Birkot HaShachar: Out of order?
The ArtScroll people have no one but themselves to blame. In their own siddur/prayer book, they explain that the “core” birkot ha-shachar (morning blessings) aren’t just generalizations, but, rather, refer to specific actions. For example, when we thank HaShem for releasing the confined (matir asurim) that refers to sitting up in bed and stretching.
So what are some of these brachot/blessings doing positioned in the current version of this prayer book after one puts on tallit and tefillin? Heck, if what the commenters to that siddur are saying is true, we should be saying the brachot/blessings over tallit and tefillin before we even get out of bed!
Here’s what I think should be the correct order. Note that I’m including some earlier and later brachot included in the Birkot HaShachar “service.” Note also that the order may vary from person to person, depending, quite literally, on what an individual does when.
“asher natan la-sechvi vinah” ([Blessed is (the One)] Who gave the rooster the understanding to distinguish between day and night)—after turning off the alarm clock
“pokeiach ivrm” (. . . Who gives sight to the blind)—after opening the eyes (but after turning off the alarm clock, because it’s hard to focus through all that commotion)
“matir asurim” ( . . . Who releases the confined)—after untangling oneself from the sheet, blanket, quilt, etc.)
“zokef k’fufim (. . . Who straightens the bent)—after sitting up
“roka ha-aretz al ha-mayim” (. . . Who spreads the earth on the waters [according to ArtScroll, “earth” refers to a floor in this case])—after standing up
“ha-notein la-yaeif koach” ( . . . Who gives strength to the weary)—just before starting to take one’s first steps in the morning. (I probably think this way because I get slightly dizzy upon standing up after sleeping and must count to 10 before starting to walk.)
“ha-meichin mitz’adei gaver” ( . . . Who guides a person’s steps)—just before or after taking one’s first steps in the morning
Here’s where it starts to get interesting, and also varies from person to person:
“al n’tilat yadim ( . . . for raising the hands?)—the blessing after washing one’s hands
“rofei chol basar u’mafli laasot” ( . . . Who heals all flesh and does wonders)—the so-called “bathroom brachah.” These two blessings are recited one after the other after “taking care of business.”
“ha-maavir sheinah mei-einai u-t’numah mei-af’apai” (. . . Who removes sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids)—after washing out the eyes, assuming that one does this along with, um, the above.
“malbish arumim” (. . . “Who clothes the naked)—after starting to dress, or perhaps after completing getting dressed.
“ozer Yisrael bi-g’vurah” (if you accept ArtScroll’s interpretation that this refers to the fine-motor coordination necessary to button a shirt)
I'm not willing, however, to confine the brachah "sheh-asah li kol tzorki", . . . Who made for me everything I need (rough translation) to the ArtScroll interpretation. Really, I have a lot more for which to be thankful than just shoes!
And "oter Yisrael b'tif-arah," Who crowns Yisrael (the Jewish People) with glory refers only to a hat?! No way!
I would think that it would be more respectful to be fully dressed before thanking HaShem for making one a Jew, a free person, and a woman (yes, Conservative versions), for keeping me from sin and sinnners and attaching me to the commandments and good deeds and bestowing kindnesses upon me.
I'm not quite sure when I'd feel comfortable thanking HaShem for returning souls to dead bodies, because I'm not comfortable with that concept.
But it seems to me that many, if perhaps not all, these brachot/blessings were meant to be said 1) at home and 2) before putting on tallit and tefillin.
- What do you think should be the proper order,
and/or,
- for the more learned among us, what was the original order,
and/or,
- for the more observant, what order do you use?
posted by Shira Salamone at 1:44 PM
21 Comments:
oter yisrael betifarah refers to tefillin. maybe women who dont put on tefillin shouldnt say that beracha at all
Interesting. The ArtScroll folks say that that brachah refers to a hat.
In my opinion, it's quite reasonable to interpret that brachah in a less clothing-specific or ritual-item-specific manner. I think we Jews conceive of ourselves as being crowned in splendor simply because, according to tradition, we're G-d's heritage.
Sorry I'm rushing off to work. Just stopped in to see what you've posted.
Re: birkot hashahar. You ought to look in the Tur and Shulhan Aruch, with their attendant commentators, for your requested info. Dare I say, "ask your rabbi"?
My understanding about "returning souls to dead bodies" is that it keys off the midrash stating that sleep is a sixtieth part of death (i.e. is more or less the same as "modeh ani l'fanekha"). I could then argue that this should be first, or that it should come after you're sufficiently awake to be able to deal with the concept of a soul....
That said, you probably want to find out how your rabbi expects you to interpret these; there's very little consistency.
Oh, an additional one (again, my understanding, which may be flawed): indeed, the idea was that birkat ha-shachar was to be said before leaving for shul, but because so many people woke up and rushed to shul without saying them they were integrated into the morning service.
From Noam S, via e-mail:
I can read your articles from work but not comment... #&#^%(@@ net nanny.
The gemara in Brachot (60b I think) discusses the morning brachot and clearly states that they were intended to be said as one performs the actions of the morning- as you maintain. It was only later that they were moved to be said together in shul.
Mordechai, I'm sorry to say that I'm not learned enough even to be acquainted with the Tur. I'll see whether I can find anything in our rather-poorly-organized Kitzur Shulchan Aruch.
Brandon and Noam, thanks for the information. Interestingly enough, the ArtScroll gives the reasons for the "core" birkot hashachar, but doesn't give any explanation for their current placement in the siddur.
Brandon, I'm comfortable expressing thanks that my soul has been kept in my body, but, not being a great believer in life after death, I'm not comfortable expressing gratitude for souls being returned to dead bodies. I say that brachah anyway, out of respect for tradition, but it's not one of my favorites.
I'll tell you that Kehotonline.com has a translation of a book that is basicaly a compilation of the shulchan aruch and the tur, entitled shulchan aruch harav, written in the 17th century.
You can get it on their website, its volume three of their translation to the shulchan aruch harav (I think its just called shulchan aruch by rabbi shneur zalman of liadi.) (volume one covers some other stuff about getting up, and includes the halacha that women should go in to the bathroom as a group and talk very loudly and boisterously so that men will hear them and not enter. it also includes hilchos tzitzis)
It basicaly says that these brachot were ordained specificaly thanking hashem for these small "miracles" or things that we should thank hashem for every day. There are two opinions: one says that they are actualy over the actions, the other says that they are simply brachot thanking hashem for the fact that these things happen. Therefore according to that one recites them whether or not one has incurred the obligation specificaly today.
First one recited elokai neshama when one woke up, then one recited "who giveth the rooster understanding" and after that continued with the blessings (two different orders) untill one was fully dressed.
it should be noted that halacha demands that one dress while still under the covers. hence one will never expose even a small amount of flesh that is normaly covered to the rest of the world. (alternatively one could dress in the bathroom thesedays, since at times one can conduct one's self no other way there, it is permitted at all times to be undressed there, which also means that halachot about how little you can expose while indesposed are irrelevant in home bathrooms)
a couple of other notes: oter yisroel betifara refers to any head covering, as well as to the tefilin. IN ancient times people would actualy put on their tefillin at that time, when they put on their head covering. Additionaly, ozer yisroel b'gvura refers to the belt. This is because belts were frequently used in ancient times for carrying money, weapons, whatever. They also helped hold clothes together.
Even further malbish arumim refers to putting on the shirt, which is why it is said before one gets out of bed.
In modern times people are not so particular and therefore do not say the brachot when they do each of these actions, and instead say them after fully dressed. Lubavitch I know says these brachot all at home. Other groups say them at shul in order to allow the ignorant the ability to listen to and learn the brachot.
this of course follows the opinion that these are general thanks for particular things, and not blessings over the actions themselves.
(and yes, being lubavitch, I say the brachot at home, all of them. then I put on tefillin. I wont get in to the particulars of the order here).
As for my rabbi, let's just say that he and I don't always see eye to eye because he's basically a black-hat Orthodox Jew working in a Conservative synagogue for the sole reason that our congregation provides a free apartment--not for nothin' I'm not blogging under my real name--whereas I'm an egalitarian Conservative Jew with a less-than-traditional approach to theology, halachah, the origins of rituals, etc. (For further clarification, see this post and this one.) As you can imagine, we rarely agree on anything, and his interpretations of Jewish law and tradition are usually considerably to the right of mine. When I ask him questions, I find the answers informative, but frequently unnacceptable to me. So my ability and/or willingness to rely on him as my rabbinic authority, insofar as I accept rabbinic authority in the first place, is somewhat limited.
That's what happens when I have to compose my comments--links included--between phone calls. :) Halfnutcase, gimme a minute to catch up. :)
Halfnutcase, I'm not sure we're in the market for another volume of Shulchan Aruch at the moment, but thanks for the info. It may come in handy in the future.
"There are two opinions: one says that they are actualy over the actions, the other says that they are simply brachot thanking hashem for the fact that these things happen. Therefore according to that one recites them whether or not one has incurred the obligation specificaly today." That makes sense.
One recites "elokai, n'shama" upon first awakening? Methinks two minhagim may have been combined. Why do we have both Modeh Ani (thanking HaShem for returning our souls to within us) and a brachah thanking HaShem for the same thing?
"it should be noted that halacha demands that one dress while still under the covers." Okay, that's way beyond my level of observance. The last time I got dressed under the covers was when I went camping with my family as a teenager and shared a tent with my brothers. And then, I was dressing myself in jeans (pants). I can't imagine trying to put on pantyhose and a skirt under a blanket. Sorry, Charley, no can do. More to the point, I can't understand why it should be necessary in our times, given that we have now separate rooms for parents and children.
"oter yisroel betifara refers to any head covering, as well as to the tefilin. IN ancient times people would actualy put on their tefillin at that time, when they put on their head covering." This doesn't work for me. If one interprets the brachah in that manner, unmarried women, who, in our day (and in most communities, to the best of my knowledge), don't cover their heads, wouldn't be able to say that brachah.
"ozer yisroel b'gvura refers to the belt. This is because belts were frequently used in ancient times for carrying money, weapons, whatever. They also helped hold clothes together." Belts were used for carrying weapons. Why didn't I think of that? That's the only logical explanation for this brachah that I'm aware of. Thanks!
"Even further malbish arumim refers to putting on the shirt, which is why it is said before one gets out of bed." Okay, at this time of year, when I need a bathrobe, that works. :)
"Other groups say them at shul in order to allow the ignorant the ability to listen to and learn the brachot." Both approaches have their merits. The good thing about saying these brachot in synagogue is that people can either catch up, if running late, or, in the event that they're not learned enough to read them in Hebrew, can say "Amen" to someone else's recitation. The good thing about saying them as one performs the referred-to actions is that the brachot make more sense that way.
We ran into the recite-at-home approach while in Israel two summers ago. (I'm too lazy to link, but, if you're interested in my trip, you can check my Aug. 2005 archives.) Since we were on vacation and were taking our sweet time, we arrived at Shabbat (Sabbath) morning service (Shacharit) in Jerusalem about half and hour late, and were shocked to find that the congregation was already part way through the Sh'ma. In our local synagogue, we'd just barely be up to Bar'chu after half an hour on a Shabbat or Yom Tov (holiday). It wasn't until after we returned home that I read somewhere that some synagogues assume that their congregants have already prayed the Birkot HaShachar privately at home, and start the communal service at P'sukei d'Zimra ("Verses of Song," composed largely of psalms and other biblical quotations.) I've since been given to understand that some synagogues go even further, and start the service part way through P'sukei d'Zima, at Ashrei.
"oter yisroel betifara refers to any head covering, as well as to the tefilin. IN ancient times people would actualy put on their tefillin at that time, when they put on their head covering." This doesn't work for me. If one interprets the brachah in that manner, unmarried women, who, in our day (and in most communities, to the best of my knowledge), don't cover their heads, wouldn't be able to say that brachah.
in older times, especialy in the areas under consideration (isreal, mesopotamia), women always wore something on their head, like men, if nothing else in order to protect themselves from the sun (ie a white tichel of some size). final halacha is that we say it because we CAN do these things, and therefore girls would also say it because if they need a hat, then they also can wear one.
It should be noted that in older times men did not always wear a yarmulka, nor did they always wear a hat or headcovering, and therefore this would likely apply equaly.
More to the point, I can't understand why it should be necessary in our times, given that we have now separate rooms for parents and children.
the point is not to tell you that you have to do it, but merely to explain the later statment about malbish arumim.
And one should remember what when this bracha was made, only women could wear pants. mesechta niddah contains a prohabition against men wearing pants lest they have innapropriate feelings. (one that obviously is nolonger in force. Perhaps you should quote that if your LO/CR ever objects to your wearing pants.) Also people did not wear socks usualy, just sandals, and therefore both sexes would usualy put on a formed long sleeve, knee or ankle length loose shirt. This is what they mean by dressing under the covers, IE putting on ones shirt slowly as one takes off the blanket.
(and trust me, dressing under the blankets nomatter what one wears is very, very difficult and annoying. I have done it for years so I know. Thse days I just get dressed in the bathrrom, because it's so much easier. (wearing PJs to and from of course.))
we say modeh ani l'fenecha because at some point the custome became that people nolonger had a special night garment which would prevent them from touching parts of the body that are normaly covered, and so therefore they nolonger could rely on it to keep their hands pure. Thus custome changed from reciting a bracha when one awakened, to reciting modeh ani (in substitution for it), then washing the hands then (instead of later) and then saying the brachot. (washin hands was done in a basin beside the bed)
Thanks for taking the time to explain things, HNC. I really appreciate it.
Hi Shira and other posters here,
I eEnjoyed this thread.
At last some other people who are genuinely interested in one of my favourite hobby-horses!
The berachah sequence in the morning is all based on Talmud Bavli Shabbat 60b (except the triplet berachot "who has made me /not made me etc" which is from another place(s)) and hanoten leya'ef koach which was added in later and SEPHARDIM omit.
I think the sequence was originally performed as one got up. It does assume you are a man - the Rabbis of the Talmud thought that way, I guess. That doesn't mean women cannot apply the berachot as applicable nowadays.
The Rambam says the berachot are "in no special order".
My "chidush" or original discovery is that the order given in the Talmud worked precisely as the correct order for Babylonian men living in mud-huts sleeping on the floor and wearing Babylonian dress in around the 3rd or 4th C. (Note: It does not work for Eretz Yisrael clothing as they belted their belts differently over the tunic not over the tallit).
Our mores about what you can say halachically when have changed over the centuries. They just were not worried in those days about making a berachah without a kippah on or with unwashed hands in the morning.
See my page demonstrating this idea here (which includes the section from the Talmud and has a link to my illustated PowerPoint presentation!):
http://www.samuelfamily.eclipse.co.uk/BerachotHaShachar/BerachotHaShachar.htm
I think this is really exciting - I wish I knew where to publish it!
There are challenges for today. Definitely better to say them as you do the actions - in whatever order that is (The Rambam says this in his Mishneh Torah and many frum people do this). Is it permissable to make up new berachot? Can we adapt to other actions if they feel more relevant? (eg "pokeach ivrim" as I clean my spectacles).
--
Ozer yisrael b'gevurah - as one puts on one's belt. I think each action has a metaphorical as well as a physical level. The interesting bit here is why "Yisrael" don't other people wear belts? I think there is a idea here about self-restraint (tsimzum, holding oneself in etc). Yirat shamayim (kippah) and self-restraint (belt) are supposed (ideally) to be distinctive attributes of a Jew.
The cock crowing is a pun on a rare word from Job meaning "consciousness" and (apparently) also meaning cockerel in some foreign language. Added to which cockerels are always getting it wrogn and crowing far too early! First joke in the siddur, I would submit.
Unless you count the one about "entering the house of the Lord with the throng..." which I have always found amusing as the shul is generally virtually empty at that time.
J.
Just to correct a couple of bits in my post.
The url
http://www.samuelfamily.eclipse.
co.uk/BerachotHaShachar/
BerachotHaShachar.htm
seems to have got truncated; you can click on my name for my page.
I got the comment about the 4th C clothing in Eretz Yisrael and Babylon the wrong way around. In Eretz Yisrael they put the girdle over the Tallit so the seqence in Berachot would not have worked in order. In Babylon the wore the belt over the tunic (ketonet) and wore the Tallit un-belted, so the sequence given works for a Babylonian.
Note that in the Rambam, the Shulchan Aruch and in our Siddrim the sequence has been messed about with (perhaps to try and make it work better for Jews in later times).
Jonathan
Jonathan, thanks for the URL. I'll check out that PowerPoint presentation.
By the way, here's how to create a hyperlink in a comment. For every [ subsitute a <, and for every ] substitute a >.
[A HREF="put the link here"]put the text here, whatever you want the reader to click on[/A]
"They just were not worried in those days about making a berachah without a kippah on or with unwashed hands in the morning." Yes, I've noticed that, in some communities, people are a bit obsessive about those things. It's like the old story about the guy trying to figure out whether he should say Birkat HaMazon (Grace after Meals) after losing his kippah. Well, the wearing of a head covering by a man is minhag/custom--whether that's the case for married women is the subject of at least one previous post of mine--but the recital of prayers over food is halachah/law! So *of course* he *must* say Birkat HaMazon, even if he doesn't have a head covering handy!
Sorry--I hit the "publish" button too soon. I was going to check out that PowerPoint presentation before publishing. It turned out to be pretty neat. Thanks!
If you're correct, then we moderns with our indoor plumbing are much more concerned with cleanliness than were our ancestors, who might have had to walk miles to the nearest water source. I can't imagine putting on tefillin without taking a shower first or without having taken a shower the previous evening. At an absolute minimum, I'd wash my hands. Then, too, I'm not comfortable with saying "malbish arusim" ([Blessed is (the One) who clothes the naked" while I'm still naked. It doesn't seem quite proper to make a brachah until I'm dressed. I usually end up saying that one after I'm dressed--or forgetting it altogether.
This brings me to the ironic part of this post--I end up saying all the "core" Birkot HaShachar at their current place in the siddur anyway because I can't remember which ones I've already said and which ones I've forgotten to say! Oy.
There exist other siddurim where the donning of tallis and tefillin are deferred until after the morning blessings; but then again, the groups that publish these siddurim don't recognize a woman's prerogative to
wear tallis and tefillin. Life is never simple.
"There exist other siddurim where the donning of tallis and tefillin are deferred until after the morning blessings"
For real? Which ones? I'm curious.
"but then again, the groups that publish these siddurim don't recognize a woman's prerogative to
wear tallis and tefillin."
Life is never simple."
Schvach, tell me about it. :(
Shira:
Siddur Tehillat HaShem (Chabad Lubavitch), and Siddur Ish Matzliach
(Sefarad/Kabbalist) are two examples.
By the way, didn't Rashi approve of his daughters wearing tefillin?
Schvach, thanks for the info.
There is a legend (aggadah?) that Rashi's daughters wore tefillin, but I'm sorry to say that, from what I've read, there's no real proof of that. Still, I'll take it. :)
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