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Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Orach Chaim/218

From Wikisource
Translation:Shulchan Aruch
by Yosef Karo, translated from Hebrew by Wikisource
Orach Chaim 218: Blessings that are made on Miracles
10686Translation:Shulchan AruchOrach Chaim 218: Blessings that are made on MiraclesWikisourceYosef Karo

218: Blessings that are made on miracles.

1 Someone who sees a place where miracles were done for Israel, such as: the crossing of the sea, and the crossing of the Jordan, and the crossing of the Rivulets of Arnon, and the stones of Elgavish of Beit Choron, and the stone which Og wanted to throw on Israel, and the stone that Moshe sat on during the war of Amalek, and the walls of Jericho, blesses: "Who wrought miracles for our forefathers at this place." And both this blessing and other blessings made upon seeing, are like other blessings; and they are all with the mention of the Name and Kingship.

2 On a miracle which was done for part of Israel: as long as it was not done for all of Israel, or their majority, and even if it was done for a few tribes, we do not make the blessing on it.
3 All of these things only apply if one hasn't seen them in thirty days; and then, they constitute an obligation just like the first time.

4 Someone who sees a place where a miracle was done for an individual does not bless. But he himself blesses: "Who wrought a miracle for me at this place." And all of his descendants also bless: "Who wrought a miracle for my father at this place."

5 Someone for whom many miracles were done, when he comes to any one of the places that a miracle was done for him, he needs to mention all of the other places, and include them all in one blessing.

6 On a miracle done for one's teacher, he must bless as he blesses for his father's miracle.

Gloss: There are those who say that, similarly, if one sees the person for whom a miracle was performed, he bless upon him just as he blesses at the place where the miracle was performed. (Abudarham).

7 On a miracle of a notable person, such as Yoav son of Tzeruya and his fellows, and so too, on a miracle of a person by whom the Heavenly Name was sanctified, such as Daniel and his fellows, one makes a blessing. Therefore, one who sees the lions' den of Daniel, and the fiery furnace of Chananiah, Mishael and Azaryah, recites the blessing: "Who wrought a miracle for the righteous ones at this place."

8 One who witnesses Lot's wife pronounces two blessings: upon her, he says: "Blessed are You, God, our God, King of the Universe, the True Judge", and upon Lot, he says: "Blessed are you, God, our God, King of the Universe, Who remembers the righteous".

9 There are those who say that one only makes a blessing over a miracle that goes beyond the world's ordinary behavior; but a miracle that is within the world's ordinary processes, e.g. if thieves came at night and he was endangered and was saved, etc., he is not obliged to make a blessing. And there is an opinion that disagrees, and it is recommended to recite the blessing without mention of the Name and Kingship.