We have finished simanim 4 and 5, which discuss the bracha of sheasah li neis. Today, we will summarize all the situations in which a person would and would not recite this bracha, based on the summary of Sefer Piskei Teshuvos.
The first point that must be made clear is that in all scenarios where one will recite the bracha, there must be a neis at some point.
First scenario: if the hatzalah (salvation) was clearly miraculous, even if one was not in definite danger, one recites sheasah li neis over the miraculous hatzalah. Thus, a person would recite hagomel immediately following the hatzalah, and sheasah li neis the next time they encounter the location.
Second scenario: if the danger was certain,(I.e., based on derech hateva, people do not survive such an event) even if the hatzalah was not particularly miraculous, one recites sheasah li neis due to the danger. They say hagomel immediately following the hatzalah, and sheasah li neis the next time they see the location.
Third scenario: if a person was in a situation which was dangerous, but was not outside of the normal gidrei hateva (normal bounds of nature) for them to be saved, they would recite hagomel but not sheasah li neis. (If the hatzalah came about in a miraculous way, it would fall under scenario one.)
Fourth scenario: if there was a clear danger, but a person was able to avoid it completely through completely natural means, they do not recite hagomel nor sheasah li neis. If there was an element of unique hashgacha pratis to their ability to avoid the situation, they would recite hagomel, and sheasah li neis without Hashem’s name.
Fifth scenario: if one is in a situation which is currently not dangerous, but could become dangerous, if the hatzalah came about naturally, they do not recite any brachos.
If the hatzalah came about with unique hashgacha pratis, they recite hagomel and sheasah li neis without Hashem’s name.
If the hatzalah came about miraculously, they recite sheasah li neis with Hashem’s name.
Sixth and seventh scenarios: If one avoided a situation which turned out to have been a sakanah, or was in a situation which could have turned into a sakanah but remained safe, they do not recite either bracha.
Eighth scenario: if one planned to go into a situation or location which was dangerous but they were unaware of the danger, and they are informed of the danger through hashgacha pratis (e.g., they find out from an unexpected source), they would recite hagomel, and sheasah li neis without Hashem’s name.
If one is ill and recovers, they recite hagomel but not sheasah li neis. In order to recite sheasah li neis, there must be an event and physical location of a neis outside of a person.
If the original location of the neis has changed to the point that one can no longer see the original makom in which the neis took place (e.g., the road was replaced with a skyscraper), one recites sheasah li neis without Hashem’s name.
Summary
| Scenario (s.=scenario number) | Hagomel | Sheasah Li Neis |
| No certain danger but hatzalah was a neis (s. 1) | Yes | Yes |
| Certain danger but no miraculous hatzalah (s. 2) | Yes | Yes |
| Surviving the danger was not out of gidrei teva; no miraculous hatzalah (s. 3) | Yes | No |
| Surviving the danger was not out of gidrei teva; miraculous hatzalah (s. 3) | Yes | Yes |
| Certain danger which is avoided completely in a natural way (s. 4) | No | No |
| Certain danger which is avoided through hashgacha pratis (s. 4, 8) | Yes | Without Hashem’s name |
| No current danger but potential future danger; natural hatzalah (s. 5) | No | No |
| No current danger but potential future danger; hatzalah through hashgacha pratis (s. 5) | Yes | Without Hashem’s name |
| No current danger but potential future danger; hatzalah through neis (s. 5) | Yes | Yes |
| Situation avoided; turned out to be sakanah (s. 6) | No | No |
| Current situation could become sakanah but remains safe (s. 7) | No | No |
| Situation of definite danger was avoided through hashgacha pratis (s. 8) | Yes | Without Hashem’s name |
| Recovery from illness | Yes | No |
| Original makom no longer exists as it did at time of neis | n/a | Without Hashem’s name |
