Making One Hundred Brachot Daily

From Halachipedia

Origin of the obligation

  1. Some hold that this law is a biblical obligation while others hold it's of rabbinic origin. [1]
  2. There are several sources and reasons given for this law including
    1. David Hamelech made 100 berachot a day to stop the plague that was killing a 100 people every day. [2]
    2. The Gematria of each letter of tzaddik- 90 amen's a day, 4 shema's a day, 10 amen yehiy shemei rabba's = 100 berachot
    3. The one hundred poles of the mishkan
    4. The gemara (Menachot 43) learns from the Pasuk in Ekev- mah Hashem elokecha shoel meemach …gemara: don't read mah (what) elah me'ah (100)
    5. Moshe received it as a Halacha LeMoshe MeSinai [3]

Practically how to get to 100

Here's a basic breakdown of how you might say 100 berachot in a day:

  • Hamapil (1)
  • Shacharit (48)
    • Birchat Hashachar (15)
    • Tefilin (2)
    • Tzitzit (1)
    • Asher Yatzar (1)
    • Al Netilat Yadim (1)
    • Elokay Neshama (1)
    • Birchot HaTorah (3)
    • Baruch She'amar (1)
    • Yishtabach (1)
    • Birchot Shema (3)
    • Shemona Esrei (19)
  • Mincha (19)
  • Mariv (24)
    • Berachot before Shema (2)
    • Berachot after Shema (3)
    • Shemona Ersrei (19)
  • Hamotzi meal (6)
    • Al netilat yadim (1)
    • Hamotzi (1)
    • Birkat hamazon (4)
  • 4 of your choice
    • Shehakol
    • Mezonot
    • Ha'eytz
    • Ha'adama
    • Borei nefashot
    • Al hamichya
    • Asher yatzar
    • Oseh ma'aseh bereyshit

[4]

How is a day counted?

  1. There is a dispute whether we count a day for the purposes of this halacha from night to day or day to night, however the majority of poskim hold that we count from night to day. [5]

Who's obligated?

  1. Some poskim say that women aren't obligated in making a hundred brachot daily since it's a time-bound positive obligation, [6] while others say that they are as obligated as men. [7]

What counts as a bracha?

  1. If one is unable to accumulate a hundred brachot on Shabbat or Yom Tov one can listen to the brachot of Torah reading with intent to accumulate a hundred brachot. [8]
  2. Some say that answering Zimmun is considered one of a person’s hundred Brachot every day. [9]
  3. Some count the "Baruch Elokenu" in Ein KeElokenu as a bracha to make up to a hundred brachot. [10]
  4. If one extends his third meal on Shabbat some hold that the brachot of benching aren't counted towards the hundred brachot of that day, while others consider it as part of the brachot of Shabbat. [11]

Getting to a hundred on Shabbat and Yom Tov

  1. Because we don't say a Shemonah Esrei of 19 brachot but rather of 7, one should try to accumulate a hundred through having snacks. [12]
  2. According to the Mishna Brurah one is only lacking 13 Brachot on Shabbat. [13] The following is the Mishna Brurah's count of 87 Brachot:
  • HaMapil (1)
  • Asher yatzer (1)
  • Netilat yadayim (1)
  • Brachot Hashachar (15)
  • Elokai Nishama (1)
  • Brachot Hatorah (3)
  • Baruch SheAmer (1)
  • Yishtabach (1)
  • Tzitzit or Talit (1)
  • Brachot Kriyat Shema of Shacharit (3)
    • 2 before Shema
    • 1 after Shema
  • Brachot Kriyat Shema of Maariv (4)
    • 2 before Shema
    • 2 after Shema
  • Shemonah Esrei (28)
    • Maariv (7)
    • Shacharit (7)
    • Mussaf(7)
    • Mincha (7)
  • 3 Meals with Benching on wine (24) each one including
  • Kiddish (3)
    • at night, HaMekadesh HaShabbat and HaGafen (2)
    • during the day, HaGafen (1)
  1. On Yom Kippur even though one can't make a hundred brachot by himself, it's preferable to have in mind to listen to the brachot made during the chazara of the shaliach tzibbur. Some suggest that there's no obligation to get to a hundred brachot on Yom Kippur. [14]

Making an unnessecary bracha

  1. It is forbidden to make an unnessecary bracha in order to get to a hundred brachot. [15]

Is intent (Kavanah) required?

  1. Some hold that no specific intent is required when saying brachot that one intends to fulfill the mitzvah of making a hundred brachot. However, one must make sure to make the bracha with the proper Kavana of the words or at least intent that one is speaking before Hashem in order that one fulfill the mitzvah of a hundred brachot. [16]

References

  1. ↑ See Sh"t Atret Paz 1:1 at length. The Chida (Machzik Bracha 290:1) writes that going out of the way to complete a hundred Brachot daily is only a virtuous practice. However, the Petach Dvir 290:3, Sdei Chemed (Chet 34), and Sh"t Atret Paz 1:1 write that it’s a complete obligation. [Chazon Ovadyah (Shabbat vol 2 pg 339) writes that even the Chida may mean that it’s only virtuous to go out of the way to make the Bracha oneself but accumulating a hundred (including Brachot one listens to such as the Brachot of Torah reading) is an obligation. ] The Atizal in Shaar Ruach Hakodesh 4a says that there is a level in blessing in heaven that the only way to get to it is saying 100 berachot each day.
  2. ↑ Bamidbar Rabba Parasha 18
  3. ↑ See Sh"t Yosef Ometz 50 in name of Sefer Charedim
  4. ↑ Magan Avraham 46:8, Mishna Brurah 46:14
  5. ↑ Sh"t Atret Paz 1:1 writes that it seems from most rishonim that we count from the day to the night, however he writes that it seems from Bet Yosef and Mishna Brurah that we count from the night to the day based on the fact that they begin their count of the brachot from HaMapil. Additionally, Sh"t Betzel Chachmah proved from the poskim's counting of the brachot on Shabbat that we count from the nighttime.
  6. ↑ Sh"t Ateret Paz 1:1 and Sh"t Shevet HaLevi
  7. ↑ Halichot Olam 1:Parashat Vayeshev:9, Halacha Berura 46:8
  8. ↑ The Magan Avraham 46:8 writes that one should only rely on accumulating a hundred Brachot using Brachot that one heard from the Brachot on Torah reading if one is unable to make the Brachot oneself by eating snacks. So rules the S”A HaRav 46, and Mishna Brurah 46:14. See Sh"t Yabea Omer 8:23:24.
  9. ↑ Sefer Keysad Mezamnin 1:22
  10. ↑ Taz 46
  11. ↑ If one extends the third meal of Shabbat past the time of sunset, Chazon Ovadyah (Shabbat vol 2 pg 337) and Sh”t Shevet HaLevi 5:23 hold that the brachot one makes during the meal and the Birkat HaMazon count towards the hundred brachot of Shabbat. However, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach(Sh”t Minchat Shlomo 2:4:27, Halichot Shlomo (tefillah 22:23)) writes that it doesn't count towards the hundred brachot of Shabbat.
  12. ↑ S"A 290:1
  13. ↑ Mishna Brurah 46:14
  14. ↑ Rav Chizkiyah Dachvash (author of Shtilei Zaytim) in HaMeor Vol. 61 No. 4 Sivan 5768 pg 29 suggest from the language of the Rambam that there's no obligation on Yom Kippur. However, Mishna Brurah 46:14 (quoted by Sh"t Tzitz Eliezer 19:11:3:9) writes that on Yom Kippur one should have intent to fulfill this mitzvah from the brachot on the Torah reading and repetition of Shemonah Esrei.
  15. ↑ Magan Avraham 46
  16. ↑ Rabbi Dovid Aharon Brizman (Av Bet Din Philadelphia) in Vol. 59 No. 1 Tishrei 5766 pg 4-5 writes that since the entire mitzvah of making a hundred brachot is meant to inspire Yirat Hashem one doesn't need specific intent to fulfill the mitzvah and making the brachot with Kavanah is sufficient. However, he does quote the Yaavetz and Seder HaYom who hold that a bracha without intent doesn't count for this mitzvah. Nonetheless, he suggests that perhaps intent that one is speaking before Hashem suffices (like the Grach in Hilchot Tefillah).
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