What Beracha to Make When Seeing Lightening and Hearing Thunder

Hurricane season has started in Florida.

So what’s good about hurricanes? Well for three days in a row last week I was able to make two special berachot in the afternoon as the storms slowly rolled in.

I’d love to go back in time with a camera to ‘Mattan Torah’ (the giving of the Torah). It says that the people saw the thunder. This is because the Torah is higher than time and space and when the Torah came into the world it created conflict in time and space. Thus the Jewish people were able to see the thunder. I’m not sure what thunder would look like but it would be cool to catch it on film…Actually that saying is outdated, now I must say ‘it would be cool to catch it on digital!’

So what are the Berachot to make on thunder and lightening?

On hearing thunder say: Boruch attah ado-nai elo-heinu melech haolam, shekocho u’gevurato malei olam.

[Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Whose strength and might fills the world].

When seeing lightning: Boruch attah ado-nai elo-heinu melech haolam oseh maaseh bereishit.

[Blessed are You, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe, Who makes the Work of Creation].

You only say these blessing if you see the lightning first and then afterwards hear the thunder. If they both come at the same time, you hear thunder and see lightning, you say just one of the berachot whichever one you choose to say.

You can make the blessing once per storm or on the same storm but on the next day. If the clouds were to clear and then come back, you can make the blessings again.