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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]How is what your mom is doing any different than this? I think you are more put off by her Catholicism than the actual act?

The berakhah before eating brings us another awareness, too. The act of eating is meant to be one of pleasure and enjoyment. We should savor our food rather than just devour it.

The Baal Shem Tov (the 18th-century founder of Hasidism) taught: “When you eat and take pleasure in the taste and sweetness of the food, bear in mind that it is God who has placed into the food its taste and sweetness. You will, then, truly serve God by your eating.” On this level, we should make ourselves aware of the pleasurable nature of eating.

We should likewise be aware of food as a necessary source of health and sustenance. Without food we could not live–this is a fact that we may easily take for granted. The Rebbe of Mikolayeve taught: “Eat and drink because you are commanded to safeguard your health, as it is said, ‘For your own sake, therefore be most careful’ (Deuteronomy 4:15). Such eating is a pious deed. But to eat merely to satisfy a craving is a form of transgression” (Louis Newman, Hasidic Anthology, p. 86).

This also brings to awareness the fact that there are many people in this world who cannot take their next meal for granted. They suffer not a lack of awareness, only a lack of food. In the past, the tradition encouraged us to share our meals with the poor. In an immediate sense, this is not often practical today. We could, however, accept the suggestion of [Rabbi Meir Simha Ha-Kohen of Dvinsk (1843-1926)]: “In a place where poor people are not to be found, what can a person do…? It is possible to say that you should estimate what the cost of the meal for a poor person would have been, and put that amount aside for charity before you eat” (Sha’ar Ha-kedushah 15:64).

All in all, the spiritual awareness of the meaning of food that is contained in the berakhah enables us nourish our souls as we nourish our bodies.

“The essential advice on how to deal with food lust is that when you eat you should be aware of what you are doing; then it ceases to be just an animal action. The lust for food is intact if you allow your mind and all your senses to be immersed in eating until you forget what you are doing. Then eating is like an animal’s action.” (Emunat Tzadikim, p. 78)

Eating is intended to be a purposeful act. While animals eat out of instinct, we eat out of awareness of all that the act of eating entails. We are to remember all that brought this food to the plate.

The Jerusalem Talmud (Hallah 1) says: “Before you eat your piece of bread, remember that 10 mitzvot [commandments] have been performed in preparing it for your consumption: it was not sown on Shabbat or the Sabbatical year; it was not plowed then either; the ox’s mouth was not tied while he worked in the field; the grower has not gathered the left-over and forgotten sheaves [but has instead left them for the poor]; he has not reaped the corners of his fields [for the same reason]; he has given the tithes to the priest and Levite; he has given the second tithe and the tithe to the poor; and his wife separated a piece of dough for the priest.”[/quote]

What you’re citing isn’t relevant to the actual prayers that are said. [/quote]

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