A small group of TorahTutors students concluded their study of Mishna Berachot with a series of rules in mishna 9:5, including the concept of invoking God’s Name when greeting others. Though this practice could be said to disrespect the Divine, the mishna finds precedents in Boaz’s greeting to the harvesters he passed (“God is with you!” – Ruth 2:4) and in the angel’s greeting to Gideon (“God is with you, mighty man of valor” – Judges 6:12), along with other textual support.
The students discussed what each verse quoted contributes to the point, as well as how invoking God’s name might enhance a greeting. They also appreciated the underlying message about the importance of building positive relationships with others, and how something as simple as a polite greeting can help do that.
A Tuesday TorahTutors tidbit: Real Torah, from real TorahTutors sessions.
