Blessings and Swimming Pools

Question

The Hebrew words for blessing (בְּרָכָה) and swimming pool (בְּרֵכָה) have the same root and spelling. How are the two related?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The Maharal points out that the root letters of the word Bracha are ‘bet’ ‘resh’ and ‘chaf’ and they are all multiples of two: ‘bet’ is two, ‘resh’ is two hundred and ‘chaf’ is twenty. The concept of a Bracha is something that multiplies itself and signifies prosperity. A Breicha is also a pool full of water, and traditionally also filled with fish – full of goodness, which is why it shares the same letters.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team