The Torah in Parashat Ekeb (Debarim 8:8) commands, “Ve’achalta Ve’sabata U’berachta Et Hashem Elokecha” – “You shall eat, you shall be satiated, and you shall bless Hashem your G-d.” This verse establishes the well-known Misva of Birkat Ha’mazon – to recite a special blessing after eating a satiating quantity of bread made from one of the five principal grains (wheat, barley, spelt, rye and oats), to thank G-d for the blessing of food. In discussing this Misva, the Sefer Ha’hinuch elaborates on the meaning of the phrase “Baruch At Hashem” (literally, “You are blessed”), teaching us the fundamental concept underlying the recitation of Berachot. He explains that when we say, “Baruch Ata Hashem,” we are acknowledging that G-d is the source of all blessing. Hashem has given the human being dominion over the natural world, and He wants us to be worthy of enjoying the benefits that the world has to offer. When we recite “Baruch” and acknowledge that Hashem is the source of blessing, from whom all blessings originate, and that only He controls the world and bestows blessing upon people, we become worthy of His blessings. Reciting a Beracha is, in a sense, the key to accessing G-d’s blessings, as it is through the recognition of Hashem as the source of all blessings that we earn them. The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains that in the Amida prayer, after requesting what we need – such as wisdom, forgiveness, and health – we recite a concluding Beracha to express gratitude. Otherwise, we would resemble a servant who received a gift from his master and then left without expressing appreciation, which would, of course, be disrespectful. The Sefer Ha’hinuch also discusses in this context the word “Yitbarach” (“He shall be blessed”), which we recite in Kaddish. He understands this word as a prayer asking that Hashem inspire all His creatures to recognize that He is the source of all blessing and goodness. We hope and pray that just as we acknowledge Hashem’s exclusive control over the universe, that He is “Baruch” – the source of blessing – the rest of mankind should similarly arrive at this belief and awareness. The Sefer Ha’hinuch explains on this basis the teaching of the Sages that Hashem “desires” the prayers of the righteous. The righteous bring blessing to the world through their recognition of Hashem as the source of all blessings, and therefore, Hashem, who desires that mankind should be deserving of blessing, cherishes the prayers of the righteous. This should be our intention whenever we recite a Beracha – that we acknowledge Hashem as the source of all blessings in the world, through which we earn access to His infinite blessings. The Sefer Ha’hinuch concludes this part of his discussion by noting that there are deeper, Kabbalistic understandings of the word “Baruch,” but in this work, which he composed for his son, he limited himself to the straightforward, easily understood concepts behind the recitation of Berachot. Birkat Ha’mazon is unique, in that it is the only, or one of the only, Berachot which are required Mi’de’Orayta – on the level of Torah obligation. The rest of the Berachot – including the Berachot recited before eating, and the Beracha Aharona blessings recited after consuming products other than bread – were instituted by the Sages. The Gemara explains that the Rabbis established the requirement of Beracha Rishona – reciting a Beracha before eating or drinking – because it is improper to derive enjoyment from this world before acknowledging Hashem as the provider of this enjoyment. Moreover, the Gemara comments, if the Torah requires reciting a Beracha after experiencing the enjoyment of eating, then Kal Va’homer (all the more so) one should recite a blessing when he experiences hunger and prepares to eat. It emerges, then, that each time we recite a Beracha before eating, we follow a Halacha established via a Kal Va’homer line of reasoning. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) taught that when we obser