Where Did The Phrase “Baruch Hashem” Come From? D’var Torah for Parshat Noach
Parshat Bereishit
Where Did The Phrase “Baruch Hashem” Come From?
No matter what’s happening in our lives, if things are amazing and wonderful, or if life is exceptionally challenging – when people ask “How are you?”, the answer is always, “Baruch Hashem”, because we know that whatever Hashem does, he does for the good.
But who was the first person ever to say this? In Parshat Noach, immediately after the flood, Noah declared:
“בָּרוּךְ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי שֵׁם”
“Blessed is the Lord, the God of Shem”
– Shem being his oldest son.
And who was the second person to say, “Baruch Hashem”? It’s also in the book of Bereishit, in Parshat Chayei Sara.
Eliezer was sent by Avram to Mesopotamia in order to find the ideal wife for Yitzchak. And after Eliezer had succeeded in his mission, he declared:
“בָּרוּךְ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם”
“Blessed is the Lord, the God of my master Abraham.”
And who was the third person? It’s in the parsha of Yitro. Upon being reunited with his family after the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, Yitro declared:
“בָּרוּךְ ה׳ אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֶתְכֶם מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם”
“Blessed is the Lord who has saved you from the hand of Egypt.”
On these three occasions, “Baruch Hashem” was exclaimed after Hashem had blessed us in a most extraordinary fashion.
What is fascinating is the fact that these three first people to exclaim Baruch Hashem, were not part of our covenantal relationship with Hashem. They weren’t a member of the Jewish people. And yet they recognise the hand of Hakadosh Baruch Hu in everything taking place on earth. So the message for us is a very powerful one:
If Noach, Eliezer, and Yitro could exclaim, “Baruch Hashem”, how much more so should we all?
Shabbat Shalom.