The Power of a Blessing \ Tehillim
״אמרת לה׳, ה׳ אתה טובתי בל עליך״
“You said to HaShem, ‘You are my master, I have no goodness without You” (Tehillim 16:2)
The Midrash tells us, “If you bless HaShem before you partake of food, HaShem says to you, ‘Don’t consider it as if you ate “My food.” Instead, think of it as if you consumed your own food.’”
HaShem created the entire universe and every creation that exists. In light of the fact that HaShem “created everything,” He owns everything. Therefore, there is no commodity that you can offer to HaShem because everything belongs to Him. As Rabbi Yisrael Salanter said, “The world is like an expensive hotel.” The prices are not affordable to an average person.
In HaShem’s unbounded kindness, He considers our recognition of His goodness, as the transference of the ownership of the food from Him to us. The only “price” we pay to HaShem for our meal is to “recognize” that everything comes from HaShem — the Source of all good.
We have the free choice to acknowledge HaShem. When we make a blessing and recognize that HaShem is the Source of all good, we have attained the ownership of the food. What’s more, HaShem considers that all the good in the world exists on our merit!
Take a moment before you eat and reflect that HaShem is the Source of all your delicious food. Make a blessing with heartfelt gratitude to HaShem. Hear HaShem say to you, “Since you acknowledge, appreciate, and bless Me, I transfer the ownership of the food to you.” Enjoy your meal with the satisfaction of a wealthy man who paid for a gourmet banquet.
