TORAH

Praying for a Miracle: Perspectives Gleaned from a “Forgotten” Ruling in Hilchos Chanukah

The wording of (hopefully) seldom-recited compensatory blessing in the Chanukah bentshing raises a question that has challenged Torah scholars since the time of the Tannaim. Are we allowed to ask Hashem to perform miracles on our behalf? An exploration of the halachic issues involved with requesting Divine intervention.

1 min read December 8, 2015

The Rema (Orach Chayim 187:4 682:1) rules that one who forgot to recite al hanissim (on Chanukah or Purim) in the second brachah of Bircas Hamazon may do so within the Harachaman petitions appended to the bentshing. In such an instance one begins by reciting the following: “Harachaman Hu ya’aseh lanu nissim kemo she’asah la’avoseinu bayamim haheim bazman hazeh — May the Merciful One perform miracles for us as He performed for our forefathers in those days at this time.” This is followed by the lengthy paragraph Bimei Mattisyahu in the case of Chanukah and by Bimei Mordechai v’Esther in the case of Purim. The Rema’s ruling which grants license to request that Hashem “perform miracles for us ” raises the issue of the halachic propriety of praying for miracles.

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