Shavuos - Morning Berachos

QUESTION: I know that according to many poskim the brachos of Elokai Neshama and Hamaavir Sheina are not recited in the morning if one did not sleep. How long must a person sleep at night to justify reciting the brachos?

ANSWER: The Mishnah Berurah (46:24) quotes the Chayei Adam (7:8) that if one slept at night for a duration of sixty breaths, he may recite the brachos of Elokai Neshama and Hamaavir Sheina in the morning. How long is a duration of sixty breaths? The Chayei Adam writes that it is the length of time it takes to walk 100 amos. Since it takes 18 minutes to walk 2,000 amos, 100 amos would take slightly less than a minute. The themes of these brachos are emotions of hakaras hatov for the neshama‘s return after temporarily departing while we sleep. The Chayei Adam explains that even during a very short sleep there is “a taste of death”, and the brachos are warranted. However, the Mishnah Berurah elsewhere (Beiur Halachah 14, s.v. Dovid) quotes three different opinions about the time length of sixty breaths: three hours, thirty minutes, and three minutes. Many poskim write that regarding these two brachos thirty minutes is required (Dirshu M.B. footnote 30). The Elya Rabba writes that even if one dozed off for this duration at a table, he may recite these brachos.

If one did not sleep at all, some poskim allow the recitation of these brachos (Oruch Hashulchan 46:13 and Yechaveh Da’as 3:33). However, the Mishna Berura recommends listening to someone else (such as one’s wife) recite these brachos and answering Amen. If there is no one available to recite these brachos, he can fulfill the bracha of Elokai Neshama with the second bracha of Shemoneh Esrei, provided one has in mind to be yotzei in this manner (MB 6:12). Alternatively, sefer Even Yisroel (9:63) writes that if a person sleeps in the morning for more than 30 minutes before Chatzos (halachic midday), the bracha can be recited when waking up.

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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.