Siman 218

Even though our existence and our survival is always through a miracle, as we say in the prayer of Modim: "And for Your miracles that are with us every day, and for Your wonders and Your goodnesses that are at all times, etc.," nevertheless, all these are hidden miracles and are enmeshed in nature. However, one who sees places where miracles were performed for our ancestors openly, such as during the exodus from Egypt and the like—we are obligated to bless with the Name and Sovereignty: "Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, Who performed miracles for our ancestors in this place." And so the sages taught in the Mishnah of "HaRo'eh" at the beginning of the ninth chapter of Berakhot: that the miracles of our ancestors affect us as well in every generation, just as we bless regarding the days on which miracles were performed for our ancestors, such as Hanukkah and Purim, "Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time," so too we bless regarding the places where miracles were performed for our ancestors. And these blessings are with the Name and Sovereignty as is explained in the Yerushalmi, and in the Gemara we learn it from that which Yitro said: "Blessed be Hashem, Who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians" (and the Tur brought in the name of the Ra'avad that these blessings are not with the Name and Sovereignty, and all our teachers disagree with him, see there).

And these are the places: such as the crossings of the sea, the place where Israel crossed the sea; and the crossings of the Jordan, the place where Israel crossed the Jordan; and the crossings of the streams of Arnon, which are the valleys where the Amorites hid themselves to kill Israel, but the holy ark that went before them leveled the ground and the mountains cleaved to one another and they were all killed and their blood flowed out, and Israel saw this great miracle and sang a song, and this is what is written: "And the pouring of the streams... then Israel sang etc."; and the hailstones that fell from heaven upon the Canaanites as is written in Joshua: "And it was as they fled from Beit Horon, and the Lord cast down great stones upon them"; and the stone that Og sought to throw at Israel; and the stone upon which Moshe sat during the war with Amalek; and the wall of Jericho that fell in its place, meaning the location of the wall; over all of them one recites the blessing with the Name and Sovereignty: "Blessed... who performed miracles for our ancestors in this place," and likewise all the blessings of seeing that will be explained are with the Name and Sovereignty.

And behold, regarding the miracles that have been explained, there are some among them where one sees the miracle itself as it was, such as the hail stones and the stones of Moshe and of Og. However, regarding the crossings of the sea and the Jordan, are not the sea and the Jordan now full? Rather, it is that in this specific place the sea and the Jordan were split. And if so, the same law should apply to the surroundings of Jerusalem; when one sees the place where the army of Sennacherib fell, one should also be required to bless, yet our teachers did not write so. And it is true that they wrote this regarding the hail stones (Tosafot 54b, s.v. 'avnei'), and certainly it is not similar to that, but regarding the sea and the Jordan, why is it not similar? And from the words of the Mordechai there, it implies that the places where Israel crossed the sea and the Jordan are better known than the place where the army of Sennacherib fell, see there, and I do not know how to reconcile these matters, for they themselves wrote that the place is known around Jerusalem, and it requires further study (also the words of the Magen Avraham, subsection 1, require further study).

For a miracle that did not happen to all of Israel or to the majority of Israel, but rather to a portion of Israel, even if it happened to several tribes, nevertheless, since they are not the majority of Israel—one does not recite the blessing over it. And even though regarding the ruling of a beit din we hold that one tribe is called a "congregation," as the Rambam wrote in chapter 12 (halacha 1) of Shegagot, nevertheless, it is not so for all matters, for regarding the Pesach offering brought in impurity they are not considered a majority. However, regarding a ruling it is different, as it is written "congregation," and one tribe is called a "congregation" but not a "public" (Magen Avraham, subsection 3). Furthermore, regarding a ruling, since every tribe had a Sanhedrin, the tribe is considered as a public regarding an erroneous ruling, but not in other matters.

These blessings are like many of the blessings of sight whose obligation is from thirty days to thirty days, and this means excluding the two days of the sightings. And if he saw them again within this time—he does not need to bless, for every thirty is like a new thing, and therefore it is called "chodesh," which is an expression of "chadash" (new), as the moon is renewed in it and Israel are likened to the moon. And even if it is not exactly thirty, nevertheless this is the middle path, for we do not calculate hours for a month. And therefore also regarding pidyon haben and mourning and a nefel, the calculation is based on thirty, and so too regarding the blessings of sight, for after thirty it is an obligation to bless just as in the first time.

One who sees a place where a miracle was performed for an individual or for many individuals does not recite a blessing, but the individual for whom the miracle was performed recites a blessing with the Name and Sovereignty: "Blessed... Who performed a miracle for me in this place." And even if the miracle is not evident from the place (Magen Avraham, subsection 1), for he does not recite the blessing over the place but rather over the miracle itself. And so too all his offspring, sons and daughters, recite the blessing: "Blessed... Who performed a miracle for my father or for our father in this place," and even his offspring who were born prior to his miracle recite the blessing (Magen Avraham, subsection 6). And if he also has to recite Birkat HaGomel, it will be explained at the end of siman 219, see there.

And know that that which we wrote, that his descendants are obligated to recite the blessing, so wrote our teacher, the Beit Yosef, with this wording in section 4, see there. However, it requires clarification, for behold, in the Gemara it is not found at all regarding his descendants at the beginning of the chapter "HaRo'eh," see there; rather, the Rif wrote there that he and his son and his grandson are obligated to recite the blessing, and so wrote the Rambam in chapter 10, law 9, that he and his son and his grandson are obligated to recite the blessing, and so wrote the Tur in the name of Rav Hai Gaon, see there, and our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in his great book ruled accordingly, see there, and according to this, our teacher, the Beit Yosef, should not have written in the Shulchan Aruch "his descendants." Rather, the Tur brought "some say" that it is not specifically his grandson, but rather the same law applies to all his descendants, meaning until the end of all generations, see there, and this is his intention in the Shulchan Aruch. But it requires investigation, for behold, a doubt regarding blessings is ruled leniently, and furthermore, if so, regarding that which they ruled that for a miracle of a tribe all of Israel are exempt from the blessing, they should have clarified that the members of that tribe are obligated. Therefore, for the practical law, it appears in my humble opinion that only his son and his grandson are obligated to recite the blessing with the Name and Sovereignty, and not the other generations. And the reason appears to me because it is stated in the Midrash that until the fourth generation the mercy of the father is upon the son. And even though it implies that the fourth generation is also included, nevertheless, regarding this matter where the reason is due to the honor of his father—for for this reason his previous offspring are also obligated in the blessing—and honor at most is only for a grandson, as our teacher, the Rema, wrote in Yoreh Deah siman 240, see there (so it appears in my humble opinion).

One for whom many miracles were performed, upon reaching one of the places where a miracle was performed for him, must also mention the other places, and shall include them all in one blessing. That is to say, he should say: "Who performed a miracle for me in this place, and in such-and-such a place, and in such-and-such a place." And he should not mention the details of the miracle, but rather the places where the miracles were performed for him (Taz, subsection 1), and he prioritizes the miracle of this place (Gemara).

Regarding a miracle of his teacher, one must recite a blessing just as he recites a blessing over a miracle of his father, and this is due to the honor of his teacher; and it is obvious that this applies specifically to him and not to his offspring. He should say: "Blessed... Who performed a miracle for my teacher in this place," and specifically for his primary teacher. And some say that if one sees the person for whom the miracle was performed, he recites a blessing over him just as he recites a blessing over the place where the miracle was performed for him. That is to say, if he was obligated to recite a blessing over the place, such as for his son or his student, he recites a blessing over him as well, for the person is no less significant than the place. And the proof is from Yitro, who saw Moshe and Israel and recited a blessing (Levush).

Regarding a miracle of a specific individual, such as Yoav ben Tzeruyah and his companions, and similarly regarding a miracle of an individual through whom the Name of Heaven was sanctified, such as Daniel and his companions, therefore one who sees the lions' den into which Daniel was cast, or the fiery furnace into which Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were cast, recites the blessing: "Blessed is He who performed a miracle for the righteous in this place." And there are those who hesitate regarding this blessing for a specific individual even if the Name of Heaven was sanctified through him (Magen Avraham, subsection 9), and there are those who uphold this (see Eliyah Rabbah and Machatzit HaShekel), and nowadays such places certainly cannot be found.

One who sees the wife of Lot recites two blessings: over her he says: "Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, the true Judge," and over Lot he says: "Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the universe, Who remembers the righteous," and this refers to Abraham our forefather, in whose merit Lot was saved (Rashi); so it is in the Gemara. And it appears that the blessing over Lot is only incidental, for since he recites a blessing over his wife, therefore he naturally mentions Lot as well, but without this, a blessing over this would not be appropriate; and so it is implied in the Levush, see there.

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 9: "Some say that one only recites a blessing over a miracle for a miracle that departs from the custom of the world, but a miracle that is the custom of the world and its nature, such as if thieves came at night and he came into danger and was saved and the like—he is not obligated to recite a blessing. And there is one who disagrees, and it is good to recite the blessing without mentioning the Name and Sovereignty." Thus far his words. And they wrote regarding this that there is no one who disagrees on this; how could it enter the mind to call something a miracle that is according to the way of nature (Magen Avraham, subsection 12). And although his words can be defended, nevertheless regarding the halacha there is no practical difference, and we only recite a blessing over a miracle that departs from the natural order, and over a natural one we recite the blessing of 'HaGomel' as will be explained in the next siman.