On the heels of having served on faculty at Camp Kalsman last week of the many guidelines given in Torah this week, one instruction feels particularly precious: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless… (Deut 8:10).”
This biblical mandate to give thanks after eating inspires today’s practice of chanting blessings after a meal, Birkat HaMazon. Three times a day at Kalsman, at the conclusion of every meal, I was witness to a dining hall full of enthusiastic campers and staff singing ancient Hebrew words of gratitude and gusto accompanied by modern hand motions further elucidating the meaning of their prayer. It’s a brilliant practice reminding us that our bodies and the world are deserving of blessing. How incredible that we can feed our hunger? Multiple times a day the earth’s bounty is available to us. As Jews, we don’t take this for granted and declare our gratitude for what we are provided.