Thursday, April 2, 2009

The B'racha for "Bircas HaChammah"

There are various laws with respect to the recitation of "Bircas HaChammah" - "ברכת החמה". The blessing should be recited early in the day, if possible prior to the third halachic hour of the day - i.e. the latest time for the recitation of Shema (קריאת שמע).

Though there is a whole order - seder - סדר - of psalms and other sections from The Torah, which many recite for "Bircas HaChammah", in order to fulfill one's obligation, the person must recite the below blessing. The blessing may only be recited if the sun is visible. If - we hope hypothetically - the entire day is overcast, the blessing would not be able to be recited.

The Blessing for "Bircas HaChammah" (Blessing of the Sun) - ברכת החמה

ברוך אתה י-ה-ו-ה א-להינו מלך העולם, עושה מעשה בראשית:

Transliteration:

Baw'ruch atta A-doe-nawy Elo-hei-nu Me'lech ha'Oh'lawm, oh'seh ma'asei v'rei'shees:

You, HaShem our G-d, King of the universe, are The Source of Blessing, Who Performs the Actions of Creation:

For those who wish to recite the whole order of prayers for "Bircas HaChammah", you can search for one, find it in Rabbi David Bleich's "Bircas HaChammah", or, im Yirtzeh HaShem, I will be able to post and/or link to the Tefillos.

In the Artscroll book of "Bircas HaChammah", the order of the tefillos is as follows:


The following is a list of the tefillos included in the Artscroll
"Birchas HaChammah" by Rav David Bleich:

1. Beings with "ויהי נעם" - Tehillim: 90; 17

2. Section of "Pasach Eliyahu" from the "Tikkunei Zohar" (17a)

3. Section from The Torah - Bereishis: 1; 14 - 19

4. Yirmiyahu: 31; 34 - 39

5. Tehillim: 136; 1 - 9

6. A special "לשם יחוד" - varying opinions regarding whether it's
recommended to say it or not recommended. (See Artscroll "Birchas
HaChammah")

7. Tehillim: 84; 12

8. Tehillim: 72; 5

9. Tehillim: 75; 2

10. Malachi: 3; 20

11. Tehillim: 97; 6

12. Tehillim: 148; 1 - 6

13. The B'racha of "עושה מעשה בראשית"

14. The tefillah of "אנא בכח" (the tefillah that is also recited by
many before Shacharis and Mincha)

15. Tehillim - Chapter 67

16. Tehillim - Chapter 150 (recited by some congregations)

17. Tehillim - Chapter 8 (recited by some congregations)

18. Tehillim - Chapter 19

19. Tehillim - Chapter 121

20. Baraisa from maseches "B'rachos" (59b) the complete text in the
following section: "תנו רבנן: הרואה חמה...דתלת נגהי ארבע".

21. The section from "Perek Shirah" of the sun - beginning with "שמש
אומר" and quoting the sun's shirah - Chabakuk: 3; 11. Artscroll then
writes "ואומר" and includes the pasuk from Yeshayahu: 60; 1. I don't
think I've seen a "Perek Shirah" with the pasuk from Yeshayahu for the
sun, but maybe there's such a girsa, as it is included in Artscroll.
(I wonder if this pasuk is included in the Artscroll "Perek Shirah".)

22. The tefillah of "E-l Adon..."

23. The paragraph of "שמך ה א-להינו יתקדש... ועל מאורי אור שעשית,
יפארוך סלה"

24. Tehillim - Chapter 33 (recited by some congregations)

25. The entire עלינו tefillah.

26. Tehillim - Chapter 74 (recited by some congregations)

27. The paragraph of "אין כא-להינו" through "אתה הוא מושיענו" (recited
by some congregations)

28. The short tefillah of "רבי חנניא בן עקשיא אומר...יגדיל תורה
ויאדיר"

29. Kaddish D'Rabbanan

30. A special short "מודים" tefillah for Birchas HaChammah.

31. A special "ויהי רצון" for Birchas HaChammah.

32. "Adon Olam..." (recited by some congregations)

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