Musar for Berakhot 69:21

אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל כל הנהנה מן העוה"ז בלא ברכה כאילו נהנה מקדשי שמים שנא' (תהלים כד, א) לה' הארץ ומלואה ר' לוי רמי כתיב לה' הארץ ומלואה וכתיב (תהלים קטו, טז) השמים שמים לה' והארץ נתן לבני אדם לא קשיא כאן קודם ברכה

Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel : Whoever enjoys anything of this world without a benediction is as though he had partaken of the holy things of Heaven ; as it is said, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof" (Ps. xxiv. 1). R. Levi asked : t is written, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof," and it is written, "The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth hath He given to the children of men" (ibid. cxv. 16) ! There is no contradiction ; the former passage referring [[fol. 35 b.]] to before the benediction [has been uttered],

Shenei Luchot HaBerit

Having said this, we understand how the following legislation in 5,5, is a natural sequence to what has been discussed by the Torah so far. The words מכל חטאת האדם, have to be understood as "any of the sins which are the result of the original sin committed by Adam." Ever since that time, the evil urge has become a "resident" within man and caused man to commit trespasses against the will of G–d, i.e. למעל מעל. The Talmud Berachot 35a states that anyone who derives benefit from this world without having first recited a benediction thanking G–d is as if he had stolen from holy property belonging to G–d. When Adam ate from the tree of knowledge he did not only do this, but worse.

Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Previous Verse Full Chapter Next Verse