questions about short prayers called b'rachos ("benedictions" or "blessings")
4
votes
3answers
205 views
“Amen” to informal blessings and wishes
There are various strict rules regulating the manner and timing of saying "Amen" following a blesing. In fact, the Gemara (Berachot 47a) lists some pretty severe punishments for people who violate ...
10
votes
1answer
202 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 ...
10
votes
5answers
413 views
9
votes
2answers
206 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)?
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!
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 ...
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 ...
6
votes
1answer
91 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 ...
5
votes
2answers
109 views
Why Does Hashem Bless Us Like Efraim And Menashe?
I know there are lots of reason's why but What is the main reason Hashem made it so that we get blessed like them?
18
votes
6answers
2k views
Washing hands for eating pizza
How many slices are required to make you responsible to wash on Pizza?
8
votes
3answers
329 views
Why do you make a Bracha on seeing a monkey?
Why do you make the Bracha Mishaneh Habriyos on seeing a monkey?
15
votes
1answer
309 views
Blessing the Children on Friday Night
I have noticed that many families (including my own) have the custom for the father to bless all the children on Friday night before kiddush.
When and where did this custom originate, and by whom, ...
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 ...
4
votes
3answers
177 views
Continuing to drink a Beverage after Birchas HaMazon?
Perhaps this is a simple matter that I should be embarrassed not to know (which I am even if it isn't because I need to learn hilchos b'rachos better and always forget to look this question up) ...
3
votes
1answer
170 views
Rainbow: Making a Bracha on a bad Omen
As discussed in some earlier questions Rainbows are a bad Omen yet we are Halachicly commanded to make a Bracha on it. The Gemara in Chagigah (16A) says you may not gaze at one so how do you make the ...
15
votes
3answers
504 views
What Bracha should you say on a Hurricane?
What Bracha should you say on a hurricane? Oseh Ma'aseh Vereishis?
You say Birchas Gomel if you travel over the sea; do you also say it if the sea travels over you?
14
votes
4answers
164 views
How to say go-al Yisroel before Shacharis Amida
When the leader gets to just before the Shacharis Amida, how should he say the blessing
go-al Yisroel: aloud or saying the word Yisroel so the end of it cannot be heard?
13
votes
3answers
179 views
Why are there two different forms of the mitzvah brachot (“l-” and “al”)?
Some mitzvah brachot are of the form ...vitzivanu "l'X" ("to X", infinitive verb), and others are of the form "al X" ("upon X", gerundive verb). I particularly noticed this during Sukkot with two ...
11
votes
3answers
216 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 ...
10
votes
2answers
285 views
Should you say HaGomel after a flight?
Should someone say the HaGomel blessing after taking an airplane flight? I seem to remember this being the practice, but honestly the average commercial airplane flight these days is 10 times safer ...
9
votes
1answer
141 views
Upon whom would one make this blessing?
Upon whom today would you make the bracha - Baruch Attah Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam She’chalak Mei’chochmaso Li’rei’av, that He bestowed of His wisdom to those who fear Him (Gemara Brachos 58a)? ...
7
votes
1answer
196 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 ...
6
votes
3answers
97 views
Which comes first, borei nefashot, or me'en shalosh?
Which berachah acharonah should one say first: borei nefashot, or me'en shalosh?
(Please cite your sources.)
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 ...
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?
5
votes
2answers
121 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 ...
4
votes
0answers
44 views
Answering Amen to quiet Berachoth
According to this answer citing RaM"A (124:11), you can answer Amen to any Berachah even if you don't hear it, so long as you know which one is being said. Does this apply only to Tefillah BeTzibur ...
4
votes
1answer
132 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
202 views
3
votes
0answers
131 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, ...
3
votes
2answers
116 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.)
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
...
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 ...
8
votes
3answers
191 views
What Bracha did they make on the Mahn?
Did the Jews make a Bracha on eating the Mahn? Which Bracha did they make?
7
votes
1answer
129 views
When I wake up before Alot Hshachar and won't go back to sleep, what can/can't I do?
If I wake up early in the morning, like any time from 2am to 6am, before Alot Hashachar, and I'm pretty sure I'll start my day and not go back to sleep, at least not before a possible afternoon nap, ...
7
votes
2answers
627 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, ...
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 ...
6
votes
1answer
111 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
75 views
Why is Amen exclusive to the Chazzan during Tefillah?
Normally, if I hear my good friend Shimon say a bracha, I answer Amen. Nonetheless, if it's during davening, and I hear him finish a bracha, it appears to be common practice to not say Amen.
In other ...
5
votes
4answers
159 views
What are Brochos differences of Sefardim and Ashkenazim?
For example, according to sefardim the bracha on matzo is mezonos (during the year), while it's hamotzi for Ashkenazim.
What are other differences between Ashkenazim and Sefardim with regards to ...
4
votes
6answers
668 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 ...
3
votes
2answers
167 views
Will I ever actually make “al mitzvat tzitzit” on a daily basis if I don a tallit gadol?
I wear a tallit katan at almost all times and I do, in fact, sleep in it. I spoke to a rabbi about whether I would actually ever make "al mitzvat tzitzit" and it seemed that the answer was no. Kitzur ...
1
vote
2answers
130 views
“Wrong” Berachoth exempting foods
'Al HaMihyah exempts 'Al Ha'Gefen, at least if it was said after eating grain products and grape juice/wine. Is this unique to this case, or is there a broader principle?
Can a less specific ...
13
votes
2answers
2k views
11
votes
1answer
196 views
Bringing wallet with benscher into bathroom
If someone has one of the small "pocket benschers" that slide into his wallet, is it a problem for him to walk into the bathroom with his wallet in his pocket?
11
votes
3answers
170 views
I heard not to say “Good Shabbos” after mincha. Is it true, and what defines mincha?
I heard from somewhere that, on Shabbos, one does not say "Good Shabbos" after mincha. I am not sure whether it's in a halacha sefer somewhere (I tried looking) or just a minhag.
First of all, is ...
10
votes
3answers
179 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 ...
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 ...
9
votes
2answers
154 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?
