Why We Bench
Turning Gratitude into Humility
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Benching and Arrogance
The mitzvah of reciting Birchas HaMazon—“benching”—makes its first appearance in our Parsha. The Torah says:
וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה’ אֱלֹקיךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ
When you eat and are “satisfied” you should bless Hashem your God on the good land He has given you
The simple meaning is clear: you must bench after you eat. But notice—it’s after you eat, not before. In fact, the blessings we make before eating, although equally obligatory, are rabbinic. Benching after a meal, however is a Torah obligation (מדאורייתא).
That raises a question: why would thanking Hashem after a meal be more important than thanking Him before? If anything, when you’re hungry and finally receive food, you’d expect the Torah to say, “Thank Him right away!”
Perhaps the answer lies in the deeper purpose of benching.
The Torah commands us to bless Hashem when we are satisfied. Why? Because satisfaction often brings confidence… and sometimes arrogance. A hungry person feels smaller, more vulnerable, more aware of their dependence. But once we’re full, it’s easy to slip into the mindset of, “I’m doing fine. I’m independent. I’m strong on my own.”
Benching is meant to interrupt that arrogance.
It’s a deliberate pause to remember: my food is meant to fuel me in the service of Hashem, not to feed my arrogance.
This is more than just acknowledging the source of our food, though. It’s about guarding ourselves from the spiritual danger that comes after we’ve had our fill—when we’re most tempted to forget Hashem and His Torah. Benching keeps us grounded, reminding us that there is a God above, and our job is to walk in His ways.
In our modern world of agricultural abundance, this message rings true louder than ever.
This is not to say that we must limit our intake of food (although we might want to do that too). Instead, when we do eat, we must be careful not to let those feelings of comfort, independence, and self-confidence get to our heads.
References
Berachos 48b.
Meshech Chochmah Devarim 8:10.