the Fifth Sunday after Easter
Click to donate today!
Bible Encyclopedias
Benjamin the Shepherd
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia
or A shepherd who lived in Babylonia at the beginning of the third century. The Talmud has transmitted the formula of a blessing of which he was the author. Benjamin, who possessed no knowledge of Hebrew, and was therefore unable to recite the prescribed grace after meals ("birkat ha-mazon"), substituted the following brief ejaculation in Aramaic: "Blessed be the All-Merciful, the owner of this bread" (Ber. 40b). This prayer is still taught little children who are unable to recite the "birkat ha-mazon." Compare "Ba'er Heṭeb" to Shulḥan 'Aruk, Oraḥ Ḥayyim, 187, 1; Bacher, in Brody's "Zeit. für Hebr. Bibl." 5:154. In Yer. Ber. 6:10b, bottom, the same story is related of "some Persian"; in both places Rab is cited as approving the plain man's prayer.
These files are public domain.
Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Benjamin the Shepherd'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/b/benjamin-the-shepherd.html. 1901.
