Dear Friends,
In our Torah portion this week,
Eikev
, we read about what traditional rabbis consider to be the biblical origin of
Birkhat HaMazan
, the traditional blessing that can be recited after a meal. The Torah teaches us that we should “eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord our God for the good land that has been given to us.”
The Talmud points out that this text potentially suggests that “satisfaction” is a prerequisite for needing to say the blessing. Yet, it does not tell us what “satisfaction” actually means. The majority of rabbis suggest that satisfaction is referring to a specific amount, a minimum amount of food that needs to be consumed in order to say the blessing. Nevertheless, we have all sat down at some point in our lives to a meal, with plenty of food available, which we have found to be less than satisfactory. Which is why am intrigued by the way that the Iturei Torah understands the verse in our torah portion.
The Iturei Torah points out that in Hebrew, the word
savah
, satisfied, is spelled exactly the same as the word for seven,
sheva
. Similarly, they have the same first two letters as the word Shabbat. Therefore, according to the Iturei Torah, “there is a concept of fullness, completeness, and satisfaction, that is common to all three. On Shabbat, the seventh day, we are to feast on prayers, study, and food, and feel a special sense of joy and satisfaction.” In that regard, satisfaction can be a qualitative state of mind, in addition to a quantitative measurement. At a meal, the ambience, the company, the conversation, and our overall experience can be just as important as the food.
Which is why it is my hope and prayer for all of us this Shabbat and beyond that we all achieve a state of satisfaction, not just with our stomachs but with our spirits. Whether it’s by coming together to share a meal, joining together in prayer, or by enjoying down time with our family and friends, may we all be blessed to experience that special sense of joy and satisfaction.
Shabbat Shalom
,
Josh Dorsch
