The fifth law states that a person should recite blessings with profound fear and trepidation, his body trembling as he utters the divine names. This applies not only to the Tetragrammaton but to all unerasable divine names, such as *Elokeinu* and Shindalad. One must approach this act with immense respect, taking to heart that one is blessing God and speaking to Him directly. In a blessing, we use the word "You" (*Atah*), addressing God in the first person. This is a profound distinction, as when we address human royalty, we typically speak in the third person—referring to "His Honor" or "the King"—out of respect and a sense of separation. However, God desires no such interference or separation between us and Him. In His great humility, He allows us to refer to Him directly as "You." While addressing a human monarch in such a direct manner would be considered contemptuous, the Holy One, blessed be He, encourages this closeness.
At the moment of reciting a blessing, one should be filled with immense love for the Holy One, blessed be He, and great joy at the privilege of such a close relationship. This connection is greater than life itself, a profound act of grace that God has granted us: the ability to praise Him. As David the King declares in Tehillim, "For Your kindness is better than life," concluding the Pasuk with, "my lips will praise You" (*Sifatai Yeshabehuncha*). The greatest kindness is that our limited, finite lips are able to praise the infinite, exalted God. When a person cultivates these intentions (*kavanot*), it naturally leads to both fear of God (*Yirat Hashem*) and love of God (*Ahavat Hashem*), accompanied by joy (*samcha*).
It is invaluable for a person to pause and contemplate, even for a second, what they are about to do before reciting a blessing. If one is about to drink water, one should briefly think, "I am now about to thank God for this water." This small pause, as taught by Rabbi David Ozeri in the name of righteous individuals, is incredibly helpful. Before each blessing, simply pause for one second and consider its topic or headline. For instance, before the blessing for knowledge, one might think, "I am now about to ask God for wisdom" (*ta'choneh la'adam da'at*). Before the blessing for repentance, "I am asking God for repentance." Or for forgiveness, or for healing (*Rifu'ah*). This pause, lasting no more than two or three seconds, acts as a "speed bump" for a runaway train. When one recites prayers like the Amidah quickly, momentum builds, leading to an avalanche of words, speeding through without proper focus. This little pause allows one to regain perspective, as if there were a stop sign after every blessing, creating a "stop-and-go" rhythm.
The Piliyot Eretz teaches that one should not "throw" a blessing out of one's mouth. Instead, one should count the words of the blessings as carefully as one counts money or pearls, ensuring each word is distinct and not rushed. Blessings should never be recited as a mere routine. This is a significant challenge, as blessings are among the most regular and habitual actions we perform, sometimes a hundred times a day. To counteract this routine, one must go against nature, imbuing each blessing with newness and freshness by reciting it slowly and pausing to reflect on its meaning.
According to the Arizal, as quoted by his student Haim Vital in Shaarei Kavanot, the primary way to acquire divine inspiration (*Ruach HaKodesh*) is to be meticulous in reciting blessings. The reason, he explains, is that food contains negative energies (*Kelipot*). Consuming food without a blessing means ingesting these negative energies, which create a separation between us and God. However, when a blessing is recited, it acts like an exorcism, removing the *Kelipot* from the food and injecting it with holiness (*kedushah*). This holiness then affects not only the body but also the soul, potentially leading a person to high levels of divine inspiration.
It is important to note that the Arizal also advised against certain practices he considered detrimental. The most damaging, he taught, is depression. A person must do everything possible to avoid melancholy, sadness, and dejection, as these are the greatest strategies of the evil inclination (*Yetzer Hara*). When a person is down, there is no telling what they might do; for example, the Jewish people, depressed after believing Moshe Rabbeinu had died, ended up worshipping the golden calf (*Avodah Zarah*). Therefore, the first instruction is to stay away from depression.
Second, the Arizal was adamant that one must control anger. There is never a justification for anger, as it is the most toxic of all character traits (*Middot*). Maimonides also stated that while one should seek balance in all other *Middot*, regarding anger, one must go to the opposite extreme. He taught that a person who gets angry can lose all their good deeds (*mitzvot*); it's as if anger has a "delete button" so dangerous that it can nullify all the hard work invested in *mitzvot*. In fact, when we immerse in a ritual bath (*Mikveh*), the second dipping is specifically intended to rectify the spiritual impurity (*tum'ah*) that anger (*ka'as*) places on the body. The numerical value (*Gematriah*) of *ka'as* is 150 (Kaf=20, Ayin=70, Samech=60). Adding the word itself as an entity, it becomes 151, which is also the *Gematriah* of *Mikveh*. Thus, one of the primary ways to remove the *tum'ah* of *ka'as* is to immerse in a *Mikveh*. During this second immersion, we have the intention that the numerical value of *Mikveh* equals that of *ka'as*, and also equals the specific divine name Aleph-He-Yud-He, spelled with *He'alef*, which likewise sums to 151.
When studying Torah, one's main objective should be to attain holiness and attach oneself to the spirituality of the Torah, which is God. The most important character trait is humility, accompanied by the fear of sin evident on one's face. One must distance oneself far from arrogance, anger, contempt, and evil speech (*Lashon Hara*). People often underestimate the severity of *Lashon Hara*. The Zohar HaKadosh highlights that all troubles befalling an individual and the entire Jewish people (*Klai Yisrael*) stem from a lack of care regarding what comes out of one's mouth. Speaking negatively about others is a sign of low self-esteem, indicating a poor inner state. As the saying goes, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it—especially concerning *Lashon Hara*. Furthermore, one must be very strict with every aspect of Shabbat observance, both in action and speech. All these practices promote the goal of attaining divine inspiration.
Likewise, one should spend much time in the synagogue, always behaving with the utmost respect and awe. After all this, the Arizal concluded that the main factor leading a person to divine inspiration is the care given to blessings over food and beverages, and the concentration on their meaning. This underscores the immense importance of this commandment (*mitzvah*). Therefore, one should recite blessings with great intention (*kavanah*) and joy, not skipping a single word or even a letter. Some people recite blessings so quickly that they become unintelligible gibberish, not only failing to constitute a proper blessing but also uttering God's name in vain. Such speech is disrespectful; would one speak this way before a king? Certainly not. All the more so, one must speak before God Almighty with fear and trepidation. Woe to the humiliation a person will experience when praying before God without proper focus. Therefore, one should strive to understand the simple meaning of the words (*pirush hamilim*) first. While deeper Kabbalistic intentions (*kavanot*) can be added later in life, the best and most basic intention is simply understanding what one is saying.
The author of Kaf HaChaim, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sofer (correcting a potential misattribution to Rabbi Yaakov Chaim Sofer), exemplified this. Those who witnessed him reciting blessings described it as an indescribable sight, seeing the fear of God, trepidation, and trembling that filled him with every single blessing, a true exercise in fear of God and love of God. The Nehru Devarot explains that such care in reciting blessings earns one the title of piety. As taught in Bava Kamma, in the *Beraita* of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, piety ultimately leads to the level of divine inspiration (*Ruach HaKodesh*).
In the introduction to Parashat Matot, Ben Ish'air notes that the blessing "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe" contains exactly 25 letters. This is the numerical value (*Gematriah*) of the Hebrew word *chiba* (love or adoration), which is spelled Chet (8) + Yud (10) + Bet (2) + Heh (5) = 25. This alludes to the fact that blessings must be recited with great love to have their desired effect. As explained in a Friday night sermon (*Dirash*), a blessing without "wings" cannot ascend to heaven. These "wings" (*gadfin*), as referred to in the Zohar, are fear of God on one side and love of God on the other. When a blessing is made with both fear and love, it gains the lift and flight necessary to reach the Kisei Ha-Kabod. Blessings over food and beverages are particularly potent, enabling a person to achieve spiritual rectification inherent in what they consume.
The Piliyot Eretz issued a scathing rebuke for those who recite blessings in great haste. One should recite blessings with at least the same fervor one applies to eating. People often have great intention when they eat, savoring flavors, swirling wine, commenting on dishes, and giving meticulous instructions for a coffee order. A person might spend 48 seconds giving instructions for a $14 coffee, yet recite the blessing for it in 1.2 nanoseconds. This inconsistency is hypocritical. While one is free to spend time and money on a coffee, the blessing for it should also be given proper respect, even if not 48 seconds long. (The speaker notes that a blessing against wastefulness (*baltashchit*) might also be appropriate for such an elaborate coffee, but clarifies that this is a separate discussion and that the program is not responsible for personal opinions.)
The importance of reciting blessings with proper intention is a recurring theme, taught by many great sages. We have heard it from the Arizal, the Kaf HaChaim, and the Ben Ish'air, among others. Rabbi Yehuda Sadka, for instance, taught a method of reciting blessings in three intervals: "Blessed are You, Lord" (pause), "our God, King of the Universe" (pause), "Who creates the fruit of the tree" (period). This method, like the earlier suggestion of pausing, serves as a "speed bump" to counteract the routine and fluency that can lead to rushing. By creating these forced pauses, one maintains a better pace and recites blessings with proper intention. May God grant us the divine assistance (*siyatat hashmiyah*) to implement these laws (*halachot*).