Monday, May 23, 2011

Shehakol

Why is it that so many different food groups (meat, poultry, fish, drinks, mushrooms) are all together when it comes to which Beracha Rishona is recited over them?
Boray Pri Ha'Adamah is straight forward, so is Boray Pri Ha'Etz. Mezonos is said on foods that have now become food which is Zan.
But SheHakol that's the default one for food that we don't know which Beracha to say.
Is that fitting to use that one for meat that it is written about it, Ein Simcha ella B'Basser? We should make a special Beracha over it just like wine.
And I was thinking,
that it seems a difference between Ha'Adamah- Ha'Etz and SheHakol is that the former is said over food, even if it was cooked, that is recognizable as being edible even in its original natural state. While SheHakol is for foods that are able to be eaten only after human involvement. And to bavorn Kochi V'Otzem Yodi we make a special Beracha SheHakol N'hiya Bidvaro- Hashem created it.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Sitting on the Couch

Yesterday you built a couch. You extend yourself to the outside world. You couldn’t think about some deep idea because you were busy making sure that you put the nail in the right place.

You lowered yourself to the level of a couch.

Today you sit on the couch, relax, and read philosophy. Now, not only did you elevate yourself from the state of the couch to the state of the Human, but the couch itself was elevated from being a distraction to your wisdom to the contributing to your ability to think clearly – to be yourself.

The world is the couch. During the six days of creation Hashem lowers himself to create the world; on Shabbat he is elevated, and so are we.  

Monday, May 9, 2011

Today

Today is the day.

Today all your dreams will be answered.
Today you will love Hashem, your mind will unite with his mind with an unparalleled unity.
Today you will feel the “Ashreynu” of being Jewish and being a Chosid.
Today you will enjoy the gift of the family Hashem gave you.
Today you will “find grace and kindness in the eyes of Hashem and people”.

Every day is Today.