This
past Sunday morning, just as I was about to eat a lovely Eggs
Benedict made with smoked salmon, I thought to myself how grateful I
was that I had gotten up early enough to get to the restaurant while
there were still enough open tables that I didn't mind taking up one
for a “just one?” as the server always says when I walk in.
But I
was a little sad that I couldn't express my gratitude for the food by
saying a bracha. For one thing I didn't know what the correct blessing
would be. I only know two relative to food, the one over bread and
the one over wine. And I'm not sure the one for bread would have been
appropriate over an English muffin. What I do know is that which
blessing is said when and over what is complicated.
And
second, I know you're not supposed to say a bracha over treif food,
even if it isn't one of the forbidden foods. As far as I've gotten on
the road to keeping kosher is not eating pork, shellfish or meat and
milk together (although I have some issues with chicken and milk,
that whole cooking a chicken in its mother's milk thing, but that's a
post for another time). Still whatever the food is, if it is not
cooked in a kosher kitchen, it is still not kosher.
Not
being able to say brachas over food has bothered me for awhile, since
one of the things that attracted me to Judaism was its built in
mnemonics to help me remember to be grateful for the everyday things
that it is so easy to take for granted. And goodness knows, I love to
eat (if not to cook since it seems to me cooking for one person isn't
worth the effort of the clean up) so I have lots of opportunity to be
grateful for my food. But since it is usually food from non-kosher
restaurants, I can't express it. (I know. I know. Eat in kosher
restaurants. I know of two close to where I live, neither of which is
especially good, though I eat at one of them anyway because I like
the folks who run it.)
I was
thinking about all of this as I was enjoying the lemony hollandaise
sauce and I decided that even if I couldn't fulfill a commandment
there was nothing stopping me from saying some words to express my
gratitude.
These
are the blessings that I have come up with so far:
“Thank
you G-d for... “
...the
food and the money to buy it with and tip the server (This wasn't
and isn't always true for me.)
...being
able to hear the screaming child at the next table (A couple of
my friends are having hearing problems and would probably love to be
able to hear that child, at least for the first minute or two.)
...getting
home without hurting myself or anyone else or damaging any property;
and without anyone else damaging me or my property (I've been in
a couple of car accidents lately, one that was and one that wasn't my
fault. Always happy every time I drive somewhere and nothing happens
except I get where I am going.)
...keeping
my home safe when I am here and when I am not here (It hasn't
happened lately, but several places I've lived have been broken into.
The worst part isn't that they take your stuff. The worst part is
they take away your sense of security inside your own home.)
I have a
long, looong way to go on the road to being more observant.
And I know that the letter of the Law matters. I can honestly say I
am sincerely working to learn more of the letter of the Law.
But, in
the meanwhile, I also think G-d knows my intent – to express
gratitude for this amazing world I live in and all the gifts I have
been given... which is to say pretty much everything. I think G-d
understands and accepts all expressions of gratitude however, and in
whatever language, expressed.
And I
think that the expression and the intent will help motivate me to
learn more.
For this
day, this hour, this minute... I think, I truly hope, that's enough.
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