On Blessings: From Judaism – The Talmud, Part 2 of 2

Chapter 8 “[…] ‘If one has eaten, and forgotten, and not blessed?’ The school of Shammai say, ‘he must return to his place and bless.’ But the school of Hillel say, ‘he may bless in the place where he recollects.’ ‘How long is one obliged to bless?’ ‘Until the food in his stomach be digested.’ […]”

Chapter 9 “He who sees a place where signs were brought about for Israel, says, ‘Blessed be He who brought about signs for our fathers in this place. […]’

On comets, earthquakes, lightnings, thunder, and tempests, say, ‘Blessed be He whose strength and might fill the world.’ On mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts, say, ‘Blessed be He who made the creation.’ Rabbi Judah says, when a man sees the great sea he is to say, ‘Blessed be He who made the great sea,’— when he sees it at intervals. On rains, and on good news say, ‘Blessed be He who is good and beneficent.’ On bad news say, ‘Blessed be the true Judge.’ […]

Man is bound to bless God […]. For it is said, ‘And thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might’ […] ‘With all thy soul’ means, even should He deprive thee of life; and ‘with all thy might’ means with all thy wealth. Another opinion is, that ‘with all thy might’ means whatever measure He metes out unto thee, do thou thank Him with thy entire might.

No man is to be irreverent opposite the eastern gate of the Temple, for it is opposite the Holy of Holies. No man is to go on the mountain of the house with his staff, shoes, or purse, nor with dust on his feet, nor is he to make it a short cut, nor is he to spit at all. All the seals of the blessings in the sanctuary used to say, ‘from eternity.’ But since the Epicureans perversely taught there is but one world, it was directed that men should say, ‘from eternity to eternity.’

It was also directed that every man should greet his friend in THE NAME, as it is said, ‘And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The Lord (be) with you: and they answered him, The Lord bless thee.’ And it is also said, ‘The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.’ And it is said, ‘Despise not thy mother when she is old.’ […]”