One thought on “Brachos 46 – ברכות מו

  1. The principle of “Tov Ayin Hu Yevorach” would seem to hold true. When does a person show that he has a good eye? An eye for the good of others? When he invites others on to good things, to acts of goodness, kindness and blessing. When he encourages others on towards performing Mitvot, he shows himself as one who is Mezake HaRabim – making the many meritorious. If not for the one starting the Zimun, everyone might sit silently by themselves each one praying to G-d on his own behalf. The approach of Torah is to include everyone, to make the Jewish people into a unity. The Mezamen stands out from the crowd by uniting everyone together. He encourages them all to take part in the Mitzvah – together. In his eyes – his good eyes – everyone is part of the blessing!

    He truly has a good eye. A good eye for seeing everyone working together and enjoying each others’ company, “Hineh mah tov u’mah naim shevet achim gam yachad” – “How good it is when brothers sit together!” If so, he the “owner” of the good eye, above everyone else, and because of this, shows himself that when he blesses, his blessings are real. They are genuine and come from his heart. They are not just a side issue of being forced to make a blessing in the middle of Bentching just because it says he should. He genuinely wants to bless others!

    Who better to bless the host than one who takes the initiative even before seeing “the place” where he must bless? Before blessing (in any instance where one prepares to bless another,) one should consider the blessing as coming from the heart and not mere lip-service. There’s more to it than doing things just at the right time.

    Indeed he must lead the Zimun and show himself up as being genuinely interested in the blessings for his host – and for everyone else at the table at that time. Such an individual’s blessings will no doubt bear fruit!

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