421. Experiencing a Miracle

60:7 One should optimally recite birkas hachama in the morning, as soon as the sun appears. This is because the zealous are quick to perform mitzvos. It is also preferable to recite birkas hachama in a gathering because it is greater glory to G-d to be praised by the masses as per Proverbs 14:28, “In a multitude of people is the glory of the King.” A meeting place should be announced in advance. If a group cannot be assembled early in the morning, one should recite the bracha early on one’s own rather than wait because acting quickly takes priority over assembling a group. In any case, the bracha might be recited for the first three hours of the day; under pressing circumstances, one may recite it until noon. Therefore, if clouds conceal the sun all morning, we can wait until almost noon for it to clear up enough to recite the bracha. If the sun doesn’t come out in time, we would recite the bracha without mentioning G-d’s Name or His kingship. (Shaarei Tziyon 229:1 seems to favor reciting the bracha on one’s own only to take advantage of a sunny moment on a cloudy day but not because acting quickly is better than assembling a group.) The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch mentions that birkas hachama was last recited in 1869 and would next be recited in 1897; we last said it in 2009 and will next recite it in 2037.

60:8 If someone sees a place where G-d worked a miracle for him, he recites the bracha “she’asa li neis bamakom hazeh,” that G-d performed a miracle for him in that location. His descendants – even those who were already born when the miracle occurred – would also recite a bracha upon seeing that place. A child would recite “she’asa neis l’avi bamakom hazeh,” that G-d performed a a miracle for his father; plural children would say “l’avinu” – “for our father.” A grandchild would say “l’avosai,” meaning “for my ancestors,” while plural grandchildren would say “l’avoseinu,” “for our ancestors.” If one had several miracles performed for him, when seeing any of the places, he must mention the others in his bracha, saying, “Who performed a miracle for me in this place and at such-and-such place.” His descendants would likewise mention the other places in their brachos. (All this is also true if a miracle was wrought for one’s mother, grandmother or spouse – Bi’ur Halacha 218:4 s.v. v’kol yotzei yereicho.)