Amidora

Amidora · Library

Birkat Hagomel

Ashkenaz · Weekday · Shacharit · Torah Reading · Reading from Sefer · Birkat Hagomel

Nusach
Ashkenaz
Edition
Translation based on the Metsudah linear siddur, by Avrohom Davis, 1981

Birkat Hagomel

Rav says, (Maseches Berachos 54) that four are obligated to offer thanks: persons who have safely completed a sea or land journey, or who have recovered from a serious illness, or have been released from captivity. One who is obligated to recite the blessing of thanksgiving should do so at the Torah-scroll after the blessing that follows the Torah reading. It is proper not to delay the recital of the blessing for more than three days.

Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who bestows goodness upon the guilty, Who has bestowed every goodness upon me.

The congregation responds: He Who has bestowed goodness upon you, may He bestow every goodness upon you, forever.

The following blessing is said by the father of a Bar Mitzvah, after the lad has been called to the Torah and has recited the blessing following the reading:

Blessed (are You) who has released me from the punishment of this [boy].

The father is liable for the sins of his children only until they have been taught and trained to perform and observe the mitzvos. Once they have reached this level, even though they are not yet thirteen years of age, the father is no longer responsible for their sins. Why then is this Beracha recited at the time of Bar Mitzvah? The Dover Meisharim, cites sources stating that on the contrary, children sometimes perish because of their fathers׳ sins. The fathers, in turn, are punished for causing the untimely deaths of their young children. Thus when they reach thirteen and are no longer liable for their fathers’ sins, the fathers too are released from the punishment they could have received for causing their children to perish. The Beracha is therefore recited at the Bar Mitzvah when the son becomes fully independent of his father.

Where it comes in the siddur

Texts and sources

Every prayer text in Amidora comes from openly licensed editions published on Sefaria. Only editions released under CC-BY, CC0 or the public domain are included.