(20) And God said: ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.’ (21) And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that creepeth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after its kind, and every winged fowl after its kind; and God saw that it was good. (22) And God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.’
Questions:
1. What does blessing mean here? What does G-d 'do'?
2. What is the 'blessing' context and does that matter?
3. Does blessing mean increase or acknowledging what is or both/neither?
4. Where have we felt Spirit blessing us with this kind of blessing?
(10) And thou shalt eat and be satisfied, and bless the LORD thy God for the good land which He hath given thee.
א"ר חנינא בר פפא כל הנהנה מן העוה"ז בלא ברכה כאילו גוזל להקב"ה וכנסת ישראל
R. Hannina b. Pappa said : Whoever enjoys anything of this world without a benediction is as though he robbed the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel
It was taught in a Baraita: R. Meir said: a person must make 100 blessings each day, as it is written... (Deuteronomy 10:12) "And now Israel, what [mah'| מה] does the Lord your God ask of you..."
Questions:
1. What might 'stealing' from G-d/Source be?
2. What function does 'blessing' practice have in making our lives more blessed? More holy? More __________??
3. Why is naming, framing blessing so important? Why are words used? Can one bless without language?
4. Where do we find ourselves 'blessing challenged'?
5. Is Romemu a community of blessers? Where are we called to more conscious of blessing?