Skip to main content

REVERSE RIPPLE

 


One of the most frequently recited brachot that, in some ways, seems to get a bad rap, is the bracha recited over many “less-specific” foods, Shehakol Nihyeh Bi’dvaro (by Whose word all comes to be). Perhaps it is seen by some as less important than others, given it’s not at the level of bread or wine; nor is it one of the seven species, or fruits or vegetables that seem to get their own brachot. It’s kind of the Kol Bo of brachot, a catch-all for everything without its own bracha, or worse yet, the bracha many make when they have no idea which bracha to recite.

 

Yet.

 

Water.

 

We can’t live without it. We can’t grow the grains we use to bake bread, the grapes for wine, or the plants and vegetables that all have their own brachot. Perhaps Shehakol Nihyeh Bi’dvaro is actually one of the most important brachot, which brings to mind a discussion with Rabbi Weinbergנ׳׳י.

 

At the beginning of our weekly chabura, we learned what I would call the “reverse ripple” of the bracha, using what may be the most popular drink in the United States as an example: coffee (which, according to some is more popular than bottled water). Rabbi Weinberg described all (well really, probably not nearly all) that goes into that Starbucks Triple Venti Cappuccino. From the growers and harvesters of the beans; to the creators of the canvas bags holding the beans; the ships conveying the beans from far-off countries; the inventors of the drum or air roasters; the creators of the vehicles with their tires, cables and mechanical parts that bring the beans to Starbucks; the designer of the logo and cups and lids and little green swords that some actually use to stir their coffee; not to mention the barista and all the thousands of people who have jobs and provide for their families along the way…

 

So in a way, it’s not that a sip of coffee has a significant effect on the drinker so much as it’s a “reverse ripple.” Numerous small and large details have already profoundly  influenced the world before the bracha is even recited! In fact, it’s pretty much infinite, which suggest that it can be a bracha of Olam HaBa dimensions (or lack thereof). And this, then, is how we might consider the all-important “shehakol”, as we recite the bracha:

 

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ‑יָ אֱ‑לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיָה בִּדְבָרוֹ

 

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, by Whose word

all things came to be.

 

May we have the awareness in all of our brachot of the many works of Hashem that enable us to express our gratitude and appreciation, with our minds and hearts and lips—from a cool sip of water to the Shabbat kiddush—and may they all connect Shamayim and Aretz, Olam Hazeh and Olam HaBa.

By: Nathan Kruman

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Creation

 All was destroyed during the month of Av. Creation began on Elul, and, so it will again. We recite this prayer for the New Month focusing on Creation. “God created the world in order to do good to an other (Derech Hashem 1:2:1).” Creation was an expression of absolute love, the “other” had done nothing to earn it. This is why Elul, the month of Creation is also the month of intense love between God and Israel. I recite this prayer imaging myself participating in the final Heavenly planning meetings before Creation. I am not praying as one who has already existed and experienced success and failure, but as one who has the opportunity to see the world before Creation, and request in this moment of intense love all that I could possibly need and want. I use this prayer to prepare for all my Elul prayers until the 25th of the month when Creation began. For what shall I ask? What will I need to succeed? How will I define success? What do I hope to achieve? Rabbi Simcha Weinberg

Who clothes the naked

"Certainly those determining acts of her life were not ideally beautiful. They were the mixed result of a young and noble impulse struggling amidst the conditions of an imperfect social state, in which great feelings will often take the aspect of error, and great faith the aspect of illusion. For there is no creature whose inward being is so strong that it is not greatly determined by what lies outside it." "But we insignificant people with our daily words and acts are preparing the lives of many Dorotheas." "Her finely-touched spirit had still its fine issues, though they were not widely visible. Her full nature like that river of which Cyrus broke the strength, spent itself in channels which had no great name on the earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to t...

Birchat Hamazon

By: Machberes Avodas Hashem The Chafetz Chaim taught: "At the conclusion of the main portion of Grace after Meals we add a series of,' May the All Merciful.' We add numerous such petitions, indicating that a request to God after the performance of a mitzvah is especially acceptable before Him (Michtevei haRav Chafetz Chaim, page 45)." One of the primary issues of the Exile is, "You wrapped Yourself in a cloud that no prayer can pierce (Lamentations 3:44)." It is more difficult to pray during the Three Weeks than other times during the year because we experience this "cloud." With COVID unfortunately around, this year proves to be even more difficult because our time in shul has changed drastically, and we have never experienced the pain of the three weeks while in a situation similar to the present state of the world. We can use this strategy of the Chafetz Chaim, that of praying immediately after the performance of a mitzvah, so that we may feel t...