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What Blessing Does One Make on a Solar Eclipse? I will be in Nevada next week and would like to make a blessing over the May 21 Solar Eclipse. Thanks!

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David A., welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks for this interesting question! Please consider registering your account, which will give you access to more of the site's features. – Isaac Moses May 14 '12 at 16:55
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Please upload pictures when you come back :) – Double AA♦ May 14 '12 at 17:02
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So many requests. Here's one more: Please be mindful of the warning that appears when your mouse hovers over the halacha tag above: "Like Wikipedia, this site makes no guarantee of validity, and does not offer professional (particularly rabbinic) advice. Treat information from this site like it came from a crowd of your friends." – msh210♦ May 14 '12 at 18:21
To All... Thanks for suggestions on the website use! I am new to the site. @Double AA, I will see if I can upload some cool photos! – Pesach David May 14 '12 at 18:35
@PesachDavid How'd it go? – Double AA♦ May 30 '12 at 8:30
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Orchot Rabbeinu 1 p 93 quotes the Steipler that no bracha is said on a solar eclipse because it is a Siman Ra', a bad omen as outlined on Sukkah 29a and in this question.

In the book Shaar HaAyin (7:6 footnote 13), the author quotes the Shevet HaLevi as leaving the issue in doubt.

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@Dave It would seem to be the same issue. – Double AA♦ May 14 '12 at 17:24
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Why use a bit.ly link instead of a stackexchange link? Was it to prevent the post from coming up under the linked column? – Menachem May 14 '12 at 18:06
I had heard that an eclipse of the moon is a Siman Ra' for Israel, and that an eclipse of the sun is a Simon Ra' for the Nations. For myself, I simply want to acknowledge the perfection of Hashem's creation, as revealed through an eclipse. If there is no specific blessing, would it be improper to make a "...oseh ma-aseh b'reisheit"? – Pesach David May 14 '12 at 18:33
@PesachDavid The discussions involved in the sources I posted are precisely about if Oseh Maaseh Vereishit can be extended to natural events which are not explicitly list in the gemara. I don't think anyone thought there was a unique bracha to say, as none is mentioned in the gemara. – Double AA♦ May 15 '12 at 18:47
@DoubleAA Thanks. – Pesach David May 15 '12 at 21:45

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