Tonight the TCN broadcast a shiur given by R' Dovid Heber on Bircas Hachama in place of the usual Rabbi Frand shiur. I would like to briefly recount a vort which R' Heber said as part of the shiur. Any perceived inconsistencies are the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Heber.
To briefly review the inyan of Bircas Hachama - this is a special blessing which is said every 28 years when the sun is in the same position which it was in at the time of the creation of the world. The source for this blessing is a Gemara in Berachos 59b which states that one who sees the sun in its tekufah should recite the blessing "oseh ma'aseh beraishis." As explained by R' Heber, the date for the blessing in the Twentieth and Twenty First centuries is Wednesday April 8th.
R' Heber quoted the Adnei Paz who stated that the proper time for saying the blessing is during the third hour of the day, when the sun is in the tekufah of Shabsa'i. R' Heber then asked why is it specifically on Wednesday near Pesach?
R' Heber answered by invoking the famous gemara that the week is divided into two parts, the part of the week which belongs to the prior shabbos (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) and the part which belongs to next shabbos (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday). This delineation can be seen in the laws of havdalah as one who was preventing from reciting havdalah on Saturday Night may still make havdalah through and including Tuesday of the following week. This also can be seen in Wednesday's daily prayer said after aleinu which includes "Lechu Neranena" an allusion to the psalm which commences the kabbalas shabbos prayer on Friday night.
R' Heber explained that during the week of creation, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday had no connection to Shabbos as there had not been a shabbos during the prior week. Thus on Wednesday during the tekufah of Shabsai we invoke the shabbos for the first time and remember the first shabbos in history.
R' Heber closed the vort by asking the famous question - why does kiddush on Friday night contain a remembrance of the creation of the world and of the exodus from Egypt?
The answer given was that the reference to creation of the world is to remind us that Hashem created the world and shabbos was the completion of creation. The reference to the exodus from Egypt is to remember that just as Hashem created the world, He continued to direct the operation of the world by taking the Jews out of Egypt.
The twining of creation and exodus from Egypt is seen in the presence of the Bircas Hachama at this time of year. By making the blessing we remember that Hashem created the world from nothing. At the same time we see that the previously barren trees are now starting to bud and blossom and are reminded that He continues to be involved in the operation of the world. By remembering the exodus from Egypt we remember that Hashem is the manhig of the world and continues to be involved in our daily lives.
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