To Bless and To Be Blessed
BLESSED ARE...
אשרי (pronounced: ashrei) is derived from the verb אשר (pronounced: ashar), which basically means "straight." Although it is routinely translated as “blessed” in most English Bibles, “happy” is a more accurate interpretation of the Hebrew אשרי. “Happy” describes the state of a person that has decided to walk the straight path. In the Biblical context this means to submit to God's laws as specified in His Word. The psalmist thus writes: Happy is the man … whose delight is in the Torah of Lord” (Ps. 1:1) and “Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Torah of the Lord” (Ps. 119:1).
TO BLESS...
לברך (pronounced: levarech), from the Hebrew root ברך (pronounced: barach), is the word most frequently translated as “to bless” in English. The word is actually a euphemism, whose literal meaning is, “to bend the knee”. The lesser party, metaphorically speaking, bends their knee to bow down and receive the care, gifts, and protection of the greater party. God thus promises to bless Abraham and multiply his offspring (Gen 22:17).
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