Kavana (Intention) for Birkat Hamazon (Blessing After Meal)

Ilana Streit — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 17:16:49 -0500

Mah sh'achalnu, yih'yeh l'savah

May our experience of eating and being satisfied, help liberate the world from the illusion that resources are scarce and that we have to hoard.

U'mah she'shatinu, yih'yeh lirfuah

And may what we drank, help us to be fluid and flexible, and to heal.

U'mah she'hotarnu, yih'yeh livracha

And may what we have left behind -- leftovers at this meal (because we knew that we didn't have to eat food, simply because it was in front of us), the words that we have exchanged, the ideas we've shared, the openness and intimacy we've created -- and also that which we leave behind in our lives, the ways that we clear space for the divine to manifest -- may all of this be for blessing.

And may we see how blessed we are, and may we have the clarify of vision to bless it.

Note: This is a commentary on a few lines of text at the end of birkat ha'mazon in the Kol Haneshamah bensher (blessing book). The text is part of the traditional Sephardic benching.

Interpretation

Kavana (Intention) for Birkat Hamazon (Blessing After Meal)