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Regarding the sex-dependant blessing shelo asani isha / she'asani kirtzono in the Birkot HaShachar, what does an androginus or a tumtum say? Do these people of ambiguous sex use the text normally used by males, that normally used by females, or some other formulation of this blessing?

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    Since one of the blessings clearly indicates gender, I'd imagine that if anything, one would say she'asani kirtzono. There's also the principle of ספק ברכות להקל, when in doubt be lenient regarding the recitation of blessings, so perhaps no blessing is made
    – Baby Seal
    Jan 8, 2014 at 15:11

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The Mishna Brurah 46:18 writes that while a tumtum and androgynous are obligated in all mitzvos because of a doubt, they do not say "shelo asani isha," because they are a safek [Pri Megadim].

So I looked up the Pri Megadim (Eshel Avraham), who writes a tumtum and androgynous are chayiv in all mitzvos because of a safek; he writes that they do not say "shelo asani isha" because of a safek, and he then writes maybe they should say "kirtzono" (it is interesting the Mishna Brurah left that part out from his peirush).

It may very well be that the Mishna Brurah did this because of safek brachos lhakel (when in doubt, leave it out).

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  • Why is it a safek brachos? Kirtzono is not gender specific....
    – Ish Ploni ViKohen
    Jul 13, 2014 at 11:11
  • @Ish ploni vikohen- she'asani kirtzono is not a pareve bracha that applies to anyone. It was nisaken specifically for women. Case in point, a man cannot wake up one day and decide to say it. Also the darshanim like Rabbi Pinkus darshan how the bracha applies only to women.
    – user6591
    Jul 14, 2014 at 0:47
  • The Tur actually writes vnahagu which is mashma the women came up with the idea of saying it
    – sam
    Jul 14, 2014 at 1:04

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