Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Musar for Berakhot 70:2

א"ר חנינא בר פפא כל הנהנה מן העוה"ז בלא ברכה כאילו גוזל להקב"ה וכנסת ישראל שנא' (משלי כח, כד) גוזל אביו ואמו ואומר אין פשע חבר הוא לאיש משחית ואין אביו אלא הקב"ה שנא' (דברים לב, ו) הלא הוא אביך קנך ואין אמו אלא כנסת ישראל שנא' (משלי א, ח) שמע בני מוסר אביך ואל תטוש תורת אמך

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 ; as it is said, "Whoso robbeth his father or his mother and saith, It is no transgression, the same is the companion of a destroyer" (Prov. xxviii, 24) — "father" is none other than the Holy One, blessed be He ; as it is said, "Is not He thy father that hath gotten thee?" (Deut. xxxii. 6) ; and "mother" is none other than the Community of Israel ; as it is said, "Hear, my son, the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the teaching of thy mother" (Prov. i. 8).

Shenei Luchot HaBerit

The linking of G–d and Israel in that Midrash is due to the fact that such theft is known in the Celestial Spheres. First man (whose father and mother was literally G–d Himself), had committed this crime of theft. The close connection in the Heavenly Regions between כנסת ישראל, and G–d is well known. It is there that Adam disturbed the equilibrium with his sin. This is why the kidnapper, גונב נפש, is mentioned in the Torah in connection with cursing or hitting mother or father.
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