Where does Birkat come from?

The scriptural source for the requirement to say birkat hamazon is Deuteronomy 8:10 “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the L-RD your G-d for the good land which He gave you”.

 

Birkat Hamazon is made up of four blessings:

 

1. The first blessing, which is a blessing of thanks for the food was, according to tradition, composed by Moses in gratitude for the manna which the Jews ate in the wilderness during the Exodus from Egypt.

 

2. The second blessing, which is a blessing of thanks for the Land of Israel, is attributed to Joshua after he led the Jewish people into Israel.

 

3. The third blessing, which concerns Jerusalem, is ascribed to David (who established the capital to Jerusalem) and Solomon (who built the Temple in Jerusalem). These three blessings are regarded as required by scriptural law.

 

4. The fourth blessing, a blessing of thanks for God's goodness, was written by Rabban Gamlielin Yavneh. The obligation to recite this blessing is regarded as Rabbinic only.

 

After these four blessings, are a series of short prayers, each beginning with the word Harachaman ("The merciful one...") which ask for God's compassion.

 

Additional sections are added on special occasions. On Jewish holidays, the extra paragraph of Ya'aleh VeYavo is added and onShabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) there is an extra paragraph added known as Retzeh. On Hanukkah and Purim, the extra paragraph Al HaNissim ("for the miracles...") is added.

 

There are several known texts for Birkat Hamazon. The most widely available is the Ashkenazic. There are also Sephardic,Yemeniteand Italian versions. All of these texts follow the same structure described above, but the wording varies. In particular, the Italian version preserves the ancient practice of commencing the paragraph inserted on Shabbat with Nachamenu.

 

Preliminary psalms

Widely practiced when Birkat Hamazon is recited on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, is the custom in some communities to first sing or recite as an introduction Psalm 126: Shir Hama'alot ("Song of Degrees") which expresses the hopes for the Jews' return to Zion following their final redemption. This is then frequently followed by reciting four additional single lines from four other Psalms (145:21; 115:18; 118:1; 106:2), known as Tehillat Hashem ("Praise of G-d").

 

Less common is the recitation on weekdays of Psalm 137 Al Naharot Bavel ("By the rivers of Babylon) which describes the reactions of the Jews in exile as would have been expressed during the Babylonian captivity.

 

Spanish and Portuguese Jews often sing a hymn in Spanish called Bendigamos before or after Birkat Hamazon.

 

Zimmun

According to Halakha when a minimum of three eat bread as part of a meal together they are obligated to form a mezuman (a "prepared gathering") with the addition of a few extra opening words whereby one man "invites" the others to join him in birkat hamazon. (This invitation is called a zimmun). When those present at the meal form a minyan (a quorum of ten adult Jews - men in most Orthodox circles, men or women in some Modern Orthodox circles). A Zimmun of 10 is called a Zimmun B'Shem.

 

The Talmud states that women are obligated to say Birkat Hamazon and that accordingly, three women can constitute a zimmun and lead it (Berachot 45b), later authorities, such as Maimonides and the Mishnah Berurah, held that women were exempt from leading a zimmun on grounds that women were not generally sufficiently educated to know how.

 

Because of improvements in women's religious education women can now do so, and some say that they are now obligated to. Accordingly, women forming a zimmun and leading birkat hamazon has become increasingly common in Modern Orthodox circles. However, it is inappropriate for women to lead a zimmun in the presence of men. A minority of Modern Orthodox authorities, citing earlier authorities including Meiri, Sefer HaMeorot and the Shiltei HaGibborim, also hold that 10 women can (or should) constitute a minyan for purposes of saying Zimmun B'Shem for birkat hamazon. Women can form a zimmun but it cannot be formed from a combination of men and women.

 

Cup of Blessing

It is customary for the person leading the zimmun to recite the blessings over a cup of wine called the kos shel beracha (cup of blessing). Although sometimes done at ordinary meals, it is more commonly done on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays, and almost universally done at meals celebrating special events. At a Passover Seder, the cup of blessing is drunk by everyone present, and functions as the Third Cup. The practice of a cup of blessing is mentioned in the Talmud, e.g. at Pesachim119a.

 

Mayim Acharonim

One must wash the hands before reciting Birkat Hamazon. This practice is called mayim acharonim (final waters). It is held that this, though a chovah (duty), is not a mitzvah (meritorious action), as the practice was instituted for health reasons (specifically, to avoid the danger of touching the eyes with harmful salts). A special ritual dispenser (also called a mayim acharonim) can be used to dispense the water. The practice is based on a ruling recorded in the Talmud, and it as a binding Halachah. One must wash up to the wrist (ahd ha'pereq) according to chapter 6 Halakha 5 (4) of Hilkhoth Berakhoth in the Mishneh Torah. It is also written in the same chapter that one should not make a hefsek (separation) between doing mayim acharonim and saying Birkath haMazon.

 

At Sheva Brachot

When Birkat Hamazon takes place at theSheva Brachot ("Seven Blessings") following a traditional Jewish marriage, the standard introductory words recited by the one leading the blessings that precede the full blessings (the zimmun) get an added line and a small change in the other opening lines reflecting the joy of the occasion. The inserted introductory words begin with Devai Haser.

 

Once the Birkat Hamazon has been concluded then the seven special blessings (i.e. the Sheva Brachot) are recited.

 

At Brit milah

At Birkat Hamazon concluding the celebratory meal of a Brit milah("ritual circumcision" of a male Jewish baby boy at eight days old) there are additional lines that are added to the introductory words that precede the Birkat Hamazon known as Nodeh Leshimcha ("We give thanks to Your Name"). These lines praise G-d and "request the permission" to proceed with the Birkat Hamazon of:

 

 *The Almighty.

 

*The Torah.

 

*The Kohanim ("[Jewish] Priests").

 

*Distinguished people present.

 

When the four main blessings (see above) are concluded, special Harachaman ("The Merciful One") prayers are then recited which prayerfully request that G-d:

 

*Bless the parents of the baby, and help them raise him wisely.

 

*The Sandak, (the one who held the baby during the ceremony) usually a well-respected member of the family or a noted rabbi or Talmudic scholar, whose deed deserves to be rewarded.

 

*Bless the baby boy to have strength and grow up to trust in G-d and perceive Him three times a year.

 

*Bless the Mohel (the "Ritual circumciser", usually a rabbi qualified to do so) for unhesitatingly performing: 1) Milah ("Circumcision") cutting away the foreskin; 2) Periah, "pulling down" the remaining skin on the foreskin completely; 3) Metzitzah, "sucking" out blood from the cut area.

 

*Send Ha Mashiach speedily in the merit of this mitzvah of circumcision.

 

*Send Elijah the prophet, known as "The Righteous Kohen", so that G-d's covenant can be fulfilled with the re-establishment of the throne of King David.

 

Large gatherings

According to the Talmud (Berakhot 49b), there are special versions of the Zimmun if Birkat Hamazon is said by at least one hundred, one thousand or ten thousand seated at one meal. When one hundred are present, the leader says "Blessed is HaShem our G-d, of Whose we have eaten and of Whose goodness we have lived", and the group responds "Blessed is HaShem our G-d, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived."

 

When one thousand are present, the leader of the Zimmun says "Let us bless HaShem our G-d, the G-d of Israel, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived", and the crowd responds, "Blessed is the HaShem our G-d, the G-d of Israel, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived."

 

When at least ten thousand are present, the leader of the Zimmun says "Let us bless Hashem our God, the God of Israel, who dwells among the cherubim, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived," and the multitude responds, "Blessed is Hashem our G-d, the G-d of Israel, who dwells among the cherubim, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived."

 

None of these variations is ever used in practice: the codes lay down that the only variation is the addition of eloheinu (our G-d) when the number reaches or exceeds ten.

 

At Seudat Chiyat HaMatim

The Rabbis of the Talmud say that there will be a Seudah (feast) for the righteous following the Chiyat Hamatim, the bodily Resurrection of the dead. According to Rav Avira, at the Birkat HaMazon following this feast, the Cup of Blessing will be passed fromAbraham to Isaac to Jacob to Moses to Joshua, each of whom will cite some sin or imperfection and claim unworthiness to lead the blessing.

 

The cup will then pass to King David, who will take it and lead the Birkat HaMazon. The Rabbis cite the verse "I shall raise the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord" (Psalms 16:13) as support. Talmud Pesachim 119b. This section of the Talmud does not report what King David will say.

 

Abbreviated Form

For private, everyday use, we use an abbreviated form of the prayer, containing the four essential blessings in somewhat shortened form with fewer preliminaries and additions.