Bracha For Seeing Natural Wonders: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Lightning.JPG|right|200px]] | [[Image:Lightning.JPG|right|200px]] | ||
==Lightning and Thunder== | ==Lightning and Thunder== | ||
# For lightning and thunder, if they come at the same time or right after one another and one didn’t start to recite any Bracha, one should only recite [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]] and it will cover both the lightning and thunder. If, however, there is a break between the lightning and the thunder such that one already began to say [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]] on the lightning, then one should say finish [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]] on the lighting and recite SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam on the thunder. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 227:5, Vezot HaBracha (pg 153) in name of Rav Elyashiv </ref> | # For lightning and thunder, if they come at the same time or right after one another and one didn’t start to recite any Bracha, one should only recite [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]] and it will cover both the lightning and thunder. If, however, there is a break between the lightning and the thunder such that one already began to say [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]] on the lightning, then one should say finish [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]] on the lighting and recite SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam on the thunder.<Ref>Mishna Brurah 227:5, Vezot HaBracha (pg 153) in name of Rav Elyashiv </ref> | ||
# If one didn’t see the lighting and only heard thunder one should recite SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam and then if later one sees lightning one should recite [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]]. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 227:5 </ref> | # If one didn’t see the lighting and only heard thunder one should recite SheCocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam and then if later one sees lightning one should recite [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]].<Ref>Mishna Brurah 227:5 </ref> | ||
# If the storm cleared up completely and there were no clouds and then another storm came, one can recite another Bracha for the lightning and thunder of the next storm, however within one storm one only recites one Bracha unless the storm continues to the next day. <Ref> | # If the storm cleared up completely and there were no clouds and then another storm came, one can recite another Bracha for the lightning and thunder of the next storm, however within one storm one only recites one Bracha unless the storm continues to the next day.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 227:2 writes that one shouldn’t recite 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. This is also the opinion of 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 recite a new Bracha in the morning unless one slept and the night has passed. </ref> | ||
# The Bracha on lightning and thunder must be said within [[Toch Kedi Dibbur]] (short period of time). <Ref> Mishna Brurah 227:12 </ref> | # The Bracha on lightning and thunder must be said within [[Toch Kedi Dibbur]] (short period of time). <Ref> Mishna Brurah 227:12 </ref> | ||
# One may recite the Bracha even if one only saw the light from the lightning and didn’t see the bolt. <Ref> Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichot Shlomo page 287, Sh"t Minchat Shlomo 2:4:34) writes that one may recite the bracha on lightning even if one only saw the flash from the lightning and not the bolt because one really feels Hashem's greatness and the greatness of His creations even without seeing the bolt. This is quoted in Vezot HaBracha (pg 156). Rav Yacov Kamenetsky in Emes Liyaakov (Siman 227 in the footnote), [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=880&st=&pgnum=47 Sh"t Az Nidberu 6:23], Chazon Ovadia ([[Berachot]] page 466), and Sh”t Tzitz Eliezer 12:21 agree.</ref> | # One may recite the Bracha even if one only saw the light from the lightning and didn’t see the bolt. <Ref> Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichot Shlomo page 287, Sh"t Minchat Shlomo 2:4:34) writes that one may recite the bracha on lightning even if one only saw the flash from the lightning and not the bolt because one really feels Hashem's greatness and the greatness of His creations even without seeing the bolt. This is quoted in Vezot HaBracha (pg 156). Rav Yacov Kamenetsky in Emes Liyaakov (Siman 227 in the footnote), [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=880&st=&pgnum=47 Sh"t Az Nidberu 6:23], Chazon Ovadia ([[Berachot]] page 466), and Sh”t Tzitz Eliezer 12:21 agree.</ref> | ||
# 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 recite the Bracha. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 227:11, Vezot HaBracha (pg 154), see there for the case of where one needs to go to the bathroom. </ref> | # 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 recite the Bracha. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 227:11, Vezot HaBracha (pg 154), see there for the case of where one needs to go to the bathroom. </ref> | ||
# Even one who is in the middle of learning | # Even one who is in the middle of learning or even giving a shiur should stop to recite this bracha.<ref> Sh"t Beer Moshe 2:10, A Guide to Practical Halacha (Rabbi Dovid Katz, v. 2 p. 234) quoting Rav Moshe Feinstein. [https://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/763371/rabbi-shay-schachter/chazzan-for-selichos-and-for-the-rest-of-the-day/ Rav Shay Schachter (shiur, min 0-1)] quoted his father, Rav Hershel Schachter as saying that even to interrupt a shiur one should stop to recite a bracha. </ref> | ||
# Text of the Bracha on lightning: ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם עושה מעשה בראשית - Baruch Atta Adonay Eloheinu Melech HaOlam [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 227:1</ref> | # Text of the Bracha on lightning: ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם עושה מעשה בראשית - Baruch Atta Adonay Eloheinu Melech HaOlam [[Oseh Maaseh Beresheet]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 227:1</ref> | ||
# Text of the Bracha on thunder: ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם שכחו וגבורתו מלא עולם - Baruch Atta Adonay Eloheinu Melech HaOlam SheKocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam.<ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 227:1</ref> | # Text of the Bracha on thunder: ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם שכחו וגבורתו מלא עולם - Baruch Atta Adonay Eloheinu Melech HaOlam SheKocho UGevurato Maaleh Olam.<ref>Shulchan Aruch O.C. 227:1</ref> | ||
