questions about short prayers called b'rachos ("benedictions" or "blessings")
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Meaning of 5th of the Sheva Brachos
One of the Sheva Brachos we say is:
שמח תשמח רעים האהובים, כשמחך יצירך בגן עדן מקדם. ברוך אתה ה', משמח חתן וכלה.
Grant perfect joy to these loving companions, as you did your creations in ...
5
votes
2answers
119 views
An absent Panim Chadashos at Sheva Brachos
If you make a Sheva Brachos meal for a new Chosson and Kallah and your Panim Chadashos (new person) does not show up, can you still say the Sheva Brachos?
13
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2answers
2k views
12
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4answers
702 views
What Bracha do you make on Sushi?
Really, as simple as that. What Bracha do you make on Sushi? Is the rice the main part and therefore a Mezonos, or is it just a toful in which case I guess a shehakol?
9
votes
3answers
295 views
why do we say Pesach seder brachot both nights?
During the Pesach seder, but not during the rest of Pesach, we say b'rachot for the mitzvot of matzah and maror. (I mean the "asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav" b'rachot.) So it seems that we are only ...
4
votes
2answers
105 views
Is checking the parshios a hefsek?
Are you required to make another bracha on your tefillin if you take them off to check the parshios?
6
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1answer
74 views
4
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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?
3
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1answer
65 views
2
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3answers
417 views
Rav Scheinberg and Tzitzis (series of questions)
I have heard that Rav Scheinberg wore many garments with ציציות on them at a time. . .
Is this true?
If so, why did he do it?
If not, why do other people do it?
How many ברכות do they make when ...
4
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1answer
1k views
Last time for Kiddush Levanah
How can I calculate the last possible time to say Kiddush Levanah for a given month?
6
votes
2answers
109 views
Does being Yotzei a Bracha count for 100?
There are many brachos where by listening to the bracha one can be yotzei his obligation for that bracha. If someone does do so, does that bracha count towards the quota of 100 brochos a day?
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 ...
7
votes
2answers
148 views
Is Mayim Achronim required before Al Hamichya?
As the title asks: is it required or recommended before Al Hamichya (or for that matter, borei nefashos as well).
And if yes or no, why or why not?
11
votes
3answers
217 views
Do we say a mitzvah bracha before reading Kohelet? What about other (non-Purim) megillot?
I had been under the impression that for all five of the megillot you say a bracha before the reading, and this is the practice I've observed. When preparing for Shabbat chol hamoed Sukkot this year ...
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, ...
7
votes
2answers
157 views
washing your hands and forgetting
If you wash your hands and your mind goes blank and you dont remember if you said a bracha or not. do you make a new one? Do you wash again and then make a new one?
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 ...
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
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 ...
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 ...
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)?
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 ...
3
votes
2answers
405 views
Birth Bracha Question
What Bracha do you make on the birth of a child? What Bracha is made on a Boy? What Bracha on a Girl? When is this Bracha Made?
3
votes
1answer
88 views
women's saying a b'racha on s'firas haomer
Mishna B'rura 489:3 says women do not say a b'racha on s'firas haomer; Aruch Hashulchan 489:4 says they do. What is the practice of various Ashk'nazi communities (for example, chassidic (various ...
5
votes
1answer
236 views
When to make a bracha on lightning
The general practice is to make a bracha on the sky illuminating from lightning without actually seeing the bolt.
Does anyone know a source for this? Is this the most appropriate practice?
Also, ...
11
votes
2answers
143 views
Pool and Tzitzis
Do I need to make another Bracha on putting on tzitzis after I get out of the pool?
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 ...
7
votes
1answer
210 views
Do married men stop saying a bracha on their *tallit katan*?
This question concerns the Ashkenazic practice.
I was always told that the tallit katan (worn under clothing, every day, starting in preschool years) got the bracha of al mitzvat tzitzit, but the ...
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 ...
6
votes
3answers
120 views
Amen for Recorded Brochos
Many times I listen to recorded Shiurim (lectures) where the speaker says a Brocho (usually Shehakol on a drink). Should one answer Amen to such Brochos?
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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?
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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)
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 ...
4
votes
2answers
313 views
B'rachah on Shiluach HaKen
In many, if not most, cases where we fulfill a positive commandment Chazal instituted a blessing (B'rachah) over fulfilling that command.
Looking through Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 292, and other ...
2
votes
3answers
201 views
Synthetic Mesh Tztzis
Are mesh Tztzis allowed and can you make a Bracha on them, also are the ones made of Plastic allowed and can you make a Bracha on them and then combined meaning Synthetic mesh Tztzis are they allowed ...
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?
7
votes
4answers
312 views
Can I wash and say “please pass the salt”?
After washing one's hands before eating bread, one is not supposed to talk until he has made Hamotzi and partook of the bread.
I understand that general chatter is not allowed. But what about for ...
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?
5
votes
2answers
181 views
Bracha on Lemon with Cloves
The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch brings down a minhag to make three Brachos (Eisvay, Minay, Nosson Reiach tov Lapri) on Smell on Yom Kippur to make up for The Hundred bracha a day Obligation and in some ...
0
votes
1answer
75 views
From Cursing to Blessing
What was Billam's thought process? At first he was going to curse the Jews; after Hashem tells him no, he says 'OK, in that case, let me bless them'? If you want to curse someone, your second option ...
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.
...
15
votes
2answers
268 views
Can anyone explain the meaning of this amulet / inscription?
Right before my grandfather went away to fight in WWII, a rabbi in Munkács (מונקאטש) gave him a small cloth container that had a piece of parchment in it, as a kind of amulet. The piece of paper has ...
