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. 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 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 [2]

Practically how to get to 100

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

  • Hamapil (1)
  • Shacharit (47)
    • Birchat Hashachar (15)
    • Tefilin (2)
    • Tzitzit (1)
    • Asher Yatzar (1)
    • Al Netilat Yadim (1)
    • Elokay Netzor (1)
    • Birchot HaTorah (2)
    • Baruch She'amar (1)
    • Yishtabach (1)
    • Birchot Shema (3)
    • Shemona Esrei (19)
  • Mincha (19)
    • Shemona Esreh (19)
  • Mariv (23)
    • Berachot before Shema (2)
    • Berachot after Shema (2)
    • Shemona Ersrei (19)
  • Hamotzi meal (6)
    • Al netilat yadim (1)
    • Hamotzi (1)
    • Birkat hamazon (4)
  • 5 of your choice
    • Shehakol
    • Mezonot
    • Ha'eytz
    • Ha'adama
    • Borei nefashot
    • Al hamichya
    • Asher yatzar
    • Oseh ma'aseh bereyshit

[3]

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. [4]

Who's obligated?

  1. Women aren't obligated in making a hundred brachot daily since it's a time-bound positive obligation. [5]

What counts as a bracha?

  1. Some say that answering Zimmun is considered one of a person’s hundred Brachot every day. [6]
  2. Some count the "Baruch Elokenu" in Ein KeElokenu as a bracha to make up to a hundred brachot. [7]
  3. 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. [8]

Getting to a hundred on Shabbat and Yom Tov

  1. Because we don't say a Shemona Esreh of 19 brachot but rather of 7, one should try to accumulate a hundred through having snacks. [9]
  2. 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. [10]

Making an unnessecary bracha

  1. It is forbidden to make an unnessecary bracha in order to get to a hundred brachot. [11]

References

  1. see Sh"t Atret Paz 1:1 at length. Sh:t Atret Paz and Chazon Ovadyah Shabbat vol 2 reject the Chida who writes that this law is only a virtuous practice and rather prove that it is considered an obligation.
  2. See Sh"t Yosef Ometz 50 in name of Sefer Charedim
  3. Mishna Brurah 46
  4. 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.
  5. Sh"t Ateret Paz 1:1 and Sh"t Shevet HaLevi
  6. Sefer Keysad Mezamnin 1:22
  7. Taz 46
  8. Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata writes that it doesn't count towards the hundred brachot, while Chazon Ovadyah Shabbat vol 2 writes that it does count.
  9. S"A 290:1
  10. Rav Chizkiyah Dachvash (author of Shtilei Zaytim) in HaMeor Vol. 61 No. 4 Sivan 5768 pg 29
  11. Magan Avraham 46