Next Monday (beginning from Sunday night) will mark Tu Bishvat. In observance of the custom of Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l, we shall spend the next several days discussing some of the laws of the “Blessings of Enjoyment” which refer to the blessings enacted by our Sages to be recited before enjoying the pleasures of this world, such as eating and drinking.
Holding the Food While Reciting the Blessing
Before one recites the appropriate blessing over a food or beverage of which one would like to partake or before reciting a blessing over a pleasant smelling object one would like to smell, one must hold the item one is reciting the blessing on in one’s right hand. The Poskim derive this law from the Baraita in Masechet Berachot (43b).
The Mordechi (authored by Rabbeinu Mordechai bar Hillel Ashkenazi, one of the great Rishonim who was murdered while sanctifying Hashem’s name on Erev Shabbat in Nirenberg in the year 5714/1254) writes in the name of the Ra’avaya (author of the “Avi Ha’Ezri”) that we can derive from here that any blessing on a Mitzvah should be done while holding the item in one’s right hand. Therefore, during Havdala one should hold the cup of wine in one’s right hand and recite the “Boreh Peri Ha’Gefen” blessing and then transfer the cup of wine to one’s left hand and hold the pleasant smelling object in one’s right hand in order to recite the appropriate blessing on it; following this, one returns the cup of wine to one’s right hand. Maran Ha’Bet Yosef (end of Chapter 219) quotes this opinion of the Ra’avaya and rules in accordance with his view in the laws of Havdala (Chapter 295).
Hearing the Words One is Reciting
The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (15a) explains that regarding all blessings which one recites, one should raise one’s voice slightly in order for one to be able to hear the blessing one is currently reciting. One should not recite the blessing in a complete undertone such that one does not hear the words he is uttering. Nevertheless, if one mistakenly recites a blessing and did not hear the words one has uttered, one has fulfilled his obligation and need not repeat the blessing.
Reciting Blessings Slowly
Our Sages (Berachot 47a) taught that one should not just “eject” a blessing out of one’s mouth; rather, one should concentrate while reciting the blessing and recite it slowly. Regarding one who recites a blessing hurriedly and without concentration did Hashem tell the prophet Yeshaya, “Because this nation has encountered me; they have honored me with their mouths and lips, but their heart is distanced from me.” One should therefore concentrate on the meaning of the words emerging from one’s mouth (for instance, the “Shehakol Nihya Bidvaro” blessing means that the entire creation came into existence as a result of Hashem’s word) and one should likewise concentrate on the meaning of the various names of Hashem that one utters. (While reciting the name of Hashem, one should have in mind that He is the Master over everything that did, does, and always will exist. When mentioning Hashem’s “Elokim” name in blessings, one should have in mind that Hashem is Almighty, Omnipotent, and capable of anything.) If one becomes accustomed to concentrating on one’s blessings, this will eventually become second-nature for the individual.
Maran zt”l also points out that when mentioning Hashem’s name in blessings, sometimes, because the individual is reciting the blessing so hurriedly, one may inadvertently swallow the “Alef” of the name of Hashem and it will sound like one is saying, “Baruch Atadonai.” One should be exceedingly careful regarding this matter, both in blessings of enjoyment and in prayers.
