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Intertextual Resource: Divine and Human Blessings
Which of these blessings are asked for and which given without asking? Do you think this makes a difference? Who or what are the blessings directed toward – how does it change the thing being blessed?
Divine Blessings
Does the blessing recognize something (a quality) that is already present or does it create something new? What is the meaning of the blessing? What is intended by the blessing?
| God blesses Avram – Bereshit 24:1 |
וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים וַיהֹוָה בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל. |
| Yaakov demands a blessing from the man-angel – Bereshit 32:25-27 |
וַיֹּאמֶר שַׁלְּחֵנִי כִּי עָלָה הַשָּׁחַר וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲשַׁלֵּחֲךָ כִּי אִם בֵּרַכְתָּנִי… |
| God blesses the 7th day – Bereshit 2:3 |
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת-יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ … |
Human Blessings
Does the blessing create something new or recognize something (a quality) that is already present? Is the blessing freely offered? What is intended by the blessing?
| Yitzak blessing Yaakov – Bereshit 27:30 |
וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלָּה יִצְחָק לְבָרֵךְ אֶת יַעֲקֹב |
| Yakov blesses Yoseph – Bereshit 48:15 |
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֶת יוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמַר |
| The blessing we recite over food |
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם … |
| Parents bless their children |
יְבָרֶכְךָ יְהוָה וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ |