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What does it mean to 'bless' God in our prayers when God lacks nothing? The Rashba's foundational insight that berachah means 'increase of goodness' reframes Jewish prayer as actively channeling divine abundance downward. This transforms Shemoneh Esrei from mere petition into participation in drawing God's infinite bounty into our world.
This shiur provides a comprehensive analysis of the fundamental concept of berachah (blessing) in Jewish prayer, serving as foundational knowledge before studying the detailed laws of the Shemoneh Esrei. Rabbi Zweig begins by presenting the Rashba's explanation that berachah means 'increase of goodness,' derived from the word 'berecha' (well or pool), suggesting that blessings tap into an infinite source of divine bounty. The discussion centers on a remarkable Talmudic passage from Berachos 7a, where Rabbi Ishmael ben Elisha, the Kohen Gadol, encounters God in the Holy of Holies and is asked by God Himself for a blessing. The blessing requested and given focuses on increasing God's mercy and restraining divine judgment - demonstrating that even when God asks for a blessing, the concept revolves around increasing divine goodness toward humanity.
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Berachos 7a
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