Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Not necessarily the most appropriate posting for this blog, but since I have the soapbox...

I had an insight in shi'ur today, which Rav Wieder liked.

We're lerning Brochos.

It has often been pointed out that the ברכות הנהנין are written in Biblical Hebrew, whereas the prescriptive text in the Mishna is written in Rabbinic Hebrew.

e.g.
על פירות האילון מברך "בורא פֿרי העץ

If the berokho were in Rabbinic Hebrew, it would have to be בורא פירות האילן.

So, the question is: Why is this?

And I pointed out: It's definitely not because ALL liturgy is in Biblical Hebrew: look at the expression לתקן עולם במלכות שדי, in 'Alenu, which is clearly non-Biblical phraseology.

So, my hiddush was:

The ברכות הנהנין are intentionally written in language that reflects Genesis chapter 1.

בורא פֿרי העץ reflects ועץ עושה פרי.
Rebbi Yehuda's berakha בורא מיני דֿשאים reflects תדשא הארץ דשא.

Rav Wieder liked this.

He added:
When the religiously conscious individual sees a simple apple, he or she sees עץ עושה פרי. He or she sees the beauty of מעשה בראשית in all of creation.
Isn't that beautiful?

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