the difference between blessing brakha and prayer tefilah
what is a brakha what is a brakha
on the most basic level a brakha is a means of recognizing the good that elohim yhwh has given to us states the entire world belongs to elohim yhwh who created everything and partaking in his creation without consent would be tantamount to stealing when we acknowledge that our food comes from elohim yhwh we say a brakha elohim grants us permission to partake in the world is pleasures this fulfills the purpose of existence to recognize yhwh and come close to him
once we have been satiated we again bless elohim yhwh expressing our appreciation for what he has given us
so first and foremost a brakha is a please and a thank you to the creator for the sustenance and pleasure he has bestowed upon us
the scriptures ketuvim kitvei relates that abraham tent was pitkhed in the middle of an intercity highway and open on all four sides so that any traveler was welcome to a royal feast inevitably at the end of the meal the grateful guests would want to thank abraham it is not me who you should be thanking abraham replied
yhwh provides our food and sustains us moment by moment to him we should give thanks
those who balked at the idea of thanking elohim yhwh were offered an alternative pay full price for the meal considering the high price for a fabulous meal in the desert abraham succeeded in inspiring even the skeptics to give elohim yhwh a try
source of all blessing
yet the essence of a brakha goes beyond mere manners this is evident from the text of the brakha itself every brakha begins with the phrase
barukh ata adonai blessed are you elohim yhwh
this expresses our will that elohim should be blessed
many commentators however take issue with this translation because of its implicit philosophical difficulty
how can man bestow blessing upon elohim yhwh who is lacking nothing how can man bestow blessing upon elohim yhwh who is lacking nothing
who created all existence and has infinite ability and power what could elohim yhwh possibly need from man a mere creation what could elohim yhwh possibly need from man a mere creation
these commentators therefore explain barukh ata adonai as a statement of recognition
you, yhwh are the source of all blessing in this way a brakha serves as a humbling reminder that it is not our own strength that brought this prosperity deuterenomy 8:17
rather we express our dependence on elohim yhwh acknowledging that he is the source from which our good has come
this concept is reflected in the word brakha which shares a root with the
word berekh, meaning knee in reciting a brakha we bend our knees to elohim yhwh
so to speak bowing in recognition of our need for and in our appreciation of his kindness
the power of a brakha
another word that shares a common root with brakha is breikha which means wellspring
this alludes to the fact that reciting a brakha opens a wellspring of blessing that flows down from the heavens this theme is hinted in the root letters of the word “brakha bet reish khaf
there is an interesting way to walk halakha with the scriptures and tradicion kitvei ve masorah that one should have bread on the table when reciting the blessing of the food birkat ha mazon grace after meals
one reason given for this is that elohim blessing always manifests itself on something that already exists
if there would be no bread on the table there would be no receptacle for elohim blessing so we see that even as we are reciting a brakha we are simultaneously receiving elohim blessing of increased prosperity a brakha
therefore is a key to open the flow of elohim's blessing into the world
in this regard one who neglects to say a brakha is considered as having stolen not only from elohim yhwh but also from the hebrew people and ultimately all of humanity having denied them an opportunity to receive elohim blessing
holy sparks
understanding the meaning behind blessings and the power they possess can transform the mundane act of eating into a deeply spiritual experience before
biting into an apple, we thank elohim yhwh for making the apple, thus making the physical act of eating into a holy act and in doing so, we elevate ourselves from the level of "animal behavior" to the unique and lofty level of human being
the torah says man does not live by bread alone but rather on the word of elohim yhwh the ancient hebrew tradition cite this verse to show that food is more than just nourishment for the body there are also sparks of holiness contained in food and when we eat that food in an propriate way kosher food and saying a brakha the holiness in that food is unlocked and nourishes the soul this is crucial to our overall health because "man does not live by bread alone
just as food helps the soul connect to the body because without food eventually the soul will separate from the body brakhot connect the soul to the infinite the ancient hebrew tradition explain that the mouth is where the soul fuses with the body which is why food goes in there and why brakhot are spoken there as they maintain the soul connection to the infinite
a life of praise
the material world presents us with two choices
to enjoy it as a gourmet spiritually or as a glutton materially to enjoy it only in itself or
to use the aesthetic experience to leap toward transcendental awareness the brakha is a user friendly method for elevating the aesthetic experience into the wow the brakha is a user friendly method for elevating the aesthetic experience into the wow that every moment of life can and should be
one time a teacher moreh took an apple in his hand and his student took an apple as well each of the men said a brakha and began to eat when they were finished the teacher moreh said to his student
do you know the difference between you and me
do you know the difference between you and meyou were hungry and wanted to eat an apple but to do so you first needed to say a brakha
in my case i looked around at the beauty of our world and desperately wanted to call out in praise of elohim yhwh since our sages made brakhot the context to praise yhwh eloheinu i needed to take an apple in other words you said a brakha to eat the apple and i ate the apple to say a brakha
what is tefillah?
prayer in hebrew tefillah is the pulse and heartbeat of hebrew spiritual ruakhani life each turn of the daily weekly and yearly cycle is accompanied by specific hebrew prayers that set the tone of the adoration practice for the individual and the community
the process of praising elohim and asking for his help is included in major occasions like marriage and festivals moedim of yhwh as well as the most mundane daily activities adding daily meaning and structure to all life events
our daily prayers trace their roots back to our biblical forefathers when we pray we step into this ancient relationship an uninterrupted chain of communication between humanity and elohim yhwh although it is permissible to pray in whatever language one understands there is special significance attached to saying the prayers in their original hebrew
what does tefillah mean
tefillah hebrew תפילה tefeelah is the hebrew word for prayer the word itself contains a range of meanings the hebrew root פלל connotes executing judgement exodus 21:22 or thinking genesis 48:11 in this sense the word to pray, may also refer to a process of accounting or contemplation להתפלל
the mitzvah of tefillah is prayer a biblical command is prayer a biblical command is prayer a biblical command is prayer a biblical command
even though the bible is full of stories that involve prayer nowhere is there an explicit commandment that says thou shalt pray but in the tradition the teachers moreh identify the root of this mitzvah in the following passage
to love yhwh your elohim and to serve him with all your heart deuteronomy 11:13
what is the service that uses the heart? it must be prayer
based on this statement somebdy wrote that there is a commandment from the torah to pray every day however the exact timing and substance of those prayers were instituted later by the tradition
but the tradition show that the origin of prayer is not a mitzvah at all it is a gift from yhwh
certainly the basic matter of prayer is not an obligation at all rather it stems from the blessed creator kindness towards us that he listens to us and responds when we call to him
this view posits prayer as a fundamental gift of elohim’s creation elohim willingly extends himself to humanity to hear and answer prayer this touches on the divine kindness khesed that underlies our very ability to pray it makes prayer first and foremost a loving invitation from our creator
how do i do it how do i do it
anytime you share whatever is on your heart with your creator
whether praising blessing, kvetkhing or requesting you are davening it could happen at any time at any place as long as it comes from the heart genuine concerns and the mind awareness of a higher presence
the people aside from speaking to elohim whenever they feel the need hebrew daven three times a day and whenever possible together
when hebrews were exiled to babylon the men of the great assembly kehillah saw that the younger generation wanted to speak to elohim as they had seen their fathers and mothers do but could not find the words they then institutionalized this raising blessing kvetkhing requesting into a formal way
who do i do it with who do i do it with
although prayer tefillah expresses a person most intimate concerns a hebrew generally seek communes with elohim communally oneness below is the best way to get the attention of the oneness above
why not just meditate why not just meditate
you can not agree all of a sudden with someone you do not know so knowing elohim is an integral part of the prayer tefillah the scriptures kitvei and tradition tells us to meditate before prayer tefillah the the law torah prescribes pondering the greatness of elohim and the smallness of man before every tefillah
speaking the words out loud helps focus your attention
a human being adam is principally a speaking being prayer tefillah brings the ability to speak of that being closer to elohim if you lift up your heart and mind but leave behind your words you have effectively left behind the human being adam
there are three daily prayers that take place every morning afternoon and evening
shakharit morning prayers
minkha afternoon prayers
maariv/arvit evening prayers
the reason for prayer
we human beings adam do not really pray to have all our needs met
we must do it
because this is how we remind ourselves that yhwh elohim exists and then this is how we build a relationship with him
the shortest prayer recorded in the scriptures is the prayer of moses when he discovered that his beloved sister miryam has been afflicted with leprosy he cries out to elohim from the depths of his being
please my elohim yhwh heal rafa her now
his prayer is as searing as it is simple and it captures his anguish and his complete faith in yhwh elohim that his prayer can and will be answered and it is
let find a secluded place for prayer like yahshua thought and there trying to address yhwh eloheinu from the heart not worrying too much about the words at first
as often as you can be lone take a trip out to the fields to pray all the grasses the nature will join you
they will enter your prayers and give you strength when no words come
do not despair come back day after day to your secluded spot and wait just wanting to speak to elohim
is in itself a very great thing even if all you can say to yhwh elohim is help help
it is still good repeat this over and over again until yhwh opens your lips and words begin to flow from your heart to your mind you will hears yhwh our elohim with your own voice and keep it with you with no one else except with yhwh your elohim
this message is as simple as it is powerful be real before yhwh elohim and he will always meet you half way
still why pray always still why pray always
my beloved brothers akhim what changes through prayer is not the mind of the almighty in his porpuses he know exactaly what we need and it is happening and what wil happens
what changes through prayer is us by recognizing the source of all of our blessings our sustenance our health our success our very existence
we bring ourselves to a higher spiritual ruakhani level we elevate ourselves by drawing closer to the almighty and through this act of elevation we become more fitting to receive or not those things we have prayed so hard
for in having grown through prayer we can now use our gifts more properly to perfect ourselves and the world around us and with this we are ready to acceptthe will of yhwh over our life
prayer is most effective when combined with effort and the acceptation we live in a world of testings and actions
prayer helps us to focus on what we need to do in order to succeed in accord to the law torah of yhwh
for a very blessed individual prayer alone can become sufficient to live eternaly
my prayer for good health
guided by the ruakh of yhwh you can add your own words
blessed are you yhwh our elohim
king of the universe
who fashioned man with wisdom
and created within him many openings and cavities
it is obvious and known before your throne of glory that if
but one of them were to be ruptured,
or but one of them were to be blocked
it would be impossible to survive
and stand before you in the merit of my appreciation
for your wondrous works
may you grant me good health and long life
according to your will
omein
prayer for the sick
almighty master of the universe
my yhwh and the elohim of my forefathers
may it be your will that you speedily send
a complete recovery from heaven
a healing of the body and a
healing of the ruakh spirit to your rebe karol
let mention the name of the person
the son daughter of
the persons mothers and father name
amongst all of the sick of
the children of yisroael
prayer for livelihood
it is you, the lord our elohim
who nourishes sustains and supports
every living creature
provide me with my allotment of bread
and bring forth food for me
and all members of my household
before i have need for it
may we be supported
in contentment but not in pain, in a
permissible but not a forbidden manner,
in honor but not in disgrace,
for life and for peace
may we be supported
from the flow of blessing and success
and from the flow of the heavenly spring
so that i will be able to do your will
engage in your torah
and fulfill your commandments
make me not dependent on the fake generosity of other people
and may there be fulfilled in me the verse that states
you open up your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing psalms 145:16
and also the verse that states
cast your burden upon yhwh elohim
and he will support you psalms 55:23
and that the righteous may know
that he is blessed when he generously helps the needy
omein
a personal request
almighty master of the universe my elohim yhwh
who has given me my life my health
my family my brothers and sisters
and my potential to develop as a human being
to grow and to come close to you
ask here for your every need
thank you, almighty
for this and for everything that you have given me
omein
prayer of gratitude
psalm 100
call out to the almighty
everyone on earth!
serve yhwh with gladness
come before him with joyous song! know that the almighty, he is elohim
it is he who made us and we are his, his nation and the sheep of his pasture enter his gates with thanksgiving
enter his courts with praise
give thanks to him, bless his name the almighty is good
his loving-kindness endures forever and his faithfulness continues
from generation to generation
prayer for a normal birth
yhwh our blessed elohim
master of the universe
i thank you for your graciousness
in granting this pregnancy
may it be your will
o our elohim ourelohim our elohim
elohim yhwh of our fathers
that you have mercy upon all pregnant women
of your nation that are giving birth
and specifically upon
[the woman's name and her mother's name]
let no sickness or blemish affect the mother
at the time that she is giving birth
may you speed the labor
so she may give birth easily
and in any pain or suffering she feel your hand
in the merit of our holy matriarkhs
sarah rivka rakhel and leah
may the baby be complete in all his limbs and senses may the baby come forth to a good
and peaceful life
at a good time
and with good future cover for your will
may she deliver the placenta in its proper time
and may she be healthy
and well for your service
may you heed our prayers
and answer our beseeching
for you are merciful
and you hear the prayers of every mouth
may the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing before you
o elohim yhwh my rock and my redeemer
omein
prayer for a safe journey
may it be your will yhwh elohim,
that you lead us toward peace
and make us reach our desired destination in life gladness and peace
may you rescue us from the hand of every foe ambush, bandits
and evil animals along the way
and from all manner of punishments
that assemble to come to earth
may you send blessing in our every handiwork
and grant us grace kindness
and mercy in your eyes
and in the eyes of all who see us
may you hear the sound of our supplication
because you are elohim who hears prayers
omein
my beloved brethren prayers channel energy from the ruach of yhwh to us prayer bring good into the world prayer and can find our real destiny
