questions about short prayers called b'rachos ("benedictions" or "blessings")
5
votes
3answers
138 views
How can people effectively bless when blessing is God's domain?
How do people have the power to bless? Yitzchak's blessings for his sons pretty much came true, and similarly later when Yaakov blesses his children and earlier (in the inverse) Noach curses Canaan. ...
7
votes
2answers
207 views
Saying 100 Berachoth in a day
What is the source for the idea that one should say 100 Berachoth in a day, and how serious of an obligation is this? Is it mandatory, is it laudatory, or is it merely a nice idea?
5
votes
3answers
151 views
When does counting 100 Brochos per day start and end?
There's a Halacha/Mitzvah to say at-least 100 Brochos a day.
My question is: what does the term "day" mean in this regard. Does a day start at night, and end the following night (as is the case in ...
1
vote
0answers
76 views
What is the bracha for gnocchi? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the beracha on gnocchi?
I'm not sure whether gnocchi have mezonos. Does anybody know? Also, if not, would they be haadama or shehakol?
4
votes
1answer
133 views
Should one say amen to an unnecessary bracha made by a child on the autism spectrum?
If a very verbal (often too verbal) 12 year old child on the autism spectrum has trouble speaking appropriately and particularly likes to say a bracha when he wants to and not necessarily when it's ...
2
votes
2answers
79 views
Hierarchy in ברכות השחר?
Of course there is a set order in the Siddur, but is there a hierarchy in ברכות השחר? If, for example, someone did not wash his hands or use the bathroom when he woke up, can he say Elokai Neshamah or ...
7
votes
3answers
477 views
What bracha do you make on smoothies?
If I put grapes, apples, strawberrys, watermelons, and other fruits and vegetables, as ingredients, in a smoothie, what bracha do I make, because its filled with foods of different brachos?
2
votes
0answers
30 views
Is the brochah made on gum for the base or the flavoring?
When the brochah shehakol is made on gum, is the brochah being made on the gum base, or the flavoring? (I'm assuming one makes a brochah on gum, but maybe not: see ...
2
votes
0answers
54 views
Changing the 'Omer sign
If a Shul has an 'Omer sign that is manually changed, may someone change it before making the Berachah on the night's count?
If not, and if the solution is to change it before Bein HaShemashoth, can ...
10
votes
2answers
212 views
Shalom Aleichem in Kiddush Levanah
Why do we say Shalom Aliechem in Kiddush Levanah? And what should one do if there are no other people around (or not enough people around)?
10
votes
3answers
191 views
How long can you say Asher Yotzar if you forgot?
If you forgot to say Asher Yotzar and remember a while later, is there a time limit as to when you are allowed to say it?
5
votes
1answer
108 views
Having dessert “in mind”
This has always confused me. One is not supposed to make unnecessary Berachoth, so one should "have in mind" to eat all of the foods that will be served in the meal when one begins the meal and makes ...
6
votes
1answer
94 views
Is Chazaq Chazaq v'nitchazeq חזק חזק ונתחזק an interruption for the reader?
Is it considered a hefsek for the Ba'al Kore to say חזק חזק ונתחזק, and, if it's not an interruption, is there a different problem because he is saying something which is not written in the Torah?
3
votes
2answers
784 views
If someone has BO and can't smell themselves, may they say blessings?
At hashkafah.com, the user named "critic" asks:
If someone has body odor (BO) and they can't smell themselves, would they be able to make a bracha?
Also, may they say words of Torah?
[Edit: I ...
4
votes
1answer
64 views
Mentioning Chanukah in Al Hamichyah
When Al Hamichyah is recited on a holiday or on the sabbath, it has a short passage inserted relevant to the day. However, there's no addition to Al Hamichyah for when it's recited on Chanukah: ...
4
votes
1answer
99 views
Why make a bracha on an earthquake but not on an eclipse?
According to this page, Chaza"l intentionally omitted solar and lunar eclipses from the list of natural phenomena upon which we make a bracha. The following explanation is given:
"The Hebrew term ...
2
votes
0answers
101 views
Text for birchat habayit
I'd like to write a couple birchos habayis and get them illuminated as gifts. Does anyone know of a good existing text? I'm looking for something five or six lines long, preferably not the usual one ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
Making a Berachah on rabbinically prohibited foods
Should one refrain from making a Berachah on rabbinically prohibited foods, or does that rule only apply to biblically prohibited foods?
12
votes
2answers
1k views
Proper recitation of Hamakom Yenachem
Is the proper phrase to console a mourner always the plural המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים or should it be changed depending on whom it is said to (singluar, feminine, etc.)?
7
votes
9answers
269 views
When do you say a beracha on a minhag?
When lighting Hanukkah candles in the synagogue, we say a beracha "asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav.." on a minhag. Unlike kiddush in shul, and early counting of the omer in shul, nobody would say that one ...
3
votes
2answers
108 views
Bracha on Smoking
(Inspired by Double AA) Based on the Premise (which I may be wrong on) that there are pieces of the actual Tobacco leaves or whatever else is smoked in the inhaled part of the smoke hence there would ...
4
votes
0answers
163 views
Why ad meah v'esrim?
Why do we bless people with "ad meah v'esrim"? Aren't we supposed to believe moshiach will come by then, and there will be eternal life (according to some opinions)? Thus by giving a blessing for a ...
2
votes
1answer
89 views
Blessing underneath bathroom
Is there any problem with reciting a b'racha (or other devarim shebikedusha) underneath a second-floor bathroom?
4
votes
1answer
457 views
Bracha on Lightning without Thunder
Does anyone have a modern day psak on lightning without thunder colloquially known as "heat lightning"? The Chaye Adam says it's caused by heat and he suggests that maybe is not what the gemara was ...
4
votes
3answers
134 views
History of Birkas haMinim
What is the history behind the bracha of v'lamalshim?
Was there a specific ideology or
group that the baracha was targeting?
Why would someone davening to Hashem
and saying the rest of the barachos
...
10
votes
3answers
185 views
Halachic status of kamut
Khorasan wheat, often known by one popular brand name thereof, KAMUT®, is an ancient grain that is related to modern-day wheat, but has a number of differences. Does it have the halachic status of ...
8
votes
1answer
127 views
What would the beracha be on tree-leaves?
What blessing would one make on leaves from [woody] trees that are routinely eaten? Is it ha'eitz, because they came from a tree? Is it ha-adama, because they're not "fruit" but are vegetative? Is it ...
6
votes
1answer
124 views
Can you sing during the sheva brachos?
I have been to weddings where, during the recitation of the seventh bracha under the chuppah, the congregation sings "asher bara...". Sometimes it is along with the one reciting the bracha and other ...
5
votes
1answer
56 views
Birkot HaTorah and Typing
Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 47:3) as well as Yalkut Yosef (47:14) write that before one writes down words of Torah, he must recite Birkot HaTorah (because people that write sometimes voice their ...
9
votes
2answers
155 views
Bracha for the transit of Venus?
Venus is transiting today for the last time until 2117 (or 5878, if you prefer). Is there a specific bracha that should be made upon witnessing this spectacular event?
6
votes
1answer
95 views
Is there an exhaustive list of astronomical/environmental events for which there are blessings?
Inspired by:
What Bracha do you say on a Hurricane?
What Blessing Does One Make on a Solar Eclipse?
Bracha for the transit of Venus?
Is there anywhere in the Halachic literature that lists all of ...
7
votes
2answers
386 views
Bracha on thunder and lightning - how often?
If you are in a rainstorm with thunder and lightning - you make the Brachos for them. What happens if the storm ends and then a few hours later (same day) it is raining again. Do you make another ...
6
votes
1answer
79 views
Why don't we say Hagomel after driving through a desert?
The Gemara says that four have to say Hagomel:
One who went overseas
One who went into a desert.
One who was [deathly] ill.
One who was in prison [on a capital crime].
Everyone (to the best of my ...
12
votes
1answer
173 views
Who knows science?
On whom does one recite the blessing "ברכת שנתן מחכמתו לבשר ודם" (the blessing recited on non-Jewish scientists)?
Does he have to be a Ph.D? Does he have to have inventions to his name?
Did he have ...
3
votes
0answers
163 views
Brachos and Amen “parties”
What is the source for brachos and amen parties wherein a group of people sit together and take turns making various brachot and answering amen? Do these events violate any halachot?
4
votes
6answers
676 views
What's with Kiddush Levana?
In general Kiddush Lavanah has always seemed to me to be akin to "Avodas Kochavim" - so does anyone know of a satisfying answer that works with Occam's razor?
More specifically:
We say Just as I can ...
11
votes
2answers
176 views
What is the bracha on “cookies and cream” flavor ice cream?
I saw here that Rav Belsky holds the following:
One of the flavors of Klein's parve ice cream is "Cookies and Cream" which contains cookie crumbs or bits which are sprinkled through areas of ...
2
votes
1answer
103 views
Bracha on cheesecake
If you are eating a piece of cheesecake which consists of a thin crust and mostly cheese filling - what Bracha do you make on it?
8
votes
1answer
343 views
matzah = mezonos or hamotzi
What is the reasoning of the 2 different minhagim (traditions) on what bracha to say on matzah when its not Peasach?
4
votes
0answers
111 views
HaMalach HaGoel Osi
Why does Yakov ask the malach (angel) (actually it sounds more like a statement of fact - "he will...") who protected him from evil to bless Ephraim and Menashe? Also, do we find that this actually ...
7
votes
2answers
106 views
Making two brachos at once
When eating a food that requires two brachos (Crispix, some salads etc.) I was told that the correct procedure is to make one bracha on part, eat it and then make another bracha on the next part. Why ...
11
votes
1answer
168 views
What Blessing Does One Make on a Solar Eclipse?
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!
6
votes
3answers
345 views
When to say Hamapil
In the bedtime shema, some siddurim have the bracha of Hamapil printed immediately before the paragraph of shema, whereas others have it printed at the very end of the bedtime shema prayers. What is ...
4
votes
0answers
67 views
an adult's responding to a child's sneeze with a blessing, or vice versa
The halacha states (Mishnah Brurah 230: 7) that one should respond to a sneeze with a blessing and the person who sneezed and was blessed should return with a blessing in kind. this is not done if you ...
7
votes
2answers
169 views
bracha on tefillin while sitting
The shulchan aruch apparently writes (by hilchos tzitzis) that one should stand while reciting birchas hamitzvah. Tefillin are a mitzvah. So why is the Sfardic minhag to sit while putting them on and ...
6
votes
1answer
68 views
Final Nun vs. Final Mem in “Madlikin”
In the Hanerot Halalu that we recite when lighting the Hanukkah candles, it says "anachnu madlikin." Why madlikin and not madlikim? Why is a final nun used and not a final mem? I have searched ...
8
votes
1answer
86 views
Beracha on Intravenous
There Gemara Berachot 35 says "anyone who enjoys from this world without a Beracha is stealing."
Does one make a Beracha on intravenous feeding?
4
votes
2answers
125 views
"Oseh ma'aseh braishis” on a rainbow. Is this a brocho levatoloh?
Someone made the brocho of “oseh ma'aseh braishis” on a rainbow. Is this a brocho levatoloh? What sources deal with this issue please? (I have posed the shaaloh to my Rav.)
0
votes
2answers
296 views
Bracha on Blowing Shofar the whole month
Why is there no Bracha made on the Blowing of Shofar in Elul, like there is a bracha when one reads the Meggilah on Purim and lights candles on Chanukah (which are also Rabbinic)?
10
votes
1answer
208 views
Should I say “amen” to a malformed bracha?
If I hear somebody substantially mispronounce a bracha, should I say amen anyway (recognizing the intent) or remain silent? I'm not talking about nuances like pronouncing 'ayin or distinguishing ...
