This excerpt from “The Way Into Jewish Prayer (Jewish Lights)” by Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman explores how the words of the blessing over the bread make a theological statement about both the primordial past and the messianic future. The article also provides links to see the Hebrew text of the blessing or to hear the blessing being recited. W). Rabbi Hoffman is an American Reform Rabbi and Professor of Liturgy at the New York campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. The article was reprinted on My Jewish Learning.