Birchos Hodaah

 We have finished siman 12, regarding the bracha of dayan haemes. Today, we will clarify the most appropriate time to make the bracha. The most appropriate time to recite the bracha is at the moment that one receives the news. If one is present at the time of death, the bracha should be made at

 We are beginning siman 12. When a person receives bad news, they recite the bracha of dayan haemes. The Mishnah Berurah adds the person delivering the news must be trustworthy and certain of the news, and, in the Shaar Hatziyun, suggests that the person may need to be muchzak b’kashrus (established and verified as halachically

 We have finished siman 11, which discussed the bracha made upon seeing kevarim of Jewish people. Today, we will discuss the halachos of washing one’s hands after interfacing with a niftar or cemetery.   One who walks between, touches, or accompanies a meis must wash their hands to remove the ruach raah from their hands. The

 We have finished siman 11, which discussed the bracha made upon seeing kevarim of Jewish people. Today, we will discuss the idea of visiting kevarim, and some of the minhagim associated with it. The idea of visiting kevarim is already discussed in chumash. In parshas Shelach, Calev goes to Me’aras Hamachpela to daven by the

 We are continuing in siman 10 with the bracha of asher yotzar eschem badin. We left off with a question regarding whether one should make the bracha on a second cemetery within 30 days of having already made the bracha on a different cemetery. Similarly, this question is relevant to the same cemetery in which

 We are beginning siman 8. The Chayei Adam writes that if one sees a talmid chacham, they recite the bracha of shecholak mi’chochmaso lireiav. Klal Yisroel are yirei hashem, and Hashem shares His chochma with us. This bracha is specifically recited on one who is a chacham in torah. If one sees a person who

 We are continuing in siman 7. In the previous shiur, we learned that the proper time to recite the bracha on thunder or lightning is toch kdei dibbur of the occurrence, and if the thunder and lightning occur toch kdei dibbur of each other, one bracha covers them both. The Mishnah Berurah adds that bedieved,

 We are beginning siman 7. The Chayei Adam discusses items which receive the bracha of oseh maaseh beraishis. Previously, we learned about items which received this bracha due to the item having remained in the same place since maaseh bereishis, therefore reminding us of the original creation (see shiur 1214). The items discussed in this

 We have finished siman 6 and there is a point we need to discuss. We mentioned yesterday that there is a bracha made on melech hamoshiach. In truth, there are a few brachos which will need to be made.  The first is the bracha made on a Jewish king, shecholak mi’kevodo lireiav. Additionally, we will

 We are beginning siman 6. If one sees a non-Jewish king, they recite the bracha of she’cholak chochmaso le’basar vadam. There is a separate bracha for a Jewish king (she’cholak chochmaso lireiav), and for melech hamoshiach. The bracha is only made on an absolute monarch, who has the power of life and death.  The Chayei

 We are beginning siman 5.The Chayei Adam discusses birchas hachama.  If one sees the sun at the restart of its cycle, which takes place at the beginning of tekufas Nissan, and occurs once every 28 years at the beginning of the 4th day of the week, they recite the bracha of oseh maaseh bereishis.  The

 We are beginning siman 4. The Chayei Adam writes that when one sees a rainbow, they recite the bracha of zocher habris ve’ne’eman bivriso vekayam bema’amaro.  The Shulchan Aruch writes that one only makes the bracha on a rainbow which appears after rain in the clouds. If one sees a rainbow in a waterfall or

 We are continuing in siman 3. We learned yesterday that the correct bracha on a sea is oseh maaseh bereishs. The Mishnah brings the opinion of Rav Yehuda that the correct bracha on the yam hagadol is she’asah es hayam hagadol. Many meforshim understand that Rav Yehuda is not coming to argue on the first

 We are beginning siman 3. On oceans and mountains which are renowned for their height, one makes the bracha of oseh maaseh bereishis. Examples of such mountains include the Rocky Mountains,the Alps, and the Himalayas.   The Mishnah which teaches us about this bracha also lists rivers as an example of a natural wonder upon which

 We are beginning Klal 63, which discusses various birchos hashevach. Birchos hashevach are defined as brachos made on scenarios which arouse appreciation of the chesed of hashem, or the power of hashem, in the world.  The Chayei Adam begins with the bracha of shekacha lo b’olamo. This bracha is made on extraordinary natural phenomenon or