Birkat Ha-Mazon for Heilicher בריך רחמנא

ByJacob K

עוֹד לֹא אָכַלְנוּ

עוֹד לֹא שָׁתִינוּ

יָבֵשׁ לָנוּ בַּגָּרוֹן

הָבוּ לָנוּ מַשְׁקֶה

מִיט אַ בִּיסֶל קאַשקע

אָז נשירה וְנָרֹן

עוֹד לֹא אָכַלְנוּ

עוֹד לֹא שָׁתִינוּ

יָבֵשׁ לָנוּ בַּגָּרוֹן

מוּכָנִים כְּבָר אָנוּ

לֶאֱכוֹל כּוּלָנוּ

וְנׁאמָר בְּתֵיאָבוֹן

I think the biggest impact on this unit (aside from making me very hungry during class) was seeing how fortunate i am to get 3 meals a day, and have an abundance of food in my house. I also think that people are starting to appreciate and respect Birkat HaMazon just a little bit more.

More lyrics to songs

https://www.zemereshet.co.il/index.asp?

Thinking about Birkat Ha-Mazon: Please create a text box below this by clicking on the "plus sign" and add your poem, story, song, or a link to your powerpoint below this. Include the names of all the people who worked on it with you. Label it, A Time When I Was (We Were) Really Hungry.

Limericks by Jacob and Shira

It's twelve o’clock and I’m hungry
I hope my stomach’ll set me free
Can’t focus, need food
Don’t really feel good
Please feed me, I might eat my knee

No cannibalism, I’m fine.
Okay, maybe not, I might be lyin’
But I just need to eat
And I think that’d be neat
But it really feels like I’m dyin’

ברכות ל״ט ב:ט׳

א"ר אבא ובשבת חייב אדם לבצוע על שתי ככרות מ"ט (שמות טז, כב) לחם משנה כתיב

Berakhot 39b:9

In connection to the various halakhot with regard to breaking bread, especially on Festivals, the Gemara cites another halakha. Rabbi Abba said: And on Shabbat one is obligated to break bread for the meal over two loaves. What is the reason? Because in the Torah portion that discusses gathering manna on Friday for Shabbat, the phrase: “Twice as much bread” (Exodus 16:22) is written. To commemorate this, Shabbat meals are based on two loaves of bread.

In my family, we have two customs with the challot. First of all, regardedless of whether or not we have challah or not, we always have at least two whole pieces of bread. It could be a challah and a pita, two pieces of pita, a pita and a baguette, but always two whole pieces of bread. Another thing we do is we throw the challah when handing it out. We do this for two reasons. One, its symbolic of the manna we got in the desert. Two, since its Shabbat, we don't want to ask for break like beggars, but receive the bread like kings. Multiple families have adapted this custom because of us.

Is there an symbolism for 2? Such as the 2 tablets? 2 candles? 2 loaves?

For a fascinating read about the rabbis' attitudes about food, why two loaves, and which foods should not be eaten because they will give you bad breath, or even worse, intestinal troubles, go to the source above by clicking on the underlined heading, and read through for a while. You won't be disappointed. Add quotes that you find interesting or intriguing here:

ברכות מ׳ ב:ו׳

בנימין רעיא כרך ריפתא ואמר בריך מריה דהאי פיתא אמר רב יצא והאמר רב כל ברכה שאין בה הזכרת השם אינה ברכה דאמר בריך רחמנא מריה דהאי פיתא

Berakhot 40b:6

Regarding blessings that do not conform to the formula instituted by the Sages, the Gemara relates that Binyamin the shepherd ate bread and afterward recited in Aramaic: Blessed is the Master of this bread. Rav said, he thereby fulfilled his obligation to recite a blessing. The Gemara objects: But didn’t Rav himself say: Any blessing that does not contain mention of God’s name is not considered a blessing? The Gemara emends the formula of his blessing. He said: Blessed is the All-Merciful, Master of this bread.

Doesn't the Kaddish not mention God's name? Yet that blessing is repeated multiple times in multiple different prayer services. Therefore, I think that God's name does not need to be mentioned in a blessing to be valid.

Gigi's comment on this: This is a good point and make a lot of sense. This point changes by view and I agree with it.

ברכות מ׳ ב:ט׳

תנינא ואלו נאמרים בכל לשון פרשת סוטה וידוי מעשר וקריאת שמע ותפלה וברכת המזון אצטריך סד"א הני מילי דאמרה בלשון חול כי היכי דתקינו רבנן בלשון קדש אבל לא אמרה בלשון חול כי היכי דתקינו רבנן בלשון קדש אימא לא קמ"ל:

Berakhot 40b:9

This remains difficult, as we already learned this in a mishna in Sota: And these are recited in any language that one understands: The portion of the swearing of the sota, the confession of the tithes when a homeowner declares that he has given all teruma and tithes appropriately, the recitation of Shema, and the Amida prayer and Grace after Meals. If Grace after Meals is clearly on the list of matters that may be recited in any language, what did Rav teach us? The Gemara answers: Rav’s ruling with regard to Binyamin the Shepherd is necessary, as it might have entered your mind to say: This, the permission to recite Grace after Meals in any language, applies only to a case where one recited it in a secular language, just as it was instituted by the Sages in the holy tongue. However, in a case where one did not recite the blessing in a secular language, just as it was instituted by the Sages in the holy tongue, say that no, he did not fulfill his obligation. Therefore, Rav teaches us that, after the fact, not only is the language not an impediment to fulfillment of his obligation to recite a blessing, the formula is not an impediment either.

I find this interesting, considering I think this might be underestimating God in a way. Are we saying that God can only understand Hebrew, with the exception of these prayers? Isn't the whole point that Judaism is inclusive and you don't have to know Hebrew to pray?