Parsha Halacha

Parsha Halacha – Parshat Va'et'chanan – Shabbat Nachamu and Tu Be’Av

The Good Mountain And The Third Blessing of Birkat HaMazon

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The Torah portion of Va’et’chanan begins with Moshe Rabeinu’s prayer to enter the Land of Israel, as Moshe said,^[1] “Please, allow me to cross over and see the good land that is across the Jordan, this good mountain and the Lebanon.”

According to Rashi, “this good mountain” refers to Jerusalem, which was called a “mountain” by both Avraham Avinu^[2] and Isaiah the prophet.^[3] Moshe had already called Jerusalem a mountain in the Song of the Sea when he said,^[4] “You will bring them and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance, the place for Your habitation, which You, G-d, have made.”^[5]

The Deepest Torah Is in Jerusalem

 Rabbi Naftaly Tzvi Berlin explains (in Ha’amek Davar) that the Land of Israel is called “good” because it’s a land which nurtures a higher level of Torah study.^[6] (The Torah is called “good,” as it says,^[7] כִּי לֶקַח טוֹב נָתַתִּי לָכֶם תּוֹרָתִי אַל תַּעֲזֹבוּ – “For I give you good instruction; do not forsake my Torah.”) Similarly, Jerusalem is called “the good mountain” because it engenders an even deeper level of Torah study, as the verse says,^[8] כִּי מִצִּיּוֹן תֵּצֵא תוֹרָה וּדְבַר ה' מִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם – “For Torah shall come forth from Zion and the word of G-d from Jerusalem.” Based on this, the reason Moshe wanted to enter the holy land and the holy city was to be able to plumb the depths of the Torah.^[9]

Entry for Eternity

Another reason Moshe wanted to enter the land is that if he would enter, the Beit HaMikdash could never be destroyed as his presence in the land would have inspired the Jews for generations to come to remain loyal to G-d Almighty.[10] Moshe alluded to this by calling Jerusalem “טוֹב” (good) which, when counting the hidden letters, has the gematriyah (numerical value) of 853.^[11] This is the number of years that the Jewish people needed to stay in the land in order to remain there eternally. In fact, they were exiled after 850 years.^[12] Had Moshe been there, they would have led righteous lives and, after being there for 853 years, would never have had to leave.^[13]

The Third Blessing of Birkat HaMazon

The obligation to recite the Grace after Meals (Birkat HaMazon) is based on the verse in next week’s Torah portion,^[14] וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה אֱלֹהֶ-יךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ׃ – “You will eat and be full, and you will bless the L-rd, your G-d, for the good land He has given you.” According to our sages,^[15] the word הַטֹּבָה (the good) is referring to the third blessing of Birkat HaMazon where we pray for Jerusalem that is called “good,” as explained above. This blessing was composed by Kings David and Solomon when they conquered Jerusalem and built the Beit HaMikdash respectively.^[16]

Since this blessing is of Biblical origin, it was recited even before the time of Kings David and Solomon (as a prayer for the future building of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash), but it didn’t have a specific text. After conquering Jerusalem, King David wrote a text about the strengthening of Jerusalem while Solomon added a text about the strengthening of the Beit HaMikdash after he built it.^[17] After the destruction, the sages changed the text so that we now pray for its rebuilding.^[18]

The rest of this article will focus on the laws and meanings of the third blessing of Birkat HaMazon.

The Details

●      The Davidic Dynasty

It’s essential to pray for the restoration of the Davidic dynasty in the third blessing of Birkat HaMazon (Boneh Yerushalayim) since it was only through King David that Jerusalem was established (and it will be one of his descendants who will rebuild it).^[19] 

●      Praying for Sustenance 

This blessing includes a prayer for continued sustenance, as we say, אֱלֹהֵ-ינוּ אָבִינוּ רְעֵנוּ זוֹנֵנוּ פַּרְנְסֵנוּ וְכַלְכְּלֵנוּ וְהַרְוִיחֵנוּ וְהַרְוַח לָנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵ-ינוּ מְהֵרָה מִכָּל־צָרוֹתֵינוּ: וְנָא אַל־תַּצְרִיכֵנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ. לֹא לִידֵי מַתְּנַת בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְלֹא לִידֵי הַלְוָאָתָם כִּי אִם לְיָדְךָ הַמְּלֵאָה הַפְּתוּחָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְהָרְחָבָה שֶׁלּא נֵבוֹשׁ וְלא נִכָּלֵם לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. which means; “Our G-d, our Father tend us, nourish us, maintain us, sustain us, relieve us and grant us relief, L-rd, our G-d, speedily from all our troubles. L-rd, our G-d, may we never be in need of the gifts of men nor of their loans, but only of Your hand which is full, open, holy and generous, so that we may not be shamed or humiliated forever and ever.”

The commentaries question why we pray for sustenance in the middle of a blessing about rebuilding Jerusalem.

They explain^[20] that, according to the Talmud,^[21] ever since the destruction of Jerusalem and the Beit Hamikdash, the world no longer enjoys the same physical beneficence as it did prior to that. (For example, the taste of fruit was diminished.)

As we say in the Yom Kippur Musaf: “And since we have been deprived of all these (the Beit HaMikdash etc.), troubles have overwhelmed us. Afflictions have passed over our heads. We sought salvation, but it was not to be found; peace—and behold, retribution… The glory of the land has turned against us. It has sprouted—but not for blessing.”

As such, in the blessing about rebuilding Jerusalem, we pray that even during this era of exile, G-d should sustain and bless us so that we have no need to rely on any other human being for our sustenance.

●      Amen

We say “amen” at the end of the third blessing of Birkat HaMazon although usually one should not say “amen” after their own blessings. The reason for this depends on the following dispute:

1)     Some say that one should never say amen after any blessing that they say. Ashkenazim follow this opinion.

2)     Others say that one should say amen after their own blessing if it is the final blessing in a series of blessings. Sefardim follow this opinion and say “amen” after they finish the Amidah, the morning blessings, and more.

According to the first opinion the reason we say “amen” after Boneh Yerushalayim is to indicate that this is the last blessing of Biblical origin in Birkat HaMazon and that the final blessing is of Rabbinic origin. 

According to the second opinion we say “amen” after Boneh Yerushalayim just as we say “amen” after every series of Brachot. (The last blessing of Birkat HaMazon was added by the Rabbis and isn’t considered part of the series.)^[22]

A Quiet Amen

Some say that this “amen” should be recited quietly so as not to publicize that the final blessing is “only” of Rabbinic origin which may cause them to be lax in reciting it. Sefardim follow this opinion. 

Other say that one may say “amen” out loud as doing so could only lead to laxity in the Talmudic era when certain workers were exempted from saying the final blessing. This might cause others to also consider it unimportant. Nowadays, when even workers must recite the final blessing, there’s no such concern, and we may therefore say amen out loud. Ashkenazim follow this opinion.^[23]

A Pause 

One should pause slightly after the word “Yerushalayim” before saying “amen” in order to indicate that the word “amen” isn’t part of the blessing itself.^[24]

May G-d soon rebuild Jerusalem, city of our Holy Sanctuary, speedily in our days. Amen!

[1] Deut. 3:25.

[2] Genesis 22:14 “Avraham called the name of that place… G-d’s mountain.”

[3] Isaiah 2:3. “Many nations will say: ‘Come, Let us go up to the Mount of G-D,’” See Aderet Eliyahu

[4] Exodus, 15:17

[5] See also Psalms 24:3, “Who may ascend the mountain of G-d?” (see Ibn Ezra) and Psalms 125:2, “Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains” (Siftei Chachomim).

[6] See Brachot 48b.

[7] Proverbs 4:2.

[8] Isaiah, ibid.

[9] According to Rabeinu Bachaye, Moshe wanted to go in to confirm his opinion that it was a good land as opposed to the spies who had denigrated it. As opposed to Moshe the spies certainly had no rightful claim to enter the land.

[10] In addition, if Moshe had built the Beit HaMikdash, it would have been indestructible. 

[11] טוֹב is made of the letters טי"ת וי"ו בי"ת which equals 853. (9+10+400+6+10+6+2+10+400= 853)

[12] Rashi on Deut. 4:25 and Gittin 88b

[13] Chatam Sofer. See Perashat Derachim, Derush 8 by Rabbi Yehuda Rosanes, the 18^th-century author of the Mishneh LaMelech.

[14] Deut. 8:10.

[15] Brachot, ibid.

[16] Rav Nachman in Brachot ibid.

[17] Rashbah and Meiri.

[18] Ra’ah and Tashbetz by Rabbi Shimon ben Tzemach Duran (of 14^th and 15^th-century Spain and Algiers), vol. 2 Siman 161, cited by Rabbi Akiva Eiger in Gilyon HaShas.

[19] Berachot 49a and Shulchan Aruch HaRav 187:4.

[20] Iyun Tefilah in Siddur Otzar HaTefilot.

[21] Sotah 48a.

[22] See Shulchan Aruch Harav, 188:1 and 54:1 and Orach Chaim 215:1 with Mishnah Berurah.

[23] Shulchan Aruch Harav, ibid 2. 

In Orach Chaim 188:2 the Rama says that one may say “amen” out loud when reciting Birkat HaMazon with a group (zimun) as no one will notice the “amen” of the leader since everyone else is saying amen together with him. But that when reciting Birkat HaMazon without a zimun one should say “amen” quietly.

[24] Mishnah Berurah 188:2.

Wishing you a Shabbat Nachamu and Tu Be’Av Shalom Umevorach!