Thinking Torah Blog

I have always found the Motzi to be one of our most intriguing blessings. We recite it more often than almost any other blessing, traditionally before eating bread, yet its words are puzzling. We say, Hamotzi Lechem Min Ha’Aretz—“Who brings forth bread from the earth.” But bread does not actually come from the earth. Wheat comes from the earth, of course, but transforming wheat into bread takes tremendous effort, mostly the work of human hands.

I thought of this blessing as I read this week’s parashah, Eikev. In it, we find the commandment to offer a blessing after eating. Interestingly, the Torah never commands us to bless before eating, only afterward. In this week’s portion we read, V’achalta, v’savata, u’verachta—“When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless God.” The verse continues, instructing us to bless God “for the land that God has given you.”

Especially in our time, when so many of us are far removed from the work of growing and harvesting, it takes intention to remember that real food comes from the earth. The commandment to bless after eating is not simply about the food on our plate; it is about the land itself, the source from which that food comes.

Whether you recite the words of the Birkat Hamazon, the blessing after the meal, or simply pause to speak words from your heart, let your final act at the table be one of gratitude—not only for the meal, but for the land that sustains us.