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Birkat Hachamah in
Halacha and Hashkafa
Compiled by Rabbi Scott Kahn

The opportunity to recite Birkat Hachamah arrives only once every 28 years. In this shiur Rav Kahn presents the Halachic and Hashkafic underpinnings of Birkat Hachamah, which will be recited around the world on April 8 (Erev Pesach).

1. ברכת החמה should be recited as soon as the sun rises – that is, when the entire disk of the sun is visible. (This is approximately 2 1/2 minutes after הנץ החמה – i.e., the time for davening כותיקין – which is the time that the first sliver of the sun is visible over the horizon.) It can be recited until the end of the third hour of the day, using שעות זמניות – that is, until the same time as סוף זמן קריאת שמע.
2. בדיעבד one can recite ברכת החמה until noon. Although some suggest that the ברכה can be recited until sunset, this is generally not the accepted practice. Accordingly, if someone did not recite ברכת החמה before noon, he should recite it afterwards without שם ומלכות (i.e., he should say, ברוך אתה עושה מעשה בראשית, omitting the words, ה' א-ל-הינו מלך העולם).
3. If one davens כותיקין , then ברכת החמה is recited immediately afterward. Otherwise, it should be said before שחרית.
4. It is best to recite ברכת החמה with a group of people (although not necessarily with a מנין) because of the principle of ברוב עם הדרת מלך. Some suggest that the optimal application of this principle means that only one person says the ברכה while everyone listening answers אמן, rather than reciting the ברכה themselves. Others, however, recommend that every individual recite ברכת החמה for himself.
5. There are different מנהגים with regard to whether it is preferable to recite ברכת החמה privately before שחרית, thereby allowing one to say the ברכה at the optimal time, or whether it is better to wait until after שחרית, allowing one to say the ברכה in a group. It seems that the best solution, followed by many individuals, is to daven שחרית כותיקין in a מנין, after which the ציבור goes outside to say ברכת החמה together. (Some recommend that if one davens כותיקין, then ברכת החמה should be recited even before חזרת הש"ץ. Others, however, dispute this.)
6. ברכת החמה should be recited while standing.
7. ברכת החמה can be recited if one sees the sun, or even the outline of the sun behind the clouds. If one cannot see even the outline of the sun, he should wait until it becomes visible. If just before noon it still is completely obscured, one should recite the ברכה without שם ומלכות (as explained in paragraph 2). If the sun then becomes visible later in the day, one should recite the ברכה a second time, again without שם ומלכות.
8. Although the entire sun should ideally be visible, ברכת החמה is recited even if only a portion of the sun is visible from behind the clouds.
9. If the sun is obscured, one should make every effort to go to a place where the sun is visible so that he will have the opportunity to say the ברכה.
10. Unlike קידוש לבנה, which לכתחילה should be recited outside and not underneath any type of roof, ברכת החמה can be said while standing under a roof, or from indoors when looking at the sun through a window.
11. Women may – and, according to some, should – recite ברכת החמה .