The Morning Berachot — Their Hidden Meaning

The Morning Berachot — Their Hidden Meaning

מודה אני "I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for in Your mercy You have restored my soul to me; great is my faith in You." The first thing we realize when we awaken in the morning is that we have woken up and are alive. When we went to sleep the previous evening, we were tired and exhausted—"dead tired"; yet we awaken refreshed in body and soul, as though we had been born anew. How grateful we must be to G-d for this! Our Sages teach that every night, when we go to sleep, our soul returns to its heavenly abode and gives an account of the good and not-so-good deeds it performed together with the body during the day. Therefore, in the prayer recited before going to sleep, we say: "Into Your hand I entrust my soul; You have redeemed me, O G-d, G-d of truth!" (Tehillim 31:6) To entrust something, or give it as collateral, is like a debtor handing something over to a creditor as security for a debt; ordinarily, the creditor does not return the collateral until the debtor repays the loan. But G-d is exceedingly merciful, and although we incur debts to Him every day, He returns our soul to us every morning. Chazal teach that when someone gives collateral—even if it is a new item—it grows old and deteriorates by the time it is returned. G-d, however, returns our "collateral" to us new and in perfect condition, although it has already been "used," as it is written: "They are new every morning; great is my faith in You." (Eichah 3:23) The fact that we go to sleep "dead tired" and awaken refreshed, returning from the world of slumber in which we were unconscious, is somewhat similar to "the revival of the dead" and strengthens our belief in the future "resurrection of the dead" (תחית המתים). This gives additional meaning to the words "great is our faith in You," for we have absolute faith in G-d that He will restore our soul to us both each morning and at the "End of Days," when all the righteous dead will arise from their "sleep." “Modeh Ani” is recited immediately upon awakening, even before washing one’s hands, because G-d’s Name is not mentioned in this prayer; G-d is alluded to only by the word "King." על נטילת ידים "Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands." This is the first berachah we recite in the morning. We say it after washing our hands properly and before drying them. In the morning berachot, we add the words "Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us..." In this way, we thank G-d for granting us the privilege of serving Him and fulfilling His commandments; through this, we become connected with G-d and become His partners. When we refer to G-d as "blessed" (ברוך), we mean that G-d is the source of all blessings. Having thanked our living and eternal King immediately upon awakening for returning our soul to us, we are at the same time conscious that we are obligated to submit to His will and fulfill His commandments. Washing our hands is the first expression of our obedience, and it brings us into a closer union with G-d, Whom we may now call our G-d. Reasons for washing the hands in the morning: 1) We are ready to begin a new day of serving G-d. The Kohanim (priests) in the Beit HaMikdash were required to wash their hands (as well as their feet) before beginning the service. We, the Jewish people, are called "a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Shemot 19:6) 2) During sleep, when our Divine soul leaves us, we come under the influence of an "impure" spirit, which sometimes causes impure thoughts and dreams. We therefore wash our hands to remove this impure spirit and restore purity. This is done as follows: Take a cup of water in the right hand and transfer it to the left hand. Pour water over the right hand, then switch hands and pour water over the left hand; then again over the right and then the left, and repeat this a third time. The words נטילת ידים are used because the word נטל also means "to lift" or "raise", indicating that we raise up and dedicate our hands to our G-d. אשר יצר "Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, Who fashioned man with wisdom and created within him many openings and cavities. It is revealed and known before the Throne of Your glory that if one of them were opened when it should be closed, or closed when it should be open, it would be impossible to exist and stand before You even for a moment. Blessed are You, L-rd, Who heals all flesh and performs wonders." This is the first berachah of thanksgiving we recite during the day. Good health, a feeling of well-being and freshness, and the possession of the strength and ability to live a normal physical life awaken within us a sense of gratitude to our Creator. The "simple" processes of breathing, digestion, and all the other functions of our bodies are miracles of Divine wisdom; we hardly think about them until, G-d forbid, something begins to go wrong. We would be ungrateful if we did not thank G-d every morning for caring for us as the "Healer of all flesh." Rabbi Tanchuma, another of our Sages, expresses this similarly: «A balloon filled with air, if it develops a hole the size of a needlepoint, will release all its air; yet the human body is full of openings and does not lose the breath of life.» נשמה, להי-א My G-d! The soul You have given me is pure. You created it, You formed it, You breathed it into me, and You preserve it within me; in the future You will take it from me, and then restore it to me in the World to Come. As long as the soul remains within my body, I thank You, L-rd my G-d and G-d of my fathers, Master of all creations, Sovereign of all souls. Blessed are You, L-rd, Who restores souls to lifeless bodies. In this berachah, we thank G-d for our soul and for the daily miracles associated with the return of our soul to our body, as was briefly mentioned in the section on Modeh Ani. «The soul You have given me is pure.» Unlike other religions that believe a person is born with a sinful soul, Judaism teaches that every Jew is born with a pure soul, untouched by any sin or transgression. Moreover, our soul is Divine—it is a "portion of G-d above." It was created separately from the body and outlives the body. Only during our lifetime is our soul joined to and living within our body; the soul is eternal: it existed before it began living in our body and continues to live after the body dies. The purpose of the soul’s descent below to live in a body is to enable it to fulfill G-d’s commandments in daily life, which can be performed only with the help of the body and its limbs. This is why we have 248 positive commandments (do’s) and 365 prohibitions (don’ts), corresponding to the 248 limbs and 365 blood vessels of the body. But the soul itself is pure and holy when it enters our body; it does not require purification in and of itself. «You breathed it into me.» The Zohar HaKadosh teaches that just as a powerful exhalation comes "from within" a person, so, metaphorically speaking, our soul is a "deep breath" of G-d Himself. In this way, our Sages emphasize the Divine nature of our soul. "You preserve it within me." As a portion of G-dliness, our soul naturally longs to be with G-d at all times and to return to its heavenly abode, from which it descended below. It has no interest in material things or pleasures, for it is purely spiritual and delights only in spiritual matters. Were it not for G-d, Who preserves it within our body, it would "fly away" from our body and return to Heaven. But the soul has a mission to fulfill in this world, and therefore G-d commanded it to remain on earth for a specified period. Thus, as long as the soul is in our body, we are obligated to serve G-d and fulfill His commandments, for He is our Master and Sovereign. When our life’s journey on earth is complete, our soul returns to its Creator, to the world of souls, where it gives an account of everything it did and of what it failed to complete during its life. When the time of the Resurrection of the Dead arrives, G-d will restore life to the righteous who have died, and their souls will return to purified bodies to enjoy eternal life. Our sleep and awakening are daily reminders of the eternal life of our soul. Our Sages say that sleep is one-sixtieth of death. We must always remember that our soul is pure, and we must make every effort to keep it pure at all times. הנותן לשכוי בינה «Blessed are You, L-rd..., Who has given the rooster understanding to distinguish between day and night.» The rooster’s crow is one of the miracles G-d has embedded in nature. The rooster knows when the darkness of night is about to give way to daylight. Jews, who see G-d’s hand in each of nature’s countless miracles, praise G-d for granting the rooster the ability to sense the approach of dawn. This berachah has a deeper meaning as well. Day and night, light and darkness, are synonyms for good and evil, knowledge and ignorance, happiness and misfortune. Those who live in "darkness" are people who have no awareness of G-d. We speak of "dawn" as the beginning of a new and happy era following the "night," a period of suffering. Since sekhvi ("rooster") also means "heart," we can see another, deeper meaning in this berachah. The heart is the seat of feeling and understanding. This is why we find expressions in the Torah such as "a wise heart" and "an understanding heart." G-d gave the rooster a special instinct to distinguish day from night; to human beings, G-d gave the special ability to distinguish good from evil. Rabbeinu Asher ben Yechiel (the Rosh) says that this berachah does not actually refer to the rooster’s crow, but to a person’s ability to distinguish good from evil. Therefore, Jewish law requires us to recite this berachah even if we did not hear a rooster crow. Since the rooster usually crows toward morning, this berachah was placed among the first morning berachot. פוקח עורים "Blessed are You, L-rd..., Who opens the eyes of the blind." This and the following berachot reflect our transition from sleep to wakefulness. When we awaken and begin to see again, we thank G-d for restoring our sight. But the words "Who opens the eyes of the blind" also contain a deeper meaning. G-d gave us the ability to see not only with our physical eyes, but also with the "eyes of our mind"; we see the truth and recognize G-d’s hand in everything around us. Our Torah contains the commandment: "You shall not insult the deaf, nor place a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your G-d" (Vayikra 19:14). We are commanded not to curse or abuse someone who cannot hear. It makes no difference whether he is actually deaf or blind—in either case, he cannot defend himself or justify himself. Just as we are warned not to place a stumbling block before the blind, we must be careful not only not to cause physical harm to someone who is physically blind, but also not to cause "harm" to a spiritually "blind" or weak person by leading him away from the path of truth. We are reminded that although a "deaf" person cannot hear our words and a "blind" person cannot see the obstacle we have placed in his path, G-d hears and sees everything. מתיר אסורים "Blessed are You, L-rd..., Who releases the bound." When we awaken, we feel "released"; we regain control of our movements and can leave our bed. In a deeper sense, this should be understood as referring to people who are "bound hand and foot" in some way. One person may be economically entangled and bound by financial obligations; another may be a "prisoner" of various circumstances or of his own habits and inclinations, losing control over his actions. We therefore turn to G-d, "Who releases the bound," asking Him to help break whatever chains may be meant. זוקף כפופים "Blessed are You, L-rd..., Who straightens the bent." King David praises G-d in Tehillim (145:14; 146:8) with the words: "G-d supports all who fall and straightens all who are bent." This verse also forms the basis of the berachah quoted above. When we rise in the morning, we straighten up and begin walking upright. We thank G-d for "straightening the bent," since all our movements are possible only through G-d, just as we owe Him our very life. The meaning David HaMelech conveyed is that G-d raises up all who are "bent" beneath any burden—financial or emotional—or weighed down by worries and the bustle of life. G-d knows each person’s burden, and He is kind and merciful; He helps each person carry his burden, and sometimes removes it altogether. The "bent" also refers to those who are humble and submissive before G-d. Humility and obedience are qualities highly valued by G-d, and He "raises up" those who cultivate them. Unlike animals, a human being always walks upright. The upright form of the human body also has a deeper significance. "Walking upright" also means "conducting oneself properly," behaving as befits a human being. A person’s head is the highest part of his body. It rises toward Heaven, for the head is the seat of the intellect and the Divine soul. In human beings, all the organs are arranged vertically, while in animals they are arranged horizontally. But when a person sleeps, he lies horizontally on his bed, and his organs are positioned as an animal’s are—in effect, at that moment he is an animal with its own drives and goals. Only when a person awakens and leaps out of bed, ready to serve the Creator, does he once again become a human being, standing on both feet on the earth while his head reaches toward Heaven. מלביש ערומים "Blessed are You, L-rd..., Who clothes the naked." Even such an everyday act as getting dressed in the morning is a reason for a special berachah. We bless G-d, Who clothes the naked. This berachah is based on the Torah’s account of how G-d made garments of skin for Adam and Chavah and clothed them (Bereishit 3:21). Since nothing in the Torah is written without purpose, Chazal say that the account of clothing Adam and Chavah teaches us to follow G-d’s example and clothe the poor and needy. Human beings are the only living creatures that require clothing. All other living creatures—animals and birds—have their own "clothing," fur and feathers, which protect them from the elements (cold, heat, and rain). Human beings wear clothing not only for protection from the elements. In many parts of the world, the climate makes protective clothing unnecessary, yet even there indigenous peoples use various forms of clothing. Before their sin—the prohibition against eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge—Adam and Chavah were completely modest and walked unclothed; they were not troubled by unworthy thoughts: "They were both naked, but they were not ashamed" (Bereishit 2:25). Only after violating G-d’s prohibition did they experience shame, and G-d provided them with clothing. Every person worthy of this honorable title possesses an innate sense of shame; he is ashamed to expose his nakedness. Human beings are endowed with an instinctive sense of decency and modesty that impels them to cover their bodies. In a deeper sense, our Sages speak of "clothing" as the mitzvot and good deeds that serve as the "garments" of the soul. Like the body, the soul needs "food" and "clothing"; but the soul’s food and clothing are spiritual: knowledge of Torah is the soul’s "food," while observance of mitzvot and good deeds in daily life are the soul’s "garments." הנותן ליעף כח «Blessed are You..., Who gives strength to the weary.» The berachah "Who gives strength to the weary" is recited to thank the Creator for His wondrous kindness, infinite wisdom, and power, which enable His creatures to rise each morning full of strength to fulfill their obligations before Him. The wording of this blessing is taken from the book of Yeshayahu (40:28–31). The prophet’s words are expressed in beautiful lines: «He gives strength to the weary and grants vigor to the powerless.» As we begin a new day, which may prove very difficult, we should remember that it is G-d Who "gives strength to the weary." רוקע הארץ על המים "Blessed are You..., Who spreads the earth over the waters." The wording of this berachah is taken from Tehillim (136:6), where it says: "[Praise G-d, Who...] spread out the earth over the waters, for His kindness endures forever." As we prepare to take our first step in the morning, we recall G-d’s kindness in creating the world so that dry land would be spread over the waters, enabling us to live upon it. On the third day of Creation, G-d commanded the waters covering the earth to gather in one place so that dry land would appear. Seas and oceans were formed, covering most of the globe. Vast quantities of water remained beneath the earth’s surface, giving rise to springs and fountains. Our land is surrounded by water and spread over the waters. It is only through G-d’s kindness (for "His kindness endures forever") that we live on dry land above sea level. This deserves to be mentioned daily, with constant gratitude expressed to our Creator. המכין מצעדי גבר "Blessed are You..., Who directs a person’s steps." We do not consider the ability to walk anything extraordinary. Yet every step involves the work of muscles, bones, and joints, as well as an equally complex process of maintaining balance. Only the Creator can create a walking creature that moves easily and comfortably. On a deeper level, this berachah reminds us that although a person’s movements are entirely free and independent, they have an important purpose connected with Divine Providence. This becomes clear when we turn to the source of this berachah’s wording in Tehillim (37:23): "The steps of a person are directed by G-d, and He favors his way." The holy Baal Shem Tov, who enabled us to gain a deeper understanding of the ways of Divine Providence, explains that when a Jew visits people and places he considers necessary to see for his personal affairs, there is in fact a spiritual purpose concealed in his journeys from place to place and in his encounters with various people. He may have been sent to do someone a favor, materially or spiritually; to exert a positive influence on someone; to set an example of proper conduct; or to strengthen and spread Torah and mitzvot around him—or perhaps all of these at once. Therefore, when a Jew realizes that "a person’s steps are directed by G-d," he will favor His ways (G-d’s ways), and He (G-d) will favor his (the person’s) ways. שעשה לי כל צרכי "Blessed are You..., Who has provided me with all my needs." In the Talmud, this berachah is associated with tying one’s shoelaces. Thus, it follows logically after the preceding berachah: "Who directs a person’s steps." The connection between this berachah and tying one’s shoelaces is that until a person is properly shod, he cannot go out to work; only after putting on and lacing his shoes is he ready to go out and attend to his affairs. It is noteworthy that this berachah uses the past tense ("Who has provided"). We express our confidence that all our needs have already been provided by G-d before we began our day; it has already been determined in advance how much each of us is to earn that day. All that remains for us is to go out and make the effort to "gather" what has been set aside for us. Our efforts create natural channels through which we receive what has already been allotted to us. Our deeds are the "channels" or "vessels" through which we receive G-d’s benevolence. Success or failure in business is not necessarily a measure of a person’s intelligence or foolishness, energy or laziness. Ultimately, "the blessing of G-d makes one rich." אוזר ישראל בגבורה "Blessed are You..., Who girds Israel with strength." In the Talmud, this berachah is associated with girding oneself. In ancient times, people generally wore a sash or belt over their loose-fitting garments to support them. For Jews, the belt has a spiritual meaning. According to the Abudraham, the belt symbolizes a strong bond because it tightly encircles the body. Thus it is written: "For as a belt clings to the loins of a man, so I brought close to Me the entire House of Israel and the entire House of Judah," says the L-rd, "to be My people, My name, My praise, and My glory." G-d is closely bound to the Jewish people, and therefore He is the source of the Jewish people’s strength. In good times and in adversity, the Jewish people remain faithful to G-d and His Torah; this gives Jews the strength to endure all their trials throughout their centuries of exile among the nations. This berachah also contains a profound meaning. Jewish law requires a person to be girded during prayer in order to separate the upper part of the body from the lower part—or, in the words of our Sages, "so that the heart should not see the nakedness"—thereby attaining purity of thought and heart during prayer. A person’s spiritual qualities—thought, feelings, and speech—are located in the upper organs of the body; lower physical functions are located in the lower part of the body. The belt ("gartel") separates the upper and lower parts of the body, thereby helping to strengthen and reinforce the purity of our thoughts and feelings. In this sense, the berachah "Who girds Israel with strength" also refers to the strength of character and self-control needed to withstand all temptations. עוטר ישראל בתפארה "Blessed are You..., Who crowns Israel with glory." According to the Talmud, this berachah also refers to a type of clothing—namely, a head covering. For Jews, a head covering has a deeper meaning connected with Yirat Shamayim ("fear of Heaven"). The head is the highest part of the human body and contains the intellect. From it come the elevated qualities that distinguish human beings from lower creatures: knowledge and wisdom, speech, human kindness, and more. We recognize that we are always in the presence of Divine majesty, wherever we may be. This awareness fills our hearts with awe, reverence, and submission. We wear a yarmulke or hat with pride and dignity, as though it were a Crown of Glory. Our head covering reminds us of the One Who is higher than all, as our Sages say: "Know what is above you: an all-seeing eye, an all-hearing ear, and a book in which all your deeds are recorded." This helps us be sincere with ourselves, as a holy people of whom G-d is proud and through whom G-d is glorified, as it is written: שלא עשני גוי "Blessed are You..., Who has not made me a gentile." Since the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, the Jewish people have been scattered among the nations of the world—gentiles, Christians, and Muslims. As a minority among every nation throughout the world, hated and oppressed, Jews have remained faithful to their G-d and His Torah. Many Jews went to their deaths as martyrs while singing “Aleinu Leshabe'ach”—(It is our duty to praise the Master of the universe... for He has not made us like the nations of the lands.) One might ask: "Why do we not recite this berachah in a positive form, namely, 'Who has made me a Jew,' instead of 'Who has not made me a gentile'?" The answer is that the creation of a Jew is not completed merely by the act of birth. One who is born a Jew must live his entire life as a Jew, and that depends on us alone. G-d granted us free choice: to conduct ourselves as we wish—to submit to Him or disobey Him; to remain faithful to ourselves or betray our heritage and faith; to live according to Torah and mitzvot or disregard them and live like gentiles. This is why we do not thank G-d for having made us Jews; becoming a Jew is a matter of the will and determination of the Jew himself. שלא עשני עבד "Blessed are You..., Who has not made me a slave." When G-d freed the Jews from slavery, He declared: "For the Children of Israel are servants to Me." G-d is our only Master, and we serve Him alone. Slaves are first mentioned in the Torah immediately after the Flood. Noach cursed Canaan, saying that the Canaanites would be slaves to their brothers. In the time of Avraham, slaves were not uncommon. Avraham himself had slaves, but they were slaves in name only. The Children of Israel experienced the bitter fate of slavery when they were enslaved by Pharaoh in Egypt for several centuries. The Torah establishes precise laws protecting slaves. The berachah "Who has not made me a slave" refers to a Canaanite slave, and we recite it to thank G-d for our freedom—for the ability to serve Him and fulfill all the commandments of His Torah, rather than only some of them, as a slave does. In a deeper sense, this berachah reminds us that we are also free from slavery to our own nature. For no one is a greater slave than one who is enslaved to his own passions and habits. שלא עשני אשה "Blessed are You..., Who has not made me a woman." In the era of the prophets, the Jewish people had seven prophetesses: Sarah, Miriam, Devorah, Hannah, Avigail, Chuldah, and Esther. Our Sages of the Mishnah and Talmud often emphasize the moral strength and spiritual greatness of Jewish women. They remind us that it was through righteous Jewish women that the Children of Israel were freed from Egyptian slavery; that at the Giving of the Torah, women stood before the men; that women did not participate in worshipping the Golden Calf; that when the Sanctuary was built in the wilderness, women were the most generous donors of gold jewelry; and that women played a leading role in the miracles of Purim and Chanukah, and so on. Therefore, when a Jew recites a berachah thanking G-d for not having made him a woman, he does not say these words with a feeling of superiority over women. By nature, a man’s task is to provide for the family, while the wife is responsible for the home and children and for managing the household. This is a very demanding task, requiring great skill, patience, intelligence, and many other qualities with which Divine Providence has so generously endowed our women. For this reason, the Divine Torah exempted Jewish women from the obligation to perform a number of mitzvot. A woman is obligated, equally with her husband, to observe all the Torah’s prohibitions—the 365 "do nots." However, with regard to the positive commandments, Jewish women are exempt from some of those whose performance is time-bound. In this sense, this is more a "privilege" granted to Jewish women than an infringement of their rights. A man, who does not have this privilege, should have the opportunity to connect with G-d more frequently by performing those mitzvot from which his mother and wife are exempt. It is for this opportunity to serve G-d through these additional mitzvot that a Jewish man thanks G-d by reciting the berachah: "...Who has not made me a woman." המעביר שנה …הגומל חסדים טובים לעמו ישראל. "Blessed are You..., Who removes sleep from the eyes..., Who bestows good kindnesses upon His people Israel." This berachah ("Who removes sleep... from the eyelids") does not have its own concluding formula. Therefore, someone who hears it being recited should not respond "Amen," because it continues with a beautiful prayer that concludes the berachah: "Blessed are You..., Who bestows good kindnesses upon His people Israel." In other words, this is a prayer that begins and ends with a blessing. In the Talmud, such a prayer is called a "long berachah." (http://www.judaisminrussian.com) 100 Berachot a Day During the reign of King David, 100 young soldiers died every day because of a terrible plague. Realizing that the plague had a spiritual cause, King David and the Sages instituted the practice of reciting 100 berachot every day, measure for measure. Afterward, the plague ceased. (Menachot 43b) It is written in Devarim (10:12): «And now, Israel, what does Hashem your G-d ask of you? Only to fear Hashem your G-d.» The Sages teach: Do not read "what" (מה), but rather מאה, "one hundred." This hints that in order to attain the level of "Yirat Shamayim" (fear of Heaven), one must recite 100 blessings a day. A Mother and 100 Berachot The Hebrew word for "faithful," נאמנ, is said to consist of the word אמ (mother) and two letters nun, whose numerical value is 100—hinting that it is the mother who instills in her children a love for reciting 100 berachot.   In Shemot (38:27), it says: «מאת אדנים למאת הככר ככר לאד» — (100 sockets, made from 100 kikkar of silver, one kikkar per socket). Ba'al HaTurim explains: «Accordingly, they instituted the recitation of 100 berachot each day.» But what is the connection between the sockets of the Mishkan and berachot?   «The word אדנים, “Adanim,” hints at the word אדון, “Master.” In every berachah we recite, we proclaim G-d to be the Master of the universe. And just as the 100 sockets were the foundation of the Mishkan, so too the 100 daily berachot are the foundation of the Jewish home—the miniature Temple—which each of us builds.» (Chiddushei HaRim)   100 Blessings—the Foundation of the Holiness of the Jewish People (According to the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter—Chiddushei HaRim) The Torah says: “...one hundred sockets made from one hundred talents of silver, one talent per socket” (Shemot 38:27). Ba'al HaTurim says: “From this our Sages instituted the recitation of one hundred blessings every day.” These words are a mystery... Here is how their meaning is explained by the author of Chiddushei HaRim. The walls of the Mishkan (the portable Sanctuary that served the Jewish people for more than four hundred years—translator’s note) stood on one hundred sockets. Every Jew must likewise recite one hundred blessings during the day. Just as the sockets were the base and foundation of the Mishkan, so the blessings are the base and foundation of every Jew’s holiness. The word “socket” (in Hebrew, “eden”) derives from the word "adon" (master), which appears in all blessings. By reciting a blessing, a Jew demonstrates that the Holy One, blessed be He, is the Master of all Creation. It follows that the "one hundred blessings" are the one hundred foundations of the Sanctuary located in the soul of every Jew. (From the book "Ma'ayana shel Torah")  

How to Recite 100 Blessings a Day

It is written in the Torah: «And now, Israel, what does the L-rd your G-d ask of you? Only to fear the L-rd your G-d, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve the L-rd your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul.» (Devarim 10:12) From this, the Sages derive that a person should recite one hundred blessings daily, interpreting the verse as though the word "what" (מה) were replaced with "one hundred" (מאה), so that it reads: "One hundred does the L-rd your G-d ask of you." (Menachot 43b, with Rashi; Tosafot and Ba'al HaTurim to Devarim 10:12 and Bereishit 14:19.) Tradition also tells us that King David instituted that every Jew should recite at least 100 blessings during the day. This applies to men and boys who have reached approximately five years of age. According to most Sages, the day is reckoned from sunset to sunset. However, some opinions hold that the day is reckoned from awakening until the following morning. Therefore, one who did not manage to recite 100 blessings from evening to evening may count the blessings recited during the following night. On weekdays, reaching 100 blessings is fairly easy. Let us give an example according to Nusach Ashkenaz: 1–5 — 5 blessings during the recitation of the Shema in Maariv; 6–24 — 19 blessings during the Maariv Amidah; 25 — המפיל — during the recitation of the Shema before sleep; 26 — על נטילת ידים — “Netilat Yadayim” after awakening; 27 — אשר יצר — “Asher Yatzar”; 28 — The blessing on the tallit (or tzitzit); 29–30 — 2 blessings on tefillin; 31–33 — 3 blessings on Torah study; 34 — אלהי נשמה; 35–49 — 15 morning blessings—“Birkot HaShachar”; 50 — מקדש אש שמך ברבים; 51 — ברוך שאמר — “Baruch She'amar”; 52 — ישתבח — “Yishtabach”; 53–55 — 3 blessings during the recitation of the Shema in Shacharit; 56–74 — 19 blessings during the Shacharit Amidah; 75–93 — 19 blessings during the Mincha Amidah; 94–95 — על נטילת ידים twice a day during meals with bread; 96–97 — המוציא twice a day during meals with bread; 98–105 — 4 blessings in Birkat HaMazon twice a day; On Shabbat and Yom Tov, each Amidah contains 7 blessings instead of 19. Thus, we "lose" (19–7) × 3 = 36 blessings. We also do not recite the 2 blessings on tefillin, nor do we say המלך בכבודו in Maariv. Thus, 105–39 = 66 blessings remain. However, unlike on weekdays, we recite 7 additional blessings in the Musaf Amidah, as well as 3 blessings during Kiddush (two in the evening and one during the day). Total: 76. On Shabbat, we add 6 blessings during the third meal (המוציא, על נטילת ידים and the 4 blessings of Birkat HaMazon). Total: 82 blessings on Shabbat. On Yom Tov there is no third meal, but we recite 2 blessings during the recitation of Hallel. Total: 78 blessings on Yom Tov. How can we make up the blessings needed to reach one hundred?

1. During the day, we recite אשר יצר—“Asher Yatzar”—several times.
2. During the day, we eat baked foods, fruit, and the like, and drink water; each time, we add two blessings—one before and one after eating.
3. As is well known, responding “Amen” to a blessing recited during communal prayer counts as though one recited that blessing.

Thus, we can add 27 blessings for the Torah reading and Haftarah: 7 aliyot with 2 blessings each, 2 for Maftir, and 5 for the Haftarah in Shacharit, plus 3 aliyot with 2 blessings each in Mincha. In the same way, we can add 21 blessings during the Chazzan’s repetition of the Amidah prayers in Maariv, Shacharit, and Musaf (3 × 7 = 21). On communal fast days, we "lose" at least 12 blessings associated with meals. The missing blessings can be made up by answering "Amen" during the Torah reading: 3 aliyot with two blessings each in Shacharit, another 3 aliyot with two blessings each in Mincha, and 4 blessings for the Haftarah in Mincha—in all, 16 additional blessings. (Aharon-Shneer Berenstein) (Compiled by Sila Tehillim for the elevation of the soul of Arthur David ben Aharon Andijan)