[Avodah] What Does "Bless" Mean?

[saul mashbaum]

REShevin wrote:
> I have a more basic question. What is the nature of "brocha/blessing"
> that we do to or for Hashem and His works, and ask that He do to or
> for us?
> We may be thanking Him when we are prosperous, healthy, productive, etc.,
> but He is certainly not thanking us when He "blesses" us.
> Conversely, He grants us our needs, but we definitely aren't doing the
> same for Him.

A "must read" on the subject of the nature of brachot is "HaBrachot
b'Yahadut" by RYBS, in Yemei Zikaron, pp 29-57.

I think it's fair to say that a small part of the essential theme of
this lengthy and profound treatment of this subject is as follows:

The basic idea of bracha is fertility, expansion, and rejuvenation,
as when Hashem *blessed* man and woman and said "p'ru urvu". Not only
is the physical world fertile, but so is the spiritual. While HKBK has
willed it that man be a partner in the perfection of the world, He is
clearly the source of all shefa. Our brachot are an acknowledgement of
Hashem as the source of all that is good, both physical and spiritual,
in the world; His brachot allow man, and nature, to be fertile

RYBS addresses the question asked, in what sense can we say that Hashem
blesses us and we bless Him, on the face of it two completely different
concepts, at length. Ayen sham.

Saul Mashbaum