100 Brachos | Imamother

ffbmom

Thu, Aug 07 2008, 7:11 am

I heard Rabbi Rietti speak yesterday on the concept of Meah Brachos. He said there were ten plagues of our generation: some of them are assimilation, kids at risk, shidduch crisis, divorce crisis, cancer, etc. He said there are Magefahs in our generation and there is a simple solution. He brought down sources from a sefer that said that saying 100 Brachos a day and thanking Hashem for everything is what will keep these Magefahs at bay.

Anyone have experience with this? I cannot stop thinking that if this is really true, then why isn't everyone into this?

ffbmom

Thu, Aug 07 2008, 12:06 pm

MorahS wrote:

Netilat Yadayim - 1
Asher Yatzar - 6
Birkot HaTorah - 1
Birkot HaShachar - 15
Birkot Keriat Shema - 3 + 4 (am and pm) = 7
Shemona Esrei - 19x3 = 57
Breakfast - 2
Lunch, Dinner - 6x2 (washing + motzie + benching) = 12

That's 101 if my math was correct, without snacks!

100 Berachot are already built into our day. Is your question, why are we not saying them?

Does everyone make sure to say them? If this is such an inyan and so easy to do, why don't we hear more about this? If this was such an easy way to obliterate all our problems, why don't more Rabbis publicize this? I guess I can start, but I don't say Birkot Hatorah or wash with every meal or say Shmoneh Esreh three times a day. Does everyone do this?

Motek

Thu, Aug 07 2008, 12:32 pm

In Mesechta Menachos (43b) we learn, “Rebbi Meir used to say: A man is obligated to bless 100 blessings every day. As it states: What does Hashem want from you?” (Devarim 10:12)

Chazal teach, “Do not read it as: What {Ma} does Hashem ask of you?” but rather “One hundred {Me’ah} [brachos] is what Hashem asks of you.”

However, in order to derive maximum benefits from these blessings, we have to concentrate when we say them to become inspired in our service to Hashem with gratitude and love.

The Rambam (Hilchos Tefillah, chapter 7) teaches this obligation to recite 100 blessings a day. He notes that if one falls short on any single day, one should make up the difference by eating various foods in order to reach the required daily number of blessing

During the days of Dovid Hamelech, the Jews were confronted with a plague and people perished at an alarmingrate. Every day, one hundred Jews died. The Sages investigated with ruach hakodesh and realized that the plague was a specific message from Hashem. Hence, the sages decreed that every Jew should recite one hundred heartfelt blessings daily to express their appreciation for being alive. Once this was implemented, people stopped dying (Tur, ch. 46, quot-ing Rav Netrunoi Gaon).

Rabbeinu Bachya and the Chida actually write that 100 brachos were recited in the times of Moshe Rabbeinu, but, over time, the requirement was forgotten. We were then, unfortunately, “reminded” to renew the practice by the plague in Dovid’s time. Indeed, the Bach (to Tur, Chapter 46) writes that reciting these brachos properly saves one from mortal danger…even in our time.

Motek

Thu, Aug 07 2008, 12:36 pm

about brachos in general:

1. Rabbeinu Bachya (in the Kad HaKemach) writes that one who is careful with making brachos (both on Mitzvos and over food), “demonstrates the quality of his Emunah, the purity of his heart and testifies about himself that his Yahadus is deeply rooted within him.”

2. Similarly, the Rashba (to Brachos 7B), writes that proper recital of brachos causes an increase of Rachamim, of mercy, from HaKadosh Baruch Hu. The Maharsha (to Brachos 64A) adds that brachos are “marbeh shalom”--they increase the peace" between Klal Yisroel and our Father in Heaven.

3. It is said in the name of HaRav Elchonon Wasserman, Z’tl, H’YD, that, because the proper recitation of brachos can prevent “mageifos, machalos, u’pegoim raim min haolam--plagues, sicknesses, and negative events from occurring in the world,” if a person does not recite his brachos properly, he can actually be said to be violating the requirement of “Lo Saamod Al Dam Reyacha--do not stand idly by when your brother’s blood is being spilled” (Vayikra 19:16). “There is no greater cruelty than this, may Hashem spare us from it.”

The Halacha regarding the requirement to recite 100 brachos every day is explicitly stated in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, 46:3.

The Chida writes that there are 26 words in the Pasuk of “What does Hashem ask...”, and that the Pasuk begins with a Vav and ends with a Chaf (26, in total), indicating that Hashem’s Name of mercy (with the gematria of 26) will surround us in reward for our efforts in reciting the 100 Brachos properly.

There is a machlokes haposkim as to whether women are obligated to recite 100 brachos every day, or whether it is a mitzvas asei shehazman grama, from which women are exempt (but could perform!). The Shevet HaLevi, Shlita, and HaRav Moshe Shternbuch, Shlita, for instance, rule that women are exempt. HaRav Elyashiv, Shlita, and HaRav Ovadia Yosef, Shlita, rule that women, too, should recite 100 Brachos a day.

HaRav Shimshon Pincus, Z’tl, writes that if we were entitled to speak to Hashem 100 times a day, and spoke to Him properly those 100 times--it would be absolutely impossible for Hashem to be upset or angry with us. Need anything more be said?

http://www.torontoeruv.org/fru.....=1269

Motek

Thu, Aug 07 2008, 12:37 pm

how to:

a. First thinking for a moment of “L’Mi Hu Mevorach, V’Al Ma Hu Mevorech--to Whom he is reciting the Blessing, and on what he is reciting the Blessing.”
b. aloud
c. slowly, with patience (even/especially if you are hungry)
d. clearly
e. pleasantly
f. while not doing anything else; and
g. sitting (for brachos over food).

the Medrash Tanchuma (Bereishis) says: “...and just as a person blesses Hashem, so does Hashem bless him!”

ffbmom

Thu, Aug 07 2008, 8:13 pm

WOW, Motek. Thanks for the info. Thanks for sharing such extensive information. I don't know if it came out wrong, but I definitely do say morning brachos, brachos over food, lightning, thunder, etc. I usually try Shema and Shemonah Esrei in the morning. However, firstly, that does not make a hundred and secondly, I don't go around counting them.
I was actually writing because Rabbi Rietti said that the Meah Brachos will take away the magefah that is plaguing our generation. I then wonder if everyone that has said meah Brachos will have such tranquil lives. What do you think?

Motek

Fri, Aug 08 2008, 11:38 am

MorahS wrote:

I don't find this list realistic for many people, certainly not women. Most women are not davening shacharis, mincha, and maariv. Most people do not wash and bentch twice a day. Very many don't wash and bentch even once a day.

My list doesn't come close to 100:

Morning brachos - 20
fruit and a drink with a borei nefashos - 3
shacharis - Boruch Sh'omar through Shema - 5
Shmonei Esrei - 19
wash and bentch - 6
Mincha - 19
asher yotzar - 6
snacks and drinks with brachos before and after - 10
Ha'mapil - 1

total: 89

so yes, if I davened Maariv, that would be put me over 100, hmmmm

Toot

Fri, Aug 08 2008, 5:36 pm

Lady Godiva wrote:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that if you say "Amen" to another's blessing it counts as a blessing for yourself too.

Hearing someone else's birkat ha-mitzvah means you are yotzei the mitzvah, meaning you don't need to say your own kiddush and motzi if you hear someone else's. But as Motek said, it doesn't seem to count towards ones personal 100.

I probably don't hit 100 every day because I don't wash and bentch twice, but I did forget ha-mapil in my list, and I do snack. So maybe I just get in under the wire.

In any case, I think the most important thing is our kavana - it's quality, not quantity.

Toot

Fri, Aug 08 2008, 5:42 pm

One more thing - it's important to bear in mind that there is a halachic problem with making berachot that are unnecessary - beracha she-'eina tzericha. For example, you can't drink a sip of water, make a borei nefashot, and then make a shehakol immediately and take another sip. It also becomes a problem on days where seuda shelishit needs to be eaten soon after lunch. You shouldn't bentch and then immediately wash and eat again, which is why many people say to take a walk for a few minutes or something, to make a hefsek.

I've never been to a "bracha party" so I don't know how it works, but make sure it's not a whole bunch of unnecessary berachot. That is more problematic than helpful.

freidasima

Sat, Aug 09 2008, 4:35 pm

The Bracha party is called a "seudas amen" and it's the latest thing here in EY...had never heard of it before a year or two ago but now every single girl (in the sense of unmarried) is doing it as a segula to find a husband, two youngest dd's have been to many already.

It's not unnecessary brochos but finding different foods for each type of brocho and making it with segulos for marriage.

As for the 100 brochos, I was told that answering amen if it is a brocho that you are yotzi on (kiddush etc.) counts but not the other kind.

Who made up these rules exactly? I don't know...but if the idea is that you make your own 100 the only thing my mother would say to me is "drink a lot, pish (pardon me) a lot and asher yotzar a lot...that is more than six times a day, that's for sure if you drink your 12 glasses a day..."but it still doesn't bring most of us up to 100, kind of hard to do that without three full tfilos a day...

freidasima

Sun, Aug 10 2008, 2:21 pm

Of course I know that Motek, I mean the halacha that only for certain "amen's" you get "credit" for your 100 brochos while for others you don't.

Meanwhile though, just know that I thought about the 100 brochos business all night last night, and realized that my mother is smarter than I think....if you drink a separate glass of water, apart from eating (shouldn't drink when you eat, right? Carlton Fredericks and all that) and drink let's say eight a day that's a separate shehakol and borei nefoshos, that's another 16 brochos...

also Motek, you write that you daven from Boruch Sheomar...start instead like I do with the earlier brochos (asher notan lasachvi bino...) after netilas yodoyim, you get in another 16 a day...

Motek

Sun, Aug 10 2008, 2:55 pm

freidasima wrote:

also Motek, you write that you daven from Boruch Sheomar...start instead like I do with the earlier brochos (asher notan lasachvi bino...) after netilas yodoyim, you get in another 16 a day...

I misunderstood you and now you misunderstand me. Go back and look at my list - of course I say the morning brachos!

and the answer to your question about who makes the rules - you know good and well ...