Birkat Hamazone

The Birkat Hamazone (in Hebrew ברכתהמזון, reads. blessing for food, Bentschn , בענטשן in Yiddish), sometimes called " thanksgiving after the repas" of blessings in is a Hebrew whole that the Jewish recite according to the regulations of the Halakha, after a meal which includes/understands Pain (raised or not raised) made one or more cereals among the Blé, the Orge, the Seigle, the oats or the German wheat. There exists a rabbinical controversy as for knowing if the Birkat Hamazon must be made after having eaten certain food resembling bread like bread rolls or Pizza.

Although it is about a series of blessings, Birkat Hamazon takes the form of prayers, in what one reads them with low voice at the time of ordinary meals (that one generally only takes), and that one sings them at the time of special meals like those of the Sabbath, of the Jewish holidays and other special occasions. Although the Judaism orthodoxe and '' conservative '' await Jews practitioners which they recite their prayer after each meal containing the suitable type of bread, much of Jews less observing do it only occasionally or at the time of special meals.

The Birkat Hamazon is in almost all the Siddour im (" books of prière") and often printed in a large variety of artistic styles in small booklets called birkhon (in Hebrew) is or bentcher (in Yiddish).

Source and text

The scripturaire source of this practice is: " When you eat and are satisfied, you will request Hashem your God for the good ground that It has you donnée". Birkat Hamazon is made up off furnace blessings:

The first blessing, which has blessing off 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.
The second blessing, which has blessing off thanks for the Land off Israel, is attributed to Joshua after He led the Jewish people into Israel.
The third blessing, which concerns Jerusalem, is ascribed to David (who established the capital to Jerusalem) and Solomon (who built the Temple in Jerusalem). Thesis three blessings are required by scripture.
The fourth blessing, has blessing off thanks for God' S goodness, was written by Rabban Gamliel in Yavneh.

After thesis furnace blessings, are has series off shorts prayers, each beginning with the Word Harachaman (" The merciful one… ") which ask for God' S compassion.

Additional sections special are added one occasions. One Jewish holiday S, the extra paragraph off Ya' aleh VeYavo is added and one Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) there is year extra paragraph added known ace Retzei . One 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 is also has Sephardic version, and has Yemeni version. All off thesis texts follow the same structure described above, goal the wording vary.

Preliminary psalms

Widely practiced when Birkat Hamazon is recited one Shabbat and Jewish holiday S, is the custom to first sing gold recites ace year introduction Psalm 126: Shir Hama' alot (" Song off Degrees") which expresses the hopes for the Jew return to Zion following to their final redemption. Individual This is then frequently followed by reciting furnace additional lines from furnace other Psalms (145: 21; 115:18; 118:1; 106:2), known ace Tehillat Hashem (" Praise off God").

Less common is the recitation one weekdays off Psalm 137 Al Naharot Bavel (" By the rivers off Babylon) which describes the reactions off the Jews in exiles ace would cuts been expressed during the Babylonian captivity.

Zimmun

According to Halakha when has off minimum three eat bread ace share off has Meal together they are obligated to form has mezuman (has " prepared gathering") with the addition off has few extra opening words whereby one man " invites" the others to join him in birkat hamazon . (This invitation is called has zimmun ). When those present At the meal form has Minyan (quorum off ten adult Jews has - men in most Orthodox circles, men gold women in nap Modern Orthodox circles, men and women elsewhere), there are further additions to the invitation. In Zimmun off 10 is called has Zimmun B' Shem .

Although the Talmud states that women are obligated to say Birkat Hamazon and that accordingly, three women edge constitute has zimmun and lead it ( Berachot 45b), later authorities, such ace Maimonides and the Mishnah Breurah , held that women were free from leading has zimmun . With number off Modern Orthodox authorities cuts held that women edge, and nap that they should, C so. Accordingly, women forming has zimmun and leading birkat hamazon has become increasingly common in Modern Orthodox circles. Such authorities disagree, however, one the appropriateness off women leading has zimmun in the presence off men (gold off three men). With minority off Modern Orthodox authorities, citing earlier authorities including Meiri, Sefer HaMeorot and the Shiltei HaGibborim, also hold that 10 women edge (gold should) constitute has minyan for purposes off saying Zimmun B' Shem for birkat hamazon . Unlike in Conservative gold Reform Judaism, even Orthodox authorities who hold that women edge form has zimmun maintain that one boat Be formed from has combination off men and women.

Cup off Blessing

It is customary for the person leading the zimmun to recites the blessings over has cup off wine called the kos Shell beracha (cup off blessing). Although sometimes gives At ordinary meals, it is more commonly gives one Shabbat and Jewish Holidays, and almost universally gives At meals celebrating special vents (below). At has off Passover Seder, the cup blessing is drunk by everyone present, and functions ace the Third Cup. The practice off has cup off blessing is mentioned in the Talmud, e.g At Pesachim 119a.

Mayim Acharonim

There has practice in many Orthodox communities to wash the hands before reciting Birkhat Hamazon. This practice is called mayim acharonim (final toilets). With special ritual to exempt (also called has mayim acharonim ) edge Be used to exemption the toilets. Although the practice is based one has ruling recorded in the Talmud, whether gold not this ruling is still binding has matter off argument among various Orthodox communities. Summon practice it ace has binding Halacha, others ace year optional custom, and others C not practice it At all. Among those who C practice mayim acharonim , the majority simply for has small amount off toilets over to their finger tips, while has minority, usually Yemeni Jews gold related groups, will wash up to the wrist ( ahd ha' pereq ) according to chapter 6 halakha 5 (4) off Hilkhoth Berakhoth in the Mishneh Torah. It is also written in the same chapter that one should not make has hefsek (separation) between doing mayim acharonim and saying Birkath haMazon, though few uphold this practice.

One special vents

At Sheva Brachot

When Birkat Hamazon takes place At the Sheva Brachot (" Seven Blessings") following has traditional Jewish marriage, the standard introductory words recited by the one leading the blessings that precedes the full blessings (the zimmun ) get year added line and has small off changes in the other opening lines reflecting the joy the occasion. The inserted introductory words begin with Devai Haser .

Ounce 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 off has Brit milah (" ritual circumcision" off male Jewish baby servant boy At eight days old) there are additional lines that are added to the introductory words that has precedes the Birkat Hamazon known ace Nodeh Leshimcha (" Give We thanks to Your Name "). Thesis lines praise God and " request the permission" to proceed with the Birkat Hamazon off:

The Almighty.
The Torah.
The Kohanim (" Priests").
present Distinguished people.

When the furnace hand blessings (see above) are concluded, special Harachaman (" The Merciful One") prayers are then recited which prayerfully request that God:

Bless the parents off the baby, and help them raise him wisely.
The Sandak, (the one who held the baby during the ceremony) usually has well-respected member off the family gold has noted rabbi gold Talmud ic scholar, whose deed serve to Be rewarded.
Bless the baby servant boy to cuts strength and grow up to trust in God and perceive Him three times has year.
Bless the Mohel (the " Ritual cirmucisor" , usually has Rabbi qualified to C so) for unhesitatingly performing: 1) Milah (" Circumcision") cutting away the foreskin; 2) Periah , " pulling down" the remaining skin one the foreskin completely; 3) Metzitzah , " sucking" out blood from the cut area.
Send the Jewish Messiah speedily in the merit off this Mitzvah off cirmucision.
Send Elijah the prophet, known ace " The Righteous Kohen" , so that God' S covenant edge Be fulfilled with the Re-Establishment off the throne off King David.

With myriad off people

According to the Talmud ( Berakhot 49b, there special are versions off the Zimmun yew Birkat Hamazon is said by At least one hundred, one thousand gold ten thousand seated At one meal. When one hundred present are, the leader says " Blessed is HaShem our God, off Whose we cuts off eaten and Whose goodness we cuts lived" , and the group responds " Blessed is HaShem our God, off Whose we cuts eaten, and off Whose goodness we cuts lived." When one thousand present are, the leader off the Zimmun says " Let custom bless HaShem our God, the God off Israel, off Whose we cuts eaten, and off Whose goodness we cuts lived" , and the crowd responds, " Blessed is the HaShem our God, the God off Israel, off Whose we cuts eaten, and off Whose goodness we cuts lived." When At least ten thousand present are, the leader off the Zimmun says " Let custom bless Hashem our God, the God off Israel, who dwells among the Cherubim, off Whose we cuts eaten, and off Whose goodness we cuts lived, " and the multitude reaponds, " Blessed is Hashem our God, the God off Israel, who dwells among the cherubim, off Whose we cuts eaten, and off Whose goodness we cuts lived."

At Seudat Chiyat HaMatim

The Rabbis off the Talmud say that there will Be has Seudah (feast) for the righteous following the Chiyat Hamatim , the bodily Resurrection off the dead. According to Rav Avira, At the Birkat HaMazon following this feast, the Cup off Blessing will Be passed from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Moses to Joshua, each off whom will quotes nap sin gold imperfection and claim unworthiness to lead the blessing. The cup will then not to King David, who will take it and lead the Birkat HaMazon. The Rabbis quotes the pours " I shall raise the cup off salvation, and cal upon the name off the Lord" (Psalms 16:13) ace support. Talmud Pesachim 119b. This section off the Talmud does not carryforward what King David will say. Belief in bodily resurrection has tenet off Orthodox Judaism.

Abbreviated form

For private, everyday use, nap Orthodox Jews uses off year abbreviated form the prayer, containing the furnace essential blessings in somewhat shortened form with fewer preliminaries and additions.

Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism requires Birkat HaMazon to Be said one the same occasions, and uses the same liturgy, ace Orthodox Judaism. The only changes it has made is to allowed has Zimmun to Be formed by has combination off men and women (Orthodox Judaism requires either three men gold three women).

Judaism liberal

In Reform Judaism, Birkat HaMazon is not required goal is often recited in communal settings and during the seder. When it is gives, one occasions such ace meals in youth movements, groups usually sing only the mezuman, first paragraph, and one-line excerpts from other paragraphs.

Summon off liberal branches Judaism, especially Jewish Renewal, uses entirely different texts for the blessing, often with the addition off English. Popular ones make uses the Biblical off commandment to bless after eating (" ve' achalta, ve' savata, u' veratchta"), but the Talmudic formulation in Aramaic (intended for time-sensitive occasions): " brich rachamana malka of alma ma' arey of hai pita" (" blessed is the merciful one, ruler off the world, who created this bread"). -->

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