questions about short prayers called b'rachos ("benedictions" or "blessings")
5
votes
2answers
107 views
Why “amen” before repeating the b'racha on Halel
Halacha (Mishna B'rura 57) indicates that a shatz (leader) should not say "amen" to the congragation's "baruch Hashem ham'vorach l'olam vaed" before repeating that line, as the "amen" would be ...
9
votes
1answer
148 views
What are the conditions for bread earning the bracha of HaMotzi?
I've seen bread made with juice on airplanes and the insert says these are "mezonos" rolls. And, as we know, matzah is "HaMotzi."
In the first instance, it looks like bread but we treat it like ...
5
votes
3answers
233 views
Bracha on Cooked Matza
Plain matza on pesach is Hamotzi. Fully cooked matza (eg. Keneidels) is Mezonot. What about these in between cases:
Fried matza ("Matza Brei")
Chicken soup with crushed matza ("Matza Farfel")
Matza ...
12
votes
3answers
344 views
Why aren't Purim and Channuka considered a violation of לֹא תֹסִפוּ?
It says in Devarim 4;2:
לֹא תֹסִפוּ עַל הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם וְלֹא תִגְרְעוּ מִמֶּנּוּ לִשְׁמֹר אֶת מִצְוֹת יְ־הֹוָ־ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם
...
7
votes
2answers
165 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 ...
5
votes
2answers
59 views
Berakhos recited over food - Mitzvah or Matir?
Is it a mitzvah to recite a benediction over a piece of food, or is there a prohibition forbidding one from eating food without reciting a benediction beforehand?
I believe that this is a similar ...
7
votes
1answer
166 views
Where did Baruch She'amar come from?
The Mishnah Berura (51:1) says that the blessing "Baruch She'amar" was instituted by the Anshei K'nesset HagGedola, based on a page that "fell from the sky" (whatever that means).
What is the ...
6
votes
3answers
201 views
What is the beracha on gnocchi?
According to Wikipedia, this is Gnocchi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnocchi
How do I know which beracha to make considering it is made from potatoes and is not a normal pasta? Should I just stick ...
4
votes
1answer
60 views
Do blessings and curses affect the dead?
Do blessings and curses have any effect on the dead?
We say things like, " may his memory be a blessing," "may the Neshamah have an 'Aliyah," etc.
What effect does it have?
5
votes
3answers
200 views
Status of feet while making a bracha or davening
In todays day and age where we no longer have homes with dirt floors:
do you still need to cover your feet when making a bracha or davening?
If so are socks enough?
does it depend on the custom of ...
2
votes
1answer
55 views
Sh'hecheyanu vs. M'chayeh haMeisim
This is a follow up to the question here
The Shulchan Aruch 225:1 brings the halachah what when one sees a "friend" whom one hasn't seen in the last 30 days then the blessing "shehecheyanu" is made, ...
3
votes
0answers
132 views
Where is the Balm in Gilead?
The Shulchan Aruch rules in OC 216:4 that there is a special blessing to say upon smelling "Afarsimon" oil. (The blessing is ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם בּוֹרֵא שֶמֶן עָרֵב) The Mishna Berura there, ...
8
votes
3answers
138 views
Beracha upon seeing a friend on a webcam
The Shulchan Aruch (OC 225:1) rules:
שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות ברכת הפירות סימן רכה
הרואה את חבירו
לאחר שלשים יום, אומר: שהחיינו, ואחר י"ב חדש מברך: מחיה
מתים, והוא שחביב עליו הרבה ושמח ...
10
votes
1answer
101 views
7 Seas or The Great Ocean?
Seeing the ocean warrants the recital of a blessing. (Assume for this question like the opinions that the proper bracha is שעשה את הים הגדול as opposed to עושה מעשה בראשית.) It is only recited if one ...
3
votes
1answer
101 views
The blessing of Shehechiyanu
Is Bircat Shehechiyanu a bircat shevach (a blessing of praise)? If it is, why sometimes do we make the beracha before the event (or in some cases an action representing an event, such as putting up a ...
10
votes
2answers
125 views
Relationship between wearing a kippa and reciting a blessing
Before I started wearing a Kippa all the time, the people around me and I had the reflex to cover our head when saying the name of G-d or when reciting anything holy.
Since the mitzvah is to wear it ...
7
votes
1answer
85 views
Is there a bracha for blooming non-fruit trees?
I understand that one says Birkat Ha'Ilanot on seeing the blossoms on a fruit tree. Does a tree that blooms but doesn't produce fruit get a bracha? And if so, which one?
3
votes
1answer
827 views
Wishes to a mourner in addition to “Hamokom Yenachem Eschem”
I have heard some people say in Yiddish after "Hamokom Yenachem Eschem B'Soch Shaar Aveilei Tzion V'Yerushalayim" ("May God comfort you alongside the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem"), "Zulst Mer Nisht ...
8
votes
1answer
125 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 ...
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 ...
1
vote
1answer
277 views
Wishing Chayim Aruchim to Non-Mourners [closed]
Among not yet frum people the traiditional blessing of haMakom is not used but rather people wish each other ' a long life or chayim aruchim' whilst this term is reserved for avelimg. Is there any ...
8
votes
2answers
180 views
How seriously do we take the finger-inspection in Havdala?
After saying the blessing over fire during Havdala, we do something (customs vary) involving looking at our fingers by the light of the Havdala candle. I'm wondering how seriously we take this part of ...
8
votes
3answers
193 views
What Bracha did they make on the Mahn?
Did the Jews make a Bracha on eating the Mahn? Which Bracha did they make?
1
vote
0answers
43 views
Is our practice often at variance with the psak of the Mishnah Berura as in the brocho on the Talis Godol? [closed]
Mishnah Berura, OC 8 (4) [10] says that the brocho on the Talis Godol is “lehisataif b*e*tzitis” and not as I see in the all my siddurim “lehisataif b*a*tzitis”. Are there many cases where what we do ...
7
votes
1answer
108 views
Papaya - Ha'Etz or Ha'Adama?
I have heard that there is a dispute as to which Bracha you should make on papaya, Ha'Etz or Ha'Adama? Why? (sources)
1
vote
2answers
130 views
The Extra Mezonot and Rice
According to Sefaradim, if you make a Beracha one thing you don't make it another with the same Beracha (not for different forms though). What about rice? Rice, as we know has a different ...
3
votes
0answers
50 views
Why do we kiss the tzitzit after baruch sheamar? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Boruch Sheomar - kissing the Tzitzis
Why do we kiss the tzitzit after baruch sheamar? The only connection I can think of is that Hashem created the world for us to ...
9
votes
1answer
124 views
How come Sepharadim say “Boreh peri haGEFen” but “Shelo Asani AVed”
I think Hacham Ovadia has a footnote in Hazon Ovadia on Pesach (and probably elsewhere) in which he discusses why we don't use the pausal form of gafen instead of gefen. He writes (if i remember ...
4
votes
2answers
233 views
Brachot on Tzitzit
As a continuation of this question (Tallit Katan and Tallit Brachot):
My understanding is that when one takes off a Tallit Katan and then puts it back on, the bracha is not said again. What is the ...
5
votes
1answer
57 views
Bracha on Synthetic Smells
What is or is there a Bracha on Synthetically developed smells in the halachic literature and what is the source as I would Imagine artificial scents are a recent phenomenon?
3
votes
2answers
107 views
Snuff Bracha or lack thereof
Is there or what is the Bracha on Tobacco Snuff especially now that they come with mint and buble gum flavor (at least in Israel)?
11
votes
1answer
181 views
Rainbow in water spray
You can often see a rainbow in a spray of water such as from sprinkler irrigation. Is the brocha for a rainbow applicable in that case?
Also, does a rainbow that comes from a prism get a brocha too?
7
votes
2answers
205 views
What do you do if your Shabbos host serves chocolate chip challah?
Based on this shiur from R. Sobolofsky, chocolate chip challah is no different from chocolate babka or other cake and thus has the bracha of mezonos.
...
2
votes
1answer
58 views
Bracha - Al Mitzvas Tefilin - does it count for the 100 daily Brachos
Saying 100 Berachoth in a day
There is a Mitzva to say 100 Brachos each day. Does the Bracha - Al Mitzvas Tefilin - which those who say it, say immediately Boruch Shem afterwards Mishna Berura ...
2
votes
1answer
62 views
Rabbi Shlomo Zalman said Baruch Shepetarani with Shem UMalchut?
I heard a story about Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auebuch that he said "Baruch Shepetarani" for his son with Shem UMalchut. Does anyone have a source for this story?
Usually we only say Baruch ShePetarni ...
10
votes
1answer
69 views
Making a Bracha on disliked foods
If you, for some reason, must eat food you despise and will gain no enjoyment from it do you still need to make a bracha?
5
votes
2answers
49 views
What was the effect of Yaakov placing his right hand on Efraim?
Yaakov saw (Beraishis 48 (19)) that Efraim would be greater than Menashe and so insisted that his right hand should rest on Efraim. Did the placing of the hand bring about the greatness and if not why ...
5
votes
2answers
128 views
Tallit Katan and Tallit brachot
Why is that when you wake up you put on a Tallit Katan and then you go to shul and put on a Tallit Gadol? How is it that you can say two different brachot? If it is in fact, that each peice of ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Meaning and Difference between baruch and bar'chu
I'm sorry, I don't know a word of Hebrew, and I really want to know what these sentences mean:
Bar'chu et Adonai ham'vorach l'olam vaed
Baruch atah Adonai
If I didn't write them correctly, ...
4
votes
2answers
159 views
What's the difference between LaZman and LeZman?
In the Mishnah Brurah (676:1) it says:
והגיענו לזמן הזה הלמ"ד בחיר"ק ולא בפת"ח
That in the Bracha of Shehechiyanu, the Lamed in the word Lazman should be said with a Hiriq and not with a Patach.
...
6
votes
2answers
129 views
Proper bracha on Chanuka candles: lhadlik ner (shel) Chanukah
Why do some people have the custom to say, in the blessing on the Chanukah lights, the word "Shel" before "Chanukah" and some do not? And I have been told some people put the words together as ...
6
votes
2answers
164 views
Is olive oil unhealthy?
The Gemara in Brachot 35b says that the proper bracha on pure olive oil is "Borei Peri HaEtz". However, it says that this refers to when you mixed the oil with some אניגרון which Prof Marcus Jastrow ...
7
votes
2answers
635 views
Bracha on Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread
Food for Life manufactures a bread under the Hashgacha of the Kaf-K called Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread
This bread is flourless and has the following ingredients. Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, ...
1
vote
2answers
58 views
She'asah nissim — why only past tense?
When we light the chanukiyah we say "she'asah nissim...b'yamim hahem bizman hazeh", with a past-tense "asah". While the miracles worked in the past (b'yamim hahem) are in the past (tautology alert!), ...
4
votes
1answer
46 views
Lighting the menora in shul and at home. How many brochos need be said?
Our shul has a minyan for mincha before sunset and for maariv after sunset. Between the two, the chanuka lights are kindled. There is a later maariv minyan; the chanuka lights are again kindled before ...
7
votes
9answers
268 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
112 views
Do I have to know what brucha I'm making before I begin saying the brucha?
If I'm eating an apple, can I say "Baruch atah Hashem elokenu melech haolam" before I decide that the brucha I'm making is a Haeitz, and not Mezonot, Shahakol, or Haadamah?
4
votes
1answer
69 views
Yaakov blessed the angel?
Vayishlach, perek 32, describes Yaakov's struggle with a "man" who many, including targum Yonasan (:25, :27, :29), explain is actually an angel. In pasuk 27 (as explained by Yonasan), Yaakov seeks a ...
4
votes
1answer
214 views
How much of a minimal sized kiddush cup must be consumed?
If someone uses a kiddush cup that is exactly (or close to) the bare minimum (see this question) needed to fulfill the obligation, how much of that cup must he drink?
Do the different times one must ...
7
votes
1answer
71 views
Hefsek (interruption) between the blessing on food and eating the food
Is it considered a hefsek to play with one's fingers or silverware or such while waiting for the challah to be passed around on shabbat, after the blessing made on it? Even though it isn't talking, it ...
