The Atlantic Ocean from Hollywood Beach Florida
Rebbetzin Rachel and I are now in Florida and it’s great to be by the ocean.
There is a special berachah/blessing that one makes when seeing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in thirty days. The beracha is “Baruch at ado-nai elo-heinu melech haolam oseh (or She’asha) hayam hagadol.” Blessed….who made the great sea.
I believe that this blessing is not said when seeing the Pacific Ocean.
A blessing “oseh ma’aseh bereshis” is made when seeing the Mediterranean Ocean if one has not seen it in the last thirty days. According to some authorities, one should add the words “She’asa es hayam hagadol” immediately after saying “oseh ma’asheh bereshis.”
Now what happens when you are traveling between North America and Israel and will have the opportunity to view both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean? You only make one berachah. If your flight originates in North America you will say the blessing “Oseh (she’asah) hayam hagadol,” and not make a beracha when seeing the Mediterranean Sea, since there are Rabbis who rule that the Mediterranean Sea is also called “yam hagadol,” the great sea.
If, however, your flight originates from Israel, you will have made the blessing “oseh ma’ase bereishis,” upon seeing the Mediterranean. You will then not make the beracha “oseh (she’asah) hayam hagadol” when seeing the Atlantic Ocean, because according to some Rabbi the correct Blessing to make on seeing the Atlantic Ocean is “oseh ma’aseh Bereishis,” and you already made it on the Mediterranean Sea.
5 Responses to “What Beracha/Blessing Does One Make When Seeing an Ocean or Sea”
why wouldn’t you make a blessing on the pacific ocean?
The Rabbi’s instituted the blessing for the Atlantic Ocean as being the ‘yam hagadol,’ the great sea. Perhaps they did not know at the time much about the Pacific Ocean?
well i’d guess that if on the Atlantic then definitely on the pacific ocean since its much greater than the Atlantic.