3. The reason and purpose for saying blessings:

Hekdish – Permission from God to benefit from His items:[1] The Sages state that whoever benefits from this world without a blessing is considered as if he has benefited from sacred items, as the verse[2] states and to God is the world in its entirety. [Likewise, one who benefits from an item without a blessing is considered as if he has stolen it from God.[3] Hence, one of the purposes of the recital of blessings over pleasures that one receives in this world, is to get permission from God to benefit from the item. Just as it is forbidden for one to use a sacred item of Hekdish for his own personal use, so too, it is forbidden for one to make use of any item of the world, which was all created by God for the purpose of His respect and honor, and is hence similar to an item on Hekdish. By reciting a blessing, one is in essence receiving permission from God to benefit from the item for the purpose of elevating it to Him, and revealing within it God’s glory and honor.[4] Alternatively, by reciting a blessing one expresses the fact that he is a servant of God, and a Master is required to provide food for his servant, hence allowing one to eat the food after the blessing is recited.]

To prevent death:[5] Dovid Hamelech instituted that one must say 100 blessings every day as a result of the sudden death of 100 Jews each day during his reign. At first Dovid did not know the reason for the sudden deaths until he saw with Ruach Hakodesh and instituted the one hundred blessings. This institution of reciting 100 blessings daily has Biblical support from the verse “What does Hashem ask of you but to fear Him.” The term “what” in Hebrew is “Mah” which can also be read as “Maeh” which means 100. Thus, the verse is saying “100 [blessings] G-d is asking from you.”

To strengthen one’s love and fear if G-d:[6] The purpose of the blessings is to remind oneself of Hashem, and one’s love and fear of Him. [Thus through reciting the 100 blessings one comes to fulfill the simple meaning of the verse, which is to fear G-d.]

To strengthen Emuna:[7] The blessings are to draw down a level of encompassing G-dliness onto the soul in order to give it divine assistance in its faith in G-d [and its battles that it faces in this world].

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[1] Seder Birchas Hanehnin 1:1; Luach Birchas Hanehnin 1:1; Admur 167:1; Tur O.C. 210; Rambam Brachos 1:2; Brachos 35a; Encyclopedia Talmudit Vol. 4 Erech Birchas Hanehnin p. 329 footnote 222; See Likkutei Sichos 24 p. 81 [Hebrew]         

[2] Tehilim 24:1

[3] Rav Chanina Bar Papa in Brachos 35b

[4] See Toras Menachem 17:24; 70:256

^[5] Admur 46:1; Tur 46 in name of Rav Neturaiy Gaon; Seder Rav Amram Gaon; Rosh Brachos 24; Ravayah Brachos 146; Taz 46:3; See Menachos 43b and Girsa of Rashi, Rif and Rosh; Encyclopedia Talmudit Vol. 4 Erech Brachos p. 310 footnote 222  

^[6] Admur 46:1; Levush 46:1; Rambam Brachos 1:3-4   

[7] Torah Or Bereishis p. 6 “Lehavin Inyan Habrachos”