Introduction to Birkat Hamazon part 1

(7) For your God ה׳ is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams and springs and fountains issuing from plain and hill; (8) a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey; (9) a land where you may eat food without stint, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and from whose hills you can mine copper. (10) When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to your God ה׳ for the good land given to you. (11) Take care lest you forget your God ה׳ and fail to keep the divine commandments, rules, and laws which I enjoin upon you today. (12) When you have eaten your fill, and have built fine houses to live in, (13) and your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold have increased, and everything you own has prospered, (14) beware lest your heart grow haughty and you forget your God ה׳ —who freed you from the land of Egypt, the house of bondage;

The Sages taught: From where is it derived that Grace after Meals is from the Torah? As it is stated: “And you shall eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless...” (Deuteronomy 8:10). "And you shall bless", that is the blessing of: Who feeds. "The Eternal, your God", that is the zimmun blessing. "For the land", that is the blessing of the land; "good", that is the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, and it also says: “This good mountain and Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25). That God gave you, that is: Who is good and does good. I only have for after eating! From where do I get before eating? You can say through a "how much the more so" inference: When one is satisfied, one is obligated to recite a blessing; when one is hungry, all the more so!

Rav Nachman said: Moses instituted for Israel the first blessing of: Who feeds all, when the manna descended for them. Joshua instituted the blessing of the land when they entered the Land of Israel. David and Solomon instituted the third blessing: Who builds Jerusalem, in the following manner: David instituted “…on Israel Your people and on Jerusalem Your city…” and Solomon instituted “…on the great and Holy Temple…”. They instituted the blessing: Who is good and does good, at Yavneh in reference to the slain Jews of the city of Beitar. As Rav Mattana said: On the same day that the slain of Beitar were brought to burial, they instituted the blessing: Who is good and does good, at Yavneh. Who is good, thanking God that the corpses did not decompose while awaiting burial, and does good, thanking God that they were ultimately brought to burial.

Blessed are you, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who feeds the whole world with goodness, grace, kindness and compassion; you give food to all flesh, for your kindness endures for ever. Through Your great goodness we've never lacked food, nor may we not lack food for ever and ever, for Your great name's sake, since you feed and sustain all being. You do good to all, and prepare food for all Your creatures You created. Blessed are You God who feeds all beings.

We thank You, Eternal our God, because You have as a heritage to our ancestors a pleasant, good and ample land, and because You brought us out, Eternal our God, from the land of Egypt, and saved us from the house of slavery; as well as for Your covenant which You sealed in our flesh, for Your Torah which You taught us, Your laws which You made known to us, for the life, grace and kindness which You have shown for us, and for the eating of food with which You feed and sustain us always, every day, every time, and every hour.

For all this, Eternal our God, we are grateful to You and bless You. Blessed be Your name in the mouth of all living beings, always and for ever, as it is written: When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to your Eternal God for the good land given to you.. Blessed are You God for the land and for the food.

Have mercy, Eternal our God, upon Israel Your people, upon Jerusalem Your city, upon Zion the dwelling place of Your glory, upon the kingdom of the house of David Your anointed, and upon the great and holy house that was called by Your name. Our God, our Parent, feed us, nourish us, sustain, support and relieve us, and speedily Eternal our God, grant us relief from all our troubles. Eternal our God, let us not be in need either of the gifts of flesh and blood or of their loans, but only of Your helping hand, which is full, open, holy and ample, so that we may not be ashamed nor embarrassed for ever and ever.

And rebuild Jerusalem the holy city speedily in our days. Blessed are You God who in Your compassion rebuilds Jerusalem. Amen.

Blessed are You God, Ruler of the universe, God, our Parent, our Ruler, our Mighty One, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, our Holy One, the Holy One of Jacob, our Shepherd, the Shepherd of Israel, Ruler who is good and does good for all. For every day You have done good, you do good, and will do good for us: You have bestowed, You do bestow, and You will ever bestow good things for us, for grace, kindness, mercy and relief, deliverance and prosperity, blessing and salvation, consolation, sustenance and support, mercy, life, peace and all good: for all goodness let us never lack.

After Abraham fed the passers-by and gave them drink, they would bless him in return. However, he would say to them: “Why do you bless me? Bless rather the Master of this inn, who gives food and drink to all mankind, and instills in man the breath of life.” They would ask: “Where is he?” And he would reply: “He rules over heaven and earth; He causes death and He gives life; He afflicts and heals; He forms the embryo in the womb of its mother and brings it forth into the light of the world; He causes plants and trees to grow; and He casts man down to Sheol and lifts him up again.” Upon hearing this they would inquire: “But how may we bless Him and express our gratitude to Him?” Forthwith, he would answer: “Say: ‘Bless the Lord, who is to be blessed for all eternity; blessed be He, who giveth bread and food to all His creatures.’” In that way he taught them the blessings and righteousness.