Birkat Hamazon, known in English as the Grace After Meals, is a set of Hebrew blessings that Jewish Halakha prescribes following a meal that includes at least a kezayit piece of bread. It is a mitzvah de'oraita, that is written in the Torah. Birkat Hamazon is recited after a meal containing bread or similar foods that is made from the five grains, with the exception of bread that comes as a dessert and food that does not possess the form or appearance of bread, in which case a blessing that summarizes the first three blessings is recited instead. It is a matter of rabbinic dispute whether birkat hamazon must be said after eating certain other bread-like foods such as pizza. Except when in teaching situations, Birkat hamazon is typically read individually after ordinary meals. Sometimes it's also sung aloud on special occasions such as the Shabbat and festivals. The blessing can be found in almost all prayerbooks and is often printed in a variety of artistic styles in a small booklet called a birchon in Hebrew or bencher in Yiddish. The length of the different Birkat hamazon can vary considerably, from bentsching under half a minute to more than 5 minutes.
On weekdays, some recite Psalm 137, Al Naharot Bavel before Birkat Hamazon. This psalm describes the reactions of the Jews in exile as would have been expressed during the Babylonian captivity.
Psalm 126, eponymously called Shir Hama'alot, which expresses the Jewish hope of return to Zion following their final redemption, is widely recited by Ashkenazi Jews before Birkat Hamazon on Shabbat, Jewish holidays, and certain other days or special occasions. Some follow this by two or four additional verses from Psalms ; this addition is known as Tehillat Hashem after its first words, and is based on teachings by the Arizal. Some Spanish and Portuguese Jews precede Birkat Hamazon with "Ein Keloheinu" on Shabbat and holidays.
Tzur Mishelo Achalnu is sung in some communities as "as an introduction to the Grace after Meals in all joyous occasions." Whereas it is commonly found among the songs printed for singing Friday night, among those who use it for zimun it is never sung in the middle of a meal, since it would signal the meal's end.
Shabbat and Holidays
Additional sections are added on special occasions.
On Shabbat the retzei paragraph is recited, just before the end of the third blessing.
On Jewish holidays, the ya'aleh ve-Yavo paragraph is added in the same place
If one forgets Retzei or ya'aleh ve-Yavo, one inserts a short blessing before the fourth blessing. If this is also forgotten, then at the first two meals of Shabbat and major holidays, one must repeat the entire Birkat Hamazon. At later meals, or on Rosh Chodesh or Chol Hamoed, nothing need be done. If one forgets al ha-Nissim, one does not repeat Birkat Hamazon, although one recites a special Harachaman toward the very end, followed by the paragraph Bimei, which describes the respective holidays. If this prayer is also forgotten, nothing need be done.
Sheva Brachot
When birkat hamazon takes place at the Sheva Brachot following a traditional Jewish marriage, special opening lines reflecting the joy of the occasion are added to the zimmun beginning with Devai Haser. At the conclusion of birkat hamazon, a further seven special blessings are recited.
Brit milah
At birkat hamazon concluding the celebratory meal of a brit milah, additional introductory lines, known as Nodeh Leshimcha, are added at the beginning and special ha-Rachaman prayers are inserted.
Abbreviated text
An abbreviated text is sometime used when time is lacking. It contains the four essential blessings in a somewhat shortened form, with fewer preliminaries and additions. In liberal branches of Judaism, there is no standard text to be recited and customs vary accordingly. Many Sephardi Jews, especially Spanish and Portuguese Jews often sing a hymn in Spanish, called Bendigamos, before or after birkat hamazon. An additional abbreviated form of birkat hamazon in Ladino, called Ya Comimos, may also be said.
Zimmun
According to Halakha when a minimum of three adult Jewish males eat bread as part of a meal together they are obligated to form a mezuman with the addition of a few extra opening words whereby one man "invites" the others to join him in birkat hamazon.. When those present at the meal form a minyan there are further additions to the invitation. A Zimmun of 10 is called a Zimmun B'Shem. The zimmun is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a mezuman.
Women
The Talmud states that women are obligated to say birkat hamazon and that accordingly, three women can constitute a zimmun and lead it. Accordingly, the Shulchan Aruch rules that three women may choose to make a zimmun among themselves, but are not required to do so. However, ten women cannot make the Zimmun B'Shem, and men and women cannot combine to form the three members of an ordinary zimmun. If three men and three women are present, the three men make the zimmun, and the women are required to answer to it.
Large gatherings
According to the one opinion in the Talmud, there are special versions of the zimmun if birkat hamazon is said by at least 100, 1000 or 10000 seated at one meal. When 100 are present, the leader says "Blessed is HaShem our God, of Whose we have eaten and of Whose goodness we have lived", and the group responds "Blessed is HaShem our God, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived." When 1000 are present, the leader of the Zimmun says "Let us bless HaShem our God, the God of Israel, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived", and the crowd responds, "Blessed is HaShem our God, the God of Israel, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived." When at least 10000 are present, the leader of the zimmun says "Let us bless Hashem our God, the God of Israel, who dwells among the cherubim, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived," and the multitude responds, "Blessed is Hashem our God, the God of Israel, who dwells among the cherubim, of Whose we have eaten, and of Whose goodness we have lived." However, the Shulchan Aruch rules that none of these variations are used in practice nowadays.
Cup of Blessing
It is customary for the person leading the zimmun to recite the blessings over a cup of wine called the kos shel beracha. Although sometimes done at ordinary meals, it is more commonly done on Shabbat and Jewish Holidays, and almost universally done at meals celebrating special events. At a Passover Seder, the cup of blessing is drunk by everyone present, and functions as the "Third Cup". The practice of a cup of blessing is mentioned in the Talmud.
Mayim Acharonim
There is a practice in many Orthodox communities to wash the hands before reciting birkat hamazon. This practice is called mayim acharonim. While the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch rule this practice to be obligatory, Tosafot and other sources rule it to be unnecessary in current circumstances, and thus many do not perform the practice.
Bentschers
Bentschers /ˈbɛn·ʧəɹ/ are small Birkat Hamazon booklets usually handed out at bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings and other celebratory events. Traditionally, the cover of the bentscher is customized to reflect the event. Some bentschers now feature photography of Israel throughout. There are several services currently available that customize the bentscher using graphics, logos and/or photographs.
The giving of thanks for the food received dates back to the first Jewish Patriarch, Abraham. A Midrash says that his tent for hospitality had openings on all four sides. He invited guests bless the Heavenly source of the food. If they refused, he told them that he would have to pay 10 gold coins for bread, ten for wine and ten for hospitality. To their amazement for the excessive price he replied that that price corresponded to those delights difficult to find in the desert; then they accepted God and thanked Him.
