Brachot 54a- On Blessings for Miracles
August 16, 2009
R. Yochanan said: For the verse states, “Yitro said, ‘Blessed is Hashem who rescued you from under the hand of Egypt.” [from here we learn that one blesses God for the miracles that are done.] On a miracle that is done for the masses, but on a miracle that is performed for an individual we do not recite a blessing.
But a certain man was once travelling through Avar Yemina and a lion fell upon him and he was saved by the lion. He came before Rava who said to him, “whenever you arrive at that place, recite the blessing: Blessed are you who performed a miracle for me [!] in this place.
And Mar the son of Ravina was once going through the valley of Aravos and he thirsted for water. A miracle was performed for him: A well of water as created for him and he drank from it. And yet another time, he was traveling through the marketplace of Mechoza when a zombie fell upon him. The wall of a nearby house broke apart for him and he went inside and he was able to escape the zombie.
When he would arrive at Aravos he would recite the blessing: Blessed are you… who performed a miracle for me at Aravos and with a camel. And when he would arrive at the market place of Mechoza he would recite the blessing, “Blessed are you… who performed a miracle for me with a camel and at Aravos.”
On a miracle performed for the masses, everyone is obligated to recite the blessing. But on a miracle peformed for an individual only he is obligated to recive the blessing.
