30 January 2013

Snacking on Bread

Growing up, a not uncommon snack of mine - especially in the afternoon - would be to snag a piece of bread from the kitchen counter.  Although looking back, it clearly was not the healthiest of snacks, it seemed like a pretty snack-worthy item. 
    Imagine my surprise when I started observing more Jewish activities, including saying blessings regarding food, especially insofar as it pertains to bread.  With many foods, such as meat, chicken, fish, cheese, and most drinks, one says a one-line blessing prior to partaking of them and a one-line blessing following them.  For baked goods, one says a one-line blessing prior to partaking them, and a paragraph or two blessing following them.  
      However, for bread, although a one-line blessing is said, one is not only supposed to wash one's hands prior to partaking of it, but supposed to say a four-paragraph blessing following it!  It struck me as strange that one would have to go through all of that blessing for a snack!  However, for the Talmudic rabbis, upon which Jewish law is based, bread was a central component of one's meal and other things, such as meat and cheese, were ancillary.  
     It is an interesting deterrent for me (when my health-minded will power breaks down and I consider snacking on some bread lying around) for me nowadays and not have bread simply because it is a lot of blessing to say for a snack!

1 comment:

Shira Salamone said...

You can say that again! It takes me long enough just to say Al HaMichyah!