Question: I recently returned from a trip abroad and wanted to say HaGomel. When I mentioned this to the officers of my synagogue, however, they told me – as per the instructions of the synagogue’s rabbi – that I would have to wait until Shabbos to do so. I was not given any reason for this and did not wish to display my ignorance, so I quietly acquiesced. Can you please explain why I had to wait?
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Synopsis: The Mechaber rules that a person is required to offer hoda’ah if he survived crossing a sea, survived traveling through the wilderness, recovered from a serious illness, or was set free after being imprisoned. He specifies that the blessing of the hoda’ah must be recited before a minyan.
We mentioned that there is a specific sentence that those assembled should recite in response to HaGomel. The usual response to a blessing, “Amen,” is not sufficient in this case.
We discussed the various opinions about whether reciting the blessing with a minyan is required l’chatchila or not and whether the person reciting the blessing is counted in the minyan for this purpose. As we noted, the Mishnah Berurah rules most leniently – that the quorum should include the one reciting the blessing. Many other authorities agree with this opinion.
Last week we looked at different opinions comparing HaGomel and Birkat Chatanim (the sheva berachot), which also requires ten people. R. Nachman determines that chatanim should not be included in the ten, yet R. Abahu would include chatanim in the minimum count of ten, which presents a difficulty: How is it possible to derive two exactly opposite outcomes from the same verse in Psalms – such that for HaGomel, we require ten men aside from the one who blesses, while for the blessing of the bridegroom, he may be included in the quorum of ten?
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Answer: In the comparison with Birkat Chatanim, we noted that the Gemara (Ketubot 8b) concludes that the bridegroom may be included in the minyan as opposed to with Birkat HaGomel, where the stricter authorities rule that the one blessing may not be included in the minyan – even though, according to R. Abahu (infra Ketubot 7b), both are derived from the same verse in Psalms (107:32): “Viy’romemu’hu b’k’hal am u’v’moshav zekeinim ye-haleluhu” – Let them exalt Him in the assembly of people, and praise Him in the session of the elders.” In fact, there is a fundamental difference, as we will now set forth.
Rabbi Ben Zion Chai Uziel (Rishon Lezion, late Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, in his Responsa Piskei Uziel, siman 74) was asked the following: “There are places where a government is evil and wicked and [unjustly] forbids the Jewish inhabitants of its land to marry in a religious ceremony – chuppah and kiddushin – even after a couple married in the courts in a civil ceremony as per the law. The Jews there are fearful to conduct a Jewish religious marriage ceremony openly in the presence of a minyan of ten, as Jewish law and tradition dictates. May those Jews recite the sheva berachot – the seven blessings [for the bride and bridegroom, i.e., Birkat Chatanim] – even without a minyan of ten, or is it better to marry [only] with chuppah, kiddushin, and a ketubah, without the sheva berachot?”
In response, Rav Uziel cites Beit Yosef (to Tur, Even Ha’ezer 62, sv “u’mah shekatuv gedolim u’Bach…”): “The Rashba (Rabbi Shlomo b. Aderet, Responsum 1:126) was asked about conducting a marriage in a city where there is no minyan of ten people in order to recite the sheva berachot and it is not possible to bring [people] from elsewhere. He answered [that] Birkat Chatanim – the sheva berachot – may not be conducted with less than a minyan of ten.”
He then goes on to quote from Teshuvot Ha’Maimoniyot (cited by Mahari Isserlin, siman 140) that “Berachot are not a hindrance post facto. The rule that a bride without blessing[s] is forbidden to her husband (beginning of Mesechet Kallah) refers only to where there was no chupah (Nachlat Yaakov to Mesechet Kallah); thus, the term ‘a bride without blessing’ is used only because the blessings – Birkat Chatanim – are recited at the marriage ceremony – the chuppah – but essentially, what is really meant is a bride without chuppah is forbidden to her husband.”
Rabbi Uziel comments that both Rashba and Teshuvot Ha’Maimoniyot are in agreement as far as Birkat Chatanim are concerned: that they cannot take place with less than a minyan of ten present. However, regarding the requirement for Birkat Chatanim to be recited in order to complete the marriage ceremony, Teshuvot Ha’Maimoniyot opts for leniency where necessary, with the rule that post facto, berachot are not a hindrance (Berachot 15a) to the performance of a mitzvah. He notes as well that the Beit Yosef rules in accordance with Teshuvot Ha’Maimoniyot. Thus, we see that we cannot compare Birkat HaGomel to Birkat Chatanim because, when necessary, Birkat Chatanim may be left out, whereas the same cannot be said regarding Birkat HaGomel.
To be continued.
