Why's of Judasim - Blessings

This installment of The Whys of Judaism explores the world of blessings, asking why Judaism insists that we pause and acknowledge God before enjoying anything in this world. It traces how brachos evolved from spontaneous personal expressions into the standardized formulas we know today, and explains the logic behind their many varieties, from blessings on food and mitzvos to blessings of praise and wonder. Along the way it tackles curious questions, such as why there is no blessing on giving charity, why we say 100 blessings a day, why we remove the knife before Birkas Hamazon, and why Ashkenazim and Sephardim differ on the besamim blessing at Havdalah.