Guide
Early Jewish Praise and Thanksgiving
2nd Century BCE–13th Century CE
Restricted
By Carol Bakhos
Both the Dead Sea Scrolls from Qumran and rabbinic literature prescribe blessings and prayers of praise and thanksgiving to be recited in communal settings. These include regular daily prayers and liturgy surrounding communal meals. In the rabbinic liturgy, the standard blessing formula features prominently.
Related Primary Sources
Primary Source
Qumran Daily Blessings
Daily Prayers
[When the sun] ris[es to shine on the earth they shall bless. They shall…
Primary Source
The Mishnah on Blessings after a Meal
m. Berakhot 7:1–4
1. Three who ate together must invite each other [to recite the blessings after the meal they have just eaten]. If [among the three] [ . . . ] one was a servant who had eaten an olive’s bulk [of food]…
Primary Source
The Tosefta on Blessings after a Meal
t. Berakhot 4:7, 15; 5:17, 21
4:7. This is the general rule: Any [breadstuff] before [the eating of] which one recites the benediction, “Who brings forth bread from the earth”—he must recite three benedictions after [eating it] [i…
Primary Source
The Palestinian Talmud on Blessings after a Meal
y. Berakhot 1:5, 3d
R. Simon in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi said, “If one did not mention the Torah in [the blessing of] the Land, [the first blessing of the Grace after the meal,] they make him repeat it. On what…
Primary Source
The Babylonian Talmud on Blessings after a Meal
b. Berakhot 46a–50a (selections)
R. Yoḥanan said in the name of R. Simeon bar Yoḥai: The host breaks bread and a guest recites [grace after meals]. The host breaks [bread…
Primary Source
A Version of the Blessings after Meals (Birkat ha-mazon) from the Land of Israel
Let us bless for the food we have eaten from Him [var.: Let us bless (the one) of whose (bounty) we have eaten]
and by whose goodness we…