[Avodah] New Brachos

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 05:34:01PM +0000, kennethgmiller at juno.com wrote:
: ... R"n Chana Luntz's post has opened my eyes, and I thank her. There
: are many many kinds of oaths, and often, the determination of whether
: something is an oath or not will sometime depend merely on the
: context. For example, Hashem's repetition of the phrase "lo osif - I
: will not continue" a second time (Bereshis 8:21) is what made it into a
: *shevua* that He would no longer continue, according to Rashi. (Thanks
: to Wikipedia for that example.)

I have a list of comments to make, but repeatedly, between reading and
planning my reply until I find time to write it there are most posts on
the subject. However, this one thought I'm pretty safe won't be raised
by someone else, since it's not halachic and therefore not in the
direction of the main conversation.

If "'berakhah' lashon ribui", how do we understand the words "Barukh
atah Hashem"? We can't possibly be requesting a ribui of HQBH, Who is
both unchanging and lacking nothing!

I once collected a list
http://www.aishdas.org/asp/2005/12/what-is-berakhah.shtml
of six approaches, grouped into three categories: statement of fact,
request, or declaration of intent.

RSRH's approach is in the third category. To quote from my blog:
    "May Your presence in this world be increased" -- through my efforts
    (R' SR Hirsch). A declaration of commitment. Since HQBH restrains
    Himself (so-to-speak) to allow for free will, by choosing to act
    according to His Will, we can increase His influence.

    I would surmise that this understanding is implied by R' YB
    Soloveitchik in his monograph "Qol Dodi Dofeiq". The Rav uses the
    rabbinic dictum "just as we bless [G-d] for the good, so too for the
    bad" to give the appropriate response to tragedy. (This quote is
    why one says "Barukh Dayan emes" (blessed be the True Judge) upon
    hearing that someone died.) He says the Jewish question of tragedy
    is not "Why?" but "What should I do?" The Rav therefore implicitly
    identifies "blessing for the bad" with my doing Hashem's Will.

This discussion is a point in favor of this translation. What kind of
similarity to shevu'ah is it to say "You are Maximally Increased", ie
Infinite? Or to say "Please reveal Yourself?" or "Please increase what we
have"?

However, lefi RSRH, a berakhah is a pledge, a pledge to use the kochos
obtained from eating this apple to serve HQBH and therefore increase
His influence in this world.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The purely righteous do not complain about evil,
micha at aishdas.org        but add justice, don't complain about heresy,
http://www.aishdas.org   but add faith, don't complain about ignorance,
Fax: (270) 514-1507      but add wisdom.     - R AY Kook, Arpilei Tohar