The Laws of Birkat HaGomel

By Rav Mordechai Lebhar[1]

Nine or Ten?

As mentioned previously, Birkat HaGomel must be recited in the presence of a Minyan. There are differing opinions as to whether or not the person reciting it counts as part of the ten or if there need to be at least ten men in addition to the person reciting it. Practically speaking, the one reciting Birkat HaGomel may be considered part of the Minyan and recite it as long as there are at least nine other men.

At the Sefer Torah

The general custom is to recite Birkat HaGomel in the presence of a Sefer Torah. The Nimuke Yosef (Berachot 54) writes that since the verse in Tehillim alludes to reciting the blessing before Torah scholars, the Torah is a fitting substitute to them. According to this opinion, one would not need to receive an actual Aliya to recite Birkat HaGomel.

Ribbi Aharon HaLevi and other Rishonim state that another reason is that it is preferable to recite the blessing with an Aliya to the Torah is that just as one is performing a Mitzva by going up to the Torah, one should follow it up with another Mitzvah. It should be noted that, although it is preferable to receive an Aliya, or at least to recite the Beracha in the presence of the Sefer Torah, it is not an obligation. Indeed, the Bi’ur Halacha (§134) says that one is not permitted to take an Aliya from someone who has a Yahrtzeit or a Bar Mitzvah so that one could recite Birkat HaGomel.

What’s the Time Limit?

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 219:6) says that one may recite Birkat HaGomel at any time after one traveled, left the hospital etc., but that it is proper to recite it within three days of the event. Some opinions suggest that there is a possibility of reciting a blessing in vain if it is recited after three days, but the Halacha follows the Shulhan Aruch. This too was the ruling of Hacham Mordechai Eliyahu. One explanation is that Birkat HaGomel is analogous to the Korban Toda, which does not have a time limit.

Birkat HaGomel for Dangerous Situations

As we mentioned in our previous article, there are four situations which warrant reciting Birkat HaGomel: imprisonment, illness, traversing the sea and traversing the desert.

The Shulhan Aruch (ibid. 9) records a dispute regarding whether or not Birkat HaGomel is to be recited after dangerous situations, other than these four. In this context, a dangerous situation involves one where there was a real possibility of loss of life (ח”ו) or serious injury. For example, one who was hit by a car and survived the crash [being nearly hit by a car, is not considered by the Poskim as part of this discussion].

Ribbi David Abudraham (Hilchot Berachot, Sha’ar Shemini) says that Birkat HaGomel was instituted only for the four specific situations and therefore one would not recite the blessing after other miraculous events. On the other hand, the Riva”sh (Teshuva 337) says that the Gemara explains that the blessing is recited on those four situations because they are understood to be very dangerous, but that it is not an exhaustive list.

The Ben Ish Hai (Parashat Ekev) says that these four miracles could easily be mistakenly attributed to nature and thus they were included in the blessing to show that they were from Hashem, but not to the exclusion of other situations.

The Shulhan Aruch concludes that since it is a matter of dispute, one should recite Birkat HaGomel without Hashem’s Name. Rabbi Avraham Azoulay (grandfather of the Hid”a, in his gloss to the Levush, §219), the Hid”a (Mahazik Beracha and Haim Sha’al, vol. II, § 15), the Bet Oved (pg. 104, § 13) all concur. On the other hand, Ribbi Yehuda Ayash (Bet Yehuda, § 6) and Ribbi Shalom Messas (Shemesh U’Magen, vol. III, § 63) write that Birkat Hagomel with Hashem’s Name should be recited anytime one came out of a dangerous situation. It should be noted that, generally speaking, the Ashkenazic approach is to also recite Birkat Hagomel after surviving a dangerous situation. Nevertheless, it appears that the mainstream Sephardic custom is to follow the Shulhan Aruch’s opinion.

Footnotes:

[1] Adapted by Dr. Emile Amzallag