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Acknowledging a Miracle with a Berachah: Can It Be Done in the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem?

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Acknowledging a Miracle with a Berachah: Can It Be Done in the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem? 195 Acknowledging a Miracle with a Berachah: Can It Be Done in the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem? By: ARI Z. ZIVOTOFSKY Introduction A Jew should see the “hand of G-d” in the natural world. In order to assist in that goal, Chazal have formulated appropriate blessings to be recited upon such sightings as the ocean, a rainbow, mountains or an elephant.1 How much more so should G-d be recognized in His supernatural mani- festations! Thus, Chazal instituted blessings to be said at sites where a na- tional or personal miracle occurred.2,3 These are rare indeed and are 1 See Ari Z. Zivotofsky, “Praising God at the Zoo,” The Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society, LXII (Fall 2011):43–54 and Ari Zvi Zivotofsky, “Birkas Me- shaneh Habriyos b’Gan HaChayos,” Tchumin 32 (5772) 431–434. 2 The obligation for this berachah is derived from the berachah recited by Jethro (Exodus 18:10). See Maharsha and Pnei Yehoshua who discuss the fact that Jethro did not mention Shem u’Malchus. In general, the berachah is only recited at the site of the miracle and Jethro was neither in Egypt nor at the Red Sea when he recited the berachah. Meiri (Berachos 54) and Shittah Mekubetzes explain that it is also recited when one sees the masses who were saved (cf Rema 218 and Shaar HaTziyun 218:18) as was the case with Jethro. Iyun Yaakov suggests that because the Clouds of Glory flattened the mountains, Jethro was actually able to see Egypt. Maharsha suggests that the manna, miraculous well, and clouds of glory were a continuation of the Exodus miracles and it was upon seeing them that he recited the berachah on the entire process. Gilyonei Hashas (Shabbos 31b) says that because all the traveling was by direct command of G-d, it is all like one location. Imrei Emes (Likutim, p. 38) says that Moshe showed Jethro a continua- tion of the miracle, like photographs, and it was as if he saw the place and was thus able to recite the berachah. (This would indicate that seeing a picture of a place where a miracle occurred warrants a berachah and yet no one seems to sug- gest that in practice.) See Harchev Davar to Haamek Davar on Exodus 18:10 for the difference in the philosophy and scriptural sources for the berachos on natural good vs. on an open miracle. Ari Zivotofsky, a professor of neuroscience at Bar Ilan University, is a tour guide in Ir David and has a Master’s degree in Jewish history. He writes widely on Jewish traditions and communities. Many of his articles can be found at <http://halachicadventures.com>. Ḥ akirah 19 © 2015 196 : Hakirah,̣ the Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought mostly associated with the Biblical period, and the locations of most of the miracles of national salvation are no longer accurately known. An ex- ample of G-d personally intervening on the battlefield on behalf of the Jewish nation for which the location might be known was the destruction of Sancheriv’s Assyrian army in its attempt to capture Jerusalem during the reign of the righteous King Hezekiah in 701 BCE. In this article we will explore the nature of the berachah said at the site of a miracle, the applicability of that berachah to the miracle wrought in Hezekiah’s time, and whether the location is identifiable with enough certitude to permit or possibly even require that the berachah be recited. Berachah at the Site of a Miracle 3 The ninth chapter of Mishnah Berachos opens with: “A person who sees a place where a miracle was done for Israel says, ‘Baruch she’asah nissim l’avoseinu bamakom hazeh — Blessed are You Who did miracles for our an- cestors in this place.” The Gemara (Berachos 54a) specifies that this berachah is for a national miracle, whereas for a personal miracle the beneficiary (and his descendants and students) recite a modified version. The Mishnah does not detail which national miracles require the recitation of the berachah, so the Gemara (Berachos 54a) cites a braisa that lists some examples: “Our Rabbis taught: If one sees the place of the crossing of the Red Sea,4 or of the crossing of the Jordan River, or of the crossing of the streams of Arnon, or the stones of Elgavish in the descent of Beis Choron, or the stone which Og king of Bashan wanted to throw on the Israelites,5 or the stone on which Moshe sat when Joshua fought with Amalek, or Lot’s wife, or the wall of Jericho which sank into the ground, for all of these he should give thanksgiving and praise to the Omnipresent.” 3 The Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:50) suggests that the reason Joshua barred the rebuilding of Jericho was to preserve the sunken walls and offer people a chance to personally see the result of the miracle. Regarding Joshua’s ban, see: Ari Zi- votofsky, “Jericho in Halakha and Hashkafa,” Tradition 29:3, 21–39, Spring, 1995. 4 For this translation see “Legal-ease: What’s the Truth about … the Translation of Yam Suf?” Jewish Action, Spring 5770/2010 (Volume 70, no. 3), pp. 62–65. 5 The inclusion of these two seems to indicate that the Gemara accepts the Aggadeta about these events as literal accounts of historical events and not as some sort of parable, a very difficult position. Acknowledging a Miracle with a Berachah : 197 This seems like a relatively straightforward passage and the earlier codifiers6 simply quoted it without modification or comment. For exam- ple, the Rambam (Hilchos Berachos 10:9) ruled that: “A person who sees a place where miracles were performed for the Jewish people, such as the Red Sea or the crossings of the Jordan, should recite the blessing: ‘Blessed are You, G-d, our Lord, King of the universe, Who wrought miracles for our ancestors in this place.’ This blessing is recited wherever miracles were performed for many people. In contrast, in a place where a miracle was performed for an individual, that individual, his son, and his grandson should recite the blessing: ‘Blessed are You, G-d, our Lord, King of the universe, Who wrought a miracle for me in this place’ or ‘...Who wrought a miracle for my ancestors in this place.’ A person who sees the den of lions [into which Daniel was thrown] or the fiery furnace into which Chananiah, Misha’el, and Azariah were thrown should recite the blessing: ‘Blessed are You, G-d, our Lord, King of the universe, Who wrought mir- acles for the righteous in this place.” The Shulchan Aruch (OC 218:1) similarly rules directly from the Mish- nah and Gemara that upon seeing the location of a national miracle one recites the appropriate berachah, and presents a list of such locations. Pre- sumably to emphasize that the list is illustrative and not exhaustive, it is preceded by: “for example.” There is no indication of any hesitation or limitation, and it would seem to follow that any location at which a na- tional miracle occurred generates an obligation to recite the berachah. The Shulchan Aruch stresses that this berachah, as well as all birchos hare’iyah, are said with Shem and Malchus.7 Biur Halachah observes that as a birkas hare’iyah, it is recited only when one is at the location of the miracle and can see the site.8 After leaving the site one may not pronounce the berachah unless he returns after a 30-day interval. 6 Strangely, some of the later codifiers left out the entire category of a berachah on national miracles and only included the berachah on personal miracles. See e.g. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (Ganzfried) 60:8; Chayei Adam 65:4–5; Ben Ish Chai, Shana Alef, Ekev:11. 7 This was debated regarding all birchos re’iyah (see Beis Yosef OC 218). The Ram- bam, Tosafos, Ri, Rosh, Rashba, Rabenu Yonah all agree that they are “true berachos” that require Shem and Malchus. The Ra’avad (see Hasagot haRa’avad, Rif p. 44a) disagreed. The Meiri (Berachos 54) explains the Ra’avad’s position and Birkei Yosef (218:1) tries to find support for it. See Kaf HaChayim 218:5 and Yechaveh Da’as 2:27, first footnote. 8 See Shu”t B’Tzel HaChochmah 2:16 that it is sufficient to see the site clearly even if not standing at that location. And it can even be seen through a window or binoculars. 198 : Hakirah,̣ the Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought This berachah is not often recited nowadays. The precise location of most of the sites listed in the braisa are unknown. After all, where exactly are the crossing places of the streams of Arnon or the stones of Elgavish? We certainly have no idea what happened to the stone that Og wanted to throw or to the rock upon which Moshe sat. Some might argue that the berachah can be recited at Tel Yericho9 or on the banks of the Jordan just opposite Jericho. But these are not commonly visited locations. Are there other possible sites at which a miraculous national salvation occurred, as implied by the open lists of the Rambam and Shulchan Aruch?10 This raises the titillating question about reciting a berachah when looking out from Ir David at the Kidron Valley and the slopes of the Mount of Olives, 9 This site is well known and has been extensively excavated. See, e.g., Kathleen Kenyon, Excavations at Jericho, London: British School of Archaeology in Jerusa- lem, 1960–1983; Archaeological heritage in the Jericho Oasis: a systematic catalogue of archaeological sites for the sake of their protection and cultural valorization, edited by Lo- renzo Nigro, Maura Sala, Hamdan Taha, Rome, 2011; Margaret Wheeler, Walls of Jericho, London: Arrow Books, 1959; Bryant G.
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