Bracha For Seeing Natural Wonders: Difference between revisions

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== Mediterranean Ocean==
== Mediterranean Ocean==
#It's preferable, when making the bracha on the Mediterrain to say Oseh Maaseh Beresheet and then add the words Sh'Asah Et HaYam HaGadol within 2-3 seconds. <ref> VeZot HaBracha pg 154 </ref>
#It's preferable, when making the bracha on the Mediterrain to say Oseh Maaseh Beresheet and then add the words Sh'Asah Et HaYam HaGadol within 2-3 seconds. <ref> VeZot HaBracha pg 154 </ref>
 
==Seeing a river==
# Upon seeing a natural large river one should make the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet, however if there was any human intervention in the building of the river, from that point in the river and on, no Bracha is made. If one is in doubt whether a river was improved or changed with human intervention one shouldn’t make the Bracha. Most rivers are natural and not changed by man, however, it’s unclear whether one can rely on this assumption. <Ref>S”A 228:2 writes that the Bracha for seeing the four rivers mentioned in the pesukim such as Chidekel and Parat one should make the Bracha Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. Mishna Brurah 228:4 explains that one should make the Bracha on any large river that one knows is totally natural and wasn’t changed by man. Mishna Brurah 229:5 adds that if one is in doubt one shouldn’t make the Bracha, but in Shaar HaTzion 229:8 he adds that in general rivers are natural but concludes that the practicability is unclear. So rules Vezot HaBracha (pg 155).</ref> 
# There’s no Bracha upon seeing a waterfall unless it’s part of a large river that’s natural (as above). <Ref>Vezot HaBracha (pg 155) in name of Rav Chaim Kanievsky </ref>
==Seeing a mountain==
# Upon seeing mountains that are abnormal and through them one recognizes the strength of Hashem, the Creator, one should make the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. <Ref>S”A 228:3. Orchot Rabbenu (vol 1 pg 94) writes that the Steipler made this Bracha the first time he saw the mountains surrounding Yerushalyim, but stopped afterwards because it didn’t have an impression on him anymore.  Piskei Teshuvot 228:4 writes thaht it’s really dependant on the viewer but on universally accepted unique mountains anyone can make the Bracha. </ref> For example, one can make the Bracha upon seeing the Chermon mountains <Ref>Or Letzion 46:62, and Vezot HaBracha (pg 155) in name of Rav Chaim Kanievsky (see there) </ref>, Mount Everest <Ref>Birkot Eliyahu (pg 296) </ref>, Ararat, or the Alps. <Ref>Aruch HaShulchan 228:1, Piskei Teshuvot 228:4, Vezot HaBracha (pg 155) </ref>
# If there’s a doubt whether a mountain is considered unique one should make the Bracha without Shem UMalchut. <Ref>Vezot HaBracha (pg 155) </ref>
==Seeing a desert==
# Upon seeing a desert one should make the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. <Ref>S”A 228:1 </ref> This Bracha is only made on deserts that people refrain from traveling through because of wild animals and other dangers and this is uncommon except in the very large deserts far from settlement. <Ref>Piskei Teshuvot 228:4, Vezot HaBracha (pg 155) in name of Rav Moshe Shternbach</ref>
==Comit or Earthquake==
==Comit or Earthquake==
# For seeing a comet or experiencing an earthquake one should make the Bracha Oseh מעשה Beresheet. <Ref>S”A 257:1 says that for seeing a comet or experiencing an earthquake one should make Oseh Maaseh Beresheet and if one wants one can make the Bracha SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam instead. Mishna Brurah 227:6 is clear that it’s either one Bracha or the other but not both. So rules Vezot HaBracha (pg 155, chapter 17). Artscroll Siddur just quotes the more primary Bracha quoted in S”A, Oseh מעשה Beresheet. </ref>
# For seeing a comet or experiencing an earthquake one should make the Bracha Oseh מעשה Beresheet. <Ref>S”A 257:1 says that for seeing a comet or experiencing an earthquake one should make Oseh Maaseh Beresheet and if one wants one can make the Bracha SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam instead. Mishna Brurah 227:6 is clear that it’s either one Bracha or the other but not both. So rules Vezot HaBracha (pg 155, chapter 17). Artscroll Siddur just quotes the more primary Bracha quoted in S”A, Oseh מעשה Beresheet. </ref>

Revision as of 21:30, 1 February 2011

All oceans

  1. The bracha for seeing any ocean is Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. [1]

Atlantic Ocean

  1. According to Ashkanazim, The bracha for seeing the Atlantic ocean is SheAssa Et HaYam HaGadol. According to Sephardim, this bracha is never made. [2]

Mediterranean Ocean

  1. It's preferable, when making the bracha on the Mediterrain to say Oseh Maaseh Beresheet and then add the words Sh'Asah Et HaYam HaGadol within 2-3 seconds. [3]

Seeing a river

  1. Upon seeing a natural large river one should make the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet, however if there was any human intervention in the building of the river, from that point in the river and on, no Bracha is made. If one is in doubt whether a river was improved or changed with human intervention one shouldn’t make the Bracha. Most rivers are natural and not changed by man, however, it’s unclear whether one can rely on this assumption. [4]
  2. There’s no Bracha upon seeing a waterfall unless it’s part of a large river that’s natural (as above). [5]

Seeing a mountain

  1. Upon seeing mountains that are abnormal and through them one recognizes the strength of Hashem, the Creator, one should make the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. [6] For example, one can make the Bracha upon seeing the Chermon mountains [7], Mount Everest [8], Ararat, or the Alps. [9]
  2. If there’s a doubt whether a mountain is considered unique one should make the Bracha without Shem UMalchut. [10]

Seeing a desert

  1. Upon seeing a desert one should make the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. [11] This Bracha is only made on deserts that people refrain from traveling through because of wild animals and other dangers and this is uncommon except in the very large deserts far from settlement. [12]

Comit or Earthquake

  1. For seeing a comet or experiencing an earthquake one should make the Bracha Oseh מעשה Beresheet. [13]
  2. If there was a break between one earthquake and the next, another Bracha is required. [14]

Strong winds

  1. For a strong wind as in a hurricane or tornado one should make the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. [15]

Lightning and Thunder

  1. For lightning and thunder, if they come at the same time or right after one another and one didn’t start to make any Bracha, only make Oseh Maaseh Beresheet and it will cover both, however, if there’s a break and one already began to say Oseh Maaseh Beresheet on the lightning, then one should later say SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam on the thunder. [16] Additionally, if one didn’t see the lighting and only heard thunder one should make a SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam and then if later one sees lightning one should make Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. [17]
  2. If the storm cleared up completely and there were no clouds and then another storm came, one can make another Bracha for the lightning and thunder of the next storm, however within one storm one only makes one Bracha unless the storm continues to the next day. [18]
  3. The Bracha on lightning and thunder must be said within Toch Kedi Dibbur. [19]
  4. One may make the Bracha even if one only saw the light from the lightning and didn’t see the bolt. [20]
  5. If one’s hands are unclean from going to the bathroom and not washing yet or for going to sleep at night and not having washed yet, and right then one saw lightning or heard thunder, one can’t make the Bracha. [21]


References

  1. ↑ S"A 228:1
  2. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 228:1 writes that for all oceans one makes the bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet except for the Mediterrian which you make Oseh HaYam haGadol. However, Mishna Brurah 228:2 argues that really the bracha of Oseh HaYam HaGadol should only be made on the Atlantic ocean and all others (including the Mediterrian) only get the bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. [It's preferable, when making the bracha on the Mediterrain to say Oseh Maaseh Beresheet and then add the words Sh'Asah Et HaYam HaGadol within 2-3 seconds.(VeZot HaBracha pg 154)] For Ashkenazim, the halacha is in accordance with Mishna Brurah as most achronim hold like that opinion; so writes the VeZot HaBracha pg 154 in name of Rav Elyashiv. For Sephardim Yalkut Yosef (Siman 228) writes not to make the bracha of Oseh HaYam HaGadol on anything because of the dispute (I'm not sure if he would hold that a Oseh Maaseh Beresheet is still made for all oceans).
  3. ↑ VeZot HaBracha pg 154
  4. ↑ S”A 228:2 writes that the Bracha for seeing the four rivers mentioned in the pesukim such as Chidekel and Parat one should make the Bracha Oseh Maaseh Beresheet. Mishna Brurah 228:4 explains that one should make the Bracha on any large river that one knows is totally natural and wasn’t changed by man. Mishna Brurah 229:5 adds that if one is in doubt one shouldn’t make the Bracha, but in Shaar HaTzion 229:8 he adds that in general rivers are natural but concludes that the practicability is unclear. So rules Vezot HaBracha (pg 155).
  5. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 155) in name of Rav Chaim Kanievsky
  6. ↑ S”A 228:3. Orchot Rabbenu (vol 1 pg 94) writes that the Steipler made this Bracha the first time he saw the mountains surrounding Yerushalyim, but stopped afterwards because it didn’t have an impression on him anymore. Piskei Teshuvot 228:4 writes thaht it’s really dependant on the viewer but on universally accepted unique mountains anyone can make the Bracha.
  7. ↑ Or Letzion 46:62, and Vezot HaBracha (pg 155) in name of Rav Chaim Kanievsky (see there)
  8. ↑ Birkot Eliyahu (pg 296)
  9. ↑ Aruch HaShulchan 228:1, Piskei Teshuvot 228:4, Vezot HaBracha (pg 155)
  10. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 155)
  11. ↑ S”A 228:1
  12. ↑ Piskei Teshuvot 228:4, Vezot HaBracha (pg 155) in name of Rav Moshe Shternbach
  13. ↑ S”A 257:1 says that for seeing a comet or experiencing an earthquake one should make Oseh Maaseh Beresheet and if one wants one can make the Bracha SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam instead. Mishna Brurah 227:6 is clear that it’s either one Bracha or the other but not both. So rules Vezot HaBracha (pg 155, chapter 17). Artscroll Siddur just quotes the more primary Bracha quoted in S”A, Oseh מעשה Beresheet.
  14. ↑ Shaarei Teshuva 227:1, Vezot HaBracha (pg 157)
  15. ↑ S”A 227:1, Mishna Brurah 227:4 writes that any wind which is uncommon is sufficient for a Bracha. See also Vezot HaBracha (pg 156) who writes that it must be a very strong wind.
  16. ↑ Mishna Brurah 227:5, Vezot HaBracha (pg 153) in name of Rav Elyashiv
  17. ↑ Mishna Brurah 227:5
  18. ↑ S”A 227:2 writes that one shouldn’t make another Bracha on thunder and lightning unless the storm has cleared up. Mishna Brurah 227:8 emphasizes that it must have completely cleared up unless it continues to the next day in which case a new Bracha is needed in any case. So rules Yalkut Yosef (vol 3 pg 622). Vezot HaBracha (pg 154) in name of Az Nidbaru 6:32 and Rav Moshe Shternbach add that one doesn’t make a new Bracha in the morning unless one slept and the night has passed.
  19. ↑ Mishna Brurah 227:12
  20. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 156) in name of Rav Shlomo Zalman, Sh”t Tzitz Eliezer 12:21
  21. ↑ Mishna Brurah 227:11, Vezot HaBracha (pg 154), see there for the case of where one needs to go to the bathroom.
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