Asher yatzar (Hebrew: בִּרְכַּת אֲשֶׁר יָצַר "Who has formed man") is a blessing in Judaism. It is recited after engaging in an act of excretion or urination,[1] but is also included in many Jewish prayer books as a part of daily prayer prior to birkot hashachar.[2]
The purpose of this blessing is to thank God for good health.[1] It expresses thanks for having the ability to excrete, for without it existence would be impossible.[3] Though recited normally by observant Jews each time excretory functions are used, it is also recited during the Shacharit service due to its spiritual significance (to Jews, humans are made in God's image, so it is an expression of awe toward God's creations).[3]
- ^ a b Isaacs, Ronald H. (1997). Every Person's Guide to Jewish Prayer. Jason Aronson. ISBN 9780765759641.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
shaarwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cohen, Jeffrey M. (1997). 1,001 Questions and Answers on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Jason Aronson. ISBN 9780765799739.