100 Sockets and 100 Blessings: Critical for Keeping Things Together

One hundred talents of the silver were used for casting the sockets of the Holy and the sockets of the dividing curtain; one hundred sockets out of one hundred talents, one talent for each socket.

כזוַיְהִי מְאַת כִּכַּר הַכֶּסֶף לָצֶקֶת אֵת אַדְנֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵת אַדְנֵי הַפָּרֹכֶת מְאַת אֲדָנִים לִמְאַת הַכִּכָּר כִּכָּר לָאָדֶן:

The Chidushei  HaRim explains that just as there are 100 sockets that are needed to hold up the Mishkan, so too every Jew should strive to reciet 100 blessings each day, as indicated by the Gemara in Brachot:

It was taught: R. Meir used to say, A man is bound to say one hundred blessings daily, as it is written, And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? On Sabbaths and on Festivals R. Hiyya the son of R. Awia endeavoured to make up this number by the use of spices and delicacies

The word “What” , “Mah” is similar to the word “Me’ah”, meaning 100.

We are constantly in need to inspiration in our lives. Often we overlook the obvious avenues for such daily inspiration. One such avenue is through the recitation of blessings, before and after we eat, after using the bathroom, and at many other junctures. Reciting blessings does not require going anywhere special. You don’t need a minyan to recite blessings. All you need is awareness and some concentration. Blessings can be an exercise in mindfulness.

If we are seeking opportunities to recite blessings then we can become transformed into “blessing seeking individuals.” Such a worldview will enable us to not only seek out opportunities to recite ritual blessings, but also be in a mindset more amenable to seeing all of the blessings that surround us in our lives.

 Just as the 100 sockets help up the Mishkan, so too can our search for 100 daily blessings spiritually support us and provide that much us with much  needed inspiration.