422. Seeing a Scholar or a King

60:9 Upon seeing a Jew who is a great Torah scholar, one recites the bracha “shechalak meichachmaso lirei’av,” that G-d shares some of His wisdom with those who are in awe of Him (and shehechiyanu, if he hasn’t seen this scholar within 30 days – Mishnah Brurah 225:1). One who sees a non-Jew who is a scholar in secular wisdom recites “shenasan meichachmaso l’basar v’dam,” that G-d gives from His wisdom to human beings. (One does not recite a bracha upon seeing non-Jews who are only scholars in their own religions – MB 224:10.)

60:10 One who sees a king of one of the nations of the world recites the bracha “shenasan meik’vodo l’basar v’dam,” that G-d gives from His honor to human beings. One says this bracha even if he cannot actually see the king but he sees the honor being given him and he knows for sure that the king is there. A blind person recites this bracha without mentioning G-d's Name or His kingship. There is a mitzvah to try to witness the honor given to kings. If one has already seen it before, he should not leave his Torah study to see it again unless this time the king is accompanied by greater honor than before. (One should recite the bracha without mentioning G-d's Name or kingship upon seeing officers of the king – MB 224:12.)