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The first bracha of the birchat hamzaon says, in part, "Who nourishes the entire world" ... "He provides food for all flesh" ... "we have never lacked and we will never lack food forever". The second bracha has similar thoughts, "and for the provision of food with which You nourish and maintain us every day, at all times and in every hour". What meaning do these words have for those of us who have enough food and for those of us who do not have enough food?

This question is logically related to, but different from the question(s) on Ashrei. The discussions of a (the?) key verse in Ashrei are relevant, but that verse is open to various interpretations, including the words not referring to physical food. The words in the birchat hamazon are not open to that type of interpretation and are even more explicit than the peh verse in Ashrei. So, I do not think this and that question are dups and one does not provide an answer to the other, certainly not a complete answer.

Dov
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Yehuda W
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    Same question, just on a different passage: https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/99510/reconciling-%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%aa%d7%97-%d7%90%d7%aa-%d7%99%d7%93%d7%9a-and-knowing-people-are-starving – Alex Mar 18 '20 at 02:06
  • Note "Who nourishes the entire world..." is originally a verse Tehillim 136:25 – Double AA Mar 18 '20 at 04:41
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    Does this answer your question? Reconciling "פותח את ידך" and knowing people are starving? – DonielF Mar 18 '20 at 14:07
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    @DonielF The discussion of a (the?) key verse in Ashrei is relevant, but that verse is open to various interpretations, including the words not referring to physical food. The words in the birchat hamazon are not open to that type of interpretation and are even more explicit than the peh verse in Ashrei. So, I do not think the two questions are dups and one does not provide an answer to the other. – Yehuda W Mar 18 '20 at 17:44
  • @YehudaW As per Berachos 4b saying explicitly that פותח את ידך and נותן לחם לכל בשר mean the same thing, the passuk on which the phrase in bentching is based on, I don't think that's a valid assumption. – DonielF Mar 18 '20 at 17:55
  • @DonielF. Exactly what words on 4b do you refer to? I did not find the part to which you refer. – Yehuda W Mar 30 '20 at 01:54
  • @DonielF The link you provide is related but the comments there suggest interpreting the words in a non-literal fashion. The words in the birkat hamazon seem less open to such reinterpretation. – Yehuda W Mar 30 '20 at 01:55
  • @YehudaW Re Berachos: אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּאִית בֵּיהּ ״פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ״, נֵימָא ״הַלֵּל הַגָּדוֹל״ דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ ״נֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר״. Re the link: we don’t judge duplicates based on comments or answers, only the question itself. – DonielF Mar 30 '20 at 02:04
  • Ela mai the berachah goes on the klaliyas of klal yisrael. – pcoz Sep 10 '21 at 03:20

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Those who have enough food must realize that everything comes from Hashem. JUst as you may have this now, Hashem if he so chooses he can get rid of everything, thus you truthfully rely on Hashem. Those who do nat have enough food truthfully sees Hashem's hand in their everyday life. They rely on Hashem from meal to meal.

my source is the Rashi and mainstream commentators on why a mother who has a c-section does not redeem the first born son.

Alex
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Mordechai Schmerler
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