What blessing is recited upon seeing the Mediterranean Sea?
Question
There is a halacha that states if a person has not seen the sea for more than thirty days, upon seeing it again, they must recite a blessing.
Is this applicable to the Mediterranean Sea? If so, what blessing is recited?
Thank you very much
Answer
Greetings,
According to the Ashkenazi custom, one who has not seen the Mediterranean Sea for thirty days should recite "Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam Oseh Maaseh Bereishit" (Mishnah Berurah there, Sk"b, and responsa Teshuvot Vehanhagot part 3, siman 76, section 1).
An Ashkenazi who wishes to fulfill the opinions of all poskim can add "She'asah Et Hayam Hagadol" after the blessing (responsa Minchat Yitzchak part 1, siman 110. Similarly, the book Shaar Ha'ayin chapter 8, note 11, mentions that this was the practice of the Gaon Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt"l when he saw the Mediterranean Sea).
Best regards,
Hillel Meirs
More Questions In This Topic
- > Is it permissible to buy clothes during the Three Weeks?
- > How to Perform Havdalah After the Fast of Tisha B'Av
- > Is it permissible to go to the beach during the Three Weeks?
- > Prohibition of Eating Meat in the Week of Tisha B'Av
- > Until When Is It Permissible to Recite the Morning Blessings? (Until Sunset?)
