We continue with quotes from Rabbenu Avraham Ben HaRambam in understanding Berachot. Today we will discuss the second of Birkat Hamazon (see below), known as Birkat Haaretz, which also is clearly from the Torah, as it says, V’achalata, VSabata, Uberachta et Hashem Elokecha,
You Eat, and be satiated and bless Hashem your God,
Al Haaretz Hatova Asher Natan Lach
On the land that He gave you,
It is not enough to say Thank You to Hashem for the food that He gave us, but to remember that the food grows from the ground, and the ground is supposed to be the ground of Eretz Yisrael. Although we don’t all live in Eretz Yisrael today, we have to mention this and thank Hashem for the land that we received. Eretz Yisrael is still ours, even though we might not have control over it they way we’d like. There are three other things mentioned in this Beracha that are seemingly unrelated to food. The first two are that we also have to thank Hashem for the Brit Milah and Torah. It says in the Gemara that one who doesn’t mention the Brit and Torah in Birkat Hamazon did not fulfill his obligation (Berachot 49a). Why do we have to mention Brit and Torah?
Furthermore, we talk about Yetziat Mitzrayim as well- what does that have to do with Birkat Hamazon?
Rabbenu Avraham explains it beautifully. He says that it was in the merit of Avraham Avinu that we got Eretz Yisrael. When God told him, in Bereshit 13/15
כִּ֧י אֶת־כׇּל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה לְךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖׃
for I give all the land that you see, to you and your children….
Avraham received this because of the fact that we were going to receive the Torah, and he kept the Torah.The Brit Milah is the symbol of keeping the Torah. As it says at the Brit Milah 17/8,
וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְ֠ךָ֠ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֨ אַחֲרֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ
I assign the land you sojourn in to you and your offspring to come,
This was said by the pasuk Brit Milah, and so
Brit Milah is the sign of the Torah, that gave us Eretz Yisrael.
Therefore, he says, we have to mention both Brit V’Torah, because the Brit is the sign of the covenant with Avraham Avinu to keep the Torah, and that’s why we got Eretz Yisrael.
(Interestingly, the Zohar tells us that the reason the Arabs merited the Dome of Rock, and the reason they’re the keepers, so to say, of that holy spot until Mashiah comes, is because Arabs do (a part of) the Brit Milah. That is why they have the zechut to have Eretz Yisrael in these years. There is a clear connection between Brit, Torah and Eretz Yisrael.
Furthermore, he says that by keeping the Torah, we stay in Eretz Yisrael and when it’s the opposite, we leave.
This is why we sat Brit V’Torah.
Why do we include Yetziat Mitzrayim? He says, As is well known, we needed Yetziat Mitzrayim in order to receive the Torah. It’s the introduction to Eretz Yisrael. Everything, all the foundations and fundamentals that we need from our religion, come from Yetziat Mitzrayim. Avraham Avinu was told, “Your children will go down to Mitzrayim and I’m going to take them out.“
So everything about this beracha surrounds Eretz Yisrael. Eretz Yisrael is not just a land, it is a land that needs Brit, it’s a land that needs Torah, and it’s a land that needs Yetziat Mitzrayim. As it says, “Anochi Hashem Elokecha, Asher Hoseticha M’Eretz Mitzrayim.
Therefore, when we thank God for the Land of Eretz Yisrael, we don’t just thank Him for the land, but also for the important introductions and fundamentals that gave us the land.
These are all wonderful thoughts to have as we sat Birkat Hamazon.
This is one of the few berachot that are counted among the 613 Mitzvot. That’s why the yetzer hara tries to cause us to avoid saying Birkat Hamazon. We’d rather make mezonot. And if we are saying Birkat Hamazon, we don’t necessarily have kavana.
So let us dedicate ourselves to a better Birkat Hamazon with kavana.
Have a wonderful day.
Second beracha
נוֹדֶה לְךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ עַל שֶׁהִנְחַלְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ. אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָּה טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה. בְּרִית וְתוֹרָה חַיִּים וּמָזוֹן. עַל שֶׁהוֹצֵאתָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. וּפְדִיתָנוּ מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים. וְעַל בְּרִיתְךָ שֶׁחָתַמְתָּ בִּבְשָׂרֵנוּ. וְעַל תּוֹרָתְךָ שֶׁלִּמַּדְתָּנוּ. וְעַל חֻקֵּי רְצוֹנָךְ שֶׁהוֹדַעְתָּנוּ. וְעַל חַיִּים וּמָזוֹן שֶׁאַתָּה זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס אוֹתָנוּ:
We thank you, Lord our God, that you have given as an inheritance to our ancestors a lovely, good and broad land, and that You took us out, Lord our God, from the land of Egypt and that You redeemed us from a house of slaves, and for Your covenant which You have sealed in our flesh, and for Your Torah that You have taught us, and for Your statutes which You have made known to us, and for life, grace and kindness that You have granted us and for the eating of nourishment that You feed and provide for us always, on all days, and at all times and in every hour.