Chapter 8 The Significance of the Land in Birkat Hamazon: Lessons in Self-Understanding
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Abstract
This contribution is an applied Christian exercise in deep interreligious learning to understand more deeply the centrality of the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael) in Jewish (religious) self-understanding. The reason for such an exercise is because of a long Christian tendency towards spiritualization and interiorization, which obscures Christians from fully appreciating the significance of the land of Israel to Jews beyond simply the political. My contribution engages in a comparative theological reading of the Jewish blessings after meals, Birkat Hamazon, with special attention to the centrality of Eretz Yisrael within this set of prayers. In the process I argue that learning from Judaism and Jews is not only a Christian theological imperative but also indispensable to authentic Christian self-understanding.