Questions tagged [blessing]
Questions about short prayers called b'rachos ("benedictions" or "blessings"), generally said to praise/thank God for specific events.
1,266
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What is the optimal way to make berachot on food when working from home? [duplicate]
When working from home, what is the optimal way to handle food berachos?
A. Make only one beracha in the morning that will cover all the foods of that type to be eaten during that day at breakfast, ...
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0answers
27 views
Shechiyanu regarding video chat [duplicate]
I know that if someone sees someone he hasn't seen in 30 days, he must say shehechiyanu. I have two questions regarding this.
Firstly, If I haven't seen someone for 30 days, and I see them via video ...
6
votes
1answer
362 views
What is the source of this text?
At the end of Elokai Nitzor we say:
"עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן יְמִינֶֽךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן קְדֻשָּׁתֶֽךָ עֲשֵׂה לְמַֽעַן תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ"
Is there a source for these sentences? The ...
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0answers
38 views
Saying brocho in modern restroom [duplicate]
I've been going through the Mishna Berura on saying shma in restrooms (מ״ב סימנים פ״א-פ״ז so far) and I'm rather curious what the halacha is relating to modern restrooms. (This question only discussed ...
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1answer
56 views
Can “asher yotzar” be called part of Birkas HaTorah?
My chavrusa suggested that the blessings of “al netilas yodoyim” and “asher yotzar” are part of Birkas HaTorah. Is there any evidence for this please? The implication would be that even if a person ...
9
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1answer
106 views
How ancient is the origin of the liturgical phrase “Baruch atah … melech ha-olam”?
I'm interested in who introduced (and/or when) the standard liturgical formula for bruchas, that is, that they start with
(a) 'ברוך אתא ה
(b) that, followed by אלוקנו מלך העלום
(c) in the case of ...
2
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1answer
50 views
How can we make berachos after drinking during the Pesach Seder?
The Shulchan Aruch OC (99:1) writes
שתה יין כדי רביעית אל יתפלל עד שיסיר יינו ואם שתה יותר אם הוא יכול
לדבר לפני המלך אם התפלל תפלתו תפלה ואם אינו יכול לדבר לפני המלך אם
התפלל תפלתו תועבה וצריך לחזור ...
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2answers
136 views
Why don't we make a bracha on bentching?
Bircas Hamazon is a mitzva from the Torah, so why don't we make a bracha on this mitzva?
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1answer
127 views
If I make a bracha on food and it falls out of my hand, do I need a new bracha on the rest of the food?
Let's say I am planning on eating some nuts. I hold one in my hand and make the bracha. Then, before I can eat it, it falls out of my hand and gets ruined.
If I right away take another nut from the ...
6
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1answer
285 views
Why two kzaysim of matza?
I saw that one eats a kzayis from the whole matza, and a kzayis from the broken matza. One reason given is because one is supposed to eat from the matza that hamotzi was said on and also eat from the ...
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1answer
52 views
Non Kohen Blessing a Kohen
Is it permissible for a non Kohen such as an Israelite or a Levi to give any type of blessing to a Kohen?
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38 views
Why say bircat hamazon instead of plainly thanking HaShem for the food?
A niece asked me why do we need to say bircat hamazon which is lengthy and with words we don’t understand instead of just saying in English something along the long the lines of “thank you HaShem for ...
2
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2answers
74 views
Do we withdraw our hands from bread?
The Shulchan Aruch 177:2 rules that one who removes the bread from the table must make a new beracha on whatever he eats for the rest of the meal:
ודברים הבאים לאחר סעודה קודם ברכת המזון שהיה מנהג ...
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2answers
126 views
Continuing a meal once chametz is prohibited
One starts a bread meal on the morning of erev pesach. One finishes eating all of the bread (and removes all crumbs etc.) before the end of the day's fourth hour, but wants to continue the meal by ...
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0answers
37 views
Where are the sources for 2 different ends for Al Hamichya?
Sometimes the bracha of Al Hamichya ends with the words "v'al hakalkalah", like it is shown here.
Sometimes those two words are left out, like shown here.
What are the reasons for this ...
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0answers
47 views
How frequently does one need to recite Shehakol when drinking? [duplicate]
It was widely reported in yesterday's news that one of President Trump's impeachment lawyers covered his head with his hand and recited a bracha every time he took a sip from his water bottle. It has ...
6
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3answers
183 views
Chuppah, Kiddushin in ברכת אירוסין
Why do we say על ידי חופה וקידושין, mentioning chuppah first when kiddushin takes place before chuppah (nisuin)?
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What bracha for a mixture of apple and grape juice?
If one is drinking a mixture of apple and grape juice, what bracha does one recite -- shehakol or hagafen? If it matters, I am interested in all three of the following situations:
Mostly apple juice ...
6
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1answer
330 views
When to say shehecheyanu on a new fruit?
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 225:3 records that the custom is to recite the shehecheyanu blessing on a new fruit when one eats it.
At what point precisely does one say shehecheyanu? Before reciting ...
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1answer
102 views
Why do we recite Zimmun after Al Naharos Bavel; Shir Hamaalos?
Zimmun is the introduction to Birkas Hamazon. We invite those present to join in the bentching (ex. “Rabosai mir velen bentchen”). Why do we do this after we have already begun the recitation of ...
7
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1answer
222 views
What blessings would one say upon receiving the COVID19 vaccine?
I have some gaps in my Jewish knowledge, but it seems prudent to recite Shehechiyanu upon receiving the first shot, as it is a momentous occasion. Not just momentous for your own health, but the ...
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0answers
66 views
A beracha on the “Great conjunction”?
Tonight (or earlier tonight in Israel) the planets Jupiter and Saturn come so close that one might think that they are a single star. Is this occasion to say the beracha of עושה מעשה בראשית? It is not ...
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0answers
58 views
If one forgot that they already said a bracha and then said it again does it count as a bracha levatala?
A person was eating dates and said borei pri hoaytz before starting, ate a few dates, said borei pri hoaytz again and then continued to eat.
Does the second borei pri hoaytz count as a bracha levatala?...
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0answers
30 views
A deaf person and taking terumah
In Mishna 2 of Perek 1 of Terumah, it is stated that a deaf person who can speak but not hear should not separate Terumah, but if he does the Terumah is valid. The commentators state that this is ...
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0answers
26 views
Is the bracha for wild and cultivated blueberries both Haetz? [duplicate]
I found out through work that wild blueberries grow on very low bushes and was curious if it impacts the bracha. Do they still qualify for haetz blessing?
Their height, "The two primary species ...
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0answers
53 views
Ideal moment for saying Asher Yatzar
We have seen that even today, despite modern water closets, we should avoid saying the blessing Asher Yatzar in the bathroom after relieving ourselves. We have also seen that we may have some ...
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1answer
95 views
Why won't a wrongful blessing be void?
In Parashat Toldot, Isaac wrongfully blesses Yaakov instead of Esav. In the Halachah IIRC, most things made wrongfully are illegal and are void, like monetary contracts or marriages.
I don't really ...
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1answer
475 views
Wheat crackers that are ha'adama
Paskesz (a brand that makes lots of kosher Jewish food in the USA), makes wheat crackers. The crackers are 99% wheat (per the ingredients label). While most wheat crackers require the blessing of ...
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1answer
62 views
Did Abraham and Sarah say a blessing on hearing a good news about their future heir?
IIRC, one says a Brachah of "Hatov veha-Meitiv" on hearing good news (source needed).
When the angels came to inform Abraham and Sara of giving birth to Isaac in exactly one year, did they ...
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1answer
76 views
What to do if you said the morning Brachot out of order?
Halachipedia here states that the Shulchan Orach and Mishneh Berurah write that if one accidentally says Zokef Kefufim before Matir Assurim, it might not be best to go back and say Matir Assurim. ...
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0answers
68 views
Non-Jews pronouncing shemot kodashim defined by chumra?
I recently made a brachah on a mandarin. An acquaintance, who's not Jewish, responded enthusiastically to hearing the name of G-d that begins with "Ad...", and proceeded to wax poetic on it, ...
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3answers
106 views
Why can't you give a bracha to yourself?
I didn't find anywhere people giving brachas to oneself. We find in Tanach people giving brachas to others. It seems one can't give a bracha to oneself. Why not?
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2answers
70 views
Birchos Hashachar (Morning Brachos) - 'Who spreads the earth above the waters' - why the strange expression?
The Gemoro in Brachos 60b writes that it used to be the practise that as a person woke up, at each stage of him getting ready for the day, he said the relevant bracho.
Upon hearing the sound of the ...
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0answers
36 views
Why did Rav Chiya bar Ashi recite Birchat haTorah before learning?
Here, on Brachot 11b, , the Gemara says that Rav Chiya bar Ashi said Birchat HaTorah prior to learning Sifrei, in an effort to demonstrate that one should recite the blessings before learning Talmud. ...
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0answers
25 views
Why don't we say blessings for solar eclipses [duplicate]
Why don't we say blessings for solar eclipses? After all, we gladly say blessings for other natural occurrences. For example, we say blessings when we see a tree, animal, lightning, earthquakes, the ...
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1answer
126 views
Do we mention the holiday in the three faceted blessing during chol hamoed?
The three faceted blessing (ברכת מעין שלוש) has an addition for various occasions including Succos and Pesach. Are the additions added as well on Chol Hamoed or just Yom Tov? The reason for the ...
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2answers
107 views
Why is height the determining factor for the the blessing on the Lulav?
The Gemara Sukkah (37b) writes
ואמר רבה לולב בימין ואתרוג בשמאל מ"ט הני תלתא מצות והאי חדא מצוה א"ל
ר' ירמיה לר' זריקא מאי טעם לא מברכינן אלא על נטילת לולב הואיל וגבוה
מכולן ולגבהיה לאתרוג ...
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0answers
83 views
Non-Jews being Yotzi on each other's brachot
We know that Jews are able to say brachot on behalf of each other due to the concept of "Kol Bnei Yisrael Aravim Ze-Le-Ze", or "All Jews are guarantors on behalf of one another", ...
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65 views
Chazon Ish understanding of “Baruch”
A recorded shiur from a Rav reported that the Chazon Ish held the kavana of the word "baruch" is "to praise" Hashem. After searching throughout the writings of the Chazon Ish on ...
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2answers
155 views
If you take a COVID “smell test” every day, do you say a blessing on the scent?
Background
Some experts recommend that everyone test their own sense of smell once daily. This can help to screen for the novel coronavirus disease. This is because COVID often (but not always) ...
4
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3answers
205 views
Are there any drinks which a person would make the blessing of HaAdamah?
Are there any drinks which upon consumption a person would make the blessing of boreh pri HaAdamah?
3
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1answer
108 views
Is a man allowed to say a bracha for a woman if it is a mitzvat aseh shehazman grama and he has already fulfilled his mitzvah?
The Rama in Orach Chaim 589:6 states that a man may not say a bracha on the shofar for women who have not yet heard it, if he has already fulfilled his obligation. Why wouldn't the concept of arvut ...
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1answer
53 views
Blessings ברכות [duplicate]
I understand asking God for blessings. I understand blessing someone else or asking for a blessing for someone else. I do not understand why we bless God. Why would God need our blessing? This makes ...
4
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1answer
56 views
Should Baruch Hu Uvaruch Shemo ONLY be recited during blessings?
If one hears their friend reciting Torah verses, and says Hashem's name, should one recite BHUVS? Does this response only apply to brachot?
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1answer
88 views
Sit for blessings after food?
Someone told me to sit for grace after meals (the series of benedictions recited after eating a bread meal). Is that true? I mean, is there such an halachic obligation? or is it, at least, a nice ...
2
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1answer
73 views
Should One say Shehechyanu on world events?
The bracha of Shehechyanu (according to here) was instituted to be said "for uncommon or periodical occurrences and experiences, such as holidays and their mitzvot, fruits in their new season, ...
3
votes
1answer
51 views
After-beracha for yogurt and raisins
Let's say the yogurt is the majority, yet there is a kazayit of raisins. Lav dafka raisins.
Does the yogurt act as ikkar with regards to the after-beracha as well (as stated here and here)? Is the ...
5
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1answer
87 views
Why do we change the order?
In the brochos before the Shema we have the in הַמֵּאִיר לָאָרֶץ the phrase וּבְטוּבו מְחַדֵּשׁ בְּכָל יום תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית with the word וּבְטוּבו the first word in that phrase. We then ...
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2answers
122 views
Asher Yatzar - Bircas HaShevach vs Bircas Hane'enin?
How do we define the bracha of Asher Yatzar?
Is it to be viewed as a bircas hashevach as the whole blessing praises Hashem's creation of the human body and the capacity to relieve oneself
Or, is it ...
2
votes
3answers
185 views
