Gentlemen, good morning. We’re in Siman (section) Reish Yud Gimmel, Se’if (clause) Bet. Yesterday, we were learning how to be motzi (help fulfill another’s obligation) someone else. You have to sit down together at the table. That was a big hiddush (new insight): people should be seated at the table if they want to be Yotzeh (fulfill their obligation) a Beracha (blessing). At the top of the page: Ein hamevarech motzi acherim, ela im ken yochal v’yishteh imahem. Someone who makes a Beracha for someone else cannot fulfill their obligation unless he eats and drinks with them. They are Yotzeh when they hear it and have it in mind.
People think that you have to answer Amen. Of course you’re supposed to answer Amen. There’s no question. Let’s say a guy didn’t answer Amen. Is he not Yotzeh? He is still Yotzeh, provided he had it in mind. But the hiddush of Maran (our master) is this: let’s say I was Yotzeh Shofar (ram’s horn) in shul. Then I go to someone’s house to blow Shofar for him. I was already Yotzeh, but I can still make the Beracha for him because he needs it. Since he needs it, I need to give it to him.
But what about food? Can I make a mezonot (grain-food blessing) Beracha on the cake for you, Joe, if I don’t eat it? That’s what you say: “I can’t make a Beracha. I don’t feel good. I’ll do it for you.” I can’t do it for you if I don’t eat. That’s this hiddush. We don’t say, “Since it’s a mitzvah (commandment), I could do the mitzvah for you.” With food and drink, if I don’t drink from it, I can’t make the mitzvah.
Let’s see what he says. “You doubt it.” Why? Because all Jews are connected to each other and responsible for each other. That’s the hiddush. If I go to someone’s house to blow Shofar for him, how does it work? Because he didn’t blow. He didn’t hear Shofar. It’s like I didn’t hear Shofar. I did. No, I didn’t. Part of me didn’t hear, because he’s part of me. I’m part of him. We’re all together. Therefore, I can blow and make the Beracha for him, although I was Yotzeh, because I wasn’t really Yotzeh fully. As long as another Jew was not Yotzeh, even if I’m not, I can still do it.
Listen to the punchline. When it comes to food, drinks, or anything to do with pleasure, if you don’t have the pleasure, don’t make a Beracha. Meaning, you want to eat a cake, and you want me to make mezonot for you. If I’m not making mezonot for myself and eating too, I can’t make mezonot for you. So you say, “Why not? Do it for me; I need it.” I say, “You don’t need it; just don’t eat it. You’re not obligated to eat it.” Only when there’s an obligation do I have to help you fulfill your obligation. Eating and drinking are not obligations. They’re voluntary. Just don’t eat.
We’re going to see the hiddush. What’s the Kiddush (sanctification) on Shabbat morning? Only Borei peri hagefen (Who creates the fruit of the vine). The other wording is all extra, right? Let’s say I was already Yotzeh hagefen. I already drank. Can I make Yotzeh hagefen for you and not drink wine? Can I make Kiddush for you on Shabbat morning? Because it’s hagefen. Again, you can’t. No, the other guy is going to drink. But even though they’re birchot hanehenin (blessings over enjoyment)—no, birchot hagefen become birchot mitzvot (blessings over commandments). In that setting, since you need yayin, wine, for the Kiddush, I can do it for you. That’s an exception. But here we don’t have regular eating and drinking. So if I don’t drink, I can’t do it.
Let’s say the guy I’m doing it for doesn’t know how to make the Beracha, so he begs me, “Please, I want you to do it.” I say, “I can’t do it. I can’t do it.” It doesn’t matter whether it’s the first Beracha or the last. As long as it’s a pleasure-related Beracha, I have to have the pleasure myself. If I eat, then you’re Yotzeh.
Listen to this hiddush. If I don’t even drink with you, then you’re not Yotzeh. It’s not that it doesn’t work. My blessing becomes: I make a blessing and I don’t need it, so it can’t help you either. Are you going to be okay through me?
Unless—listen to this hiddush, an exception—let’s say the reason I didn’t eat or drink is that something happened. I made a Shehakol nihye bidvaro (By whose word all things came to be) on my coffee, and you said, “Please have me in mind for my coffee, because I don’t know if I have a safek (doubt): Shehakol nihye bidvaro.” All of a sudden, my coffee spilled completely. Now you still have your coffee. You can still be Yotzeh. I made a Beracha because, at the time—he’s going to explain why—at the time of the Beracha, it was not a Beracha I meant well. I meant to drink it. Later on, it began. So it doesn’t become a Beracha just because it helps you.
The bailout is if a guy makes a Shehakol on his cup of coffee and spills it. He’s by himself and there’s nothing else for him to drink. It’s not his fault. But if the guy did that and someone else drank by piggybacking on him, the Beracha is not levatala (in vain). It bailed you out. So although I didn’t get anything from it, the Beracha worked for you. And how am I allowed to do that? Because at the time, I was going to drink. The main thing is that if, at the time, you were going to use it for yourself, you can have it for other people. It’s not levatala.
Whenever someone makes a Beracha for someone else, both people have to have it in mind. I have to have in mind to be motzi you. You have to have in mind to be Yotzeh with me. “You Dza’in. The Kaimalan.” We have a rule: Shomea ke’oneh—hearing is like saying. It’s like you said it yourself.
All this is bediavad (after the fact). From the beginning, from the outset, forget about it. Number one, it’s a mitzvah to answer Amen. For sure, it’s a mitzvah to answer Amen. Anyway, more than that, come on. This is a hiddush too, boys: it’s important to answer Amen when you’re being Yotzeh with a Beracha. It’s more than just answering a plain Amen. If you walk into a minyan (prayer quorum) and hear some guy say a random Beracha, let’s say, answer Amen. That’s good. You have to answer Amen to everything. But if someone is being motzi me with a Beracha, I have an additional need to answer Amen to that Beracha. I am Yotzeh even if I don’t answer Amen. But answering Amen makes the Beracha stronger. Why? To show that it’s truly an actuality. It’s unbelievable. I have to show that I’m trying by answering. I mean, I emphasize that I’m being part of your Beracha.
Kadva poskim. Im kam man Hashem osim mitzvah achat (If many people perform one commandment), mitzvah achat, motav she’echad yevarech lekulam (Better that one bless for everyone), de’rov am hadrat melech. Mitzvah: one person should make the Beracha for everybody. Because, as we said, this is the pasuk (verse) we keep using again and again: berov am hadrat melech. With more people, there’s honor to the king. Ayin le’el siman vav siman het siman ratzach ratzach.
Then he talks about what happens if a lot of people put on a tallit (prayer shawl) in the morning at the same time. Let’s say you walk into a minyan, ten people, and they’re all putting on a tallit at the same time. Really, if you follow what he just said, one guy should say, “Okay, bang, bang on the table, boys, I’m making it. I’ll take the tzitzit (ritual fringes) for everybody. Never mind, never mind, guys; hence I’m in. Good, that’s what he said.” But berov am, so he said on the bottom, on the Deirshu side, that people don’t do that. You don’t see people doing that because most people don’t have it in mind anymore. Our minds are jelly. People don’t have the discipline to have it in mind and concentrate. So halachically, the best thing would be for one guy to make it for everybody. We’re waiting for dawn; we all put it on at the same time. And still you make your own. Okay. I’m telling you what he’s saying.
When I do my Seder (Passover ritual meal), and I make the Beracha on the celery karpas (vegetable), I tell everybody, “Have it in mind; be in the Seder with me.” When I make the Beracha on the maror (bitter herbs) and matzah (unleavened bread), same thing. When it comes to Rosh Hashanah, we make the yehi ratzon (may it be His will). I try to do it for everybody. That’s how I do it. Okay.
Se’if Gimmel, one more Se’if, and then the next Siman. You’re Yotzeh only if you listen to the Beracha from beginning to end. You can’t skip words, and the one who makes the Beracha has to have in mind to be motsiyu. What’s more, even if you answer Amen, it’s not enough. You have to hear every single word from beginning to end.
Okay, Mishnah Berurah Yud Chet. He makes a comment here. Since Maran was satam, since he didn’t say anything and didn’t make a distinction, “Meshma’at Akol Berachot Ka,” it applies to every Beracha, even berachot shemid’rabbanan. Even a Beracha that’s only d’rabbanan, ba’inan davka sheyichaven latzet yedei mitzvah, so it means mitzvot tzrichot kavanah (commandments require intention), he’s saying. He concludes that point.
Okay. So he tells you the other phrase he talks about at this point. You said you need the word Baruch too. It’s not better than if you make your own Beracha. If you skip a word from the main part of the Beracha, you’re not going to be Yotzeh. It’s called changing from the text of the rabbis. No good.
It says at the bottom: let’s say it’s a part of the Beracha that’s not so critical. That’s the next thing here. No, I know. That’s Hashem Malchut (Divine name and kingship). But here he’s just speaking out. As part of the Beracha, they speak out like this on the side. I’ll show you what it means here. Certain words. Certain words or not, right? I don’t know why I saw this here. For example, if you skip the word Atah, the Beracha still counts. You hear, Mitchell? Baruch. I heard a guy go and make a Beracha of Baruch. He said the word Atah low, and then Hashem. I heard all the things that were Atah in here. So “Medina Abayr” would be good. Hiddush.
Melech Ha’olam, of course, is ma’akev (essential; invalidating if omitted). Baruch and Hashem’s name are all ma’akev. But let’s say you have a long Beracha, “Sheyotzeret ha’adam b’chochmah,” and then skip “Barabu Nekevim Nekevim.” Let’s say he missed a few words in the middle. That’s not ma’akev for a Beracha. So that’s what he’s saying here. You would still be Yotzeh.
Okay, the next halacha, and we can finish it. “They should doubt it.” Bechol Beracha tzarech le’ot shem malchut (Blessings require God’s name and kingship). Aleph: Kol beracha she’ein bah azkarat shem o malchut einah beracha (No name or kingship, no blessing). Mention Hashem’s name and kingship. V’im dileg shem o malchut, yachzor levarech (If omitted, repeat the blessing). If you skip the word Hashem or Melech, you have to go back. V’afilu lo dileg ela teivat ha’olam levad, tzarech v’azror levarech (Even omitting “world” requires repeating). Why? DeMelech levad einah malchut (King alone does not mean kingship).
Maran holds: “Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha’olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz” (Who brings bread from earth). Melech—or what? He’s the King of the universe, boys. He has to be King of the universe, boys. If he is just king, not good. Not at all. If you forgot Hashem’s name or Melech, no good.
So I’m going to ask you a bomb question. In the Amidah (standing prayer), do you see the word Melech? That word. Baruch atah Hashem (Blessed are You, Hashem), Elokeinu (our God) v’Elokei avoteinu (and God of our forefathers), Elokei Avraham (God of Abraham), Elokei Yitzchak (God of Isaac), v’Elokei Yaakov (and God of Jacob). Baruch atah Hashem, again Abraham, no Melech. Atah gibor (You are mighty). Baruch atah Hashem, mechaye hametim (who revives the dead). Ha’el hakadosh (the holy God), tahonen with Melech. Bomb question. I just made a statement that you have to have Melech. All of a sudden I showed you—he’s going to answer your question. Look at the bottom.
Aleph, kol beracha, Siman Reish Yud Dalet. Kol beracha, bein birchot hanehenin, bein birchot hamitzvot, no matter what kind of Beracha—mitzvot, food-related, pleasurable, or mitzvot—“shukah sheish b’petah ha-va hatimah.” It’s a long Beracha, like Asher Yatzar, that has a beginning and an end. Uben she’en ba’el ha-pitah ha-bera (and one without an opening formula), or like a blessing that only has the beginning. Chutz mi-berachot semuchot la-chaveirtah, except for blessings that are connected to the one before. Then emshechet la-beracha kodemet la (continues the preceding blessing), she’yesh b’tchilatah shem malchut (opening includes God’s name and kingship). There the rule is that if the first Beracha has shem malchut, and the next Beracha is connected to it, it doesn’t need shem malchut because it’s connected. Beracha semuchah la-chaveirtah (a blessing joined to the preceding blessing).
I’ll give you an example. Who wants an example? Hold on, let me get a siddur (prayer book). The siddur shows it like this. Do you guys say Baruch She’amar (Blessed is He who spoke) in the morning? Baruch She’amar v’hayah ha’olam (Blessed is He who spoke and the world came to be). Okay, so: “Baruch atah Hashem Elokeinu v’chei ha’olamim, ha’el harachaman (the compassionate God), v’ein hamehulal v’hamedubar.” Baruch atah Hashem, melech mehulal bitishbachot. So it starts off, Melech ha’olam, Baruch She’amar. Yishtabach (May He be praised) is the ending of Baruch She’amar. Mitchell, does Yishtabach have Melech ha’olam? No. Yishtabach shimcha la’ad malkeinu (May Your name be praised forever, our King). Baruch atah Hashem, melech gadol mehulal bitishbachot, El ha-hoda’ot (God of thanksgivings), hoda’ot, Adon. It doesn’t have Melech ha’olam because that’s what he’s saying here: Beracha semuchah la-chaveirtah. This Beracha is connected to the one before it. If the one before it had it, this one piggybacks and it carries over.
For example, Hallel (Psalms of praise). When you say the Beracha for Hallel on the days that we say a Beracha: “Baruch atah Hashem ligmor et haHallel” (Blessed are You, Hashem, who commands us to complete the Hallel). Then at the end of the Beracha, you have the Elucha. You have the Elucha Hashem. Baruch Hashem. Melech mehulal bitishbachot. No Melech ha’olam. What happened? Piggybacking. That’s what it says in this Mishnah Berurah. Except for the connected blessings; the wording here is unclear.
Now it’s going to answer your question about the tefillat Shemoneh Esreh (the Amidah prayer), boys. How did tefillat Shemoneh Esreh not fix Malchut? How come in tefillat Shemoneh Esreh, the biggest, most important Amidah, there’s no Malchut? Baruch Hashem, again Abraham, no Melech. Teretz Beit Yosef (House of Joseph), b’shem haRosh, the Beit Yosef’s answer is that the first Beracha, “Baruch atah Hashem, Elokeinu, Elokei avoteinu,” carries the other blessings; the rest are piggybacked on the first Beracha. He gives an explanation of the wording. There are other answers, but that’s the answer of Beit Yosef.
Some say another answer. You know what the answer is? Abraham. No. Because Avraham Avinu (Abraham our forefather) is the one who made Hashem Melech. So by saying “Elokei Avraham,” it’s like saying Melech. Avraham Avinu is the one who made the Melech. Just mentioning his name is sufficient. Next thing. Yeah? He’s the one who brought out the Melech. So just mentioning him—that’s why he didn’t bring this answer. He just says there are other answers he doesn’t mention. I’m bringing it up.
Gimmel, Mishnah Berurah: im dilag. “Aba im dilag teivat atah, eino me’akev bediavad.” That’s what I told you before. If you skip the word atah, you don’t lose the Beracha. “Shem,” meaning he didn’t say any mention at all; but if he said a mention, such as Adonai or Elokeinu, he fulfilled his obligation. What? It’s not a hiddush. If you say, “Baruch atah Hashem, Baruch atah, ado, asher,” and you didn’t say the word Elokeinu—or the reverse: you say Elokeinu but didn’t say Ado—bediavad you fulfilled your obligation. Hiddush.
He says, “Yachzor veyevarech.” The Mechaber discusses the opening of the Beracha and shem malchut. The Rema says that at the beginning of the Beracha, Hashem Malchut, so you have to repeat it. As for a Beracha with a concluding formula, if you omit Hashem from the conclusion, it’s as though you omitted the whole conclusion. Or the Beracha—how’s the ending? Like I just said: “Baruch atah Hashem.” If you didn’t say Baruch atah, you didn’t get the Beracha. Melech me’ulal by itself doesn’t count.
The sefer Even HaOzer (Stone of Help) is an Aharon. He brings down and marshals many proofs that even Melech me’ulal is still good, that the word Melech is enough in the Beracha. He says, “Baruch Hashem Elokeinu.” If he says just Melech, no. But he gives a blessing formulation that includes Melech. I think we have to follow Maran. As of now, it seems we have to follow this. Baruch Hashem. Amen.