05-20-2008, 09:05 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-30-2018, 09:44 PM by Director Michael.)
The "morning blessings" that you are referring to are liturgical Jewish blessings, which are meant to be a series of blessings of *thanks* from the Jews for a number of blessings which G-d bestowed upon them. For example, the blessings you mentioned, "girds Israel with strength" and "crowns Israel with splendor," are meant to include thanks to G-d from the Jews for receiving the commandments to wear the tefillin of the arm and the tefillin of the head, respectively. Since Noahides did not receive those commandments, it would not be appropriate for a Noahide to recite these blessings exactly, with the inclusion of G-d's holy Names and His Kingship. For the reasons cited it is not even intellectually appropriate for a Noahide to recite them without mentioning G-d's Names, because it would be blessing G-d for not giving you commandment.
Furthermore, the Sages instituted the liturgical morning blessings as a requirement for Jewish men, because Jewish men are required to recite a minimum of 100 liturgical Jewish blessings per day, as a decree from King David. Reciting the morning blessings helps a Jewish man to reach the count of 100 daily blessings.
A Noahide does not have this requirement, and the meritorious trait of fearing and honoring G-d includes being hesitant to speak His name, unless one is obligated to, or if it is part of a verse of the Hebrew Bible that was revealed to us as G-d's word by His true prophets (which can be used in prayer), or if doing so will bring Him more recognition and honor in the mind of the person you are speaking to (example: "How are you?" -- "I'm doing well, thank G-d").
This is not at odds with the fact that it is praisworthy for a person to bless and thank G-d for all the good that one receives. Intellectually, it's clear that a person should thank and bless G-d's name for the food that one eats, and likewise for fulfilling any of his needs for his sustained existence. Thus, it's proper to ask G-d for enough sustenance, and to say words of praise and thanks for one's food and drink, before and after eating. For this, it is permissible for a Noahide to recite the short liturgical Jewish blessings over food. since they were instituted for that purpose (e.g., before eating bread, "Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth"). See also these web page on Noahide Prayer:
https://asknoah.org/faq/morning-prayers
https://asknoah.org/faq/short-blessing-after-food
Furthermore, the Sages instituted the liturgical morning blessings as a requirement for Jewish men, because Jewish men are required to recite a minimum of 100 liturgical Jewish blessings per day, as a decree from King David. Reciting the morning blessings helps a Jewish man to reach the count of 100 daily blessings.
A Noahide does not have this requirement, and the meritorious trait of fearing and honoring G-d includes being hesitant to speak His name, unless one is obligated to, or if it is part of a verse of the Hebrew Bible that was revealed to us as G-d's word by His true prophets (which can be used in prayer), or if doing so will bring Him more recognition and honor in the mind of the person you are speaking to (example: "How are you?" -- "I'm doing well, thank G-d").
This is not at odds with the fact that it is praisworthy for a person to bless and thank G-d for all the good that one receives. Intellectually, it's clear that a person should thank and bless G-d's name for the food that one eats, and likewise for fulfilling any of his needs for his sustained existence. Thus, it's proper to ask G-d for enough sustenance, and to say words of praise and thanks for one's food and drink, before and after eating. For this, it is permissible for a Noahide to recite the short liturgical Jewish blessings over food. since they were instituted for that purpose (e.g., before eating bread, "Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth"). See also these web page on Noahide Prayer:
https://asknoah.org/faq/morning-prayers
https://asknoah.org/faq/short-blessing-after-food