We are continuing in siman 3, which covers situations where one stops and restarts their travel. We learned that if one stops overnight, they recite tefillas haderech again the next morning, but can recite it immediately, such as after birchos hashachar (see shiur 1232).
If one travels throughout the night into the next day without having stopped, it is a machlokes whether one requires a new tefillas haderech. Therefore, on the first day of their journey, one recites tefillas haderech with a bracha, and on subsequent days, one recites it without a bracha.
On those subsequent days, one could recite tefillas haderech with a bracha by reciting it in shmoneh esrei. Since tefillas haderech ends with the bracha of shomeiah tefillah, one can include it in the bracha of shema koleinu, by inserting tefillas haderech right before the words ki atah shomeiah tefillas amecha yisroel etc. Generally, one is unable to employ this option because the point in time at which they are davening shmoneh esrei is before they have begun their trip. However, on subsequent days of a trip, since one is already considered in transit, they are able to recite tefillas haderech at any point (as mentioned above and in shiur 1232), so they can employ this suggestion.
We have learned (shiur 1235) that one should attempt to recite tefillas haderech as soon as possible, and specifically within the first parsah of their journey (assuming they are already past the city limits).
Regarding air travel, we have learned (shiur 1236) that even within the first parsah outside of the city, if the first parsah is dangerous, one recites tefillas haderech immediately. Although the danger discussed in the poskim is danger due to animals and bandits, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ztl extends this halacha to car and air travel, and allows one to recite tefillas haderech immediately. Therefore, regarding a plane the poskim write that one should recite tefillas haderech at the moment that the plane lifts off the ground. There is no concept of a shiur parsah upwards, so once the plane is 10 tefachim (40 inches) off the ground, it is considered in a different area, and one may make the bracha. Given that the wheels of a plane retract immediately when a plane becomes airborne, a plane becomes 10 tefachim off the ground immediately, so one should ideally recite tefillas haderech at that point.
Summary
- If one is on a multi-day trip and stops overnight in a city, they recite a new tefillas haderech every morning. They should recite it at the end of birchos hashachar, after hagomel chasadim tovim.
- If one travels throughout the night into the next day without having stopped, one recites tefillas haderech on the subsequent days of the trip without a bracha.
- Alternatively, they may recite tefillas haderech with a bracha by inserting it in shema koleinu, and using the bracha at the end of shema koleinu for both.
- Regarding air travel, the most ideal time to recite tefillas haderech is the moment the airplane becomes airborne.
