Halacha codifies making a blessing on wondrous natural events and places (see here). I would like to know if any halachic authorities discuss making a blessing on wondrous man-made structures such as the Great Wall of China or the Large Hadron Collider
asked Dec 19, 2017 at 15:45
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judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/37925/…– rikitikitemboDec 19, 2017 at 15:46
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2Who would you be praising in the blessing? The designer? God?– Double AA ♦Dec 19, 2017 at 15:54
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@DoubleAA I would only be praising God! I would assume phraseology such as 'SheNatan MeChachmato LeBasar VeDam' - the blessing made on seeing an outstanding non-Jewish scholar (S”A 224:7), would be appropriate. Perhaps also ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם שככה לו בעולמו (ibid 225:10) as said on beautiful creations and good trees– rikitikitemboDec 19, 2017 at 16:25
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@DoubleAA Most likely thanking G-d for the designer, I would assume.– ezraDec 19, 2017 at 17:09
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1 Answer
Not that I am aware of and the Artscroll siddur also doesn't mention it.
R Shlomo Aviner was asked whether one should make a shechechiyanu blessing regarding the new tunnel on the Yerushalayim-Tel Aviv road (of course it pales in comparison with the Great Wall or LHC!)
Q: There is a new tunnel on the Yerushalayim-Tel Aviv Road which greatly eases the traffic. Is it permissible for me to recite Shechechiyanu when I drive through it for the first time?
A: It does not seem so, since this is not included among the general rules for reciting this blessing. See Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 222-223. Perhaps one may recite it if he is happy, since it is "good news" (ibid. 222:1), but it does not seem so.
If there was an appropriate blessing for a man-made creation R Aviner would surely have mentioned it.
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I upvoted your answer. But it only deals with "Shechechiyanu"; it does not deal with other possibilities eg the blessing made on seeing an outstanding non-Jewish scholar as the OP said in a comment. Dec 20, 2017 at 15:11
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I know and agree - but I think if there was another appropriate blessing for a man-made creation R Aviner would surely have mentioned it. That is the point, combined with the absence of mention in the Artscroll siddur. But your point is well taken– mblochDec 20, 2017 at 15:13
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Note: Just because the ArtScroll Siddur doesn't mention it doesn't mean the bracha doesn't exist.– ezraDec 20, 2017 at 23:38
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@ezra Of course but, as you know, proving the absence of something is really hard. So I bring three hints it might not exist: (1) Artscroll doesn't mention it ... (2) R Aviner doesn't either ... (3) mbloch doesn't know it (:->)– mblochDec 21, 2017 at 3:45