Tuesday, December 7, 2010

100 blessings a day:

In the time of Dawid HaMelekh, there was a period of time where 100 people would die everyday. So the solution for this was to make 100 Berakhot a day.
In the Gemara (Menahot) brings the verse "מה השם אלוקים שאול ממך-what does Hashem your G-d ask of you ", they expound "don't read it מה rather מאה. Meaning to say, that we should say 100 Berakhot a day.
Shelomo HaMelekh in the last few verses in Shir HaShirim says
יא כֶּרֶם הָיָה לִשְׁלֹמֹה בְּבַעַל הָמוֹן, נָתַן אֶת-הַכֶּרֶם לַנֹּטְרִים: אִישׁ יָבִא בְּפִרְיוֹ, אֶלֶף כָּסֶף.11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he gave over the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof brought in a thousand pieces of silver.
יב כַּרְמִי שֶׁלִּי, לְפָנָי; הָאֶלֶף לְךָ שְׁלֹמֹה, וּמָאתַיִם לְנֹטְרִים אֶת-פִּרְיוֹ.12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me; thou, O Solomon, shalt have the thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
יג הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַּנִּים, חֲבֵרִים מַקְשִׁיבִים לְקוֹלֵךְ--הַשְׁמִיעִנִי.13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken for thy voice: 'Cause me to hear it.'

Introduction: on Shabbat, we don't have that many Berakhot because Shemonah Esreh is cut short, so we try to make Berakhot on fruit to cover and reach 100. Also, on Shabbat we usually without the meals, we usually reach about 80 Berakhot. So, in this verse it says "1000 (100) for you Shelomo, and 200 (20) we eat your fruit. So, it's explained to mean that on Shabbat we have 80 Berakhot, so if we eat the fruit we will get to as much Shelomo-100. Also, verse 13, we see "those that dwell in the garden, companions listen for your voice, 'cause me to hear'". This is talking about answering Aamen to the Berakha. People listen to your voice, because they want to fulfill with yours, so they "cause me to hear".
The Mishna Berurah (Siman 46), explains that everday one usually makes about 91 (Sepharadim)/92(Ashkenazim) Berakhot just from Tefillah. However, if we just eat two meals that will add another 16, and take us to 107/108. So, if we do this many anyways, why do so many Poskim, and Gemarot speak of it? To show us, not that we won't have enough, it's that we need to proper intention on the Berakhot. However, if it is difficult,then make a condition with Hashem, "all the Berakhot I will make today, even if I don't intend on so, it will be as if I intended on Hashem's name (Alef-Dalet-Nun-Yud)- it will intend as 'MASTER OF ALL". Also, with the name of Hashem (Yud-Ke-Waw-Ke) it should be as "MASTER OF ALL; IS, WAS, AND WILL BE." Last, for the name of Hashem that I utter with E-lokim, it shall be "POWERFUL:MASTER OF ABILITY (MAN'S), MASTER OF THE STRENGTHS OF THE WORLD.MASTER, AND RULER. HIGHEST ABOVE ALL, AND MASTER OF ALL THE WORLD."
So, we should always remember, having the 100 is not enough, because we have it anyways, we either have proper intent or at least the condition.

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