Birkat Ha-gomel • Deracheha

What is Birkat Ha-gomel? When is it recited? By whom?

In Brief

What is the source for birkat ha-gomel?

Tehillim 107 describes four types of people who should give thanks to God for deliverance from a life-threatening situation, someone who has survived: a voyage at sea, travel in the wilderness, a serious illness, time in prison.

The Talmud establishes that people who undergo these experiences should recite a beracha praising God as “gomel chasadim tovim,” “Who grants good kindnesses.” The language commonly recited for at least a milennium is, “Who grants good to the indebted, who has granted me every good,” with those who hear responding with a wish for more good.

Does birkat ha-gomel apply to situations aside from the original four?

Halachic consensus is to recite the beracha after surviving any clear danger to life.
In cases of travel, imprisonment, or illness with less clear peril, Sefardi halachic authorities generally favor reciting the beracha, whereas Ashkenazi authorities tend to be more conservative.

Does the beracha require a minyan?

Based on mention in Tehillim 107:32 of giving thanks “in a congregation of people” (bi-khal ‘am), the Talmud states that it should be recited before ten people, which is generally understood as referring to a minyan of ten men.

There is some debate regarding the beracha’s validity if recited without a minyan, and whether God’s name and kingship should be mentioned in that case.

Are women obligated to recite birkat ha-gomel?

Women are widely considered to be fully obligated. Following the biblical model of Leah, all Jews should strive to give proper thanks to God. Furthermore, this beracha is not time-bound.

And in practice?

In practice, however, many women don’t recite the beracha or say it only after childbirth, which is a clearly dangerous and publicly-recognized event. Common practice likely derives from tzeniut concerns regarding a woman reciting a blessing before ten men.

What are a woman’s options for reciting birkat ha-gomel in practice?

There are a number of halachic options:

When possible, a woman should recite the beracha in any relevant situation in the presence of a minyan— addressing tzeniut concerns either by reciting it from the women’s section or with a more private minyan (like those gathered for an event).
Some suggest a husband can recite it on his wife’s behalf or even just by saying Barechu when called to the Torah, though many authorities question the validity of this. In some communities, there is always someone reciting ha-gomel for the community at large, who answer “amen.”
Some halachic authorities, including Rav Moshe Feinstein, permit women to recite the full beracha even without a minyan, as long as others are present. This could be a group of women. Other authorities suggest omitting mention of God’s name and kingship in this case.

In Depth

By Laurie Novick
Rav Ezra Bick, Ilana Elzufon, and Shayna Goldberg, eds.

Giving Thanks

While feeling gratitude toward God may seem like a basic religious impulse, the Talmud teaches that Leah was the first person to properly give thanks:

ברכות ז:

ואמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי מיום שברא הקדוש ברוך הוא את עולמו לא היה אדם שהודה להקדוש ברוך הוא עד שבאתה לאה והודתו שנאמר הפעם אודה את ה’:

Berachot 7b

Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, from the day when God created His world, there was no person who gave thanks to God until Leah came and gave thanks to Him, as it is said, “This time, I will thank God.”

Leah’s expression of gratitude was a spontaneous response to a joyous occasion, the birth of her fourth son.

Tehillim 107, on the other hand, instructs us to thank God upon emerging safely from life-threatening situations. The chapter is organized according to a fourfold repeating pattern: Each unit opens by describing a life-threatening experience, followed by a refrain calling for crying out to God for deliverance, a description of that deliverance, another refrain calling for thanksgiving to God, and, finally, explanation of why God deserves such praise in this instance.

Here is the first example of the pattern in full, with repeated refrains in bold, followed by partial descriptions of the threats faced in the next three examples:

תהלים פרק קז:א-לב

הֹדוּ לַה’ כִּי טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ: יֹאמְרוּ גְּאוּלֵי ה’ אֲשֶׁר גְּאָלָם מִיַּד צָר:… [1] תָּעוּ בַמִּדְבָּר בִּישִׁימוֹן דָּרֶךְ עִיר מוֹשָׁב לֹא מָצָאוּ: רְעֵבִים גַּם צְמֵאִים נַפְשָׁם בָּהֶם תִּתְעַטָּף: וַיִּצְעֲקוּ אֶל ה’ בַּצַּר לָהֶם מִמְּצוּקוֹתֵיהֶם יַצִּילֵם: וַיַּדְרִיכֵם בְּדֶרֶךְ יְשָׁרָה לָלֶכֶת אֶל עִיר מוֹשָׁב: יוֹדוּ לַה’ חַסְדּוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו לִבְנֵי אָדָם: כִּי הִשְׂבִּיעַ נֶפֶשׁ שֹׁקֵקָה וְנֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה מִלֵּא טוֹב: [2] יֹשְׁבֵי חֹשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת אֲסִירֵי עֳנִי וּבַרְזֶל…[3] אֱוִלִים מִדֶּרֶךְ פִּשְׁעָם וּמֵעֲוֹנֹתֵיהֶם יִתְעַנּוּ: כָּל אֹכֶל תְּתַעֵב נַפְשָׁם וַיַּגִּיעוּ עַד שַׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת…[4] יוֹרְדֵי הַיָּם בָּאֳנִיּוֹת… וִֽ֭ירֹמְמוּהוּ בִּקְהַל־עָ֑ם וּבְמוֹשַׁ֖ב זְקֵנִ֣ים יְהַלְלֽוּהוּ:

Tehillim 107:1-32

Give thanks to God, for He is good, for His kindness is forever. The redeemed of God shall say, whom He redeemed from the hand of an enemy… [1] They went astray in the wilderness in a desolate place, they did not find a path to a settled city. Both hungry and thirsty, their souls became faint within them. And they cried out to God in their distress, and from their travails He delivered them. And He guided them in a straight path to go to a settled city. Let them give thanks to God for His kindness and His wonders to human beings. For He sated the thirsting soul and the hungry soul He filled up with good. [2] Dwellers of dark and the shadow of death, prisoners of affliction and irons…[3] fools from the way of their transgression and from their iniquities they will be afflicted. All food will be detested by their soul and they will reach the gates of death…[4] seafarers in ships…Let them exalt Him in a congregation of people [bi-khal am], and in a council of elders praise Him.

Drawing from this chapter, the Talmud identifies four categories of people who must give thanks: one who has returned from a journey at sea or through the wilderness, someone who has recovered from illness,¹ and a released prisoner:

ברכות נד:

אמר רב יהודה אמר רב: ארבעה צריכין להודות— יורדי הים, הולכי מדברות, ומי שהיה חולה ונתרפא, ומי שהיה חבוש בבית האסורים ויצא. יורדי הים מנלן? דכתיב “יורדי הים באניות “…הולכי מדברות מנלן? דכתיב תעו במדבר …מי שחלה ונתרפא, דכתיב אולים מדרך פשעם ומעונתיהם יתענו…ישלח דברו וירפאם וגו’…מי שהיה חבוש בבית האסורין מנלן? דכתיב ישבי חשך וצלמות וגו’…ואומר ויזעקו אל ה’ בצר להם ואומר “יוציאם מחשך וצלמות” וגו’ ואומר יודו לה’ חסדו.

Berachot 54b

Rav Yehuda said Rav said: Four need to give thanks—seafarers, travelers in the wilderness, and one who was ill and was healed, and one who was bound in prison and came out. Whence seafarers? As it is written: “seafarers in ships”…Whence travelers in wildernesses? As it is written, “they went astray in the wilderness”…Whence one who was ill and became well? For it is written, “fools from the way of their transgression, and from their iniquities they will be afflicted…He will give His word and heal them”…Whence one who was bound in prison? For it is written, “dwellers of dark and the shadow of death, etc.”…and it says, “and they cried out to God in their distress,” and it says, “He takes them out of dark and the shadow of death,” etc. And it says, “Let them give thanks to God for His kindness.”

Though we have only included a few excerpts above, the Talmud quotes extensively from Tehillim 107 for each of the four, relating both to the extent of the difficulty faced and to the scope of salvation. In his typological commentary to the siddur, Roke’ach suggests that the number four here harkens back to Leah:

פירושי סידור התפילה לרוקח לפיכך אנו חייבים

הודאה שייך לומר במקום שהשפיע רוב טובה. כמו: “הפעם אודה את ה'”, שנתן לי ד’ בנים…על כן ארבעה צריכין להודות, שמטיב להם.

Roke’ach, Commentary on the Siddur, s.v. Lefichach anu chayyavim

Thanks is relevant to say in a place where God lavished great good. As in: “This time I will give thanks to God,” who gave me [Leah] four sons…Therefore, four need to give thanks, for His doing good for them.

The

Leah seems to give thanks simply by expressing it. Later, the Torah prescribes a more concrete act of gratitude, the thanksgiving offering, korban toda (Vayikra 7:12-13; Vayikra 22:29-30). Tehillim 107 describes those who have recovered from illness as bringing a korban toda:

תהלים קז כב

וְיִזְבְּחוּ זִבְחֵי תוֹדָה וִיסַפְּרוּ מַעֲשָׂיו בְּרִנָּה:

Tehillim 107:22

And they shall bring thanksgiving offerings and tell of His deeds in joy.

Offering a korban toda would have been the proper course of action when Beit Ha-mikdash was standing. In the Talmud, Rav Yehuda, who lived well after the destruction of the Second Temple, suggests a return to verbal expression, calling for reciting a beracha in these cases:

ברכות נד:

מאי מברך? אמר רב יהודה: ברוך גומל חסדים טובים.

Berachot 54b

What blessing does one recite? Rav Yehuda said: Blessed is [the One who] grants good kindnesses.

Rabbeinu Asher even suggests that this beracha, known as birkat ha-gomel, was enacted in place of the korban toda.²

While the language of the beracha as it appears in the Talmud is “gomel chasadim tovim,” “who grants good kindnesses,” the language of birkat ha-gomel as commonly recited is different. The more familiar phrasing appears in Rambam’s Mishneh Torah, followed by a response to be made by those who hear it:

רמב”ם הלכות ברכות י:ח

וכיצד מודה וכיצד מברך?…ברוך אתה ה’ אלקינו מלך העולם הגומל לחייבים טובות שגמלני כל טוב, וכל השומעין אומרים שגמלך טוב הוא יגמלך סלה.

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

How does one give thanks and how does one bless?…Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the world, who grants good to the indebted [chayyavim], who has granted me every good. And all who hear say: He who has granted you good, may He grant you [more] good. Sela.

This language highlights our awareness that God doesn’t owe us deliverance. Rather, part of giving thanks is acknowledging our indebtedness to God even before an act of Divine kindness. Rav Yosef Karo further explains:

בית יוסף או”ח ריט

…אף על פי שהנוסחא בגמרא בספרים שלנו היא ברוך גומל חסדים טובים גירסת הני רבוותא עיקר ופירוש הברכה ברוך אתה ה’ אלקינו מלך העולם הגומל לחייבים וכו’ כלומר אפילו לאותם שהם חייבים דהיינו שהם רשעים דתרגום (בראשית יח כג) רשע חייבא, עם כל זה גומל להם טובות וגם אני כאחד מהם שאף על פי שאיני הגון גמלני כל טוב:

Beit Yosef OC 219

…Even though the text of the Talmud in our printed books is, “Blessed is He who grants good kindnesses,” the version of these rabbis is the correct one. And the meaning of the beracha, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the world, who grants good to the indebted (chayyavim), [who has granted me every good], etc.,” is to say that even for those who are indebted, which is to say that they are wicked, for the Targum of wicked (Bereishit 18:23) is chayyava, despite this He has granted them good, and I am also as one of them, for even though I am not fitting, He has granted me all good.

According to Beit Yosef, the beracha highlights God’s grace even toward the wicked, followed by the reciter’s expression of gratitude for lovingkindness that no one truly deserves.³ Beit Yosef does not treat the threat experienced as a deserved act of Divine punishment or deliverance from it as a fitting reward. Framing the beracha as a moment of gratitude for an undeserved chessed allows for it to be recited without casting any aspersions on the person reciting it.⁴

In practice, the familiar wording for the beracha is preferred, but not strictly required, as long as the essence of giving thanks is preserved.⁵

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק ד

ונוסח זה אינו מעכב כל שאמר ענין הברכה

Mishna Berura 219:4

This text is not a necessary condition, as long as one spoke of the topic of the beracha.

The beracha remains valid even if there is no verbal response. This makes sense, given that the response does not appear at all in the Talmud.⁶

Why is the response suggested, then? Perhaps because sharing gratitude with others is an important part of giving thanks to God. We see this from each of our examples of thanksgiving so far: Leah made her gratitude for her fourth son public, not only by verbalizing it, but by embedding the root for thanks (yod–dalet–heh, which is also the root of toda) into the name Yehuda. The korban toda entailed eating the meat of the sacrificial animal together with many loaves of bread by the end of the night after bringing the sacrifice,⁷ effectively forcing those who offered it to share their thanksgiving with a large party of people.⁸ Tehillim 107:32 mentions giving thanks “bi-khal am,” in a congregation of people.

The Quorum

Citing the phrase “bi-khal am” from Tehillim, Abbaye teaches that birkat ha-gomel should be recited in the presence of at least ten people. Mar Zutra adds that two should be elders, i.e., sages. The Talmud leaves the question of whether the two sages can count toward the quorum of ten unresolved:

ברכות נד:

אביי אמר וצריך לאודויי קמי עשרה דכתיב וירוממוהו בקהל עם וגו’ מר זוטרא אמר ותרין מינייהו רבנן שנאמר ובמושב זקנים יהללוהו מתקיף לה רב אשי ואימא כולהו רבנן מי כתיב בקהל זקנים בקהל עם כתיב ואימא בי עשרה שאר עמא ותרי רבנן קשיא

Berachot 54b

Abbaye said: And he needs to give thanks before ten. For it is written: “Let them exalt Him in a congregation of people” etc. Mar Zutra said, and two of them are sages, for it is said “and in a council of elders praise Him.” Rav Ashi challenged: And say all of them should be sages! [Response:] Is it written “in a congregation of elders”? It is written “in a congregation of people.” And say ten of other people and [also] two sages? This is a difficulty.

There are different views regarding the necessity of having ten people, and rabbis, present for the beracha. Rambam rules that ten are needed, but that the rabbis can count as two of the ten.

רמב”ם הלכות ברכות י:ח

וצריכין להודות בפני עשרה ושנים מהם חכמים שנאמר וירוממוהו בקהל עם ובמושב זקנים יהללוהו

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

They need to give thanks before ten, and two of them sages, for it is said, “Let them exalt Him in a congregation of people, and in a council of elders praise Him.”

Re’ah suggests that one should wait up to thirty days to recite the beracha in the presence of a minyan, but at that point allows for reciting it without one. He adds that it is customary to recite birkat ha-gomel during Torah reading because the Torah reading itself can stand in for two sages and because it is fitting to perform a mitzva when giving thanks.⁹

רא”ה על הריף ברכות פרק ט עמ’ קעז

ומיהו עשרה דאמרי[נן] נמי לאו לעיכובא אלא למצוה לכתחילה הא אם לא מצא עשרה מברך בלא עשרה ובלא תרי רבנן מיהו אע”ג [=אף על גב] דלאו לעיכובא נינהו ראוי הדבר להמתין עד שלשים דילמא מתרמיא ליה מצוה כהלכתא מכאן ואילך לא צריך להמתין ונהיגי לברוכי על קריאת התורה דאיכא מאן דיהיב טעמא משום דקריאת התורה קימא לן במקום רבנן א”נ [=אי נמי] דניחא להו לעלמא למעבד מצוה כי אתו לאודויי על ניסייהו.

Re’ah on the Rif, Berachot 9, p. 177

Nevertheless, the ten that they say is also not a requirement, but rather the le-chat’chila [ideal] mitzva. Therefore, if he did not find ten, he recites the beracha without ten and without two sages. Nevertheless, even though it is not required, it is fitting to wait until thirty days, in case perhaps the opportunity will arise to do the mitzva as legislated [in the presence of ten]. From here on, one does not need to wait. And the practice is to recite the beracha over Torah reading, for there is one who gives the reason as on account of reading the Torah standing in for us in the place of sages. Alternatively, because it is preferred for people to do a mitzva when coming to give thanks for a miracle.

In practice, Rav Yosef Karo rules in Shulchan Aruch that the two sages count as part of the ten. He adds that the beracha is considered valid even if no sages were in attendance, but there is debate regarding its validity if recited without ten.

שולחן ערוך או”ח ריט: ג

צריך לברך ברכה זו בפני יו”ד, ותרי מינייהו רבנן, דכתיב: וירוממוהו בקהל עם ובמושב זקנים יהללוהו (תהילים קז, לב), ואם לא שכיחי רבנן, לא יניח מלברך; ונהגו לברך אחר קריאת התורה, לפי שיש שם עשרה; ואם בירך בפחות מעשרה, יש אומרים שיצא, ויש אומרים שלא יצא, וטוב לחזור ולברך בפני עשרה בלא הזכרת שם ומלכות.

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:3

One must recite this beracha before ten, and two of them sages, for it is written “Let them exalt Him in a congregation of people [bi-khal am], and in a council of elders praise Him.” And if sages are not to be found, one should not leave off reciting the beracha. And they had the practice of reciting the beracha after the Torah reading, for there are ten there; and if he recited the beracha with fewer than ten, there are those who say that he has discharged his obligation, and there are those who say that he has not discharged his obligation; and it is good to go back and recite the beracha before ten without mentioning God’s name and kingship.

Mishna Berura rules that the beracha remains valid even if recited without a quorum of ten, and he cites Re’ah’s position that one may wait up to thirty days to recite it in front of ten.

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק ח

יש אומרים שיצא – דכל עיקר עשרה אינו אלא למצוה ולפ”ז [=ולפי זה] אם יודע שלא יזדמנו לו עשרה יברך בלא עשרה אפי[לו] לכתחלה ועיין בהלכות הרא”ה שכתב דימתין עד שלשים יום פן יזדמן לו עשרה שיוכל לקיים המצוה כהלכתה ויותר לא ימתין:

Mishna Berura 219:8

There are those who say that he has discharged his obligation – For the essence of the ten is only ideal for the mitzva [not required] and according to this, if he knows that ten will not become available to him, he should recite the beracha without ten, even from the outset. And see the laws of Re’ah who wrote that one should wait until thirty days, lest he come across ten so that he would be able to fulfill the mitzva as legislated, and beyond that one should not wait.

Quorum or Minyan?

While the Talmud does not specify the gender of the ten before whom the beracha should be recited, a midrash suggests that they must form a formal tzibbur, i.e., a minyan of men:

מדרש תהלים מזמור קז

אמר ר’ יהודה וצריכים להתוודות בעשרה בצבור, שנאמר וירוממוהו בקהל עם

Midrash Tehillim 107

Rav Yehuda said: And they need to give thanks before ten in a tzibbur [public congregation], for it is said, “Let them exalt Him in a congregation of people [bi-khal am].”

Elsewhere, Rashi explains the term “kahal” as referring to a group of ten, referencing the Talmudic passage from which the basic halachot of minyan are derived.¹⁰ Aruch Ha-shulchan builds on this idea, and explains that the requirement for men is derived from the word “kahal”:

ערוך השולחן או”ח ריט: ו

…דכתיב בקהל עם ונשים לא מקרו קהל…

Aruch Ha-shulchan OC 219:6

…For it is written “in a congregation of people” [bi-khal am], and women are not called a kahal.

On this reading, our sages enacted the beracha to be recited specifically in a minyan of men, because the beracha should have a more official public audience. As Rav Yehuda Henkin points out, Aruch Ha-shulchan’s extrapolation from the word ‘kahal’ is not conclusive, given instances in Tanach where ‘kahal’ includes women. However, Rav Henkin argues that the phrase ‘kehal am’ provides stronger support for requiring a minyan, alongside the midrash cited above.

שו”ת בני בנים ד:ה

ועדיין צריך ביאור כי מצינו שקהל גרים לא מיקרי קהל אבל לא שקהל נשים לא מקרי קהל, וכתוב בפרשת כי תצא לא יבוא ממזר בקהל ה’ וגו’ והוא הדין לא תבוא ממזרת בקהל ה’ כי לשון קהל ה’ כולל בין זכרים ובין נקבות….ולע”ד [=ולפי עניות דעתי] המקור להצריך גברים לברכת הגומל פשוט מספר שופטים פרק כ’ שהוא המקום השני בתנ”ך שנמצא לשון קהל עם, וז”ל [=וזה לשונו] ויתיצבו וגו’ בקהל עם האלקים ארבע מאות אלף איש רגלי שלף חרב עכ”ל [=עד כאן לשונו] הרי שקהל עם פרושו הזכרים כי רק המה שולפי החרב. לכן אין לפקפק שצריכים עשרה גברים דוקא, וכן משמע מסתימת הראשונים וכלשון בי עשרה בכל מקום. וראיה ממדרש תהלים…

Responsa Benei Banim 4:5

Still it requires explanation, for we have found that “a kahal of converts is not called a kahal,” but not that a kahal of women is not called a kahal, and it is written in parashat Ki Tetzei, “A mamzer may not enter [in marriage] into the kahal of God,” and so is the law that a female mamzeret may not enter into the kahal of God, for the language of kahal of God includes both males and females…And in my humble opinion, the source to require men for the recitation of birkat ha-gomel is simply from Shofetim 20, which is the other place in Tanach where the language “kahal am” is found. And this is its language: “and they stood etc….in kehal am Ha-Elokim, four hundred thousand sword-bearing infantry men.” Behold that “kehal am” means the men, for only they bore swords. Therefore, one should not question needing specifically ten men, and so is implied from the lack of discussion of the early authorities and as in the language of “ten” [as it is understood] in all places. And there is a proof from Midrash Tehillim…

We will see, as Rav Henkin notes, that the preponderance of halachic authorities assume that ten in this case refers to a minyan, ten men. This seems to be the case even for those who consider women fully obligated in reciting birkat ha-gomel (which we discuss below).¹¹

Nevertheless, Rav David Auerbach considers the possibility that women might count toward the ten, since birkat ha-gomel is not listed as a davar she-bikdusha and since it would seem that the presence of ten is primarily for the sake of publicity, a role that women may serve with respect to mitzvot such as megilla and Chanuka candles.

He goes on, though, to note that his uncle, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, follows Aruch Ha-shulchan on this, seeing the minyan as more integral to the mitzva, and not merely a means to publicity. Additionally, halachic authorities relate to situations in which ten men are unavailable, but do not suggest gathering a group of ten women:

הליכות ביתה, יג:ז הערה יג

אף שלענין אמירת דבר שבקדושה צריך דווקא עשרה אנשים…מ”מ בנד”ד [=מכל מקום בנידון דידן] עיקר דינא דעשרה מדכ[תיב] “וירוממהו בקהל עם” כמש”כ השו”ע [=כמו שכתב השלחן ערוך] שם…ענינה פרסום הנס וההודאה ברבים וגם נשים אתנהו בכלל זה וכמש”כ [=וכמו שכתבתי]…לענין מגילה לפני עשר נשים יעוי”ש [=יעויין שם], ובפרט שבנד”ד [=שבנידון דידן] לא הכריע השו”ע [=השלחן ערוך] בין הדעות אם עשרה הוא לעיכובא. ודודי הגרש”ז [=הגאון רב שלמה זלמן] שליט”א העיר ע”ז [=על זה], דשאני מגלה דעיקר מצותה היא הקריאה ורק צריך להיות בפרסום, משא”כ [=מה שאין כן] הכא על עצם ההודאה כתב וירוממהו “בקהל” עם ונשים אינן בכלל זה….[ומבואר כן בערוה”ש [=בערוך השלחן]…וכן בשאר הפוסקים שהחמירו שלא לברך בפחות מעשרה ולא כתבו עצה זו שיכולה האשה לברך בפני עשר נשים.]

Halichot Beitah 13:7 note 13

Although for the matter of saying a “davar she-bikdusha” one needs specifically ten men….In any case, in our matter the fundamental halacha of ten is from what is written, “let them exalt Him in a congregation of people,” as Shulchan Aruch writes there…Its matter is publicizing the miracle and giving thanks in public, and women are also included in this category, and as I have written…regarding the matter of reading megilla before ten women, see there. And especially since in our case Shulchan Aruch did not decide between the opinions whether ten is necessary. And my uncle Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach commented on this, that megilla is different because the fundamental mitzva is the reading and it only needs to be done in a way that publicizes it, which is not the case here, where regarding the fundamental act of giving thanks it is written and they should exalt Him in a “kahal” of the people, and women are not included in this…[And it is explained thus in Aruch Ha-shulchan…and similarly by other halachic authorities who were stringent not to recite the beracha in the presence of fewer than ten, and did not write this suggestion that a woman could recite it before ten women.]

As we saw above, a number of authorities permit reciting birkat ha-gomel without a minyan when one is unavailable for an extended time. Mishna Berura suggests that a woman may recite birkat ha-gomel in front of a group of women and a man.

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק ג

ויש שכתבו דמ”מ [=דמכל מקום] נכון הוא שתברך בפני עשרה עכ”פ [=על כל פנים] בפני נשים ואיש אחד:

Mishna Berura 219:3

There are those who wrote that in any case it is correct for her [a woman] to recite the beracha before ten, at any rate before women and one man.

The simplest understanding of this statement is that he is discussing a situation in which it is not considered feasible for a woman to recite the beracha before a minyan. (We’ll discuss reasons why this would have been the case below.) Mishna Berura’s source for the possibility of a woman reciting birkat ha-gomel in this way is Kenesset Ha-gedola (which we’ll see later), who says “before one man or women.” Rav David Auerbach suggests that our text of Mishna Berura might simply reflect a printer’s error.

הליכות ביתה, יג:ז הערה יג

ואולי ט”ס [=טעות סופר] נפל בפוסקים וצ”ל [=וצריך לומר] “בפני נשים או איש אחד”

Halichot Beitah 13:7 note 13

Perhaps a printer’s error occurred in [the texts of] the halachic authorities and it should say “before women or one man”

However, in a responsum about women reciting birkat ha-gomel, Rav Moshe Feinstein seems to understand Mishna Berura as suggesting that a woman gather together one man and nine women, without preferring a minyan to this configuration. Even so, Rav Moshe himself rejects the idea that it would be halachically significant to assemble ten women for birkat ha-gomel:¹²

שו”ת אגרות משה או”ח ה :יד

שאין עניין במניין של נשים, ודייה אם תברך בפני אדם אחד, איש או אשה…

Responsa Iggerot Moshe, OC 5:14

For there is no significance to a minyan of women, and it suffices for her [a woman] to recite the beracha before one person, man or woman…

In summary, halachic consensus is that birkat ha-gomel should typically be recited with a minyan. When that is not feasible, it is still preferable for it to be recited in front of others, though there does not seem to be halachic significance to their number once a minyan is not present. (We’ll come back to the halachot of a woman reciting ha-gomel a little later.)

Defining the Categories

The four categories described in Tehillim and the Talmud seem quite specific, leaving two questions unresolved:

I. Other Perils Is someone who doesn’t fit into these categories, but who faced peril and was saved, also obligated to give thanks?

In his list of the categories, Rambam replaces the talmudic “travelers in the wilderness,” (holchei midbarot) with “travelers on the road” holchei derachim:

רמב”ם הלכות ברכות י:ח

ארבעה צריכין להודות, חולה שנתרפא, וחבוש שיצא מבית האסורים, ויורדי הים כשעלו, והולכי דרכים כשיגיעו לישוב

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

Four need to give thanks, a sick person who has recovered, and a prisoner who came out of prison, and seafarers when they come back, and travelers on the road when they reach human settlement.

This indicates that people who have experienced situations similar to those described in the Talmud are also required to give thanks. Indeed, Meiri rules that one should recite ha-gomel after being saved from any dangerous situation:¹³

בית הבחירה למאירי, ברכות נד:

שנראה לי שלא נאמרו אלו בפרט אלא שאע”פ [=שאף על פי] שלא אירע להם סכנה צריכין להודות הואיל והדבר מצוי להסתכן אבל כל שאירע לו סכנה הן סכנת נפשות וניצל ממנה בכל דבר צריך להודות ויש בזה חולקים מתורת חובה הא מתורת רשות ודאי מברך:

Meiri, Berachot 54b

For it seems to me that these were specified only because, although danger did not befall them, they need to give thanks since becoming endangered is common in this circumstance. But anyone who experienced danger such as threat to life, and was saved from it in any way, needs to give thanks. And there are those who disagree with this being obligatory, but as an optional matter one can certainly recite the beracha.

Meiri acknowledges that some maintain that the beracha is optional in these cases, though it may still be recited. Shulchan Aruch cites the view that one should recite ha-gomel in cases not mentioned explicitly in the Talmud, as well as a view that, in such cases, God’s name and kingship should not be mentioned:

שולחן ערוך או”ח ריט:ט

הני ארבעה לאו דווקא, דה”ה [=דהוא הדין] למי שנעשה לו נס, כגון שנפל עליו כותל, או ניצול מדריסת שור ונגיחותיו, או שעמד עליו בעיר אריה לטורפו, או אם גנבים באו לו אם שודדי לילה וניצול מהם וכל כיוצא בזה, כולם צריכים לברך הגומל; וי”א [=ויש אומרים] שאין מברכין הגומל אלא הני ארבעה דוקא, וטוב לברך בלא הזכרת שם ומלכות.

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:9

These four are not exclusive, for so is the case for someone for whom a miracle was done, such as if a wall fell on him, or he was saved from being trampled or gored by an ox, or a lion stood over him in a city to maul him, or if thieves came to him, or night burglars, and he was saved from them, and anything similar, all of them need to recite birkat ha-gomel. And there are those who say that only specifically these four recite birkat ha-gomel, but it is good [for others] to recite the beracha without God’s name or kingship.

In practice, the consensus is to recite the beracha with God’s name and kingship after any salvation from danger:

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק לב

בלא הזכרת שם ומלכות – והאחרונים כתבו דהמנהג כסברא ראשונה וכן מסתבר:

Mishna Berura 219:32

Without God’s name or kingship—and the later authorities wrote that the custom is like the first position [to recite the full beracha], and that makes sense.

II. Lack of Clear Peril What of someone who has traveled by sea, been imprisoned, traveled through the wilderness, or suffered illness—without encountering any special danger? Meiri explores different possibilities for addressing this question, ultimately concluding that the beracha should be recited:

בית הבחירה למאירי ברכות נד:

יש מי שאומר שאין הדברים הללו אמורים אלא בהולכי מדברות שתעו ויורדי הים שעמד עליהם נחשול שבים וחולה שיש בו סכנה שבאלו יש בהם נס והרי הן כעין היוצא מבית האסורים אבל אם לא אירע להם כן אין צריך לברך וכן הולכי דרכים שלא במדברות אין צריכין לברך ואף על פי שפשוטי המקראות מוכיחים כך אין אני מודה בכך אלא כל שעלה למטה וירד מברך כבר אמרו עליה למטה הרי הוא כמי שעלה לגרדום וכן כל הולכי דרכים במשמע בתלמוד המערב אמרו בפ[רק] תפלת השחר כל הדרך בחזקת סכנה וכל החולי בחזקת סכנה והוא הדין לכל הליכת ים…

Meiri, Berachot 54b

There are those who say that these matters were only said regarding travelers in the wilderness who went astray, and seafarers who faced a large wave at sea, and a person whose life was at risk from illness, that with these there is a miracle, and they are similar to one who got out of prison, but if this did not happen to them, one does not need to recite the beracha, and similarly travelers who were not in wildernesses do not need to recite the beracha. And even though the simple meaning of the verses prove thus, I do not concede this but rather whoever went into bed and came out [i.e., was bedridden and recovered] recites the beracha. It has already been stated that going into bed [from illness] is like someone who goes to the gallows. And so, too, all travelers are implied; they stated in the Talmud Yerushalmi in Berachot ch. 4: “Every road is presumed dangerous…and every illness is presumed dangerous.” And so is the case for every sea voyage…

Meiri’s logic is that latent danger exists in each of these situations, even if there was no specific moment of threat and deliverance. On the whole, Sefardi halachic authorities tend to favor reciting birkat ha-gomel even when the danger is less clear, while Ashkenazi authorities are more conservative about reciting the beracha:

שולחן ערוך או”ח ריט:ז-ט

באשכנז וצרפת אין מברכין כשהולכין מעיר לעיר, שלא חייבו אלא בהולכי מדברות דשכיחי ביה חיות רעות ולסטים; ובספרד נוהגים לברך, מפני שכל הדרכים בחזקת סכנה; ומיהו בפחות מפרסה אינו מברך, ואם הוא מקום מוחזק בסכנה ביותר, אפילו בפחות מפרסה. בכל חולי צריך לברך, אפילו אינו חולי של סכנה ולא מכה של חלל, אלא כל שעלה למטה וירד, מפני שדומה כמי שהעלוהו לגרדום … הגה: י”א [=יש אומרים] דאינו מברך רק על חולי שיש בו סכנה, כגון מכה של חלל (טור בשם הראב”ד והר”ר יוסף וכן נוהגין באשכנז).

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:7-8

In Ashkenaz and France, they do not recite the beracha when traveling from city to city, for they only obligated travelers in wildernesses where wild animals and bandits are found. And in Sefarad, they have the practice to recite the beracha, because all roads are presumed dangerous. And nevertheless, for less than a parasang one does not recite the beracha, and if it is a place established as very dangerous, even for less than a parasang. With any illness one must recite the beracha, even if it is not life-threatening and not a potentially fatal blow, but rather anyone who is bedridden and gets out, because it is similar to someone who was brought up to the gallows…Rema: there are those who say that he only recites the beracha over life-threatening illness, such as a potentially fatal blow (…and so we practice in Ashkenaz).

There are also different views about airplane travel. On the one hand, flying is not especially dangerous—in fact, it is widely considered statistically safer than other forms of travel. On the other hand, there is an inherent peril in being thousands of meters above the ground. Rav Moshe Feinstein maintains that even Ashkenazi Jews should recite birkat ha-gomel following a routine plane flight,¹⁴ while some Ashkenazi authorities disagree.¹⁵ Sefardim recite ha-gomel after airplane flights, as after any routine travel.

Women Reciting Birkat Ha-gomel

Based on what we have learned so far, we would assume that women are fully obligated to recite birkat ha-gomel, just as women are obligated to recite berachot in general. Rav Moshe Feinstein makes this point:

שו”ת אגרות משה או”ח ה :יד

הנה בעצם אין מקום ואין טעם לחלק בחיוב ברכות ההודאה בין איש לאשה. … וכיוון שאיש מחוייב לברך, וודאי שגם אשה מחוייבת לברך.

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 5:14

Here fundamentally there is no place and no reason to distinguish between the obligation in berachot of giving thanks between a man and a woman….And since a man is obligated to recite the beracha [of ha-gomel], certainly a woman is also obligated to recite the beracha.

Indeed, early halachic authorities do not discuss women as a special case, and there is no indication that birkat ha-gomel is a time-bound mitzva.

Some suggest that ha-gomel should be recited only during the daytime, since a korban toda was offered exclusively in the daytime. However, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank explains that even such a custom does not render the beracha time-bound.

שו”ת הר צבי או”ח א:קיח

שהביא בח”ס [=בחתם סופר] (או”ח סימן נא) די”א [=דיש אומרים] דברכת הגומל אינה בלילה משום דהיא נתקנה במקום קרבן תודה כמוש”כ [=כמו שכתב] הרא”ש פ[רק] הרואה ותודה אינה אלא ביום…ואה”נ [=ואין הכי נמי] דלדידן דמברכין ברכת הגומל בלילה ממילא דגם נשים ישנן בכלל ברכה זו. אלא דגם את”ל [=אם תרצה לומר] דאין ברכת הגומל בלילה עדיין יש לדון דאי”ז [=דאין זה] בכלל מ”ע שהז”ג [=מצוות עשה שהזמן גרמה]…דהמצוה אינה מתבטלת אלא דחוזרת לחיובא והלילה אינה אלא מפסקת לקיומה ז”א מ”ע שהז”ג [=זה אינו מצוות עשה שהזמן גרמה]…

Responsa Har Tzvi OC 1:118

For Chatam Sofer cites those who say that birkat ha-gomel is not [recited] at night, because it was enacted in place of the thanksgiving offering, as Rosh wrote in Berachot ch. 9, and the thanksgiving offering is only [brought] during the daytime….In any case, for us, who do recite birkat ha-gomel at night, women are necessarily included in this beracha. But even if you wish to say that birkat ha-gomel is not [recited] at night, there is still room to assess that this is not a positive time-bound commandment…for the mitzva is not nullified [at night], but rather returns to its obligation, and the night is only a break in fulfilling it, this is not a positive time-bound commandment…

Therefore, many halachic authorities maintain that women are fully obligated to recite birkat ha-gomel and should do so in the presence of ten.

שולחן ערוך הרב לוח ברכת הנהנין יב:ח-ט

ארבעה צריכים להודות ולברך ברכת הגומל…נשים ועבדים חייבים בברכה זו ולכן כל אשה יולדת כשתקום מחליה תברך בבית הכנסת של נשים וישמעו עשרה אנשים מבפנים:

Shulchan Aruch Ha-Rav, Birchot Ha-nehenin, 12:8-9

Four need to give thanks and to recite birkat ha-gomel…women and bondsmen are obligated in this beracha, and therefore every woman who gives birth, when she recovers from her illness, should recite the beracha in the women’s section of synagogue and ten men will hear her from inside.

בן איש חי שנה ראשונה פרשת עקב ה

הנשים חייבין בברכת הגומל ויברכו בעשרה כדי לברך בשם ומלכות, ואם קשה לה לברך בעשרה מחמת הבושה תברך בלא שם ומלכות

Ben Ish Chai, First Year, Eikev 5

Women are obligated in birkat ha-gomel and should recite the beracha in the presence of ten in order to recite it with God’s name and kingship, and if it is difficult for her to recite the beracha in the presence of ten because of embarrassment, she should recite it without God’s name or kingship.

Why, then, do women in many communities have the practice of reciting birkat ha-gomel only after childbirth, or not at all?

This is not a new question, and a common answer for it is related to Ben Ish Chai’s mention of embarrassment. One of the first to address this in writing was Rav Chayyim Benveniste, in the seventeenth century:

כנסת הגדולה הגהות בית יוסף או”ח ריט:ג

תמה אני על מנהג העולם שנהגו שאין הנשים מברכות ברכת הגומל. ויראה לי דמנהג בטעות הוא, דכיון דברכת הודאה היא זו מי פטר לנשים מברכה זו. ואי משום שצריך לאודויי באנפי עשרה ותרי מינייהו רבנן, ואין כבודה של אשה לעמוד בפני האנשים, דכל כבודה בת מלך פנימה. אין טענה זו היא מספקת לפטרה מברכה שנתחייבה בה. ועוד, שהרי אפשר לאשה לעמוד בבית הכנסת של נשים ולברך ברכת הגומל וישמעו האנשים בבית הכנסת שלהם. ועוד, דלא נאמר שצריך לאודויי באנפי עשרה אלא לכתחלה, אבל בדיעבד אפילו שלא באנפי עשרה יצא, וכמו שהוא דעת רבינו בעל הטורים, אף על פי שאין כן דעת הרב יונה ורבינו בית יוסף ז”ל, ובאשה שאינה יכולה לברך בפני האנשים, לכתחלה תברך שלא בפני עשרה. ולכן נראה שראוי שתברך האשה ברכת הגומל באנפי עשרה, ולפחות בפני איש אחד או נשים, ואם בירכה בינה לבין עצמה יצאת. וכמדומה לי ששמעתי מקצת חכמי אשכנזים, שבאשכנז האשה מברכת הגומל כמו האיש, וכן נכון לעשות.

Kenesset Ha-gedola, Notes to Beit Yosef OC 219:3

I am puzzled regarding the common custom, that that the practice is for women not to recite birkat ha-gomel. And it seems to me that this is a mistaken custom, for since this is a beracha of thanks, who exempted women from this beracha? And if it is on account of needing to give thanks before ten, two of them sages, and it does not do honor for a woman to stand before the men, for ‘all the honor of a king’s daughter is within,’ this claim is insufficient to exempt her from a beracha in which she is obligated. And furthermore, it is possible for a woman to stand in the women’s section of the synagogue and recite birkat ha-gomel, and the men will hear her in their section of the synagogue. And furthermore, it was only said that one must give thanks before ten le–chat’chila [ideally], but bedi’avad [after the fact] even not before ten one has discharged the obligation. And as was the view of Tur, even though this is not the view of Rabbeinu Yona and Beit Yosef, and regarding a woman who cannot recite the beracha before men, then le-chat’chila she should recite the beracha not before ten. And therefore, it seems that it is fitting that a woman recite birkat ha-gomel before ten, or at least before one man or women, and if she recited it just to herself, she has discharged the obligation. And it seems to me that I heard from some of the sages of Ashkenaz, that in Ashkenaz a woman recites birkat ha-gomel like a man, and it is correct to do so.

Rav Benveniste notes that, in his time, women in Sephardi communities did not recite birkat ha-gomel. He believes this practice was due to tzeniut concerns, which he considers mistaken and easily addressed by reciting the beracha from the women’s section within earshot of ten men. Even if this is not feasible, he argues that women could still recite birkat ha-gomel before one man or other women, or, if need be, alone.

Contrary to Rav Benveniste’s statement, the situation in Ashkenaz appears to have been similar to that in Sefarad. Rav Avraham Gombiner, a contemporary of Rav Benveniste in Poland, responds to the same question with an alternative explanation for why women did not recite birkat ha-gomel that at first glance seems unrelated to tzeniut—perhaps women did not view the recitation of birkat ha-gomel as obligatory:

מגן אברהם ריט הקדמה

ואפשר שמנהגן מפני שס”ל [=שסבירא ליה] שברכות אלו רשות:

Magen Avraham 219 Introduction

It is possible that their [women’s] practice is because they thought that these berachot are optional [reshut].

Although we have seen suggestions that the beracha may not be obligatory in cases not discussed by the Talmud, there is no clear basis for assuming that this applies specifically to women. Peri Megadim highlights this difficulty:

פרי מגדים או”ח אשל אברהם ריט הקדמה

ומה שכתב נשים דסבירא ליה רשות, איני יודע מאן אומרים רשות.

Peri Megadim, OC Eshel Avraham 219 Introduction

That which he [Magen Avraham] wrote, regarding women, that they think [birkat ha-gomel] is optional, I do not know who says that it is optional [for them]…

Magen Avraham likely would respond that specifically women relied on the position that birkat ha-gomel is optional in many circumstances, out of concern for tzeniut.

Aruch Ha-Shulchan (in a section we excerpted earlier) suggests that the primary reason women did not recite birkat ha-gomel was the custom of reciting it during keri’at ha-Torah, since women are not called to the Torah:¹⁶

ערוך השולחן או”ח ריט: ו

ונשים נהגו שלא לברך ואין בזה שום טעם ורק מפני שהמנהג הוא לברך בעת קריאת התורה לכן מדמים שאין הנשים חייבות בברכה זו ולכן נכון שיברכו ואולי מפני דכתיב בקהל עם ונשים לא מקרו קהל ולברך בפני אנשים אינו מדרך ארץ ולכן נמנעו מזה.

Aruch Ha-shulchan OC 219:6

Women have been accustomed not to recite the beracha, and there is no rationale to that at all, and only because the custom is to recite the beracha at the time of reading the Torah, so that they imagine that women are not obligated in this beracha, and therefore it is correct that they should recite it. And perhaps it is because it is written “bi-khal am” and women are not considered a kahal and reciting a beracha before men is not appropriate, and therefore they abstained from this.

While Aruch Ha-Shulchan entertains the possibility that women’s refraining from reciting birkat ha-gomel may have been due to concerns for propriety, he still maintains that reciting the beracha is, in fact, obligatory.

In Practice

We’ve learned that many halachic authorities view the recitation of birkat ha-gomel by women as an obligation, although some offer justifications for why a woman might not recite it.

In practice, similar to Ashkenazi communities being more stringent in reciting birkat ha-gomel only when there is clear danger, women typically recite it only after childbirth (a life-threatening situation reminiscent of Leah’s giving thanks for the birth of a son), or after uniquely dangerous situations. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach summarizes this practice and attributes it to concerns about tzeniut:¹⁷

הליכות שלמה ב ד:לא

אמנם הטעם שנשים אינן נוהגות בכך הוא כידוע מפני הצניעות שכבודה בת מלך פנימה, ורק ביולדת הואיל וכרגיל הקרובים מתאספים בבית וגם חייבת בקרבנות (אע”ג [=אף על גב] שאין זה קרבן תודה), רבים נוהגים בירושלים בברכה זו…ברכת הגומל מבואר במ”א [=במגן אברהם] ריש סי’ רי”ט דנחשב רק רשות…בנוגע לשאלתך [אם תברך אשה ברכת הגומל לאחר ניתוח]…הואיל ובלא”ה [=ובלאו הכי] יהיה בעהי”ת [=בעזרת ה’ יתברך] מנין אצלך בחג העצרת מן הראוי שכן תברך הואיל ומעיקר הדין חייבים הן בכך.

Halichot Shlomo 2 4:31

Indeed, the reason that women do not practice this is, as known, out of tzeniut, for the honor of the king’s daughter is within, and only with a woman who has given birth, since it is customary for relatives to gather in the home and she is also obligated in sacrifices (even though this is not a thanksgiving offering), many have the custom in Yerushalayim of reciting this beracha… Birkat ha-gomel is explained in Magen Avraham at the beginning of 219 as being considered merely optional…Regarding your question [whether a woman should recite birkat ha-gomel after surgery]…since even without this there will be, God willing, a minyan by you over Shavuot, it is fitting that she should recite the beracha, since according to the fundamental halacha they [women] are obligated in this.

That is to say, in cases other than childbirth, it is customary for women to rely on the view that birkat ha-gomel is not obligatory, due to concerns for tzeniut. If a minyan is readily available, though, it is proper to recite birkat ha-gomel in cases where it is clearly warranted. Rav Yaakov Ariel rules accordingly regarding survival from a terror attack:¹⁸

תשובת הרב יעקב אריאל, ברכת הגומל לאחר פיגוע

אשה שהיתה בפיגוע וניצלה האם צריכה לברך הגומל והיכן בבית כנסת, בבית? תשובת הרב יעקב אריאל: היא צריכה לברך הגומל ותעשה זאת במעמד עשרה מישראל. שמקשיבים לברכתה ועונים, אם בביתה או בבית הכנסת מעזרת נשים.

Responsum of Rav Yaakov Ariel, Birkat Ha-gomel after a Terror Attack

A woman who was in a terror attack and was saved, does she need to recite ha-gomel and where—in synagogue, at home? Answer of Rav Ya’akov Ariel: She needs to recite ha-gomel and she should do this before ten Jewish [men] who listen to her beracha and respond, whether in her home or in the synagogue from the women’s section.

Indeed, in an early Instagram post following her release, former hostage Daniella Gilboa wrote of how important it was for her and the other freed surveillance soldiers to recite birkat ha-gomel at their earliest opportunity:¹⁹

דניאלה גלבוע, אנסטגרם

ידעתי שהדבר היחידי שיכול להציל אותנו זה האמונה. אתמול בבוקר קראנו אני, קרינה, נעמה, לירי ואגם את ברכת ״הגומל״ בבית הכנסת. לרגע הזה חיכיתי מהיום ששרדתי את השביעי באוקטובר. להודות לה׳ שכנגד כל הסיכויים הציל אותנו מהדבר הנורא מכל.

Daniella Gilboa, Instagram

I knew that the only thing that could save us [in Hamas captivity] was faith. Yesterday morning, Karina, Naama, Liri, Agam, and I recited birkat ha-gomel in synagogue. I had waited for this moment from the day that I survived the seventh of October. To thank God who, against all odds, saved us from the most terrible thing.

Discussions of fasting indicate that a woman who has given birth is considered to be in a life-threatening situation for at least the first seven days postpartum.

שולחן ערוך או”ח תריז :ד

יולדת תוך שלשה ימים לא תתענה כלל משלשה עד שבעה אם אמרה צריכה אני מאכילין אותה מכאן ואילך הרי היא ככל אדם

Shulchan Aruch, OC 617:4

A woman who has given birth, within three days she should not fast at all. From three to seven days, if she says “I need,” we feed her. From here on, she is like any person.

Therefore, Kaf Ha-chayyim rules that a woman should wait seven days after childbirth before reciting birkat ha-gomel:²⁰

כף החיים ריט:ז

ולפ”ז [=ולפי זה] יולדת אינה מברכת הגומל עד לאחר ז’ כי אז נתרפת לגמרי והרי היא כשאר כל אדם…

Kaf Ha-chayyim 219:7

According to this a woman who has given birth does not recite birkat ha-gomel until after seven days, because then she is fully healed and she is like other people…

Halachic authorities present several ways in which a woman can fulfill her obligation to recite birkat ha-gomel after childbirth.

One possibility, already discussed in Beit Yosef, is that a husband might recite birkat ha-gomel on his wife’s behalf, presumably for convenience and due to concerns about tzeniut. Beit Yosef questions this possibility, as he interprets Rashba as permitting recitation of the beracha on behalf of someone else only in the case of one’s father or rabbi (as in a talmudic anecdote that he cites):

בית יוסף או”ח ריט

…שנוהגים קצת אנשים שכשיולדות נשותיהם עומדים ומברכים ברכת הגומל…אבל מצאתי להרשב”א (נד. ד”ה הרואה)…נראה שדעתו לומר דרב חנא בגדתאה ורבנן לא בריכו על רפואת רב יהודה אלא לפי שהיה רבם…

Beit Yosef, OC 119

…For a few men have the practice that when their wives give birth, they stand and recite birkat ha-gomel…But I found according to Rashba (54a s.v., Ha-ro’eh)…it seems that his view is to say that Rav China Baghdadi and our sages only recited a beracha over the healing of Rav Yehuda because he was their rav…

Although Beit Yosef omits this discussion from the Shulchan Aruch, Mishna Berura cites both the possibility of the husband reciting it with the woman responding “amen,” and the concern about whether this method is valid.

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק יז

על אשתו שהיא כגופו דרשאי לברך ומזה נוהגים קצת אנשים שכשיולדות נשותיהם וחוזרות לבורין עומדים ומברכים ברכת הגומל וכשהיא תענה אמן על ברכתו יוצאת בזה ונוסח הברכה יאמר הגומל לחייבים טובות שגמלך כל טוב. ואם בירך שלא בפניה יאמר שגמל לאשתי כל טוב…. ועיין בבה”ל [=בביאור הלכה] שיש חולקים על עיקר דין זה דהג”ה [=דהגהות הרמ”א] וע”כ [=ועל כן] מהנכון ליזהר לכתחלה שלא לברך ברכת הגומל אפילו על קרובו ואוהבו כ”א [=כי אם] על אביו ורבו לבד:

Mishna Berura 219:17

For his wife, who is like himself, that it is permissible to recite the beracha, and based on this a few men have the practice that when their wives give birth and then return to health, they stand and recite birkat ha-gomel, and when she responds “amen” to his beracha, she discharges her obligation with this. And the text of the beracha that he should say is “who grants good to the indebted, who has granted you every good.” And if he recited the beracha without her being present, he should say “who has granted my wife every good.”…And see Bei’ur Halacha, that there are those who disagree over the fundamentals of this law from the Rema’s gloss and therefore it is correct to be careful le-chat’chila not to recite birkat ha-gomel even for his relatives and loved ones, but solely for his father and rabbi.

An alternate version of this approach, already appearing in the works of Rav Avraham Schor in 17th-century Galicia, is for a husband and wife to keep gratitude in mind when the husband recites barechu upon being called to the Torah.

תורת חיים, סנהדרין צד.

ולפי זה צריך הבעל להתכוין לכך כשאומר ברכו את ה’ המבורך שנותן ברכה והודאה לה’ בשביל אשתו

Torat Chayyim, Sanhedrin 94a

…The husband needs to intend that when he says “barechu et Hashem ha-mevorach” that he is giving beracha and thanks to God on behalf of his wife.

Another possibility, mentioned in more recent years by Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, is for a woman to recite birkat ha-gomel in a private minyan. We also saw earlier a few suggestions, starting with Rav Benveniste, of reciting it in the women’s section. Rav Moshe Sternbuch acknowledges both of these possibilities, while also noting that some halachic authorities maintain that women should continue the custom of not reciting it at all:

תשובות והנהגות א: קצה

אמנם ברכת הגומל בחולה ונתרפא דינא דגמרא, וראוי גם ליולדת שבחזקת סכנה להודות לה’ על חסדיו, ובקהלה שלנו האשה נמצאת בעזרת נשים ועומדת בפתח בית הכנסת ומברכת אחר התפלה וכולם עונים…ומיהו רבינו החזו”א זצ”ל לא הסכים שנשים יברכו גם ביולדת ברכת הגומל, ואולי ס”ל [=סבירא ליה] שלא צנוע, אבל בעיה”ק [=בעיר הקודש] נהגו בביתה דוקא ועדיפא.

Teshuvot Ve-hanhagot 1:195

Indeed, birkat ha-gomel for someone who is ill and has recovered is the law of the Talmud, and it is fitting also for a woman who gave birth, who is halachically presumed to be in danger, to give thanks to God for his kindnesses, and in our congregation, the woman is found in the women’s section and stands at the entrance of the synagogue and recites the beracha after the tefilla and everyone responds…And nevertheless our Rav, the Chazon Ish did not agree that women should recite birkat ha-gomel even after childbirth, and perhaps he thought that it was immodest, but here in the holy city [Yerushalayim], the practice is to recite it specifically in her home and that is preferred.

Rav Ovadya Yosef similarly maintains that a woman should recite birkat ha-gomel from the women’s section. Alternatively, she can recite it in the presence of a minyan at another opportunity, such as a berit mila or simchat bat:

שו”ת יחוה דעת ד: טו

הנכון שיש לנהוג כדברי הכנסת הגדולה שהאשה תברך בעזרת נשים כשיש עשרה אנשים בבית הכנסת וקוראים בתורה. וכן כתב מרן החיד”א בברכי יוסף בשם הגאון רבי יעקב מולכו בתשובה כתיבת – יד. וכן אם עושים מסיבה בבית להולדת הבן או הבת, ויש שם עשרה אנשים, יש לאשה להיכנס ולברך בפניהם ברכת הגומל ותבוא עליה ברכה.

Yechaveh Da’at 4:15

It is correct to practice according to the words of Kenesset Ha-gedola, that a woman should recite the beracha in the women’s section when there are ten men in the synagogue and they read the Torah. And so wrote out master Chida in Birkei Yosef in the name of Rav Ya’akov Molcho in a handwritten responsum… And thus if they make a party at home for the birth of the son or daughter, and there are ten men there, the woman should come in and recite birkat ha-gomel before them, and may she be blessed.

Similarly, his son Rav Yitzchak Yosef suggests that in communities that hold a night of learning, known as a berit Yitzchak, in the baby’s home on the eve of a berit mila, a woman can take the opportunity to recite birkat ha-gomel there.²¹

Rabbanit Tamar Meir has written an entire piyyut, liturgical poem—available here—for a woman after childbirth to recite prior to reciting birkat ha-gomel. Even women who do not wind up saying it might appreciate the ways in which it frames the beracha. Here is one excerpt:

הרבנית דר תמר מאיר, רשות מפוייטת לאמירת הגומל ליולדת, גלויה

שֶׁנָּתַן לִי חַיִּים וְנָתַן בִּי חַיִּים
לְפָנָיו אֶתְהַלֵּךְ בְּאַרְצוֹת הַחַיִּים
עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַנְךָ אֱלֹקִים חַיִּים
שֶׁגְּמָלַנִי כָּל טוּב

Rabbanit Dr Tamar Meir, Introductory Liturgical Poem for a Woman after Childbirth Reciting Ha-gomel

Who gave me life and who placed life within me
Before Him shall I walk in the lands of the living
Do it for Your sake, O living God
Who has granted me all good

Less Clear-cut Situations

Especially when a woman’s obligation to recite birkat ha-gomel is less clear, it may be permissible to recite it before one man or a group of women.

Rav Henkin, in a novel ruling, maintains that women are obligated in birkat ha-gomel only following childbirth.²² He rules that in all other cases the beracha is optional and that where it is optional. a woman may recite it in full without concern for finding a minyan:

שו”ת בני בנם, ד:ה

… לע”ד [=לפי עניות דעתי] נשים הרוצות לברך הגומל אחרי טיסה במטוס או שהבריאו ממחלה או מנתוח וכו’ הרשות בידן, ויכולות לברך אפילו בפני נשים בלבד ותרי כמאה. אבל ראוי ליולדת לקיים את המנהג לברך בבית הכנסת…

Responsa Benei Banim 4:5

In my humble opinion, women who wish to recite ha-gomel after an airplane flight or recovery from illness or from surgery etc., permission is theirs, and they can recite the beracha even before only women, and two [women] are [halachically] like one hundred. But it is fitting for a woman after childbirth to fulfill the custom to recite the beracha in synagogue.

As we saw earlier, Rav Moshe Feinstein allows for a woman, even after childbirth, to recite the full beracha without a minyan, as long as at least one other person is present:

שו”ת אגרות משה או”ח ה:יד

שזה לא שייך באשה בזמנינו, שאין קורין אשה לתורה… ודייה אם תברך בפני אדם אחד, איש או אשה ולכתחילה, אם היא נשואה, תברך בפני בעלה.

Responsa Iggerot Moshe, OC 5:14

For this [reciting ha-gomel when called to the Torah] is not relevant for a woman in our time, for we do not call a woman to the Torah…And it suffices for her [a woman] to recite the beracha before one person, man or woman, and le-chatchila, if she is married, she recites the beracha before her husband.

In some cases, a woman might find that reciting birkat ha-gomel before a group of women holds special significance for her. ²³

Many halachic authorities, however, suggest that if a woman recites the beracha without a minyan of men, she should omit mention of God’s name and kingship, beginning it only with “baruch ha-gomel”:²⁴

בן איש חי שנה ראשונה פרשת עקב סעיף ה

ואם קשה לה לברך בעשרה מחמת הבושה תברך בלא שם ומלכות,

Ben Ish Chai, First Year, Eikev 5

If it is difficult for her to recite the beracha in the presence of ten because of embarrassment, she should recite it without God’s name or kingship.

In some communities, especially in some Sefardi communities where reciting the beracha is very common, a man may recite ha-gomel at the end of the Torah reading on behalf of himself as well as anyone present who did not receive an aliya, women included—who say amen with intent to discharge their obligation.

Rabbanit Jennie Rosenfeld highlights the importance for women of this beracha and of giving thanks across various situations and communities, regardless of the approach taken to reciting it.

Jennie Rosenfeld, “Giving Thanks: Women and Birkat Hagomel,” in Hilkhot Nashim, Vol. I, ed. Rahel Berkovits (Maggid, 2018), 196-197

Whichever route is most comfortable for a woman and her community to fulfill the obligation to recite birkat hagomel….it behooves Jewish communities to make birkat hagomel a central part of the thanksgiving ritual for men and women alike.

Given the number of halachic authorities who view birkat ha-gomel as obligatory for women, women who can recite it in the presence of a minyan are encouraged to seize the opportunity to publicly give thanks to God.

Why don’t women recite birkat ha-gomel more often?

The practice in many communities is for women to recite birkat ha-gomel following childbirth. But it is striking that it is not more common for women to recite birkat ha-gomel when saved from other life-threatening situations, such as serious illness or accidents, violent crimes, or even terror attacks.

This is a case in which structural challenges have had a halachic impact.

As we’ve seen in several halachic sources, the preference to recite birkat ha-gomel in the presence of ten men creates an inherent barrier for women because of concerns about tzeniut. Furthermore, men usually recite the beracha in synagogue, during keriat ha-Torah. Given the requirement for a mechitza (LINK), and the fact that women do not typically receive aliyot (LINK), this option is not easily accessible to women.

One option is for a woman to recite the beracha from the women’s section of the synagogue, or from the entrance to the men’s section, so that a minyan of men can hear and respond. Even where this is the accepted practice in a given community, the logistics of arranging it can be daunting.

In the case of childbirth, there is usually the benefit of a berit mila, zeved ha-bat, or other celebratory occasion at which a minyan is likely to be present, giving the new mother a natural opportunity to recite birkat ha-gomel. But following recovery from illness, or a narrow escape from disaster, there is less likely to be communal awareness of the event, or an occasion at which a woman can naturally recite the beracha in the presence of ten men.

We’ve seen a few possible approaches that do not involve a woman reciting the beracha in the presence of a minyan. One is for a husband to recite ha-gomel—or barechu in its stead—on his wife’s behalf. This approach is subject to halachic dispute, and is relevant only for women who have husbands available to do so. Another is for a woman to recite the beracha in the presence of one man, or of other women. But reciting the full beracha without a minyan, with God’s name and kingship, is also subject to dispute.

Given that many halachic authorities view women’s and men’s inherent obligation to recite ha-gomel as equivalent, and given the importance of thanking God when emerging from a dangerous situation, how can the structural impediments to a woman reciting birkat ha-gomel be addressed?

First, women (and men) need to be more aware of the halachot of birkat ha-gomel. Recovery from childbirth represents just one type of situation in which the beracha should be recited, and not the only one.
Second, gabbais should create ways for women, including single women, to reach out about reciting ha-gomel in synagogue—even if they have not arranged it in advance.
Finally, perhaps we should all consider creating more celebratory occasions for the community, whether a kiddush or a seudat hodaya (festive meal of thanksgiving), at which a woman can give thanks in public, and include birkat ha-gomel as part of the content in praise of God.

The more women make the effort to recite this beracha communally, in the presence of a minyan—and the more communities facilitate this—the smoother the path will be for other women to do the same.

Notes

1. While these verses seem to refer specifically to illness that occurs as a consequence of sin or irresponsibility, the talmudic discussion extends to any type of illness.

רא”ש ברכות ט:ג

ברכת הגומל במקום תודה נתקנה

Rosh, Berachot 9:3

Birkat ha-gomel was enacted in place of the [korban] toda.

Rav Yaakov Emden makes this point as well: מור וקציעה סימן ריט

דחייבים קאי אשאר אינשי דעלמא. ואינו מוכרח לפרש חייבים דווקא על המברך שנעשה לו נס…אלא ודאי מטבע ברכה כך הוא, שכללו בתוך הודאה זו באגב להודות לו ית’ על כל הטובות שעושה תמיד בין לראוים בין שאינן ראויין, שאפילו להחייבים עושה להם טובות…

Mor U-ktzi’a, 219

מור וקציעה סימן ריט

Mor U-ktzi’a, 219

For “chayyavim” applies to other people in general. And it is not necessary to interpret chayyavim specifically as referring to the reciter of the beracha, for whom a miracle was done…but certainly the meaning of this beracha is as follows, that within this thanksgiving they included thanks to Him as well for all the good that He does continuously, whether for those who deserve it or for those who do not, for even for the indebted He does good…

4. Rav Zvi Pesach Frank notes that some do make the suggestion that these threats were brought on by sin and that such a suggestion might be used to justify women not reciting ha-gomel over childbirth, where the occasion of the threat is natural. However, he notes that this line of reasoning would not align with the position that the chayyavim in the beracha need not include the one reciting it:

שו”ת הר צבי או”ח א: קיג

ואמרו משום דהכלל הוא דאין יסורים בלי חטא ולכן שייך לברך הגומל לחייבים טובות, משא”כ בכה”ג [=משאין כן בכהאי גוונא] שניצול בטרם שבא לכלל יסורין, אין זה לחייבים, הנה לסברא זאת יש לתמוה מדברי הגריעב”ץ שתמה על הא דאין מברכין בחו”ל [=בחוץ לארץ] על יולדות, ולפי הטעם הנ”ל [=הנזכר לעיל] אתי שפיר, דלא שייך בכה”ג [=בכהאי גוונא] הגומל לחייבים, דאין זה לרשעים דוקא. אולם יש לומר שזה תלוי בפירוש המלים לחייבים טובות שבברכת הגומל, אם זה קאי על המברך, או על שאר אינש דעלמא…

Responsa Har Tzvi OC 1:113

They said, on account of the rule that there is no suffering without sin, that therefore it is fitting to recite, “who grants good to the indebted,” which is not the case if someone was saved before they reached the point of suffering, this is not for the indebted. According to this rationale one can question the words of Ya’avetz who was puzzled about that which they do not recite the beracha outside of Israel for a woman after childbirth, and according to the above reason, it works out well. For it is not relevant in this type of case to say, ‘He who grants to the indebted,’ for this is not specifically regarding the wicked. However, one can say that this depends on the meaning of the words “la-chayyavim tovot” that are in birkat ha-gomel, if this applies to the reciter, or on other people in general…

5. Honing in on Rambam’s wording, Rav Aaron Lichtenstein suggests that this is because the essential mitzva is to give thanks, and the beracha is only one way to achieve that end. Available here.

Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, Birkat Ha-gomel II, VBM Shiur

He [Rambam] adopts a somewhat verbose and unclear formulation: “How is this thanksgiving offered, and what is the form of the blessing?” It seems that the Rambam should simply have asked: “What is the blessing?” Why does he mention the idea of thanksgiving? It is certainly possible that the Rambam understood as we do, and therefore he insists that the fulfillment of birkat ha-gomel is first and foremost one of thanksgiving, and only secondarily one of blessing. A person who recites birkat ha-gomel must internalize and feel the desire to thank God, and only then can he recite the blessing.

מגן אברהם ריט ס”ק ב

והשומעים כו’. ואם לא אמרו אינו מעכב

Magen Avraham 219:2

Those who hear etc. And if they did not say [a response], it is not required [for the beracha to be valid].

ויקרא ז: יב-טו

אִם עַל תּוֹדָה יַקְרִיבֶנּוּ וְהִקְרִיב עַל זֶבַח הַתּוֹדָה חַלּוֹת מַצּוֹת בְּלוּלֹת בַּשֶּׁמֶן וּרְקִיקֵי מַצּוֹת מְשֻׁחִים בַּשָּׁמֶן וְסֹלֶת מֻרְבֶּכֶת חַלֹּת בְּלוּלֹת בַּשָּׁמֶן: עַל חַלֹּת לֶחֶם חָמֵץ יַקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹ עַל זֶבַח תּוֹדַת שְׁלָמָיו:…וּבְשַׂר זֶבַח תּוֹדַת שְׁלָמָיו בְּיוֹם קָרְבָּנוֹ יֵאָכֵל לֹא יַנִּיחַ מִמֶּנּוּ עַד בֹּקֶר:

Vayikra 7:12-15

If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer in addition to the thanksgiving offering unleavened loaves mixed with oil and unleavened wafers coated with oil and heated fine-flour loaves mixed with oil. With loaves of leavened bread shall he offer his sacrifice with his peace offering of thanks….And the flesh of his thanksgiving peace offering shall be eaten on the day of its offering; he shall not leave over from it until morning.

ויקרא כב: כט-ל

וְכִי תִזְבְּחוּ זֶבַח תּוֹדָה לַה’ לִרְצֹנְכֶם תִּזְבָּחוּ: בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יֵאָכֵל לֹא תוֹתִירוּ מִמֶּנּוּ עַד בֹּקֶר אֲנִי ה’:

Vayikra 22:29-30

And when you offer a thanksgiving offering to God, at your will you will offer it. On that day shall it be eaten; do not leave over from it until morning; I am God.

העמק דבר ויקרא ז: יג

והענין דתכלית תודה שבא על הנס הוא כדי לספר חסדי ה’ שגמל עליו, ומטעם זה ריבה הכתוב בלחם ומיעט בזמן אכילת תודה מכל שלמים, היינו כדי שיהי[ה] מרבה ריעים לסעודה אחת ביום הקרבה ויהי[ה] ספור הנס לפני רוב אנשים…

Ha’amek Davar, Vayikra 7:13

The matter is that the purpose of the toda [thanksgiving offering] is that it comes on account of a miracle, in order to tell the story of God’s kindness that He granted him, and for this reason, the verses require a large amount of bread and a small amount of time for eating the toda, more than all other peace offerings, that is in order that he have many fellows at one feast on the day of the sacrifice so that the story of the miracle will be told before a multitude of people…

9. Available here. Tosafot likewise rule that two rabbis are unnecessary and that it is customary to recite the beracha over the Torah:

תוספות ברכות נד: ד”ה ואימא

ואימא בי עשרה ותרי רבנן – וכיון דלא אפשיטא עבדי[נן] לחומרא ואפילו ליכא תרי רבנן ונהגו העולם לברך אחר שקורא בתורה

Tosafot Berachot 54b, s.v. Ve-eima

Say ten of other people and [also] two sages – Since this is not resolved, we are stringent, and [recite it] even if there are not two sages, and the common custom is to recite the beracha after he reads from the Torah.

10. A kahal is needed, and that is ten, as in “gather [hakhel] the eida [assembly]” (Bemidbar 20), and there is no kahal less than an eida, and an eida is ten, as we learn (Berachot 21b) from the eida of the spies “until when this wicked eida,” (Bemidbar 14:27) [twelve spies] excluding Yehoshua and Kalev. See our discussion here.

רש”י כתובות ז:

צריך קהל והיינו עשרה כמו הקהל את העדה (במדבר כ) ואין הקהל בפחות מעדה ועדה עשרה כדילפינן (ברכות דף כא:) מעדת מרגלים עד מתי לעדה הרעה יצאו יהושע וכלב.

Rashi Ketubot 7b

11. Rav Aryeh Frimer makes the suggestion that obligation or being part of publicizing should enable women to count toward the minyan. Though he writes of many authors allowing this, there is generally no clear indication of ruling this way in the texts cited, which are more easily interpreted as suggesting that women can be a suitable public for reciting the beracha when a minyan is unavailable or considered inappropriate.

Rav Aryeh E. Frimer, “Women and Minyan,” Tradition 24, no. 4 (Summer 1989) : 64

…Since their [women’s] obligation is equal to that of men, it follows that they should be eligible for the minyan. They should likewise be eligible…since the purpose of the ten in the case of this blessing is to publicize the miraculous nature of salvation….Nevertheless, many contemporary authors have concluded that in this instance ten women or nine women and one man do indeed constitute a valid minyan.

12. Rav Yehuda Henkin maintains that ha-gomel need not be recited before a minyan when reciting it is optional. He includes most recitations of ha-gomel by women in this category because Tehillim 107 and early halachic discussions of birkat ha-gomel do not mention women. In such cases, he rules that a woman may recite ha-gomel in front of a group of women le-chatchila, but that there is no particular halachic value in gathering together specifically ten women:

שו”ת בני בנים ד:ה

ולע”ד [=ולפי עניות דעתי] יותר נראה שרק ברכת הגומל היא רשות ולנשים בלבד ובדומה לזימון, והעד כי מזמור ק”ז שהוא המקור לברכת הגומל אינו מזכיר נשים. והסברה שלא לחייב נשים בברכת הגומל נראית כי צריך לברך בפני עשרה גברים ולא לכל אשה יש עשרה בתוך ביתה, ואילו לקבץ גברים מן החוץ אינו מדרך הצניעות ולכן פטרו נשים מלברך…שלא נזכר בראשונים שנשים חייבות בברכת הגומל ולא שמענו על נשים שברכו כן, ואם היו חייבות הוו מעשים בכל יום וגם לא היה אישתמיט מכל הראשונים לבאר כיצד עליהן לעשות לענין עשרה….החיוב לברך בפני עשרה אינו אלא במי שבעצמו ניצל וחייב להודות אבל לא במי שמברך הגומל בתור רשות וכגון שמברך על הצלת חברו…לע”ד [=לפי עניות דעתי] נשים הרוצות לברך הגומל אחרי טיסה במטוס או שהבריאו ממחלה או מנתוח וכו’ הרשות בידן, ויכולות לברך אפילו בפני נשים בלבד ותרי כמאה.

Responsa Benei Banim 4:5

In my humble opinion, it seems more correct that only birkat ha-gomel is optional, and just for women, as with zimmun, and witness to it is that Tehillim 107, which is the source for birkat ha-gomel, does not mention women. And the logic not to obligate women in birkat ha-gomel seems to be because one needs to recite the beracha before ten men, and not every woman has ten men in her household, and to gather ten men from the outside is not tzanua, and therefore they exempted women from reciting the beracha…for it is not mentioned in the early authorities that women are obligated in birkat ha-gomel and we have not heard of women who blessed thus, and if they were obligated it would have been an everyday occurrence, and also [the question of] how they should do so in the presence of ten would not have been omitted from all of the early authorities…The obligation to recite the beracha before ten is only for one who himself was saved and is obligated to give thanks, but not for someone who recites ha-gomel as when it is optional…In my humble opinion, women who wish to recite ha-gomel after an airplane flight or recovery from illness or from surgery, etc., permission is theirs, and they can recite it even before only women, and two are like one hundred.

13. See also Rivash:

שו”ת הריב”ש שלז

…הולכי מדברות שצריכין להודות זהו מפני סכנת אריא וגנבי המצוים בדרכים וא”כ [=ואם כן] כשעמד עליו אריה לטורפו אפילו בעיר אם גנבים באו לו אם שודדי לילה וניצל מהם וכיוצא בנסי[ם] אלו כל שכן שצריך להודות. ולא הוזכרו הארבעה בכתוב אלא מפני שהם מצויים תמיד בדרך מנהגו של עולם ברוב האנשים…וכ”ש [=וכל שכן] הנעשה לו נס וניצול ממיתה עצמה….

Responsa Rivash 337

…Travelers in the wilderness who need to give thanks, this is because of the danger of a lion or thieves who are found in the roads. And if so, when a lion stands over him to maul him, even in the city, [or] if thieves came to him or night burglars and he was saved from them and the like, in these miracles, how much more so does he need to give thanks. And they only mentioned these four in the verses because they are always common, in the way of the world for most people…and how much more so one for whom a miracle was performed, and he was saved from death itself….

14.

שו”ת אגרות משה או”ח ב: נט

…בדבר הנסיעה בעראפלאן אם צריך לברך הגומל כשהיה ביום שקט ובלא שום חסרון בהמכונה ולא אירע שום דבר בדרך, הוא ברור לע”ד שצריך לברך…אף להסוברים … דדוקא הני ארבעה, נמי יש לברך … דהוא ממש כספינה דהוא נמי אינו הולך על הארץ, דזהו עיקר חלוק ספינה מדרכים דיבשה… בספינה שהוא על המים הרי עצם ההליכה הוא ענין סכנה …כ”ש [=כל שכן] בעראפלאן שגרוע ממים שאף רגע אחד אין יכול להיות באויר שודאי שישיבתו בעראפלאן הוא הצלה וכיון שאירע לפעמים שמתקלקל העראפלאן ….. וא”כ בעראפלאן שהוא מלתא דשכיחא הולכים טובא וגם מצוי הסכנות טובא יש לברך גם לדידהו.

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 2:59

In the matter of traveling by airplane, whether one needs to recite birkat ha-gomel when it was on a quiet day, and with no lack at all in the machine, and nothing at all happened on the way. It is clear in my humble opinion that one needs to recite the beracha…even for those who think…that it is specifically these four, one still needs to recite the beracha…because it is really like a ship, which also does not go via land, and this is the primary distinction between a ship and travel by land…in a ship, which is on the water, the very act of traveling is a matter of danger…all the more so with an airplane, which is worse than water, for [if something were to happen] one could not be even one moment in the air, for certainly sitting in an airplane is a salvation, and since it happens sometimes that the airplane malfunctions…and if so on an airplane, which is a common way to travel and the dangers are also common, one should recite the beracha even according to those opinions.

15.

Rabbi Chaim Jachter, Reciting Birkat Hagomel on Airplane Travel, koltorah.org, 2003

Rav Lichtenstein Shlita has informed me that it is Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt”l’s practice not to recite Birkat Hagomel after airplane travel, unless a serious incident had occurred. Nevertheless, Rav Lichtenstein recalls the Rav saying that if an individual perceives airplane travel to be dangerous, he should recite Hagomel.

See here.

16. Rav Moshe Feinstein makes a similar point:

שו”ת אגרות משה או”ח ה: ידשזה לא שייך באשה בזמנינו, שאין קורין אשה לתורה.

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 5:14

For this [reciting it during Torah reading as is customary] is not relevant for a woman in our time, for we do not call a woman to the Torah.

שזה לא שייך באשה בזמנינו, שאין קורין אשה לתורה.

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 5:14

For this [reciting it during Torah reading as is customary] is not relevant for a woman in our time, for we do not call a woman to the Torah.

17. Available here. Rav Henkin makes a similar argument, and suggests a compromise position that would seem to reflect common practice: women are fully obligated in ha-gomel for childbirth, but not obligated in other cases (see footnote 12).

18. Available here.

19. See here.

20. Available here.

21.

ילקוט יוסף שובע שמחות ב:א – סדר ליל הברית ג

בעת שעורכים בבית לימוד “ברית יצחק”, ויש שם עשרה אנשים גדולים, או בעת סעודת המילה, תעמוד היולדת בפתח, ותברך בשם ומלכות: “ברוך אתה ה’ אלוקינו מלך העולם הגומל לחייבים טובות שגמלני כל טוב”…. ואין הבעל יכול לברך בשם אשתו, אלא אם כן נתחייב גם הוא לברך ברכת הגומל…

Yalkut Yosef, Sova Semachot II 1:3

At the time when they host in the home a “berit Yitzchak” study, and there are ten adult men, or at the time of the berit mila meal, a woman who has giving birth can stand at the door and recite with God’s name and kingship: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, who grants good to the indebted, who has granted me every good”…and the husband cannot recite the beracha on his wife unless he has also become obligated to recite birkat ha-gomel….

22. See footnote 12.

23.

Rabbanit Chana Godinger Dreyfus argues that this sense of significance might itself have halachic weight:הרבנית חנה גודינגר דרייפוס, “האם אני יכולה לברך הגומל לפני נשים?”, משיבות נפש

… הרצון של אישה לברך את הברכה במעמד בו היא מרגישה בנוחות וממילא יכולה לתת למילים מצע והקשר של הודאה משמעותית לקב”ה [=לקדוש ברוך הוא] – יכול להיות גם הוא מניע לצדד ולהעדיף שאישה תברך את הברכה בפני נשים.

Rabbanit Chana Godinger Dreyfus, “Can I say Birkat Ha-gomel in front of women?,” Meshivot Nefesh

הרבנית חנה גודינגר דרייפוס, “האם אני יכולה לברך הגומל לפני נשים?”, משיבות נפש

Rabbanit Chana Godinger Dreyfus, “Can I say Birkat Ha-gomel in front of women?,” Meshivot Nefesh

…A woman’s desire to recite the beracha in the setting in which she feels comfortable and which can naturally give the words a platform and context of meaningful gratitude to God—it may be that this is also a motivation to encourage and prefer that a woman recite birkat ha-gomel before women.

Available here.

24.

הליכות ביתה יג:ז

אשה שקשה לה לברך הברכה בפני עשרה אנשים, תברך בלא שם ומלכות. הערה טו: בן איש חי…

Halichot Beitah 13:7

A woman for whom it is difficult to recite the beracha before ten men, she should recite it without God’s name or kingship. Note 15: Ben Ish Chai…

Sources

Giving Thanks

ברכות ז:

Berachot 7b

תהלים פרק קז:א-לב

Tehillim 107:1-32

ברכות נד:

Berachot 54b

פירושי סידור התפילה לרוקח לפיכך אנו חייבים

Roke’ach, Commentary on the Siddur, s.v. Lefichach anu chayyavim

תהלים קז כב

וְיִזְבְּחוּ זִבְחֵי תוֹדָה וִיסַפְּרוּ מַעֲשָׂיו בְּרִנָּה:

Tehillim 107:22

And they shall bring thanksgiving offerings and tell of His deeds in joy.

ברכות נד:

מאי מברך? אמר רב יהודה: ברוך גומל חסדים טובים.

Berachot 54b

What blessing does one recite? Rav Yehuda said: Blessed is [the One who] grants good kindnesses.

רמב”ם הלכות ברכות י:ח

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

בית יוסף או”ח ריט

Beit Yosef OC 219

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק ד

ונוסח זה אינו מעכב כל שאמר ענין הברכה

Mishna Berura 219:4

This text is not a necessary condition, as long as one spoke of the topic of the beracha.

The Quorum

ברכות נד:

Berachot 54b

רמב”ם הלכות ברכות י:ח

וצריכין להודות בפני עשרה ושנים מהם חכמים שנאמר וירוממוהו בקהל עם ובמושב זקנים יהללוהו

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

They need to give thanks before ten, and two of them sages, for it is said, “Let them exalt Him in a congregation of people, and in a council of elders praise Him.”

רא”ה על הריף ברכות פרק ט עמ’ קעז

Re’ah on the Rif, Berachot 9, p. 177

שולחן ערוך או”ח ריט: ג

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:3

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק ח

Mishna Berura 219:8

מדרש תהלים מזמור קז

אמר ר’ יהודה וצריכים להתוודות בעשרה בצבור, שנאמר וירוממוהו בקהל עם

Midrash Tehillim 107

Rav Yehuda said: And they need to give thanks before ten in a tzibbur [public congregation], for it is said, “Let them exalt Him in a congregation of people [bi-khal am].”

ערוך השולחן או”ח ריט: ו

…דכתיב בקהל עם ונשים לא מקרו קהל…

Aruch Ha-shulchan OC 219:6

…For it is written “in a congregation of people” [bi-khal am], and women are not called a kahal.

שו”ת בני בנים ד:ה

Responsa Benei Banim 4:5

הליכות ביתה, יג:ז הערה יג

Halichot Beitah 13:7 note 13

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק ג

ויש שכתבו דמ”מ [=דמכל מקום] נכון הוא שתברך בפני עשרה עכ”פ [=על כל פנים] בפני נשים ואיש אחד:

Mishna Berura 219:3

There are those who wrote that in any case it is correct for her [a woman] to recite the beracha before ten, at any rate before women and one man.

הליכות ביתה, יג:ז הערה יג

ואולי ט”ס [=טעות סופר] נפל בפוסקים וצ”ל [=וצריך לומר] “בפני נשים או איש אחד”

Halichot Beitah 13:7 note 13

Perhaps a printer’s error occurred in [the texts of] the halachic authorities and it should say “before women or one man”

שו”ת אגרות משה או”ח ה :יד

שאין עניין במניין של נשים, ודייה אם תברך בפני אדם אחד, איש או אשה…

Responsa Iggerot Moshe, OC 5:14

For there is no significance to a minyan of women, and it suffices for her [a woman] to recite the beracha before one person, man or woman…

Defining the Categories

רמב”ם הלכות ברכות י:ח

ארבעה צריכין להודות, חולה שנתרפא, וחבוש שיצא מבית האסורים, ויורדי הים כשעלו, והולכי דרכים כשיגיעו לישוב

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

Four need to give thanks, a sick person who has recovered, and a prisoner who came out of prison, and seafarers when they come back, and travelers on the road when they reach human settlement.

בית הבחירה למאירי, ברכות נד:

Meiri, Berachot 54b

שולחן ערוך או”ח ריט:ט

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:9

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק לב

בלא הזכרת שם ומלכות – והאחרונים כתבו דהמנהג כסברא ראשונה וכן מסתבר:

Mishna Berura 219:32

Without God’s name or kingship—and the later authorities wrote that the custom is like the first position [to recite the full beracha], and that makes sense.

בית הבחירה למאירי ברכות נד:

Meiri, Berachot 54b

שולחן ערוך או”ח ריט:ז-ט

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:7-8

Women Reciting Birkat Ha-gomel

שו”ת אגרות משה או”ח ה :יד

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 5:14

שו”ת הר צבי או”ח א:קיח

Responsa Har Tzvi OC 1:118

שולחן ערוך הרב לוח ברכת הנהנין יב:ח-ט

Shulchan Aruch Ha-Rav, Birchot Ha-nehenin, 12:8-9

בן איש חי שנה ראשונה פרשת עקב ה

הנשים חייבין בברכת הגומל ויברכו בעשרה כדי לברך בשם ומלכות, ואם קשה לה לברך בעשרה מחמת הבושה תברך בלא שם ומלכות

Ben Ish Chai, First Year, Eikev 5

כנסת הגדולה הגהות בית יוסף או”ח ריט:ג

Kenesset Ha-gedola, Notes to Beit Yosef OC 219:3

מגן אברהם ריט הקדמה

ואפשר שמנהגן מפני שס”ל [=שסבירא ליה] שברכות אלו רשות:

Magen Avraham 219 Introduction

It is possible that their [women’s] practice is because they thought that these berachot are optional [reshut].

פרי מגדים או”ח אשל אברהם ריט הקדמה

ומה שכתב נשים דסבירא ליה רשות, איני יודע מאן אומרים רשות.

Peri Megadim, OC Eshel Avraham 219 Introduction

That which he [Magen Avraham] wrote, regarding women, that they think [birkat ha-gomel] is optional, I do not know who says that it is optional [for them]…

ערוך השולחן או”ח ריט: ו

Aruch Ha-shulchan OC 219:6

In Practice

הליכות שלמה ב ד:לא

Halichot Shlomo 2 4:31

תשובת הרב יעקב אריאל, ברכת הגומל לאחר פיגוע

Responsum of Rav Yaakov Ariel, Birkat Ha-gomel after a Terror Attack

דניאלה גלבוע, אנסטגרם

Daniella Gilboa, Instagram

שולחן ערוך או”ח תריז :ד

יולדת תוך שלשה ימים לא תתענה כלל משלשה עד שבעה אם אמרה צריכה אני מאכילין אותה מכאן ואילך הרי היא ככל אדם

Shulchan Aruch, OC 617:4

A woman who has given birth, within three days she should not fast at all. From three to seven days, if she says “I need,” we feed her. From here on, she is like any person.

כף החיים ריט:ז

ולפ”ז [=ולפי זה] יולדת אינה מברכת הגומל עד לאחר ז’ כי אז נתרפת לגמרי והרי היא כשאר כל אדם…

Kaf Ha-chayyim 219:7

According to this a woman who has given birth does not recite birkat ha-gomel until after seven days, because then she is fully healed and she is like other people…

בית יוסף או”ח ריט

Beit Yosef, OC 119

משנה ברורה ריט ס”ק יז

Mishna Berura 219:17

תורת חיים, סנהדרין צד.

ולפי זה צריך הבעל להתכוין לכך כשאומר ברכו את ה’ המבורך שנותן ברכה והודאה לה’ בשביל אשתו

Torat Chayyim, Sanhedrin 94a

…The husband needs to intend that when he says “barechu et Hashem ha-mevorach” that he is giving beracha and thanks to God on behalf of his wife.

תשובות והנהגות א: קצה

Teshuvot Ve-hanhagot 1:195

שו”ת יחוה דעת ד: טו

Yechaveh Da’at 4:15

הרבנית דר תמר מאיר, רשות מפוייטת לאמירת הגומל ליולדת, גלויה

Rabbanit Dr Tamar Meir, Introductory Liturgical Poem for a Woman after Childbirth Reciting Ha-gomel

Who gave me life and who placed life within me
Before Him shall I walk in the lands of the living
Do it for Your sake, O living God
Who has granted me all good

שו”ת בני בנם, ד:ה

Responsa Benei Banim 4:5

שו”ת אגרות משה או”ח ה:יד

Responsa Iggerot Moshe, OC 5:14

בן איש חי שנה ראשונה פרשת עקב סעיף ה

ואם קשה לה לברך בעשרה מחמת הבושה תברך בלא שם ומלכות,

Ben Ish Chai, First Year, Eikev 5

If it is difficult for her to recite the beracha in the presence of ten because of embarrassment, she should recite it without God’s name or kingship.

Jennie Rosenfeld, “Giving Thanks: Women and Birkat Hagomel,” in Hilkhot Nashim, Vol. I, ed. Rahel Berkovits (Maggid, 2018), 196-197

Q&A

Sometimes a quick exchange communicates more effectively, and more personally, than an article. Sometimes, just seeing that others share our questions can make us feel more connected.

Our posted questions and answers are an opportunity to learn from each other. To ask a question of your own, click here!

Hashkafic Q&A

Why don’t women recite birkat ha-gomel more often?

This is a case in which structural challenges have had a halachic impact.

First, women (and men) need to be more aware of the halachot of birkat ha-gomel. Recovery from childbirth represents just one type of situation in which the beracha should be recited, and not the only one.
Second, gabbais should create ways for women, including single women, to reach out about reciting ha-gomel in synagogue—even if they have not arranged it in advance.
Finally, perhaps we should all consider creating more celebratory occasions for the community, whether a kiddush or a seudat hodaya (festive meal of thanksgiving), at which a woman can give thanks in public, and include birkat ha-gomel as part of the content in praise of God.

Reader Q&A

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In Brief

In Depth

Giving Thanks

Berachot 7b

Tehillim 107:1-32

Berachot 54b

Roke’ach, Commentary on the Siddur, s.v. Lefichach anu chayyavim

Tehillim 107:22

Berachot 54b

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

Beit Yosef OC 219

Mishna Berura 219:4

The Quorum

Berachot 54b

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

Re’ah on the Rif, Berachot 9, p. 177

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:3

Mishna Berura 219:8

Midrash Tehillim 107

Aruch Ha-shulchan OC 219:6

Responsa Benei Banim 4:5

Halichot Beitah 13:7 note 13

Mishna Berura 219:3

Halichot Beitah 13:7 note 13

Responsa Iggerot Moshe, OC 5:14

Defining the Categories

Rambam, Berachot 10:8

Meiri, Berachot 54b

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:9

Mishna Berura 219:32

Meiri, Berachot 54b

Shulchan Aruch OC 219:7-8

Women Reciting Birkat Ha-gomel

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 5:14

Responsa Har Tzvi OC 1:118

Shulchan Aruch Ha-Rav, Birchot Ha-nehenin, 12:8-9

Ben Ish Chai, First Year, Eikev 5

Kenesset Ha-gedola, Notes to Beit Yosef OC 219:3

Magen Avraham 219 Introduction

Peri Megadim, OC Eshel Avraham 219 Introduction

Aruch Ha-shulchan OC 219:6

In Practice

Halichot Shlomo 2 4:31

Responsum of Rav Yaakov Ariel, Birkat Ha-gomel after a Terror Attack

Daniella Gilboa, Instagram

Shulchan Aruch, OC 617:4

Kaf Ha-chayyim 219:7

Beit Yosef, OC 119

Mishna Berura 219:17

Torat Chayyim, Sanhedrin 94a

Teshuvot Ve-hanhagot 1:195

Yechaveh Da’at 4:15

Rabbanit Dr Tamar Meir, Introductory Liturgical Poem for a Woman after Childbirth Reciting Ha-gomel

Responsa Benei Banim 4:5

Responsa Iggerot Moshe, OC 5:14

Ben Ish Chai, First Year, Eikev 5

Jennie Rosenfeld, “Giving Thanks: Women and Birkat Hagomel,” in Hilkhot Nashim, Vol. I, ed. Rahel Berkovits (Maggid, 2018), 196-197

Why don’t women recite birkat ha-gomel more often?

Further Reading

Notes

Rosh, Berachot 9:3

Mor U-ktzi’a, 219

Mor U-ktzi’a, 219

Responsa Har Tzvi OC 1:113

Rav Aharon Lichtenstein, Birkat Ha-gomel II, VBM Shiur

Magen Avraham 219:2

Vayikra 7:12-15

Vayikra 22:29-30

Ha’amek Davar, Vayikra 7:13

Tosafot Berachot 54b, s.v. Ve-eima

Rashi Ketubot 7b

Rav Aryeh E. Frimer, “Women and Minyan,” Tradition 24, no. 4 (Summer 1989) : 64

Responsa Benei Banim 4:5

Responsa Rivash 337

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 2:59

Rabbi Chaim Jachter, Reciting Birkat Hagomel on Airplane Travel, koltorah.org, 2003

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 5:14

Responsa Iggerot Moshe OC 5:14

Yalkut Yosef, Sova Semachot II 1:3

Rabbanit Chana Godinger Dreyfus, “Can I say Birkat Ha-gomel in front of women?,” Meshivot Nefesh