(א) שְׁלשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ כְאֶחָד, חַיָּבִין לְזַמֵּן. אָכַל דְּמַאי, וּמַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁנִּטְּלָה תְרוּמָתוֹ, וּמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְהֶקְדֵּשׁ שֶׁנִּפְדּוּ, וְהַשַּׁמָּשׁ שֶׁאָכַל כַּזַּיִת, וְהַכּוּתִי, מְזַמְּנִין עֲלֵיהֶם. אֲבָל אָכַל טֶבֶל, וּמַעֲשֵׂר רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁלֹּא נִטְּלָה תְרוּמָתוֹ, וּמַעֲשֵׂר שֵׁנִי וְהֶקְדֵּשׁ שֶׁלֹּא נִפְדּוּ, וְהַשַּׁמָּשׁ שֶׁאָכַל פָּחוֹת מִכַּזַּיִת, וְהַנָּכְרִי, אֵין מְזַמְּנִין עֲלֵיהֶם:
(1) Three who ate as one are required to join together. If, among the diners, one ate doubtfully tithed produce, and first tithe from which its teruma was already taken, or second tithe, and consecrated food that was redeemed; and even the waiter who ate at least an olive-bulk, and the Samaritan, join with the others. However, one who ate untithed produce, and first tithe from which its teruma was not separated, and second tithe, and consecrated food that was not redeemed, and the waiter who did not eat an olive-bulk, and the gentile, do not join together.
(ב) נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים וּקְטַנִּים, אֵין מְזַמְּנִין עֲלֵיהֶם. עַד כַּמָּה מְזַמְּנִין, עַד כַּזָּיִת. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, עַד כַּבֵּיצָה:
(2) Women, slaves, and minors do not add to the count for joining together. How much must one eat to join together? An olive-bulk. Rabbi Yehuda says: An egg-bulk.
(ג) כֵּיצַד מְזַמְּנִין, בִּשְׁלשָׁה אוֹמֵר נְבָרֵךְ. בִּשְׁלשָׁה וְהוּא, אוֹמֵר בָּרְכוּ. בַּעֲשָׂרָה, אוֹמֵר נְבָרֵךְ לֵאלֹקֵינוּ. בַּעֲשָׂרָה וָהוּא, אוֹמֵר בָּרְכוּ. אֶחָד עֲשָׂרָה וְאֶחָד עֲשָׂרָה רִבּוֹא. בְּמֵאָה אוֹמֵר, נְבָרֵךְ לַייָ אֱלֹקֵינוּ. בְּמֵאָה וְהוּא, אוֹמֵר בָּרְכוּ. בְּאֶלֶף, אוֹמֵר נְבָרֵךְ לַייָ אֱלֹקֵינוּ אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּאֶלֶף וְהוּא, אוֹמֵר בָּרְכוּ. בְּרִבּוֹא, אוֹמֵר, נְבָרֵךְ לַייָ אֱלֹקֵינוּ אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹקֵי הַצְּבָאוֹת יוֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים עַל הַמָּזוֹן שֶׁאָכָלְנוּ. בְּרִבּוֹא וְהוּא, אוֹמֵר בָּרְכוּ. כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁהוּא מְבָרֵךְ, כָּךְ עוֹנִין אַחֲרָיו, בָּרוּךְ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵינוּ אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹקֵי הַצְּבָאוֹת יוֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים עַל הַמָּזוֹן שֶׁאָכָלְנוּ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי אוֹמֵר, לְפִי רֹב הַקָּהָל הֵן מְבָרְכִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּמַקְהֵלוֹת בָּרְכוּ אֱלֹקִים, ה׳ מִמְּקוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל (תהלים סח). אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, מַה מָּצִינוּ בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אֶחָד מְרֻבִּין וְאֶחָד מֻעָטִין אוֹמֵר, בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה׳. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה׳ הַמְבֹרָךְ:
(3) How does one recite the zimmun? With three, the one leading says: Let us bless...
In a group of ten people, the one leading says: Let us bless our God... This formula is recited both in a group of ten and in a group of one hundred thousand.
With one hundred people, the one leading says: Let us bless the Eternal our God.
..
In a group of one thousand people, the one leading says: Let us bless the Eternal our God, the God of Israel...
In a group of ten thousand people, the one leading says: Let us bless the Eternal our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten...
The principle is that just as the one recites the blessing, so too those present recite in response: Blessed be the Eternal our God, the God of Israel, the God of Hosts, Who sits upon the cherubs, for the food that we have eaten.
Rabbi Yosei HaGalili says: According to the size of the crowd, they recite the blessing, as it is stated: “Bless you God in full assemblies, even the Eternal, you who are from the fountain of Israel” (Psalms 68:27).
Rabbi Akiva said: What do we find in the synagogue? Both when there are many and when there are few, the prayer leader says: Bless [barekhu] the Eternal.
Rabbi Yishmael said: Bless the Eternal the blessed One.
by Rabbi Moshe Berger
When three individuals choose to share a meal and proceed to eat it together, they experience a sense of bonding. To some extent, each person divests himself of his self-perception as an individual, and channels or transforms his separate identity into the identity of the group. Therefore, in retrospect, upon finishing the meal, it was the group - not the participating individuals - who had consumed the meal. As a result, the obligation to recite Birkat Hamazon devolves not upon the individuals, but rather upon the group as a whole.
Amidah as individuals. Subsequently, we assert our identities as integral parts of the community, a defined unit which also needs to pray. Therefore, a shaliach tzibbur, who represents the community as an integrated whole, repeats the entire prayer.
רַבּוֹתַי נְבָרֵךְ:
יְהִי שֵׁם ה׳ מְבֹרָךְ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד־עוֹלָם:
יְהִי שֵׁם ה׳ מְבֹרָךְ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד־עוֹלָם:
בִּרְשׁוּת מָרָנָן וְרַבָּנָן וְרַבּוֹתַי נְבָרֵךְ (בעשרה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ) שֶׁאָכַֽלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ:
בָּרוּךְ (בעשרה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ) שֶֽׁאָכַֽלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִֽינוּ:
בָּרוּךְ (בעשרה אֱלֺהֵֽינוּ) שֶֽׁאָכַֽלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִֽינוּ:
בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ:
“Gentlemen, let us say the blessing:
The others respond: The Name of God will be blessed from now forever.
The leader repeats
.
The leader continues: (the words “our God” are added if ten are in the group): “With your permission our masters and teachers, Let us bless (our God) for we have eaten of Divine bounty.”
The others respond accordingly: Blessed is (our God) for we have eaten of Divine bounty and through Divine goodness we live.
The leader repeats
.
Some add: Blessed is God and blessed is God's Name.
From the Reform Siddur
The leader: Chaveirai n’vareich. (Friends let us bless)
All reply: Y ’hi sheim Adonai m’vorach mei’attah v’ad olam.
The leader: Y ’hi sheim Adonai m’vorach mei’attah v’ad olam.
Birshut chaveirai, n’vareich (eloheinu) she’achalnu mishelo.
All reply: Baruch (eloheinu) she’achalnu mishelo uv’tuvo chayinu.
The leader: Baruch (eloheinu) she’achalnu mishelo uv’tuvo chayinu.
Baruch hu uvaruch sh’mo.
The traditional birkat hamazon contains four blessings: for the food, for the land, for the holy city of Jerusalem, and for God's goodness. Those blessings are adorned with an introductory psalm and a series of blessings that call God The Merciful One, plus additions for Shabbat and festivals. This is how our tradition works: a short text is embroidered with additions, and the additions become canon too.
And while it's easy to roll our eyes at that process of accretion -- this is how we wind up with long prayers: because we get attached to the new additions, but we can't bear to get rid of the original material! -- the process often yields liturgy that I truly love singing. And I do love bentsching (singing the birkat hamazon) when I'm lucky enough to gather a table of people who want to sing it with me.
Besides, one could argue that the impulse comes out of the same place as my mother's decision to make me rewrite all of my thank-you notes. It's not enough to just say "Hey, thanks for the thing." If we're doing it right, we ought to articulate gratitude for the food, and for the land in which the food arises, and for our holy places, and for the goodness of God that leads to the gift of sustenance in the first place.
(נ) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִמְלוֹךְ עָלֵֽינוּ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
(נא) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ בַּשָּׁמַֽיִם וּבָאָֽרֶץ:
(נב) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִשְׁתַּבַּח לְדוֹר דּוֹרִים, וְיִתְפָּאַר בָּֽנוּ לָעַד וּלְנֵֽצַח נְצָחִים, וְיִתְהַדַּר בָּֽנוּ לָעַד וּלְעוֹלְ֒מֵי עוֹלָמִים:
(נג) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְפַרְנְ֒סֵֽנוּ בְּכָבוֹד:
(נד) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִשְׁבּוֹר עֻלֵּֽנוּ מֵעַל צַוָּארֵֽנוּ וְהוּא יוֹלִיכֵֽנוּ קוֹמְ֒מִיּוּת לְאַרְצֵֽנוּ:
(נה) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִשְׁלַח לָֽנוּ בְּרָכָה מְרֻבָּה בַּבַּֽיִת הַזֶּה וְעַל־שֻׁלְחָן זֶה שֶׁאָכַֽלְנוּ עָלָיו:
(נו) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יִשְׁלַח לָֽנוּ אֶת־אֵלִיָּֽהוּ הַנָּבִיא זָכוּר לַטּוֹב, וִיבַשֶּׂר־לָֽנוּ בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת יְשׁוּעוֹת וְנֶחָמוֹת:
(נז) אם סמוך על שלחן אביו יאמר:
(נח) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־(אָבִי מוֹרִי) בַּֽעַל הַבַּֽיִת הַזֶּה, וְאֶת־(אִמִּי מוֹרָתִי) בַּעֲלַת הַבַּֽיִת הַזֶּה, אוֹתָם וְאֶת־בֵּיתָם וְאֶת־זַרְעָם וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם
(נט) (ואם סמוך על שלחן עצמו יאמר:)
(ס) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתִי (וְאֶת־אִשְׁתִּי/בַּעֲלִי וְאֶת־זַרְעִי) וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר לִי.
(סא) אוֹתָֽנוּ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר לָֽנוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּרְ֒כוּ אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב: בַּכֹּל, מִכֹּל, כֹּל, כֵּן יְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָֽנוּ כֻּלָּֽנוּ יַֽחַד, בִּבְרָכָה שְׁלֵמָה, וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן:
(סד) בַּמָּרוֹם יְלַמְּ֒דוּ עֲלֵיהֶם וְעָלֵֽינוּ זְכוּת שֶׁתְּ֒הֵא לְמִשְׁמֶֽרֶת שָׁלוֹם, וְנִשָּׂא בְרָכָה מֵאֵת ה׳ וּצְדָקָה מֵאֱלֺקֵי יִשְׁעֵֽנוּ, וְנִמְצָא חֵן וְשֵֽׂכֶל טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֺקִים וְאָדָם:
(סה) בשבת אומר:
(סו) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יַנְחִילֵֽנוּ יוֹם שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שַׁבָּת וּמְנוּחָה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָמִים:
(עה) הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְזַכֵּֽנוּ לִימוֹת הַמָּשִֽׁיחַ וּלְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מַגְדִּיל יְשׁוּעוֹת מַלְכּוֹ (בשבת וביו"ט אומר: מִגְדּוֹל יְשׁוּעוֹת מַלְכּוֹ), וְעֹֽשֶׂה חֶֽסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדָוִד וּלְזַרְעוֹ עַד עוֹלָם: עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
(עו) יְראוּ אֶת־ה׳ קְדוֹשָׁיו, כִּי אֵין מַחְסוֹר לִירֵאָיו: כְּפִירִים רָשׁוּ וְרָעֵֽבוּ, וְדוֹרְ֒שֵׁי ה׳ לֺא־יַחְסְ֒רוּ כָל־טוֹב: הוֹדוּ לַה׳ כִּי־טוֹב, כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: פּוֹתֵֽחַ אֶת־יָדֶֽךָ, וּמַשְׂבִּֽיעַ לְכָל־חַי רָצוֹן: בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּֽבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה׳, וְהָיָה ה׳ מִבְטַחוֹ: נַֽעַר הָיִֽיתִי גַם־זָקַֽנְתִּי וְלֺא־רָאִֽיתִי צַדִּיק נֶעֱזָב, וְזַרְעוֹ מְבַקֶּשׁ־לָֽחֶם: ה׳ עוֹז לְעַמּוֹ יִתֵּן, ה׳ יְבָרֵךְ אֶת־עַמּוֹ בַּשָּׁלוֹם:
(50) May the Merciful One reign over us forever and ever.
(51) May the Merciful One be blessed in heaven and on earth.
(52) May the Merciful One be praised for all generations, be glorified through us forever and for all eternity; and be honored through us for time everlasting.
(53) May the Merciful One maintain us with honour.
(54) May the Merciful One break the yoke (of oppression) from our necks and lead us upright to our land.
(55) May the Merciful One send us abundant blessing to this house, and upon this table at which we have eaten.
(56) May the Merciful One send us Elijah the prophet, who is remembered for good, who will announce to us good tidings, deliverances, and consolations.
(58) 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; (
or alternatively) my spouse, my children, and all that is mine;
(61) Ours and all that is ours— just as our ancestors were blessed— Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— "In Everything", “From everything,” and “With everything”; so may God bless us, all of us together, with a perfect blessing and let us say Amen.
(64) From on high, may there be invoked upon them and upon us, [the] merit to insure peace, And may we receive a blessing from the Eternal, and kindness from the God of our deliverance; and may we find favor and understanding in the eyes of God and human beings.
(65) On Shabbat say:
(66) May the Merciful One let us inherit the day which will be completely Shabbat and rest, for life everlasting.
(75) May the Merciful One make us worthy of the days of the Messiah and life of the World to Come.
The One who gives great deliverance to God's king, (On Shabbos and Yom Tov say: The One who is a tower of deliverance to God's king,) and shows kindness to God's anointed— to David and his descendants forever. May the One Who makes peace in the high heavens make peace for us and for all Israel, and let us say, Amen.
(76) Fear the Eternal, you holy ones, for those who fear God suffer no deprivation. Young lions may feel want and hunger, but those who seek the Eternal, will not be deprived of any good thing. Give thanks to the Eternal, for God is good, God's kindness endures forever. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living being. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Eternal, so that the Eternal is their security. I was young and I have grown old, yet I have never seen a righteous person forsaken, nor their children begging for bread. May the Eternal give strength to God's people, may the Eternal bless God's people with peace.
The conclusion to the context-dependent blessing for hosts, family, and oneself asks for reflected beneficence from the blessings enjoyed by our ancestors. For the Avot, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’akov, those blessings are encapsulated by three variations of the word “kol” (all) from three different pasukim:
וְאַבְרָהָ֣ם זָקֵ֔ן בָּ֖א בַּיָּמִ֑ים וַֽיהֹוָ֛ה בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם בַּכֹּֽל׃
Avraham was now old, advanced in years, and ha-Shem had blessed Abraham in all things.
וַיֶּחֱרַ֨ד יִצְחָ֣ק חֲרָדָה֮ גְּדֹלָ֣ה עַד־מְאֹד֒ וַיֹּ֡אמֶר מִֽי־אֵפ֡וֹא ה֣וּא הַצָּֽד־צַ֩יִד֩ וַיָּ֨בֵא לִ֜י וָאֹכַ֥ל מִכֹּ֛ל בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא וָאֲבָרְכֵ֑הוּ גַּם־בָּר֖וּךְ יִהְיֶֽה׃
Yitzhak was seized with very violent trembling. “Who was it then,” he demanded, “that hunted game and brought it to me? Moreover, I ate of it before you came, and I blessed him; now he must remain blessed!”
קַח־נָ֤א אֶת־בִּרְכָתִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֻבָ֣את לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־חַנַּ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכִ֣י יֶשׁ־לִי־כֹ֑ל וַיִּפְצַר־בּ֖וֹ וַיִּקָּֽח׃
Please accept my present which has been brought to you, for God has favored me and I have plenty.” And when he urged him (Esav), he accepted.
In the 20th century, we collectively remembered to include four Imahot, Sarah, Rivka, Leah, and Rachel, whose blessings are encapsulated by four variations of the word “tov” (goodness) from four different pasukim:
וּלְאַבְרָ֥ם הֵיטִ֖יב בַּעֲבוּרָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־ל֤וֹ צֹאן־וּבָקָר֙ וַחֲמֹרִ֔ים וַעֲבָדִים֙ וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וַאֲתֹנֹ֖ת וּגְמַלִּֽים׃
And because of her, it went well with Avram; he acquired sheep, oxen, asses, male and female slaves, she-asses, and camels.
וְהַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ טֹבַ֤ת מַרְאֶה֙ מְאֹ֔ד בְּתוּלָ֕ה וְאִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א יְדָעָ֑הּ וַתֵּ֣רֶד הָעַ֔יְנָה וַתְּמַלֵּ֥א כַדָּ֖הּ וַתָּֽעַל׃
The maiden was very beautiful—[and] a virgin, no man having known her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָבָ֗ן ט֚וֹב תִּתִּ֣י אֹתָ֣הּ לָ֔ךְ מִתִּתִּ֥י אֹתָ֖הּ לְאִ֣ישׁ אַחֵ֑ר שְׁבָ֖ה עִמָּדִֽי׃
Lavan said, “Better that I give her to you than that I should give her to an outsider. Stay with me.”
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר לֵאָ֗ה זְבָדַ֨נִי אֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֹתִי֮ זֵ֣בֶד טוֹב֒ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִזְבְּלֵ֣נִי אִישִׁ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שִׁשָּׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ זְבֻלֽוּן׃
Leah said, “God has given me a choice gift; this time my husband will exalt me, for I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zevulun.
מגדל [מַגְדִּיל֮] יְשׁוּע֪וֹת מַ֫לְכּ֥וֹ וְעֹ֤שֶׂה חֶ֨סֶד ׀ לִמְשִׁיח֗וֹ לְדָוִ֥ד וּלְזַרְע֗וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
God accords great victories-m to God's king, keeps faith with God's anointed, with David and his offspring forever.
מגדיל [מִגְדּ֖וֹל] יְשׁוּע֣וֹת מַלְכּ֑וֹ וְעֹֽשֶׂה־חֶ֧סֶד לִמְשִׁיח֛וֹ לְדָוִ֥ד וּלְזַרְע֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (פ)
Tower of victory-u to God's king, keeps faith with God's anointed, with David and his offspring forever.
There is a line from the Bible and our prayers that has long puzzled thoughtful minds. Naar hayiti gam zakanti velo raiti tzaddik ne'ezav. "I was young, and now am old, and I have not seen the righteous forsaken." How can that be so, given the many injustices of history?
The answer lies in a book we readjust three weeks ago on the festival of Purim - the book of Esther, set in ancient Persia, in the land that is now Iran. Pleading on behalf of her people, Esther says: Eichachah uchal veraiti bera'ah asher yimtza et ami. This means not, "How can I see the evil that is about to befall my people?" but rather, "How can I stand still and watch?"
The phrase lo raiti does not mean, "I have not seen." It means that when the righteous were in danger of being forsaken, "I never stood by and just watched. I was never a mere silent witness."