Absent normal-formed formal Jewish blessings

All formal Jewish blessings seem to have a similar structure. We should notice and contemplate exceptions as they may come to teach us something important and unique.

First Blessing Amidah: Where is King of the World?

All loose-standing Blessings mention that G^d is the absolute Supreme, the Ruler of the Universe. In fact, a Blessing missing that part (two words), is not a Blessing. So, when we want to part from the Shabbat after Shabbat without (yet) saying the Evening Prayers (which contain the Havdalah), we say a Havadalah formula without His Name and Kingship – not a real Blessing. I does the job of separation but others are forbidding to say Amein to such a text.

Sometimes, following a normal Blessing, the next Blessing(s) make no mention of King of the World. But if someone is sloppy and leaves it out in the first Blessing (making it invalidate – forbidden to say Amein to it!), this does not invalidate the following Blessing – to whom other may say Amein.

But the Amidah opens with a Blessing perfectly valid without saying King of the World.

Our Patriarch Abraham though was the first person to recognize G^d’s Kingship over the World, so that way it’s His Absolute Leadership is still in when we say “The G^d of Abraham.”

A next question should be: But why is this missing?

Maybe it’s because a G^d Who’s both our G^d and the G^d of our Ancestors obviously is Ruler of the World.

Then this oddity may be here to tell us: Did you notice how special it is that we can talk to Him?

Elokai, Neshamah: Where are the Name and the Kingship?

This is the only one of the first 18 Morning Blessings that doesn’t start with G^d’s Names and mentioning His Kingship. Then it’s understandable that it is recommended that we say it after other Blessings; it follows in the Prayer book those over Torah learning or the one after using the bathroom.

A good question should be: But why are they missing?

Maybe it’s because we refer to waking up. When we awaken, we might not yet know of G^d’s Presence and Leadership. Then we acknowledge that G^d revived us after sleep, that He later will take life away from us and in the future will return us to life, but that as long as we are alive now, then we praise Him – and remember His Names.

Then this oddity may be here to tell us: Did you notice how unique it is that we can wake up at all, as amazing as the Revival of the Dead?

Second Blessing Birkat haMazon: Who, What?

There seem to be two formal Blessings in the Jewish Tradition. One that we say at the fulfillment of a Commandment. And one that lauds the deeds or abilities of G^d. The latter type may assign to G^d a noun or a verb. He is the Healer, or He heals.

So we may recite that G^d had commanded us to light a light for Chanukah. And then we may praise G^d for doing miracles.

But the Second Blessing of Birkat haMazon has neither. You G^d are Source of all Blessing (the standard first three-word introduction) … on the Land and on the food. No recital of a Commandment nor any name for or action from G^d. What’s going on?

Also the Blessing derived from Birkat haMazon, meiEin Shalosh, has this strange form.

May I suggest that this is a Commandment Blessing that doesn’t have the Commandment formula because the Torah Verse that formulates the Obligation is listed just before.

A next question should be: But why is this missing?

Perhaps this is to highlight that here is one of only two Blessings in the whole of the Jewish Tradition that the Torah directly obligates us to say.

Normally the text that “He gave us His Command to …” is referring to the Rabbis formulating the Commandment and the text of the Blessing. Here it’s directly from G^d.

Then this oddity is here to tell us: Did you notice how special that is?

For the Onein: The missing Blessings

Jews who lost a close one, Heaven forbid, do not say any Blessings between the time of death and the burial. They eat and drink without mentioning G^d before or afterwards and they don’t say any of the obligatory three daily prayers – except on Shabbat or a Festival if the burial will take place afterwards. No Blessing whatsoever on workdays.

This may be a bit uncomfortable for the newly bereaved, as we never would do such a thing. But in any case, saying a formal Blessing or Prayer as Onein nevertheless is not virtuous.

The regular suggestion is that we’d be too busy (preparing for burial), shocked or angry to praise G^d.

Maybe the discomfort comes to say: Your need is so great now and I’m fine, ready to support you. The Blessings are always for our growth and not His needs, Heaven forbid, but here it must be clearer than ever.

Or maybe: When someone died, the greatest tragedy there is, it’s too obvious that G^d is in charge – no need to belabor the point. After all, when all humans are too small to stop calamity, it’s an Act of G^d.

Then this oddity is here to tell us: Did you notice how special that is?

—

The moral of this story is that we should pay enough attention to our Prayers that we’ll notice any oddities, to learn from them.

About the Author

MM is a prolific and creative writer and thinker, previously a daily blog contributor to the TOI. He often makes his readers laugh, mad, or assume he's nuts—close to perfect blogging. He's proud that his analytical short comments are removed both from left-wing and right-wing news sites. None of his content is generated by the new bore on the block, AI. * As a frontier thinker, he sees things many don't yet. He's half a prophet. Half. Let's not exaggerate. Or not at all because he doesn't claim G^d talks to him. He gives him good ideas—that's all. MM doesn't believe that people observe and think in a vacuum. He, therefore, wanted a broad bio that readers interested can track a bit what (lack of) backgrounds, experiences, and educations contribute to his visions. * This year, he will prioritize getting his unpublished books published rather than just blog posts. Next year, he hopes to focus on activism against human extinction. To find less-recent posts on a subject XXX among his over 2000 archived ones, go to the right-top corner of a Times of Israel page, click on the search icon and search "zuiden, XXX". One can find a second, wilder blog, to which one may subscribe too, here: https://mmvanzuiden.wordpress.com/ or by clicking on the globe icon next to his picture on top. * Like most of his readers, he believes in being friendly, respectful, and loyal. However, if you think those are his absolute top priorities, you might end up disappointed. His first loyalty is to the truth. He will try to stay within the limits of democratic and Jewish law, but he won't lie to support opinions or people when don't deserve that. (Yet, we all make honest mistakes, which is just fine and does not justify losing support.) He admits that he sometimes exaggerates to make a point, which could have him come across as nasty, while in actuality, he's quite a lovely person to interact with. He holds - how Dutch - that a strong opinion doesn't imply intolerance of other views. * Sometimes he's misunderstood because his wide and diverse field of vision seldomly fits any specialist's box. But that's exactly what some love about him. He has written a lot about Psychology (including Sexuality and Abuse), Medicine (including physical immortality), Science (including basic statistics), Politics (Israel, the US, and the Netherlands, Activism - more than leftwing or rightwing, he hopes to highlight reality), Oppression and Liberation (intersectionally, for young people, the elderly, non-Whites, women, workers, Jews, LGBTQIA+, foreigners and anyone else who's dehumanized or exploited), Integrity, Philosophy, Jews (Judaism, Zionism, Holocaust and Jewish Liberation), the Climate Crisis, Ecology and Veganism, Affairs from the news, or the Torah Portion of the Week, or new insights that suddenly befell him. * Chronologically, his most influential teachers are his parents, Nico (natan) van Zuiden and Betty (beisye) Nieweg, Wim Kan, Mozart, Harvey Jackins, Marshal Rosenberg, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and, lehavdil bein chayim lechayim, Rabbi Dr. Natan Lopes Cardozo, Rav Zev Leff, and Rav Meir Lubin. This short list doesn't mean to disrespect others who taught him a lot or a little. One of his rabbis calls him Mr. Innovation [Ish haChidushim]. Yet, his originalities seem to root deeply in traditional Judaism, though they may grow in unexpected directions. In fact, he claims he's modernizing nothing. Rather, mainly basing himself on the basic Hebrew Torah text, he tries to rediscover classical Jewish thought almost lost in thousands of years of stifling Gentile domination and Jewish assimilation. (He pleads for a close reading of the Torah instead of going by rough assumptions of what it would probably mean and before fleeing to Commentaries.) This, in all aspects of life, but prominently in the areas of Free Will, Activism, Homosexuality for men, and Redemption. * He hopes that his words will inspire and inform, and disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. He aims to bring a fresh perspective rather than harp on the obvious and familiar. When he can, he loves to write encyclopedic overviews. He doesn't expect his readers to agree. Rather, original minds should be disputed. In short, his main political positions are among others: anti-Trumpism, for Zionism, Intersectionality, non-violence, anti those who abuse democratic liberties, anti the fake ME peace process, for original-Orthodoxy, pro-Science, pro-Free Will, anti-blaming-the-victim, and for down-to-earth, classical optimism, and happiness. Read his blog on how he attempts to bridge any tensions between those ideas or fields. * He is a fetal survivor of the pharmaceutical industry (https://diethylstilbestrol.co.uk/studies/des-and-psychological-health/), born in 1953 to his parents who were Dutch-Jewish Holocaust survivors who met in the largest concentration camp in the Netherlands, Westerbork. He grew up a humble listener. It took him decades to become a speaker too, and decades more to admit to being a genius. But his humility was his to keep. And so was his honesty. Bullies and con artists almost instantaneously envy and hate him. He hopes to bring new things and not just preach to the choir. * He holds a BA in medicine (University of Amsterdam) – is half a doctor. He practices Re-evaluation Co-counseling since 1977, is not an official teacher anymore, and became a friendly, powerful therapist. He became a social activist, became religious, made Aliyah, and raised three wonderful kids. Previously, for decades, he was known to the Jerusalem Post readers as a frequent letter writer. For a couple of years, he was active in hasbara to the Dutch-speaking public. He wrote an unpublished tome about Jewish Free Will. He's a strict vegan since 2008. He's an Orthodox Jew but not a rabbi. * His writing has been made possible by an allowance for second-generation Holocaust survivors from the Netherlands. It has been his dream since he was 38 to try to make a difference by teaching through writing. He had three times 9-out-of-10 for Dutch at his high school finals but is spending his days communicating in English and Hebrew - how ironic. G-d must have a fine sense of humor. In case you wonder - yes, he is a bit dyslectic. If you're a native English speaker and wonder why you should read from people whose English is only their second language, consider the advantage of having an original peek outside of your cultural bubble. * To send any personal reaction to him, scroll to the top of the blog post and click Contact Me. * His newest books you may find here: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AMoshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&s=relevancerank&text=Moshe-Mordechai%2FMaurits+van+Zuiden&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1