11

Question for a rainy day:

Every day we say Brochos to give thanks and praise over various pleasures and gifts that HaShem gives us. However not everything that would seem worthy of a bracha gets an explicit bracha, rather we say either that the action/pleasure in question is either not eligible for a bracha or meant to be included when we say a different bracha

For example, R' Eliezer HaGadol (and likely other rishonim such as the Rambam, depending on your interpretation) holds that the blessing on clothing in ברכות השחר is a ברכת הנהנין. For another example, R' Ya'akov Emden writes that hamapil exempts one from a theoretical obligation to recite a birkas hanehenin on tashmish hamita. – Fred Nov 17

My question is sleeping with a roof over ones head. Has anyone ever seen an opinion that states when one says bracha x that you can have in mind thanking HaShem that you slept with a roof over your head protected from the elements ?

5
  • torahmusings.com/2012/11/chanukat-habayit
    – Double AA
    Nov 26, 2014 at 23:47
  • I'm thinking we could look to the halachos of sukkah to answer this, since the reason shelter is a necessity is the discomfort of the outside world. Clothing protects us from the external world, but it also covers up our embarrassing nudity, so there is direct hanah. We do not make a bracha on taking medicine to relieve discomfort, only on the existence of positive hana'ah. All benefit we receive from shelter is a removal of a negative, not the addition of a positive. Feb 17, 2015 at 18:13
  • 1
    The Gemara (Brachos 69b) does say to make a shehechiyanu on a new house Feb 17, 2015 at 22:00
  • why can it not be included in birchos hashachar of sheasa li kol tzorchi?
    – michoel
    Apr 1, 2015 at 5:00
  • 1
    A house is nothing without a wife so not everyone can say a brocho
    – hazoriz
    Apr 19, 2016 at 11:15

1 Answer 1

3

The specific brochos in Birchas HaShachar are related to those things that are equally essential to all am yisroel. They are not personal brochos. Therefore one would make the brocha "sh'asah li kol tzarchi" on wearing shoes, even if they are not wearing shoes that day. On the other hand, on tisha b'av, when klal Yisrael is not wearing shoes, we dont make that bracha even if we ourselves have a heter to wear say, orthopedic leather shoes. The Gemara states that "one should even sell the beams of his house to buy shoes". From this we see that shoes are considered a more intrinsic necessity than a home. There are also those that may choose to sleep outside or are, G-d forbid, homeless. In Egypt our forefathers slept in the field.

It would also seem that since Shoes and clothing are both requirements for various mitzvas, we say a Brocha for them (chalitza, mourning, davening and learning, etc) while the mitzvahs tied to a home are either dependent on having a house (mezuza, chanukas habayis) or can be done without a traditional house (Hachnosos orchim, Bayis vaad l'chochomim).

Their are also other, much deeper, reasons why those specific Brochos were chosen for Birchas hashachar.

The appropriate time to Thank Hashem for having a home, would be as stated earlier, when buying the home (shehechyanu) or when placing a mezuzah. Some also have the custom of making a chanukas habayis on a rented home. We can also have it in mind when we say Birchas HaTorah if we learn in our home and any other bracho on a mitzvah done in the home.

1
  • Welcome yo Mi Yodeya, Dovid, and thanks for your answer! If you have sources for some of this stuff, please do include them in your post (just click edit). This way, interested people can look at it inside, instead of just taking your word (after all, we don't know who you are and why we should believe you). ;) Hope to see you around.
    – Scimonster
    Apr 15, 2015 at 6:21

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .