How Can We Attract Abundant Blessings? 4 Facts About Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals)

1. What is the Source? After eating bread made from the five types of grain, there is a positive commandment from the Torah to bless Hashem, as the Torah states: "And you will eat and be satisfied, and bless Hashem your God for the good land which He has given you" (Deuteronomy 8:10).

2. What Does it Include? Birkat Hamazon is composed of four blessings; the first three are mandated by the Torah, and the fourth was instituted by the sages after the destruction of the Second Temple.

a. The Blessing of Sustenance – This is a blessing of gratitude for the food. Hashem could have created human food to be devoid of pleasure, but instead, He created it with varied flavors, textures, and colors. In this blessing, we thank Hashem for the food that nourishes our bodies, and that it has been provided to us "graciously, with kindness, generosity, and with much mercy."
b. The Blessing of the Land – This is a blessing of gratitude for the Land of Israel. In this blessing, we thank Hashem for bequeathing us the Holy Land, and we also give thanks for our exodus from Egypt and for receiving the Torah and the commandments.
c. The Blessing of Building Jerusalem – This is a prayer for Jerusalem. In this blessing, we ask for divine mercy on the people of Israel, on Jerusalem, and on the destroyed Temple that has not yet been rebuilt. We pray for relief from our troubles, that we may never need the gifts of flesh and blood, and that we may soon see the reign of Mashiach, the son of David.
d. The Blessing of Goodness and Favor – This is a blessing for the good deeds and kindness that Hashem has done for us and continues to do for us.

After completing the fourth blessing, various requests were added by the sages of Israel for the entire Jewish people and for individuals.

3. When is it Recited? For the final blessing to be necessary, two conditions must be met: eating an amount of 'kezayit' (27 grams for Sephardim / a volume of 30 cc, or the size of a matchbox for Ashkenazim), within a time span of 'kedei achilat pras,' which is up to 7.5 minutes.

4. What Does it Provide? When Birkat Hamazon is recited with contemplation, it instills in us the belief that the Creator of the world is the sole provider and that everything comes from Him. We make our efforts because that is what the Creator commanded, but the final result sent to us is only from the hand of Hashem.

Birkat Hamazon also provides us with an opportunity to practice gratitude and recognition of goodness. In Birkat Hamazon, we pause for two minutes in the race of life and say thank you to the One who has given us so much. The momentary pause to say thank you from the heart removes ingratitude from a person and ingrains the trait of recognizing goodness. The blessing reminds us to recognize the kindness that Hashem does for us, developing in us the trait of seeing goodness and expressing thanks. This is all part of purifying a person's traits and his spiritual refinement work.

In Sefer HaChinuch, written by one of the greatest early Jewish scholars, it is stated that careful adherence to the commandment of Birkat Hamazon is a merit for abundant livelihood: "I have been taught by my teachers that whoever is careful in reciting Birkat Hamazon will have his food readily available to him throughout his life" (Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 430). And it is also cited in the name of the Chida: "Whoever blesses Birkat Hamazon with intention, out loud and with joy, will merit livelihood and wealth, as it is said: 'The blessing of Hashem makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it'" (Segulot Yisrael, P Chapter, letter 19).

The Maharsha, one of the great commentators on the Talmud, reveals to us a secret regarding the merit of Birkat Hamazon and its impact on our blessings and all goodness: "The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded whoever eats and is satisfied to bless Him, as it is said, 'And you will eat and be satisfied and bless,' because through this, Hashem sends His blessings, allowing him to receive his sustenance without difficulty, as there are prosecuting forces that challenge giving one his sustenance with ease, but these blessings are advocates and good defenders against the prosecutors" (Chidushei Aggadot, Nazir, page 66).

The Weekly Challenge:
Did you eat a sandwich or a delicious toast? Don’t forget to say thank you, and recite Birkat Hamazon.

Also read:

Which letter is not found in Birkat Hamazon, and why? 10 facts about Birkat Hamazon

What does one gain by strictly observing Birkat Hamazon according to the law?