What is Birkat Hamazon?
Birkat Hamazon, is a Grace After Meals blessing. It is a 4 part series of blessings recited after eating a meal that includes bread. This prayer is a way of thanking God for the food and the land that provided it. It consists of multiple blessings that cover various themes, including gratitude for sustenance, the land of Israel, and a plea for the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
Birkat hamazonYair Emanuel Embroidered Wall Hanging with Pouch==>
Origins of Birkat Hamazon
The origins of Birkat Hamazon are rooted in the Torah. The commandment to recite this blessing comes from Deuteronomy 8:10, where Moses instructs the Israelites to bless God after eating and being satisfied, thanking Him for the good land He has given them.
“When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.”
Differences Between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Versions
While the core structure of Birkat Hamazon is consistent across Jewish traditions, there are notable differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardi versions:
- Ashkenazi Version: This version includes specific insertions for Shabbat, holidays, and special occasions like weddings and Brit Milah (circumcision ceremonies). It also features the recitation of Psalm 126 (Shir Hama’alot) before Birkat Hamazon on Shabbat and holidays.
- Sephardi Version: Sephardi Jews often include additional hymns such as “Bendigamos” in Ladino, sung either before or after Birkat Hamazon. The Sephardi version also tends to be more melodious and may include different liturgical poems and psalms.
The Zimmun
Zimmun is an introductory invitation to recite Birkat Hamazon when three or more people have eaten together. It serves as a communal acknowledgment of God’s provision and sets the stage for the collective recitation of the blessings. The Talmud explains that Zimmun is derived from the same biblical source as Birkat Hamazon, emphasizing its importance in communal meals.
Certainly! Here is the Zimmun (invitation to bless) in English:
Leader: Gentlemen, let us bless.
Others: May the name of the Lord be blessed from now and forever.
Leader: With the permission of the esteemed gentlemen, let us bless our God, of whose bounty we have eaten.
Others: Blessed be our God, of whose bounty we have eaten and through whose goodness we live.
Leader: Blessed be our God, of whose bounty we have eaten and through whose goodness we live.
המזמן פותח
רַבּוֹתַי, נְבָרֵךְהמסבים
יְהִי שֵׁם יְיָ מְבֹרָךְ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָםהמזמן אומר
בִּרְשׁוּת מְרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי, נְבָרֵךְ שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלוֹהמסבים
בָּרוּךְ (בעשרה אֱלֹהֵינוּ) שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִינוּהמזמן חוזר ואומר
בָּרוּךְ שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִינוּ
Birkat Hamazon Text in English
Introduction and Zimmun (Invitation to Bless)
Leader: Let us say grace.
Others: Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever.
Leader: With the sanction of those present, we will bless Him of whose bounty we have partaken.
Others: Blessed be He of whose bounty we have partaken and through whose goodness we live.
On Shabbat and Festivals:
A Song of Ascents. When the Lord brought back the exiles of Zion, we were like dreamers. Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
Blessing 1:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who nourishes the entire world with His goodness, with grace, with loving-kindness, and with compassion. He gives bread to all flesh, for His loving-kindness endures forever. Through His great goodness, we have never lacked, and may we never lack, nourishment forever and ever. For the sake of His great name, because He is God who nourishes and sustains all, and does good to all, and prepares food for all His creatures which He has created. Blessed are You, Lord, who nourishes all.
Blessing 2:
We thank You, Lord our God, because You have given our ancestors a desirable, good, and spacious land. Because You brought us out, Lord our God, from the land of Egypt, and redeemed us from the house of slavery. For Your covenant which You sealed in our flesh, Your Torah which You taught us, Your statutes which You made known to us, the life, grace, and loving-kindness which You granted us, and for the food we eat with which You constantly nourish and sustain us every day, at all times, and at every hour.
Blessed are You, Lord, for the land and for the food.
Blessing 3:
Have mercy, Lord our God, on Israel Your people, on Jerusalem Your city, on Zion the dwelling place of Your glory, on the kingdom of the house of David Your anointed, and on the great and holy house that is called by Your name. Our God, our Father, tend us, nourish us, sustain us, and support us; relieve us, O Lord our God, speedily from all our troubles. Make us not needful, Lord our God, of the gifts of human hands, but only of Your full, open, holy, and ample hand, that we may not be put to shame nor humiliated forever and ever.
Blessed are You, Lord, who in His mercy rebuilds Jerusalem. Amen.
Blessing 4:
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, God, our Father, our King, our Mighty One, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, our Holy One, the Holy One of Jacob, our Shepherd, the Shepherd of Israel, the King who is good and does good to all. Every day He did, does, and will do good to us. He has bestowed, He bestows, and He will bestow forever grace, kindness, mercy, relief, salvation, success, blessing, help, consolation, sustenance, and nourishment, and compassion, life, peace, and all good things. May He never cause us to lack any good.
May the Merciful One reign over us forever.
May the Merciful One be blessed in heaven and on earth.
May the Merciful One be praised for all generations, and may He be glorified in us forever and ever, and honored in us forever and ever.
May the Merciful One grant us an honorable livelihood.
May the Merciful One break the yoke of oppression from our necks and lead us upright to our land.
May the Merciful One send us abundant blessing to this house and upon this table at which we have eaten.
May the Merciful One send us Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory, to bring us good tidings of salvation and comfort.
May the Merciful One bless my father, my teacher, the master of this house, and my mother, my teacher, the mistress of this house, them, their household, their children, and all that is theirs. May the Merciful One bless me and my wife and my children and all that is mine.
May the Merciful One bless us and all that is ours, just as our ancestors, 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.
May the Merciful One cause us to inherit a day that will be entirely good.
May the Merciful One make us worthy of the days of the Messiah and life in the world to come.
He is a tower of salvation to His king, and shows kindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever. He who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
Birkat Hamazon Text in Hebrew
המזמן: רַבּוֹתַי נְבָרֵךְ.
המסובים: יְהִי שֵׁם יְהוָה מְבֹרָךְ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם.
המזמן: יְהִי שֵׁם יְהוָה מְבֹרָךְ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם. בִּרְשׁוּת מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי, נְבָרֵךְ (אֱלֹהֵינוּ) שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ.
המסובים: בָּרוּךְ (אֱלֹהֵינוּ) שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִינוּ.
המזמן: בָּרוּךְ (אֱלֹהֵינוּ) שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִינוּ.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַזָּן אֶת הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּחֵן בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים, הוּא נוֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. וּבְטוּבוֹ הַגָּדוֹל תָּמִיד לֹא חָסַר לָנוּ, וְאַל יֶחְסַר לָנוּ מָזוֹן לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל, כִּי הוּא אֵל זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס לַכֹּל וּמֵטִיב לַכֹּל, וּמֵכִין מָזוֹן לְכָל בְּרִיּוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה, הַזָּן אֶת הַכֹּל.
נוֹדֶה לְּךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל שֶׁהִנְחַלְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָּה טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה, וְעַל שֶׁהוֹצֵאתָנוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, וּפְדִיתָנוּ מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים, וְעַל בְּרִיתְךָ שֶׁחָתַמְתָּ בִּבְשָׂרֵנוּ, וְעַל תּוֹרָתְךָ שֶׁלִּמַּדְתָּנוּ, וְעַל חֻקֶּיךָ שֶׁהוֹדַעְתָּנוּ, וְעַל חַיִּים חֵן וָחֶסֶד שֶׁחוֹנַנְתָּנוּ, וְעַל אֲכִילַת מָזוֹן שָׁאַתָּה זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אוֹתָנוּ תָּמִיד, בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה:
וְעַל הַכֹּל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ אֲנַחְנוּ מוֹדִים לָךְ וּמְבָרְכִים אוֹתָךְ, יִתְבָּרַךְ שִׁמְךָ בְּפִי כָל חַי תָּמִיד לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. כַּכָּתוּב, וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה, עַל הָאָרֶץ וְעַל הַמָּזוֹן:
רַחֶם נָא יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַמֶּךָ, וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִירֶךָ, וְעַל צִיּוֹן מִשְׁכַּן כְּבוֹדֶךָ, וְעַל מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד מְשִׁיחֶךָ, וְעַל הַבַּיִת הַגָּדוֹל וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ שֶׁנִּקְרָא שִׁמְךָ עָלָיו: אֱלֹהֵינוּ, אָבִינוּ, רְעֵנוּ זוּנֵנוּ פַרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ, וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מְהֵרָה מִכָּל צָרוֹתֵינוּ. וְנָא אַל תַּצְרִיכֵנוּ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, לֹא לִידֵי מַתְּנַת בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְלֹא לִידֵי הַלְוָאָתָם, כִּי אִם לְיָדְךָ הַמְּלֵאָה הַפְּתוּחָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְהָרְחָבָה, שֶׁלֹּא נֵבוֹשׁ וְלֹא נִכָּלֵם לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
בְּנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עִיר הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵינוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה, בּוֹנֵה בְרַחֲמָיו יְרוּשָׁלָיִם. אָמֵן.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הָאֵל אָבִינוּ, מַלְכֵּנוּ, אַדִּירֵנוּ, בּוֹרְאֵנוּ, גֹּאֲלֵנוּ, יוֹצְרֵנוּ, קְדוֹשֵׁנוּ קְדוֹשׁ יַעֲקֹב, רוֹעֵנוּ רוֹעֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַמֶּלֶךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב לַכֹּל, שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם הוּא הֵטִיב, הוּא מֵטִיב, הוּא יֵיטִיב לָנוּ. הוּא גְמָלָנוּ הוּא גוֹמְלֵנוּ הוּא יִגְמְלֵנוּ לָעַד, לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים וּלְרֶוַח הַצָּלָה וְהַצְלָחָה, בְּרָכָה וִישׁוּעָה נֶחָמָה פַּרְנָסָה וְכַלְכָּלָה וְרַחֲמִים וְחַיִּים וְשָׁלוֹם וְכָל טוֹב, וּמִכָּל טוּב לְעוֹלָם אַל יְחַסְּרֵנוּ:
הָרַחֲמָן, הוּא יִמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. הָרַחֲמָן, הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ. הָרַחֲמָן, הוּא יִשְׁתַּבַּח לְדוֹר דּוֹרִים, וְיִתְפָּאַר בָּנוּ לָעַד וּלְנֵצַח נְצָחִים, וְיִתְהַדַּר בָּנוּ לָעַד וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים. הָרַחֲמָן, הוּא יְפַרְנְסֵנוּ בְּכָבוֹד. הָרַחֲמָן, הוּא יִשְׁבּוֹר עֻלֵנוּ מֵעַל צַוָּארֵנוּ, וְהוּא יוֹלִיכֵנוּ קוֹמְמִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵנוּ. הָרַחֲמָן, הוּא יִשְׁלַח לָנוּ בְּרָכָה מְרֻבָּה בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה, וְעַל שֻׁלְחָן זֶה שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ עָלָיו. הָרַחֲמָן, הוּא יִשְׁלַח לָנוּ אֶת אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא זָכוּר לַטּוֹב, וִיבַשֶּׂר לָנוּ בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת יְשׁוּעוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת.
עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
יְראוּ אֶת יְהוָה קְדֹשָׁיו, כִּי אֵין מַחְסוֹר לִירֵאָיו: כְּפִירִים רָשׁוּ וְרָעֵבוּ, וְדֹרְשֵׁי יְהוָה לֹא יַחְסְרוּ כָל טוֹב: הוֹדוּ לַיהוָה כִּי טוֹב, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ, וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן: בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּיהוָה, וְהָיָה יְהוָה מִבְטַחוֹ: נַעַר הָיִיתִי גַם זָקַנְתִּי, וְלֹא רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב, וְזַרְעוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ לָחֶם: יְהוָה עֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן, יְהוָה יְבָרֵךְ אֶת עַמּוֹ בַשָּׁלוֹם: הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת (אָבִי מוֹרִי) בַּעַל הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה וְאֶת (אִמִּי מוֹרָתִי) בַּעֲלַת הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה, אוֹתָם וְאֶת בֵּיתָם וְאֶת זַרְעָם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם, אוֹתָנוּ וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְכוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב בַּכֹּל מִכֹּל כֹּל, כֵּן יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ יַחַד בִּבְרָכָה שְׁלֵמָה, וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן: בַּמָּרוֹם יְלַמְּדוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְעָלֵינוּ זְכוּת שֶׁתְּהֵא לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת שָׁלוֹם. וְנִשָּׂא בְרָכָה מֵאֵת יְהוָה, וּצְדָקָה מֵאֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ, וְנִמְצָא חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם: (בשבת: הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יַנְחִילֵנוּ יוֹם שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שַׁבָּת וּמְנוּחָה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָמִים:) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יַנְחִילֵנוּ יוֹם שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ טוֹב: הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְזַכֵּנוּ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ וּלְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא: מִגְדּוֹל יְשׁוּעוֹת מַלְכּוֹ וְעֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדָוִד וּלְזַרְעוֹ עַד עוֹלָם: עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
Birkat Hamazon Significance
Birkat Hamazon is a vital part of Jewish ritual life, encapsulating gratitude for sustenance, the land of Israel, and divine providence. While versions very a bit between Jewish communities and cultures it is quite remarkable that it remained a part of Jewish prayers through thousands of Years and originated from the time the people of Israel walked in the desert.