It's All a Blessing

A blessing, a planting, and the flow of Divine Light. What do they have in common? Read on.
"Baruch Ata Ado - nai Elo - keinu melech haolam...," after the Shema, this is perhaps the most familiar Hebrew phrase to anyone who has learned even a little about Judaism. These words begin most blessings, from blessings on food to the blessing for Shabbat candles.

They are usually translated: Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, Who..." But, what is a blessing? And what does it mean, that we bless G-d? Shouldn't G-d be blessing us?

To answer these questions, we have to look at the Hebrew word for blessing - bracha. In Hebrew, words with similar letter patterns have similar meanings. The noun bracha is related to the root verb that means to bend a vine branch down into the soil, so that it takes root. This is the process by which a new vine is produced.

The connection between the two words means there is a similarity between the agricultural process and the spiritual concept. Defining one, we can understand the other: Agriculturally, we're talking about taking a branch, which is an extension of the source (or root), implanting it within the earth, and thus producing (or creating) a new growth.

Spiritually, then, a bracha (blessing) is an extension and implantation. A bracha extends and draws down the Divine Light from Its source in the Infinite implanting G-dliness in the world where we live. That results in an increase, a new dimension, if you will, of Divine Light in the world.

When we are making a blessing we are describing how You, G-d, are the source of the Divine Light which extends through and penetrates into all the worlds of existence.

But, with a knowledge of Hebrew grammar, we can find a deeper and more powerful way to read the formula at the beginning of each blessing. We can read it not "Blessed are You," merely passive and descriptive, but "Blessed be You" as an active request and instruction.

According to this reading it is our blessing which actually evokes or initiates the flow of Divine Light and causes it to permeate - and be revealed within - the material objects of this physical world. Our words are the activating agent not just for the drawing down of G-dliness, but for its revelation within the most mundane aspects of creation.

This tapping in to the Divine, all encompassing light of Creation, and allowing it to illuminate our lives as Jews, as expressed in the Hebrew words, "L-rd, Our G-d," is powerful enough. But that is only stage one.

The blessing continues "King of the Universe"

This means that the infusion - and revelation - of Divine Light should penetrate the whole world, to every human being, indeed to every living creature and even every material object.

So you see there is tremendous power in a blessing, the power to evoke an outpouring and revelation of G-dliness that benefits not only the individual making the blessing, but the entire universe and all of existence.

No wonder our Sages decreed we should make a hundred blessings a day!