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The Basic Laws


The rules of blessings on foods are intricate, requiring careful study. Here are some of the most basic rules.

  • A blessing is required whenever eating even a small amount of food.
  • Know what blessing you must make before you begin.
  • Hold the food in your right hand while reciting the blessing (if you are left-handed, hold it in your left).
  • Do not talk until you swallow the first bite.
  • As the name of G-d is mentioned in each blessing, and we do not say G-d's name in vain, we don't say a blessing unnecessarily. An exception is when teaching blessings to a child, as for purposes of education it is not considered,"in vain."
  • Answer Amen immediately after hearing a blessing being concluded by another person. (Do not say Amen after your own blessing.)
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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Oct 21, 2011
Blessing before meal
The Torah requires a blessing only after the meal. A blessing or prayer before the meal hasn't been stated in the Torah. Did the sages know about the Torah?

All the best,
Posted By Dipl.-Ing. Alexe Gabriel MIhail, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

Posted: Nov 25, 2008
More about what "amen" means.
See: Where does the term 'Amen' come from?
Posted By Eliezer Posner, Chabad.org

Posted: Nov 25, 2008
To Akolo
From what I know, the word 'Amen' means: 'So be it' or 'May it be so.'

The word 'Amen' originally was translated as "truth" from the Hebrew.

If you recite a blessing then you have concluded what you need/want to say. The other person recognises what you have said or asked for or have blessed and agrees by saying " Truth" "May it be so" "So be it" or Amen.

More modernly, depending on where one is from, Amen could be loosely translated as "That's the truth" or "Ain't that the truth" which would show they were in agreement with what you said.

Of course, you would not have to respond in agreement with what you said...You said it!

Does this make sense?
Posted By Kelly Rae, Sydney, AU

Posted: Mar 7, 2008
RE: responding to one's own blessing
The Talmud (Berachot 45b) writes that it is inappropriate to answer amen to one's own blessing. Amen affirms what has just been said. It is proper to affirm somebody else's blessing, but doesn't make sense to affirm what you yourself have just said.
Posted By Eliezer Posner, Chabad.org

Posted: Mar 2, 2008
blessing
im blessed by this articled but have a question! why shouln't we say amen when we pronounce the blessing? please let me know.thank you
Posted By akolo mero, seoul, korea



 


Blessings before Eating
The Basic Laws
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