Personally Connecting to Birkot HaShachar

Birkot HaShachar "on one foot":

This set of blessings is said in the morning at the beginning of the morning service. It is referred to as either "Birkot HaShachar" ("Blessings of the Dawn") or, in the Reform movement, "Nissim B'chol Yom" ("Miracles of Every Day"). These blessings help us to recognize that the things we take for granted are actually blessings in our lives. Thus saying these blessings allow us to start the day with an Attitude of Gratitude.

The Evolution of Birkot HaShachar

“Birkot HaShachar” literally means “Blessings of the Dawn”, because the rooster would crow at dawn and people would get up, giving thanks for things that we usually take for granted until something goes wrong and we can’t do it. The Babylonian Talmud records the blessings in Masechet Brachot, which means “Tractate Blessings”:

Here we get the basic format of almost all of the blessings we have today, though Blessings 2-4 are missing (we’ll get to that), the last 1-2 blessings are missing (we’ll get to that), and the “hameichin mitzadei gaver” (“Who makes firm the steps of people”) blessing is before the “she-asa li kol tzorchi” (“Who has provided for all I need”) blessing.

Later on, there was a dispute as to whether the blessings had to be said in a certain order (according to Rambam, no — Mishneh Torah, Hilkot Tefillah 7:7, 9), and whether they had to be said as you were doing the original action or in the synagogue (according to Rambam, not in synagogue; according to the first siddur, written by Rav Amram Gaon in 868 CE, yes in synagogue). The impetus for moving them to the synagogue came from the fact that not everybody knew these blessings by heart (and there was no written guide until 868 CE), so they were going unsaid. Today Ashkenazi Jews tend to do Birkot HaShachar communally while Sephardi Jews tend to do Birkot HaShachar individually in synagogue. The fact that these blessings are done in the synagogue has been codified in the Shulchan Aruch, written by Rabbi Joseph Caro in 1563:

Blessings 2-4 come from elsewhere in the Babylonian Talmud (Menachot 43b:17-18, plus Tosefta Brachot 6:23 and Jerusalem Talmud Berakhot 9:1:27). Rabbi Meir says that every day a man should thank G-d that he is a Jew, that he is not a woman, and that he is not an ignoramus. The ignoramus part got changed quickly to not being a slave. Over 400 years later, in the Geonim period, a blessing was put in for women to say, “Praised…Who made me according to His will.” When these blessings met up with the other blessings to become Birkot HaShachar, the blessing “Who made me a Jew” became “Who made me not a non-Jew” in order to match the format of “Who made me not a slave” and “Who made me not a woman”. Later, fragments were found in the Cairo Geniza (a repository of worn-out texts from the Jewish community of Cairo, going back to the 500s CE) indicating that ancient versions of the prayer from the Land of Israel went the other direction, and made everything match the positive version of “Who made me a Jew” (“Who made me free” and “Who made me in the Divine Image”). The Sephardic liturgy puts them later into the list as a unit, since the blessings can be said in any order.

By the mid-1940s, the Conservative movement’s Joint Prayer Book Commission decided, after two years of discussion, to switch to a positive model of these three blessings, in accordance with how things were done in the Land of Israel centuries ago. This also meant that men were no longer thanking G-d for not being women, while women were just thanking G-d for their lot in life. Additionally, because Conservative Jews had come to the conclusion that men and women were equal, they could feel comfortable saying prayers that they believed in. Moreover, non-Jewish guests at Conservative synagogues were not reading prayer translations that said "Thank G-d I'm not you". This change was first implemented in the 1946 “Silverman” siddur with the black cover. The Reform movement also made these changes. Women feeling insulted by this blessing continues to be an issue in the Orthodox movement, as evidenced by a 2005 Orthodox responsa out of Israel (Responsa Benei Banim, Volume IV 1:17).

The Text of the Prayer and The Questions

1. Why would the rabbis want us to start our day with an attitude of gratitude?

2. Which blessings resonate with you? Which ones would resonate with the following: Somebody with an addiction, somebody visually impaired, somebody homeless, a wounded veteran, somebody being sexually harassed, somebody whose house has flooded, somebody trying to improve the world?

3. Asher natan lasechvi vina l’havchin bein yom vein leila - who gives the rooster discernment to distinguish between day and night - This was originally said when hearing the rooster (or now alarm clock), giving thanks that you are not oversleeping, and that you can still hear when you wake up. It draws on a quote from the Biblical Book of Job (38:36), as interpreted by the Babylonian Talmud (Rosh Hashanah 26a:20), though in context it makes more sense to translate “sechvi” as “mind”. When have you used discernment to distinguish between two options?

4. She-asani Yisrael - who made me a Jew - This was the original language of this blessing. (Menachot 43b:17). Only later did it get changed to “Who didn’t make me a non-Jew”. What do you like about being Jewish?

5. She-asani b’tzalmo - who made me in the Divine image - This blessing quotes from Genesis 1:27, where people are made in the image of G-d (also Genesis 9:6). In the Babylonian Talmud (Sotah 14a:3-4) we are taught that to act in the ways of G-d is to make the world a better place. How do you do that? How do you aspire to do that?

6. She-asani ben/bat chorin- who made me free - Those who identify as male would say “ben chorin”, those who identify as female would say “bat chorin”, those who identify as gender-neutral would say “b’nai chorin” — in what ways are you free? In what ways are you not?

7. Pokei-ach ivrim - who gives sight to the blind - This was originally said upon opening your eyes, giving thanks that you can still see. It quotes from Psalm 146:8 as something that G-d does. It also references the story of Hagar and how G-d opened her eyes to see the well that had always been there (Genesis 21:19); the Rabbis comment that all of us are blind to things that are in front of us sometimes (Genesis Rabba 53:14). This and the rest of the blessings can be interpreted literally and figuratively. In what ways has your sight been restored literally and/or figuratively?

8. Malbish arumim - who clothes the naked - This was originally said upon putting on your clothes (after sitting up), giving thanks that you have clothing to wear. It refers to G-d giving clothing to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21) and also to the Talmudic statement that this is one of the ways to be like G-d (Sotah 14a:4). This also could be thought of as a blessing of gratitude for warm clothing in cool / cold weather. What do you do with clothes that you are done with? What could you do with them?

9. Matir asurim - who releases the bound - This was originally said upon sitting up straight (right after opening your eyes), giving thanks that you can still sit up. It quotes from Psalm 146:7 as something that G-d does, and refers to Isaiah 58:6, from the Haftarah for Yom Kippur, (which uses synonyms) as something G-d wants us to do. In what ways do you try to stretch your mind?

10. Zokeif k’fufim - who straightens the bent - This was originally said upon standing up straight (after putting on clothes), giving thanks that you can still stand. It quotes from Psalm 146:8 as something that G-d does. In whom can you confide your worries that mentally weigh you down?

11. Rokah haAretz al hamayim - who spreads the earth over the waters - This was originally said upon taking your first 2 morning steps (after standing up straight), giving thanks that your house didn’t flood overnight (it could always be worse!). It quotes from Psalm 136:6 as something that G-d does. How do you protect the earth? How do you protect the waters?

12. She-asa li kol tzorchi - who provides for all my needs - This was originally said upon putting on your shoes, giving thanks that you can afford shoes and other needs (and that you can go out to earn a livelihood). Which needs are being met for you?

13. HaMeichin mitzadei gaver - who guides the steps of people - This was originally said upon taking your next 2 steps, giving thanks that you can still walk. It quotes from Psalm 37:23. When have you felt Divine guidance in how your life turned out?

14. Ozeir Yisrael bigvurah - who girds the Jewish people with strength - This was originally said upon putting on your belt for going out (think toolbelt, though originally for tucking a self-defense weapon into), giving thanks that you can still defend yourself. What strengths do you have?

15. Oteir Yisrael b’tif-arah- who crowns the Jewish people with glory - This was originally said upon putting on your hat, giving thanks that you can still stay warm or otherwise protected from the sun. How do you decide what to wear on your head?

16. HaNotein laya-eif ko’ach - who gives strength to the tired - This blessing does not appear in either Talmud, and it was a matter of controversy about whether it should be added, though Ashkenazim do (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 46:6). It is a quote from Isaiah 40:29. How do you ensure you get enough sleep?

17. HaMa-avir sheina mei-einai utnufa mei-afapai - who wipes sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids - This blessing is often separated out from the other blessings and attached to the next part of the service, because it comes from a section later on the same page of Talmud (Brachot 60b:6). It was originally said when washing your face. This blessing is the reason why, after staying up all night studying Torah at a Tikkun Leil Shavuot, one should not be the person to lead Birkot HaShachar the next morning unless there is nobody present who was asleep during the night (because there is no sleep to wipe from your eyes) (Mishneh Berurah 46:26). What do you do when you feel tired in the morning?

The Reform Version from Siddur Mishkan Tefila

The Reform movement calls this prayer “Nissim B’chol Yom”, “The Miracles of Every Day”. In comparison to the version above, Blessing 1 is alike, Blessing 2 is like #5, #3 is like #7, and #4 is like #8. Traditional #2 was changed a bit and is #10, #3 is moved to #12, and #4 is moved to #11 (the way the Sephardim do the order). The total is 14 in both versions, with only traditional #10 totally replaced; the rest are in a different order (which is OK according to traditional sources). See here for the text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zZcPCqavUQ

Kippah tip to Cantor Neil Schwartz

The Orthodox version of the first few blessings

Saying Birkot HaShachar When You Have a Disability

There is a dispute, codified in the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 46:8), about whether one can say blessings that do not apply to you personally, such as for people who can’t see, can’t hear (a rooster), or can’t straighten their bodies. One position is, “No”. The other position is “Yes”, with at least two reasons. One is that other people can, and so somebody who can’t can benefit from those who can (Megillah 24b:7). The other is that there is more than one way to see, hear, etc. For example, Beethoven was deaf, and yet he heard through vibrations and was able to compose symphonies. Blind sculptors like Michael Naranjo see through touch. Each person who has a disability relevant to Birkot HaShachar has to grapple with this question for themselves and come to their own conclusions, though rabbinic advice is available for those who seek it.

Another possibility is to replace the blessing in question. For instance, Rabbi Lauren Tuchman, a visually-impaired rabbi, has replaced the blessing “Who gives sight to the blind” (“pokei-ach ivrim”) with “Who has made me whole” (“she-asani shleima”). You can read her well-thought-out article on this subject here: https://ritualwell.org/blog/pokeakh-ivrim-opening-our-minds-new-forms-inclusion/ . Some people now say this new blessing in their Birkot HaShachar in solidarity.

Regarding the first blessing, the one about hearing the rooster, another way to look at the word “sechvi” in its original context (Job 38:36) is “mind/heart”. Put that way, the blessing then reads “Who gives the mind / heart understanding to discern between day and night”. This then alleviates the need for the sense of hearing to get involved, thus allowing people who are hearing-impaired to say the blessing without an issue. (Kippah tip to Rabbi Jonah Rank of the Hebrew Seminary for the last two paragraphs).

Saying “Who made me a Jew” as a convert

On the one hand, there are those who said that a Jew-by-choice can not say this blessing because they were not originally born as a Jew. On the other hand, the Talmud tells us that future converts had a Jewish soul that was present when the Torah was given at Mt. Sinai (Shevuot 39a:9). Thus, a person who converts to Judaism is coming back to the person that G-d meant them to be. Moreover, “Yisrael” means “one who wrestles with G-d” (Genesis 32:29), and it is certainly true that converts can say “Blessed…Who made me a wrestler with G-d”.

Musical Versions of Birkot HaShachar

Consider which of these versions match the mood of the prayer

This is the Shabbat morning nusach (chanting) version, done by Cantor Rachel Brook (in red) and Cantor Liz Berke (in blue) of Anshe Emet Synagogue (in Chicago) in 2023. Used with permission.

This is the weekday nusach for Birkot HaShachar, in a 2020 video out of Shir Chadash Synagogue in New Orleans. For the Reform weekday version, see here: https://youtu.be/8zZcPCqavUQ?si=UbLHAnhiuEYn7OBF

This is a taste of High Holiday nusach for Birkot HaShachar, put out by the American Conference of Cantors (ACC - a Reform professional group).

And this is a different High Holidays version, done by Cantor Neil Schwartz.

This is Noah Aronson in 2019, singing the congregational melody that he wrote.

With appreciation to: To Pray as a Jew by Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donni, A Guide to Jewish Prayer by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, Jewish Worship by Abraham Milgram, Entering Jewish Prayer by Reuven Hammer, Siddur Lev Shalem, Siddur Or Chadash, Conservative Judaism by Rabbi Neil Gillman, Cantor Neil Schwartz, Miriam Fisch, Rabbi Jonah Rank, Cantor Liz Berke

Appendix A: The Relevant Cairo Geniza Fragment

Reflecting the ancient service in the Land of Israel

From Siddur Or Chadash

“… made me a man and not a beast, a man and not a woman, an Israelite and not a non-Jew, circumcised and not uncircumcised, free and not a slave…Praised are You.. who created Primal Adam in His image and His likeness.”

Appendix B: The Halachic Evolution of This Prayer