Why pray over food?

[Jayhawker Soule]

Originally Posted by Arlanbb

For many years I have been wondering why we pray over some food and not others.

You've been wondering about that for many years? What a waste ...

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by Arlanbb

YID613 ~ So you only pray after a meal if you eat bread.

You misunderstood Yid. No, we pray before and after every meal. Only, if the meal incorporated bread (mostly), the prayer is longer.

So if you don't eat bread you don't give a prayer for the meal?

Of course we give a prayer. It is just more specialized for the type of food we eat. If it is over bread, it is understood that the prayer is universal, covering all the different types of food available at the meal.

What if you had eaten a waffle - is that consider bread? It has almost the same stuff in it. What about a pop-tart is that bread?

Believe it or not, pastry and other grain-based food items that are not a form of bread have their own blessings for before and after them.

So you have long and short prayers for food - what is short in time, 5 sec., and long?

I'll post the actual translations for the blessings before and after food in the next post.

I find it interesting because I spent 5 weeks in Isreal and never heard a Hebrew in prayer except at the whailing wall and that took a while. arlan

Most prayers over food in public places are usually recited quietly, so the Jews reciting the blessings won't disturb the dining conversations of other people. But it is considered better to say them out loud, so that the people who are listening can say "Amen!" in response.

[Harmonious]

Before eating food products that are made up of wheat, barley, rye, oats, or spelt that are not bread, Jews recite:

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who created [different] types of food.

Before drinking wine, champaign, grape juice, or raisin liquor, the blessing that is recited before drinking is:

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who created the fruit of the vine.

After eating or drinking these things (enough for a snack, but not for a complete meal), the blessing that is recited AFTER these things (and for fruits from Israel, like grapes, olives, figs, dates, or pomegranites), we say this blessing:

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, for the
(for grain products) nourishment and sustenance
(for wine and grape products) vine and fruit of the vine
(for the specified fruits - other fruit get a different blessing) tree of and the fruit of the tree

and for the produce of the field; for the desirable, good and spacious Land that You were pleased to give our forefathers as a heritage, to eat of its fruit and to be satisfied with its goodness. Have mercy, Hashem, our God, on Israel, Your people; on Jerusalem, Your city; and on Zion, the resting place of Your glory; upon Your altar, and upon Your Temple. Rebuild Jerusalem, the city of holiness, speedily in our days. Bring us up into it and gladden us in its rebuilding and let us eat from its fruit and be satisfied with its goodness and bless You upon it in holiness and purity. (Here, we insert a special line on Shabbat or a holiday, related to the day.)
For You, Hashem, are good and do good to all and we thank You for the land and the
(for grain product) nourishment.
(for wine or grape product) fruit of the vine.
(for the specified fruits) fruit.

Blessed are You, Hashem, for the land and for the
nourishment.
fruit of the vine.
fruit.
*****************************************
After eating and/or drinking all of these things together, we would put in as many of the pieces to the blessings as would apply.

Before eating any fruit, the special types or other fruit (the definition of what counts as a fruit has more to do with how the plant grows, otherwise it is classified as a vegetable), Jews say,

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who created the fruit from the tree.

Before eating vegetables, Jews say the blessing,

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who created fruit from the ground.

And before drinking beverages that are not wine or grape related and/or eating candy, meat, cheese, fish, eggs, or other random things that are not bread but don't fit into the other categories, Jews say,

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, that all was created at His word.

After eating and/or drinking all of these things (as a snack), we say the blessing:

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who creates numerous living things with their deficiencies, for all that You have created with which to maintain the life of every being. Blessed is He, the life of the worlds.
************************************************** ********************************
Before eating bread, matzah, rolls, or things of that nature (and the meal that comes with the bread), Jews first wash their hands ceremoniously, saying,

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us regarding "lifting of the hands."

And then before actually eating all of these food products and/or of grain products that will be enough to be considered "a sustaining meal," Jews would say,

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who brings forth bread from the ground.

When the meal is finished, the following is recited. (A notation: the actual words listed are from the Ashkenaz tradition. The specific words from the Sephardic tradition vary slightly, but the basic premise is exactly the same.)

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, Who nourishes the entire world, in His goodness - with grace, with kindness, and with mercy. He gives nourishment to all flesh, for His kindness is eternal. And through His great goodness, we have never lacked, and may we never lack, nourishment, for all eternity. For the sake of His Great Name, because He is God Who nourishes and sustains all, and benefits all, and He prepares food for all of His creatures which He has created. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who nourishes all.

We thank You, Hashem, our God, because You have given to our forefathers as a heritage a desirable, good and spacious land; because You removed us, Hashem, our God, from the land of Egypt and You redeemed us from the house of bondage; for Your covenant which you sealed in our flesh; for Your Torah which You taught us and for Your statutes which You made known to us; for life, grace, and lovingkindness which You granted us; and for the provision of food with which You nourish and sustain us constantly, in every day, in every season, and in every hour.

(For Chanuka and Purim, a special prayer is inserted here.)

For all, Hashem, our God, we thank You and bless You. May Your Name be blessed by the mouth of all the living, continuously for all eternity. As it is written: 'And you shall eat, and you shall be satisfied, and you shall bless Hashem, your God, for the good land which He gave you.' [Deuteronomy 8:10] Blessed are You, Hashem, for the land and for the nourishment.

Have mercy, Hashem, our God, on Israel Your people; on Jerusalem, Your city, on Zion, the resting place of Your Glory; on the monarchy of the house of David, Your anointed; and on the great and holy House upon which Your Name is called. Our God, our Father - tend us, nourish us, sustain us, support us, relieve us; Hashem, our God, grant us speedy relief from al our troubles. Please, make us not needful - Hashem, our God - of the gifts of human hands nor their loans, but only of Your Hand that is full, open, holy, and generous, that we not feel inner shame nor be humiliated for ever and ever.

(Here, a special prayer for Shabbat and holidays can be inserted.)

Rebuild Jerusalem, the Holy City, soon in our days. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who rebuilds Jerusalem in His mercy. Amen.

Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, the Almighty, our Father, our King, our Sovereign, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, our Holy One, Holy One of Jacob, or Shepherd, the Shepherd of Israel, the King Who is good and Who does good for all. For every single day He did good, He does good, and He will do good to us. He was bountiful with us, He is bountiful with us, and He will forever be bountiful with us - with grace and with kindness and with mercy, with relief, salvation, success, blessing, help, consolation, sustenance, support, mercy, life, peace, and all good; and of all good things may He never deprive us.

The compassionate One! May He reign over us forever.
The compassionate One! May He be blessed in heaven and on earth.
The compassionate One! May He be praised thoughout all generations, may He be glorified through us forever to the ultimate ends, and be honored through us forever and for all eternity.
The compassionate One! May He break the yoke of oppression from our necks and guide us erect to our Land.
The compassionate One! May He send us abundant blessing to this house and upon this table at which we have eaten.
The compassionate One! May He send us Elijah, the Propet - he is remembered for good - to proclaim to us good tidings, salvations, and consolations.

The compassionate One! May He bless (the host of the meal, one's parents, one's family, everyone else present), them their house, their family, and all that is theirs.

Ours and all that is ours - just as our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were blessed in everything, from everything, with everything. So may He bless us all together with a perfect blessing. And let us say: Amen!

On high, may merit be pleaded upon them and upon us, for a safeguard of peace. May we receive a blessing from Hashem and just kindness from the God of our salvation, and find favor and good understanding in the eyes of God and man.

(There is an insert for Shabbat and/or holidays.)

The compassionate One! May He make us worthy of the days of Messiah and the life of the World to Come.

(Weekdays) He Who makes great the salvations of His king
(Shabbat, holidays, or specified other days) He Who is a tower of salvations to His king

and does kindness for His anointed, to David and to his descendants forever. He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen!

Fear Hashem, you - His holy ones - for there is no deprivation for His reverent ones. Young lions may want and hunger, but those who seek Hashem will not lack any good. Give thanks to God, for He is good; His kindness endures forever. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessed is the man who trusts in Hashem, then Hashem will be his security. I was a youth and also have aged, and I have not seen a righteous man forsaken, with his children begging for bread. Hashem will give might to His people; Hashem will bless His people with peace.
************************************************** ******
All of the translations in this post are courtesy of Artscroll Publications.

[Arlanbb]

Harmonious ~ Thank you for explaining the differnt prayers for the different foods. I spent over 5 weeks during two summers at Kibbutz Sha'ar Hagolan excavation at the Neolithic site called Yarmukian culture which dates back over 8000 years. I would go back every year if I had the money. The whole country is great and so are the people. Thank again. arlan

[Jeremy Mason]

Being grateful has a strong positive effect on one's attitude and life. In this movie called The Secret, some people put a gratitude rock in their pocket and every time they reach in and touch the rock, they remember something they are grateful for and somehow it enriches their life's. Pretty cool.

[Yid613]

Originally Posted by Arlanbb

YID613 ~ So you only pray after a meal if you eat bread. So if you don't eat bread you don't give a prayer for the meal? What if you had eaten a waffle - is that consider bread? It has almost the same stuff in it. What about a pop-tart is that bread? So you have long and short prayers for food - what is short in time, 5 sec., and long? I find it interesting because I spent 5 weeks in Isreal and never heard a Hebrew in prayer except at the whailing wall and that took a while. arlan

All the blessing start with "Blessed are you L-d our G-d, King of the universe, . . . "

Before eating bread we would wash our hands and say ". . . who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of hands." Before actually eating the bread we say, ". . . who brings forth bread from the earth."

Before other food we say:
Wine or grape products - ". . . who creates the fruit of the vine."
Baked or cooked foods - ". . . who creates various kinds of food."
Tree grown fruits - ". . . who creates the fruit of the tree."
Other fruits and vegetables - ". . . who creates the fruit of the earth."
Other foods - ". . . by whose word all things came to be."
More detail at: GUIDE TO BLESSINGS

A waffle would be a baked or cooked food. For a Pop-Tart you would also say the blessing for baked or cooked foods even know the filling may be fruit because the shell would be considered primary. Only for Plain bread would we say the blessings for bread.

After eating bread we Bench, say the Blessing After a Meal (Grace After Meals - Prayers).
They is also a short blessing for other foods after a meal (Blessings After Certain Foods - Prayers).

By doing all this it becomes more than just a meal it becomes a Holy service. Even the food that we eat, that becomes part of us, is given a degree of Holiness. Yes Pop-Tarts can be a Holy object.

[Edit] - Seems Harmonious beat me to it.

[kai]

Originally Posted by Arlanbb

For many years I have been wondering why we pray over some food and not others. I was raised up to say thanks over our three meals a day. But when we have snacks we never said thanks over them like popcorn or candy bar or poping a tic-tac in the mouth. If we can skip some food during the day then why can't we skip most of our foods. Say all we have to do is give thanks for the whole day at breakfast only. Or lets go one step more and only give thanks on the first breakfast of the week on Sunday which covers us for seven days or we could even start with the first of the month........where do we end? arlan

well i guess that hundreds/thousands of years ago the chance to eat a square meal was something to give thanks to your deity for. we grew it and if the crops failed we could very well die. , candy bars and snacks were not invented yet.

i think its taken for granted nowadays in afluent societies where we dont have to grow or rear our own food, so we dont feel the need to thank anyone for it.

[methylatedghosts]

Originally Posted by Arlanbb

For many years I have been wondering why we pray over some food and not others.

Because praying UNDER it gets kinda messy - especially soup - that's hot AND messy! ^_^