Ep. 24 Why Do Jews Say a Blessing Before Eating?

The Talmud (Menachos 43b) teaches us that we're supposed to make 100 blessings each day!  If you assume the average person is awake 14-16 hours a day, that's averages out to about once every ten minutes!
Clearly blessings are a fundamental part of a Jew's life.
But, what's so special about blessings?  Why do we have to make so many of them?  Why do we have to bless before we eat or drink anything?
Join me as we discuss a fundamental principle of Jewish philosophy regarding how we interact with the physical world, and stay tuned until the end to hear a mind-blowing novelty from the great Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Ba'al Ha'Tanya, about the words muttar (permitted) and assur (forbidden).
Happy Listening!
Rabbi Moshe

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Sources:
Deuteronomy 12:10 - https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.10.12?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Tur in the Name of Rav Natrunai Gaon (King David enacted 100 blessings) - https://www.sefaria.org/Tur%2C_Orach_Chaim.46.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Menachos 43b - https://www.sefaria.org/Menachot.43b.15?lang=bi&with=Rashi&lang2=en
Berachos 35a - https://www.sefaria.org/Berakhot.35a.21?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Nefesh HaChaim (etymology of 'baruch') - https://www.sefaria.org/Nefesh_HaChayim%2C_Gate_II.2.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Pirkei Avos (Ethics of our Fathers) 5:1 - https://www.sefaria.org/Pirkei_Avot.5.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
Tanya (etymology of 'mutar' and 'assur') - https://www.sefaria.org/Tanya%2C_Part_One%2C_The_Book_of_the_Average_Men.7.1?lang=he&with=all&lang2=he