Beyond the Bema

I was told today that the Talmud actually states that we are supposed to say 100 blessings a day.

Moses tells the Jewish people: “What (mah) does God ask of you?”- Deuteronomy 10:12

The Talmud breaks it down further saying the word mah could be read as “me’ah”, which means 100. So they deduced that it is obligated from G!d to recite 100 blessings a day.

If you’re like me, 100 seems a bit steep. But if you have ever practiced mindfulness, you might know this is going to come to you easier than expected.

My Rabbi was telling me about this yesterday in our meeting and I knew I needed to dig a little deeper on this subject.

What is interesting is that it isn’t about reaching 100. That’s what we strive for, of course, but what is more meaningful is making sure your blessings are intentional. 

This is a perfect example of why I love Judaism. Yes, we are deepened in tradition, but it seems like the Talmud realizes we are still human. 

Flip the script and say that it isn’t about how much net worth you have at the end of a game of Monopoly, it’s about the sturdiness of investments you have on the table. It’s about cultivating an experience where you are appreciative and mindful of what’s around you.

We have blessings we pray everyday, when we wake up, over food, etc. We are also prompted to pray when we see lightning, mountains, oceans among other things. The thought is that if you are blessing 100 times a day, you are able to be more marveled by our creator and your mindset changes because our thoughts are turned toward G!d and we are, in that moment, marveled in his presence.

My Rabbi told the story of when he was learning this, and he was driving to rabbinical school and crossed a bridge at dawn. He was eluding to how beautiful it was and how he said a blessing.

I can relate to that too. I drive to work and travel over a bridge every day I’m in office. I love looking over and seeing where the bay meets the sky and the sun, making the most beautiful postcard-like picture.

I am truly going to try and slow down and take note of the little things in my day to day life and say more blessings. I think if we are more mindful of G!d’s presence in everything we do, we will be a gentler and more kind generation. And boy do we need that more than ever in this present moment.