Many thousands learned to say their berachos with kavannah after reading Make Your Berachos Meaningful, by Rabbi Mechel Handler. Now, young adults and anyone looking for a simpler, faster guide can enhance their lives with The Awesome Power of Berachos, adapted by Mrs. Malky Heimowitz from Make Your Berachos Meaningful.

AS: Reciting a berachah with kavannah can change our day — and our lives. What is the awesome power that we tap into when we say a berachah?

MH: We remember Hashem. We remember that He’s in charge of the world. We remember that He loves us, and we love Him. And that awareness opens the channels of blessing and brings more berachah into our lives.

AS: Shortly before his passing, Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l said Klal Yisrael should improve our kavannah when saying berachos. How will this book help us do just that?

MH: We say berachos — but how much do we think about them? This book will help you understand what’s special about a berachah, so a berachah will no longer be something you’ll mumble.

AS: We all want to feel closer to Hashem. How can saying berachos help us do that?

MH: Berachos, Chazal tell us, are a shortcut to high levels of avodas Hashem — if we say them properly. From the time we wake up until the time we go to sleep, we are saying berachos: over food, over mitzvos, in davening, and more. If we say berachos correctly, each of them can give us a spiritual boost, and we’ll feel close to Hashem all day long.

AS: Graduation time is here! Why is this book so important for grads?

MH: It’s a lot easier to get into the habit of saying berachos carefully when we’re young than when we’re older and set in our ways. And what better gift to give a new grad than the key to a spiritually satisfying life?

AS: Chazal talk about the power of “100 berachos a day.” Why do we need to say so many berachos each day?

MH: Each time we recite a berachah, we train ourselves to stop and think about all the wonderful gifts in our lives. And the more we notice those gifts, the happier we’ll be. Hashem doesn’t need our “Thank You,” but He wants us to express — and feel — appreciation to Him for our own sake, so that we become happy, grateful people. This helps us to truly enjoy our lives and the many gifts He gives us.