Prayer and Blessings
Blessing Upon Seeing a Very Beautiful Woman
Question
Hello, respected Rabbi,
I understand that there is a blessing recited when seeing a very beautiful woman..
I have 3 questions regarding this:
1. What blessing is recited?
2. What is the practical halacha?
3. How does this align with the prohibition of looking at women?
Thank you in advance.
Answer
Hello,
One recites a blessing for all beautiful creations, not specifically for a beautiful woman, as written in the Shulchan Aruch (end of Siman Reish Mem) that one who sees good trees and beautiful creations, even if it is an idolater or an animal, says "Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the Universe, who has created such in His world." One does not recite this blessing except the first time seeing them, and not more than this, neither for them nor for others unless they are more beautiful than those previously seen.
Of course, a man should not ideally look at a woman in order to recite the blessing, since it is prohibited for him to look at her (see Bi'ur Halacha there, citing "even an idolater"). What the Mishnah Berurah (Sk 32) writes about seeing etc. and beautiful creations applies to a woman who has seen another beautiful woman, or to a man who sees a woman accidentally in a casual way, not for pleasure (see Aruch HaShulchan there at the end of the siman, and Chazon Ovadia on Berakhot, page 457).
In any case, this blessing is not commonly recited in our times. Nevertheless, it is proper to bless without the name and sovereignty (Mishnah Berurah there in the name of the Chayei Adam. Also see Halacha Brurah there, section 6).
Best regards,
Hillel Meirs
עברית
