The Order of ‘Amram Ga’on (Seder ‘Amram Ga’on): Introduction

[From] ‘Amram bar Sheshna, head of the talmudic academy of Mata-Meḥasya [Sura], to R. Isaac ben R. Simeon, who is beloved, honored, and esteemed by us and the entire academy.

Much peace to you. Mercy from heaven should be upon you and your children and all the sages and our Israelite brethren who dwell there. Bring them my blessings of peace, together with those of R. Tsemaḥ, head of the rabbinic court, and the princes, the academy scholars, our academy students, and the entire city of Meḥasya. All of us are at peace—the scholars, the students, and our Israelite brethren who reside here—and know that we always inquire as to your situation, and we remember you for good, and we pray on your behalf and ask that the Holy One have mercy on you, protect you, and save you from any trouble or damage, and that with His great mercy, He should fulfill all your hearts’ desires.

R. Jacob ben R. Isaac brought before us twenty gold coins that you sent to the academy, five for us and fifteen for the treasury of the academy. And we have commanded blessings that should be fulfilled with you and your children and your children’s children.

Regarding the order of blessings throughout the year, as commanded by heaven, about which you inquired, we deem it appropriate to set them out and respond according to the tradition in our hands as was established by the tannaim and amoraim.

For it has been taught:

R. Meir would say: A person is obligated to recite one hundred blessings every day [b. Menaḥot 43b]. And in the Talmud of the land of Israel we find the following teaching:

It was taught in the name of R. Meir: You will not find a single individual in Israel who does not fulfill one hundred commandments every day, as it is stated in the verse: And now, Israel, what [mah] does the Lord your God require of you (Deuteronomy 10:12). Do not read mah [what], rather me’ah [one hundred]. I require of you one hundred blessings. [y. Berakhot 9:5, 14d]

And it was David, king of Israel, who instituted this when he was informed by the inhabitants of Jerusalem that one hundred people were dying every day. He rose up and established one hundred daily blessings. It appears that this was forgotten, and that the tannaim and amoraim reestablished them.