Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 59 - Laws Relating to First Blessing, Yotzer Or

SECTION 59 Laws Relating to the First Blessing, Yotzer Or. (1–6)

1 Our Sages ordained1 seven blessings [in connection with] the recitation of the Shema: in the morning, two blessings before it and one after it, and in the evening, two before it and two after it. As an allusion in support of this [practice], they cited the verse,2 “Seven times a day do I praise You.”

The first blessing opens with the word Baruch: “Blessed are You, G‑d our L‑rd, King of the universe, Who forms light and creates darkness....” The Sages ordained3 that [the] characteristic quality of night be spoken of by day, in order to counter the thought of the heretics who say that He Who created light did not create darkness. [The first blessing also] concludes with [a phrase beginning] Baruch: “Blessed are You, G‑d, Who creates the luminaries.”4

If one erred [in the morning] and said,5 “Blessed are You, G‑d our L‑rd, King of the universe, Who by His word Who brings on evenings,” then remembered immediately6 and said “Who forms light...” until the end of the blessing, concluding “Who creates the luminaries,” he has fulfilled his obligation.

If, however, he said [in the morning] “...Who by His word Who brings on evenings...” and did not (immediately) say “Who forms light...,” then even if he concluded the blessing with “...Who creates the luminaries,” he has not fulfilled his obligation, because the entire beginning of the blessing was not recited correctly. (For he did not recite a blessing over the formation of light at all. In contrast, if he remembered immediately and said “Who forms light...,” he has corrected his mistake and has recited a blessing over the formation of the light.)

If [in the morning] he said, “Blessed are You, G‑d our L‑rd, King of the universe, Who forms light and creates darkness;7 Who by His word Who brings on evenings; with wisdom He opens...,” he has fulfilled his obligation even if he continued until the end of the [evening] blessing — [provided] he concluded [with the morning blessing], “...Who formed the luminaries.” Since the beginning and the conclusion of the blessing were recited as ordained, he has fulfilled his obligation after the fact, even though in the interim he deviated from the wording ordained by the Sages.8 If, however, [in the morning] he concluded [the blessing] with the words, “[Blessed are You, G‑d] Who brings on evenings,”9 he has not fulfilled his obligation even if he recited the entire blessing correctly until its conclusion. [The rationale is that] the beginning and the conclusion of every blessing must be correct, even after the fact.

In any instance in which one did not fulfill his obligation,10 if he did not realize he erred until he completed [the blessing] Ahavah Rabbah or Ahavas Olam,11 he should not make an interruption between it and the Shema in order to repeat the blessing Yotzer Or [at that point]. Instead, he should recite the blessing Yotzer Or after Shemoneh Esreh. Although in this way he is reciting the Shema before the blessing Yotzer Or which was ordained to precede it, this is not a disqualifying factor after the fact, as will be explained in sec. 60[:2].

2 Some authorities maintain that the Kedushah12 in the blessing Yotzer Or may be recited by an individual [praying alone].13 For it is not comparable to the Kedushah in [the repetition of] Shemoneh Esreh when we say Nakdishach (“We will sanctify You”14) or Nekadesh (“We will sanctify”), [in which instance] we sanctify Him — and [this] is not permitted with less than [a quorum of] ten. In the Kedushah recited in the blessing Yotzer Or, by contrast, we are not sanctifying Him. We are merely recalling the words of sanctification expressed to Him by His ministering angels. An individual has license to recite this [Kedushah], for it is merely descriptive. Similarly, [an individual may recite] the Kedushah in the passage U’Va LeTziyon. Since it is no more than the recitation of verses, its [recitation] presents no difficulty.

Other authorities maintain that an indi­vidual should recite neither the Kedushah in the blessing Yotzer Or, nor the Kedushah in the passage U’Va LeTziyon. Instead, when he reaches the Kedushah in the blessing Yotzer Or, he should say: VeOmrim BeYirah Kadosh..., VehaOfanim..., VeOmrim Baruch....15 It is advisable to be mindful of their view and for an individual to make a point of reciting the verses with their cantillation melody as if he were reading the Torah. The custom, however, is to follow the first view.

When making the responses of this Kedushah together with a congregation, one should [do so] in a loud voice. [This Kedushah] may be recited while seated. [The intent is] not that one should sit if he was standing, but rather that if he was seated, he should not rise to recite this Kedushah as he would for the Kedushah in [the repetition of] Shemoneh Esreh.16

3 One should say Maaritzim U’Makdishim U’Mamlichim, [concluding] each word with a mem17 and not with a nun, because the entire blessing is worded in the language of Scripture,18 [in which the plural form of a masculine verb typically ends] with a mem, not a nun. (There are some who, for an [esoteric] reason known to them, [end these words] with a nun.)

4 [When reciting] these blessings which [precede] the Shema, the sheliach tzibbur may enable a multitude19 to discharge their obligation [to recite them].20 This includes even a person who is knowledgeable. They do not resemble [the blessings of] Shemoneh Esreh, in which instance the sheliach tzibbur can enable only those who are not knowledgeable to discharge their obligation.21 For Shemoneh Esreh is a request for [Divine] mercy, and every individual should personally request mercy for himself if he knows how to do so. This is not the case with regard to these and similar blessings.22

Nevertheless, the sheliach tzibbur may fulfill [these] obligations only on behalf of a congregation, i.e., when there are nine people listening and responding Amen. If, however, there are not nine listening, he is considered like an individual praying alone. And an individual praying alone cannot fulfill another’s obligations, even if that person is not knowledgeable,23 except with regard to the blessings recited [in appreciation for] benefits received,24 the blessings for the [performance of] commandments,25 and other, similar blessings.

[An individual praying alone cannot discharge another’s obligations with regard to] the blessings [preceding] the Shema and all the Morning Blessings, for they are blessings of praise and thanksgiving. It was ordained that they be recited verbally or to be heard “amidst a multitude,” for this manifests “the King’s glory”26 — i.e., that nine people listen to one individual and respond Amen. With regard to the Grace after Meals, though it is also a blessing of thanksgiving for past [favors], since it is a blessing [recited in appreciation for] benefits received, leniency was granted regarding [its blessings].27

Nevertheless, since the blessings [preceding] the Shema are long, one should not rely on hearing them from the sheliach tzibbur even in communal [prayer], lest one’s attention be distracted in the middle of a blessing and one not hear the sheliach tzibbur.28 One should therefore recite the entire blessing in an undertone, together with the sheliach tzibbur. Then, even if his attention is distracted (and he reads part of [the blessing] without concentration), he has fulfilled his obligation. (For after the fact, [a lack of] concentration is not a disqualifying factor, except with regard to the first verse in the recitation of the Shema29 and the first blessing of Shemoneh Esreh.)30

[A person reading as he listens] should make a point of quickly completing the blessing before the sheliach tzibbur concludes so that he can respond Amen, as was explained in sec. 51[:3].31

However, in the case of the blessing HaBocher BeAmo Yisrael BeAhavah, some authorities maintain that one should not respond Amen, in order that there be no interruption between the recitation of the Shema and the blessing that precedes it, just as one may not make an interruption between [the performance of] any mitzvah, or the derivation of a benefit over which a blessing is recited, and the blessing that precedes [that mitzvah or that benefit].32

Other authorities maintain that one respond Amen after this blessing, too, and that there is no difficulty in making an interruption between [this blessing] and the recitation of the Shema, for the blessings [preceding] the Shema do not resemble the other blessings associated with mitzvos. For33 we do not [bless G‑d Who] “sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to recite the Shema.” Rather, these are independent blessings whose recital before the recitation of the Shema was ordained [by the Sages]. This is the common custom in these countries, as will be explained in sec. 61[:4].34

5 [The following procedure should be followed if] a sheliach tzibbur erred while reciting the blessing Yotzer Or to the extent that he must be replaced by another.35

If he erred before reciting Kedushah,36 the person replacing him must return to the beginning of the blessing,37 as is the law with regard to errors in [the other] blessings of Shemoneh Esreh, as will be explained in sec. 126[:2].

If he erred after the congregation responded Kadosh..., [the second sheliach tzibbur] should not start from the beginning of the blessing because, in this context, responding Kadosh... is considered the end of a blessing, and [the sentence beginning] VehaOfanim is considered the beginning of another blessing. Similarly, in this context, the response beginning Baruch Kevod is considered the conclusion of a blessing, and [the phrase] LaE-l Baruch as the beginning of a new blessing. Hence, if [the first sheliach tzibbur] erred in [the response] VehaOfanim, the person who replaces him should begin from that word. If he erred [at some point] from LaE-l Baruch Ne’imos onward, the person who replaces him should recommence at LaE-l Baruch.

6 Some authorities hold that the sentence beginning Or Chadash38 should not be recited.39 [The rationale is that] words reflecting the beginning and the end of the [entire passage constituting the] blessing should immediately precede the concluding phrase of the blessing40 — and this sentence does not reflect the beginning and end [of the blessing Yotzer Or]. For our Sages ordained this blessing [in thankful acknowledgment for] the light which is renewed every day, not for the new light that will shine in the future.

Other authorities resolve [the difficulty with] this custom, explaining that [this sentence] does reflect the beginning and the end of the blessing, for Yotzer Or relates to the light which the Holy One, blessed be He, created in the Six Days of Creation and stored away for the righteous in the ultimate future.41 It is of this light that Scripture says,42 “And the nations shall proceed by your light.” This is [the implication of] the phrase Or Chadash: the light which was newly created in the Six Days of Creation will ultimately be renewed for us by the Holy One, blessed be He.