Tefilas Haderech on a Two-Day Drive

Q. I am going on a 2-day road trip. I am traveling by day, sleeping over in the evening at a hotel, and then continuing the trip in the morning. When should I say Tefilas Haderech?

A. On the first day of the trip, Tefilas Haderech is recited upon leaving your home city. Even if one stops off in various cities along the way, Tefilas Haderech is not repeated. The tefilah that was recited in the morning suffices for the entire day, since it is all part of one trip. On the second day of the trip, Tefilas Haderech can be said even before setting out. Even if the hotel is in the middle of a city, one may recite Tefilas Haderech, since it is a continuation of the original trip. Although Tefilas Haderech was already said the day before, it must be repeated every day when one awakes. Minchas Shlomo (2:60:4) writes that even if one camped out under the stars (in the wilderness), Tefilas Haderech is repeated in the morning, since sleeping acts as an interruption in the trip. However, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (68:5) writes that one only repeats Tefilas Haderech with a bracha if one slept in a city.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.