Deuteronomy 32:6). The phrase their mother refers to none other than the community of Israel, as it is stated: “Hear, my child, the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the Torah of your mother” (Proverbs 1:8).

(א) כֵּיצַד מְבָרְכִין עַל הַפֵּרוֹת. עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן אוֹמֵר, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ, חוּץ מִן הַיַּיִן, שֶׁעַל הַיַּיִן אוֹמֵר בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן. וְעַל פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ אוֹמֵר בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, חוּץ מִן הַפַּת, שֶׁעַל הַפַּת הוּא אוֹמֵר הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ. וְעַל הַיְרָקוֹת אוֹמֵר בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי דְשָׁאִים:

(1) How do they bless over fruit? Over fruit of the tree one says, “Who creates the fruit of the tree,” except for wine, over which one says, “Who creates the fruit of the vine.” Over produce from the ground one says: “Who creates the fruit of the ground,” except over bread, over which one says, “Who brings forth bread from the earth.” Over vegetables one says, “Who creates the fruit of the ground.” Rabbi Judah says: “Who creates diverse species of herbs.”

(יא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ דֶּ֔שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃ (יב) וַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּ֠שֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֙רַע֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃
(11) And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation: seed-bearing plants, fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. (12) The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that this was good.

(ב) בֵּרַךְ עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, יָצָא. וְעַל פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ, לֹא יָצָא. עַל כֻּלָּם אִם אָמַר שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיָה, יָצָא:

(2) If one blessed over fruit of the tree the blessing, “Who creates the fruit of the ground,” one has fulfilled one's obligation. But if one said over produce from the ground, “Who creates the fruit of the tree,” one has not fulfilled one's obligation. If over anything one says “By Whose word all things exist”, one has fulfilled one's obligation.

(ג) עַל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין גִּדּוּלוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל. עַל הַחֹמֶץ וְעַל הַנּוֹבְלוֹת וְעַל הַגּוֹבַאי אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל. עַל הֶחָלָב וְעַל הַגְּבִינָה וְעַל הַבֵּיצִים אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל שֶׁהוּא מִין קְלָלָה אֵין מְבָרְכִין עָלָיו:

(3) Over anything which does not grow from the earth one says: “By Whose word all things exist.” Over vinegar, fallen unripe fruit and locusts one says, “By Whose word all things exist.” Over milk and cheese and eggs one says, “By Whose word all things exist.” R. Judah says: over anything which is cursed they do not bless at all.

#blacklivesmatter