לרפואת ר' אליעזר משה בן צ'ארנא מאריאם
"כיצד מברכין כו' מנא ה"מ דת"ר קודש הלולים לד', מלמד שטעונין ברכה לפניהם ולאחריהם, מכאן אר"ע אסור לאדם שיטעום כלום קודם שיברך".
The gemara [brachos 35] derives the law that one must make a bracha before and after eating from the pasuk "קודש הילולים להשם" - ["And in the fourth year all of its fruit] shall be holy for praises to Hashem" - From the fact that it says "praises" in the plural, that means that we praise Hashem both before and after we eat.
Rebbe Akiva adds that from here we learn that one must not TASTE anything before making a bracha.
Why do we have to make TWO brachos on food. Why isn't ONE enough?? There must be a different meaning in each of the two brachos.
What does making a bracha have to do with "קדושה"?
What is Rebbe Akiva adding??
Kedusha teaches a person to find the spirituality in all material things. It is fitting to find pleasure in the knowledge that food and pleasure are gifts from Hashem more than just enjoying the physical sensation of eating. This spiritual perspective expresses the kindness of Hashem as it permeates creation above and beyond the personal satisfaction he experiences. THAT is the bracha we make before eating.
The bracha we make AFTER eating is an expression of gratitude to Hashem for the pleasure we derived. This includes not ONLY the physical pleasure of the tasty food but the spiritual pleasure of seeing and "tasting" Hashem when eating [טעמו וראו כי טוב השם].
The bracha we make AFTER eating is an expression of gratitude to Hashem for the pleasure we derived. This includes not ONLY the physical pleasure of the tasty food but the spiritual pleasure of seeing and "tasting" Hashem when eating [טעמו וראו כי טוב השם].
Rebbe Akiva adds that not only do we make a bracha on eating that provides us nutritional value, but even tasting which just gives us pleasure but very little in the way of concrete physical energy. This teaches that one must have gratitude even for pleasure even though it adds little to one's ability to exist.
[The gemara says המטעמת אין צריך ברכה - one who tastes need not make a bracha. It would seem that this is talking about someone who tastes in order to see whether or not the food is tasty but not for the pleasure of tasting. If one intends to derive pleasure, then a bracha should be made].
ונראה דאע"ג דמטעמת א"צ ברכה, היינו בשאין הכונה כ"א לדעת הטעם ולא ליהנות, שהרי י"א דגם בבולע ג"כ דינא הכי. אבל הטועם כדי להנות ראוי שיברך על ההנאה לבדה, שעל זאת ההכרה נוסדה ברכה שלפניה. ודייק מזה ר"ע אסור לאדם שיטעום כלום קודם שיברך.
[עין איה ברכות פרק ו' אות א]
