By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

For the refuah shleimah of Boruch Zev ben Bracha

During the period of the Three Weeks, it might be appropriate to go back to basics. Reciting brachos properly and with the correct intent are certainly “the basics.” Yet, it is amazing what these “basics” can accomplish. Some of us learned these fundamentals in school or Yeshiva. Others did not get the opportunity. Either way, it is worthwhile to review these halachos and ideas.

WHY WE MAKE BRACHOS

There are five essential reasons why we recite brachos:
• To thank Hashem for the particular item or opportunity. Benefitting from something without thanking Hashem for it is akin to stealing according to the Gemorah.
• To change ourselves to become someone who has hakaras hatov – to recognize what has been given us.
• To bring Hashem into our lives on a regular basis.
• To connect to Hashem – and allow for Dveikus to Him.
• Our sages enacted that we make these blessings and it is a Torah Mitzvah to follow what the sages have taught and enacted.

WHEN WE MAKE BRACHOS

• Before and after we eat or drink
• Before other types of benefits, such as smelling a good spice
• Before we perform a Mitzvah
• On certain special occasions and times (such as Yomim Tovim).

WHAT BRACHOS ARE RECITED UPON

• Brachos HaNehenin – blessings recited before benefiting such as on a slice of pizza
• Birkas HaMitzvos – blessings recited before performing a Mitzvah such as lulav, Shabbos candles, Talis, and Tefillin
• Brachos HaShevach – Blessings that are praises to Hashem such as on thunder or bentching Gomel after a flight to Eretz Yisroel

THE ELEMENTS OF A BRACHA

• Shaim – The Name of Hashem – most have two, but even if one just said one Name – it is sufficient
• Malchus – mentioning that He is King or Master of the world. The word melech is not enough. Malchus must have melech haOlam.
• The “signon” of the bracha such as the word “Boruch” and in some blessings – the words “asher kid’shanu b’mitzvosav – who has sanctified us with His Mitzvos.”
• The subject matter of the bracha – such as Hamotzi lechem min haAretz
The requirements of Shaim uMalchus are discussed in the Gemorah Brachos (40b). If one left out the word “Attah” it is still a valid bracha. However, if one left out the words, “asher kid’shanu b’mitzvosav” in those brachos that have them – then one must repeat the bracha (Ruling of Rav Shteinman cited in Shalmei Todah p. 251). There is a concept of sharing some of the elements of the bracha too. If a bracha is next to another one, it can share the first three elements.

THE TWO TYPES OF BRACHOS

• Short brachos. When reciting a short bracha one may not interrupt to respond to an amain or boruch hu uVaruch sh’mo.
• Long brachos – They are found in bentching and in Shmoneh Esreh. Only long brachos can share the first three lements.

WHAT TO BE CAREFUL WITH REGARDING BRACHOS

• One should muster as much kavana – intent as possible. The more intent one has, the greater connection to Hashem one develops and the greater the effects the bracha has upon the individual.
• One should not be doing something else simultaneously
• One should try to recite it aloud to must up more kavana
• One’s mouth should be empty when reciting a blessing – so that it could be filled with praise to Hashem.

IMPROPER BRACHOS

• When a bracha is recited for no purpose it is called a bracha levatala.
• When a bracha is recited in a manner that it would have been covered by another bracha anyway, this is called a bracha she’aina tzricha.

REPAIRING A BRACHA LEVATALAH

• If one has finishes the bracha levatala one says “Boruch Shaim Kvod Malchuso l’olam vo’ed.” (See Panim M’eiros Vol. III #9 that it actually repairs the bracha levatala.)
• If one just said, Boruch Attah Hashem, then just say the pasuk in Tehillim (119:12) “Boruch atta Hashem lamdeini chukecha.” (SA 206:6)
• If one said the first three syllables of Hashem’s Name “El-o-kai” then one says “Elokai yisroel min ha’olam v’ad ha’olam” (see Chayei Odom 8:1). One should still, however, say, the words, “Boruch shaim kvod” because this verse is still in the middle of a posuk and one did not say the words in the pasuk that preceded it.

IDEAL METHOD OF RECITING BRACHOS

• Ideally, a bracha should be recited aloud since it awakens one’s intent (MB 185:3).
• Ideally, when the bracha is recited one’s mouth should be empty, as the pasuk in Tehillim (78:8) states, “My mouth should be filled with your praise.” (MB 172:7)
• If one needs to yawn, one should wait until after the yawn to recite the bracha.

DOUBTS IN BRACHOS

• If a person is unsure whether he or she recited the bracha then one does not recite it again. This is because of the principle of Safaik Brachos l’hakail – when there is a doubt in blessings we are lenient. The principle does not necessarily apply to
o Benching – when satiated
o Al HaMichya – when satiated
o Birchas HaTorah

AMAIN AND BORUCH HU UVARUCH SHMO

• When hearing someone else say Hashem’s Name in a bracha, and the bracha is not being recited for you to be yotzeh – recite Boruch hu uvaruch sh’mo (SA 124:5).
• After the other person has recited the bracha one must always answer Amain. Amain means “It is true.” At times, it could mean, “may it be true soon” – such as in Kaddish or in some of the blessings of Shmoneh Esreh.
• One does not recite Amain to one’s own blessing.
• The Talmud tells us (Shabbos 119b) that “whomsoever recites amain with all his concentration – the gates of heaven are opened to him.”

DEFECTIVE AMAINS

• One should know what blessing that one is answering amain to. This is called an amain yesoma – an orphaned amain.
• One should answer with an amain immediately – that is within toch k’dai dibbur (3 seconds). This is called an amain yesoma – an orphaned amain.
• One must pronounce the amain properly – the first syllable should be noticeable and not be “main.” It should also not be pronounced with a shva under the first syllable. One should also not say Amai.” This is called an Amain chatufa – a stolen or snatched amain.
• One should also not say the amain prematurely – before the person reciting the bracha had finished his bracha. This too is called a stolen or snatched amain.

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