Hello,
- Are we allowed to say brachot (Asher Yatzar, Birkot Hashachar, food blessings) by walking or doing something else?
For example, you wake up, wash hands, and when making the bed or other morning activities saying the Birkot Hashachar. Or going to the bathroom and say Asher Yatzar in the process of going to your desk to work (maybe you started saying it walking and then finish the blessing sitted).
I’ve seen Hasidim in my community walking while saying Psalms or the Blessings before the actual Amidah. As far as I understand the only issue may be Birkat Hamazon and even bedieved you can say it if walking.
- The other question is if now that we have so much antisemitism and wearing a Kippah is dangerous we can say brachot in the street without covering our head. I read the sources and the Rambam is very clear that even when is not the best practice the blessing is still valid.
Yes. In general, blessings may be recited while walking, getting dressed, making the bed, or doing other activities. The main requirement is that a person pause long enough to have some basic kavana, meaning that he understands the words he is saying and is aware that he is reciting a blessing before God.
The same is true for Keriat Shema. A person may recite Shema while walking or engaged in other activities. The primary exception is the first verse, “Shema Yisrael,” which should be said with greater concentration and attention.
Therefore, if someone washes his hands in the morning and recites Birkot Hashachar while getting ready for the day, or says Asher Yatzar while walking back from the bathroom to his desk, there is generally no problem.
Regarding head covering, the Talmud presents covering one’s head as a matter of piety (middat chasidut) and reverence before Heaven, not as an absolute requirement. While many Jews have accepted the practice and are careful to wear a kippah when praying or reciting blessings, a person who recites a blessing without a head covering has nevertheless fulfilled his obligation and the blessing is valid. Therefore, if wearing a kippah would create a genuine safety concern due to antisemitism or other circumstances, one may certainly recite blessings without a head covering.
Thank you Rabbi for your answer. I have another question related to the same topic.
I understand that we cannot say a blessing over food that is inherently forbidden, like forbidden animals by the Torah, food that is actual Bishul Akum, food absolutely forbidden by the sages or food cooked by you or definitely for you on Shabbat. But what about when the food is not inherently forbidden and it’s just the time/context what is wrong?
Let me give few examples, some of them exaggerated.
– Food that you ate before night or day Kiddush on Shabbat. For any reason you eat or drink something before night Kiddush or in the morning of Shabbat before prayers, or you don’t say the day Kiddush for any reason. You should say a Bracha over the food consumed under those circumstances?
– Food eaten outside the Sukkah.
– Food that you moved without an Eruv or, being exaggerated, you are walking outsiders without an Eruv with a bottle of water or any food and you decide to have a sip, should you say the Bracha?
In my understanding, in all these situations, the Bracha is still said because the food Kosher status is not directly affected, the issue is just the context, or the object of the Mitzvah of saying a Blessing (food) is conceptually unrelated to the Averah.
Correct. the Bracha is still said