Tefilah: Waking Up Jewish

Understanding the Mitzva of Saying 100 Blessings Each Day

G–d Fearing

“What (mah) does Hashem ask of you, but to fear Him?” (Devarim 10:12). The word for what (mah) can alternatively be read mei’ah (one hundred), an indication that the means of achieving fear of G–d is by reciting one hundred blessings each day (Menachos 43b). How does their recitation accomplish this goal?

Turning to Hashem for everything that we need makes us constantly aware of His Presence and eventually brings us to fear Him. Therefore, we find that Yaakov and Yosef constantly had the name of Hashem on their lips (see Rashi, Bereishis 27:21; 39:3).

In more recent times, great Torah personalities such as the authors of Yesod Veshoresh Ha’avoda and the Chazon Ish emphasized that a person should pray for everything he needs, no matter how great or small.

Reciting one hundred blessings a day is a means for developing such a relationship – before partaking of our needs, we first turn to Hashem. It is, however, only a beginning. Whenever one experiences the slightest problem, he should open his heart and turn to his Father in Heaven for assistance. Conversely, when a person feels a surge of joy or inspiration, he should turn this feeling into an opportunity to approach to Hashem in gratitude. In this way, even women and children who may not be able to say one hundred blessings each day can constantly bring Hashem into their lives.

Reciting one hundred blessings daily gives us one hundred opportunities to focus on all of the good things that Hashem gives us each day.

Text Copyright © 2008 by Rabbi Daniel Travis and Torah.org