During Sukkot a friend came over to shake the Lulav and Etrog and have a quick nosh in our Sukkah. After shaking the Lulav we made the blessing on a delicious muffin and the blessing for dining in the Sukkah. As we concluded the blessing before drinking water he asked, “Which Hebrew word in that blessing means water?”
It was an excellent question because most other blessings recited before eating foods or doing Mitzvot clearly specify the food or Mitzvah at hand.
“None of them,” I replied.
“So what does the blessing mean?”
“Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, by whose word all things came to be.”
While translating I was reminded how meaningful this blessing really is and how it can be the key to true happiness and fulfillment.
While every other blessing we recite focuses on the action at hand, whether it’s a Mitzvah we are doing or the food we are eating, the blessing before drinking beverages (aside for wine),as well as meat, fish, eggs and other basic staples is not even limited to food or drink. It encompasses the entire universe. Quenching your thirst with a glass of water suddenly becomes a global issue!
In the first parsha of the Torah “Bereishis” we learn how G-d created the universe through His speech. “G-d said ‘Let there be light!’ and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3)
It seems perplexing that the Torah, our Book of Law, begins with the narrative of creation. What bearing does the origins of the world have on my behavior?
Here is the deal. Torah not only teaches us how to behave, it provides a clear context in which we can appreciate the relevance of our behavior. Knowing that G-d created the entire universe reminds us that our every positive action positively impacts the entire world because it was created specifically for that purpose. Squandering those opportunities has the opposite effect.
While drinking water is crucial to survival, reciting the proper blessing beforehand and absorbing its message is crucial to living life fully and meaningfully. Being constantly aware that all things came to be through G-d’s word reminds us that life is not random and we are never alone or irrelevant.
So the next time you are nervous before an important meeting, feel stage fright, hear terrible news or the best news ever and reach for a glass of water or any other beverage (aside for wine), stop for a moment and recite, in Hebrew or in English:
Baruch atah A-donay, Elo-heinu Melech Ha’Olam shehakol nihiyah bed'varo.
Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the universe, by Whose word all things came to be.
It can change your life.