What does it mean to "bless"? What does it mean when we say in blessings and prayers “Blessed are You, God"? How can we mere mortals bestow blessings on the Source of all blessings?
Thanks in advance (and may God bless you!).
First of all, I say “Amen” to your blessing, even if you meant it half jokingly. May God bless you as well!
The word commonly associated with "blessing" in Hebrew is “beracha”. Some translate this word not as “bless” but as “praise” or “admiration”. According to this, when we say a blessing to God we are in fact praising Him.
Another — and perhaps more accurate — answer to your question is provided by The “Rashba”, Rabbi Solomon ben Abraham Aderet (Barcelona, Spain, 1235-1310). He was asked your question and explained that the word "baruch" — “bless” — in reference to God, actually means that "He is the Source of all blessing." Therefore, in our prayers we are in fact saying that God controls the flow of increase and bounty for every individual and for the entire world.
