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After Food Blessing
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After breakfast, having lunch finished, after dinner, after supper - simply having any meal finished, even after having a snack - the obligatory after food blessing is recited: "Baruch E-l Olam, Sheachalnu Mishelo" ("Blessed is G-d of universe, from Whose generosity we've eaten" - Biblical language translation). Bread and table-cloth must not be removed until the blessing is recited. Bread lying on the table during recitation of the blessing points at abundance in the house: bread was eaten here and it still remained. It guarantees abundance in the future, attracting G-d's blessing which doesn't cover empty place. It is known that recitation of this blessing by people contributes to return of Shechina (G-d's presence - Biblical language translation) into this world and assists in correction of terrible consequences of Adam and Hava's sin.
We know that Adam was the first man who got Seven Laws (instead of No Limb from Living Creature Law, which was given to Noah and his sons later, Adam was commanded about No Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge Good and Evil Law). We can also remember that Adam was directly said to be punished with death for infringement upon one of those Laws - prohibition to eat fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We can remember that Adam and Hava infringed upon this Law finally. Death, unknown to the world before, came to this world as a result of infringement upon it and Shechina left this world. Probably this is the reason why Noah Descendants are punished with death penalty for infringement upon each one of Seven Laws - with all the strictness of Halacha (practical law - Biblical language translation). Coz the sense of spiritual work each of us performs in this world consists exactly in correction of that damage Adam and Hava caused by their infringement upon one of Seven Laws, in return of Shechina into this world and in extermination of the very death entity, under the guise of which evil found its way into this world.
Midrash says G-d considered that Avraham, who was more perfect and better than first man, should have been created before Adam, however He did not do that. Why? Coz foreseeing everything what happened, He understood that if it would be Avraham instead of Adam, who didn't resist against the temptation and committed the sin - nobody in all generations in the world would be worthy to perfrom correction of consequences of that sin.
Adam and Hava brought death into this world and banished Shechina. Avraham brought It back by gathering people under Its wings and bringing life to the whole world by doing so. How did he do that? Very simple - by performing commandment about hospitality.
Once Avraham asked Shem - son of Noah - about the following:
- Tell me, please, why G-d saved you while in the Ark?
- We survived due to charity. - Shem answered.
- What does it mean? There were no beggars in the ark.
- I mean our charity regarding animals, - explained Shem. - We didn't close our eyes all nights long, feeding them and taking care of them.
- If so, - judged Abraham, - then how great the reward for observing a commandment to help people is!
Avraham laid out a beautiful orchard in B'er-Sheva. In his own tent he arranged four entrances which were opened all the time so that tired stranger, wherever he was going to, could enter and have a rest from his way while getting roof and hearty refreshments.
Soon it was spreaded all over that some wonderful man arranged coaching inn in the desert and that it was open for everybody and free. Many guests then rushed there to enjoy the food. After the meal, they thanked cordial master and were going to leave. But Avraham suddenly said:
- Now you must read the blessing. Pronounce after me: "Baruch E-l Olam, Sheachalnu Mishelo" ("Blessed is G-d of universe, from Whose generosity we've eaten" - Biblical language translation) (RASHI's comment on Bereshit 21:33).
- We don't want to read any blessing, - guests complained. - Who is this G-d of the universe?
- Do as you wish, but in this case you should pay me for the food. - Avraham said.
- How much is it?
The next answer followed:
- The bottle of wine - ten golden coins, piece of meat - ten golden coins, loaf of bread - ten golden coins.
- It's too expensive. There are no prices like those!
- Probably. But what should be the price of bread that can be bought in the middle of desert? Where one can get cheap wine and meat in this untilled land?
- Perhaps you're right, - guests yielded. - So who is this G-d you asked us to bless? Let's bless Him!
It is directly said that recitation of this simple blessing by people contributed to return of Shechina into this world.
Thus Avraham displayed hospitality, taught others to it and attracted dozens of thousands people to serving to G-d. His wife Sara also devoted herself to spreading truth on the earth: she taught women. There was a cloud of Shechina over Sara's tent. The candle she lit before Saturday didn't go out until next Saturday. And the food in the house was blessed with abundance.
Besides, Avraham gathered people's meetings where he declared the truth about One Creator and called people to serve Him. Except for public speech, he was organizing discussions where he stood his ground while arguing with everybody who called it in question. He also wrote books which proved the nonsense of idolatry. Thus, Avraham attracted to him dozens of thousands believers who recognized existence of G-d and accepted observation of Seven Laws of Noah Descendants upon themselves.
So, bringing people under the wings of Shechina and exactly inducing them to recite after food blessing, Avraham contributed a lot to the correction of terrible consequences of Adam and Hava's sin. In practice, this work is almost finished. And time is coming when evil and death, which is one of its components, will disappear forever, and Gan Eden (paradise garden - Biblical language translation) will return into this very world, and One G-d will reign in it everlastingly! That's why so important is recitation of those so, on the face of it, short but so important a few words.
Below is full text of after food blessing in Biblical language with its English translation and transliteration of original reading.
ברוך אל עולם שאכלנו משלו׃
Ba-rukh E-l o-lam, She-a-khal-nu mi-she-Lo
Blessed is G-d of universe, from Whose generosity we've eaten
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