Q. There are two brachot that are said when seeing the salt pillar of Lot's wife as mentioned in Shulchan Aruch. Does that apply today? Do we really know with enough certainty to make a bracha that the site shown to the tourist is the real thing?
A. Adding to the fact that the salt pillar is mentioned in Brochos 54b and as you quoted, in Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 218: 8,) mainly that: "Blessed be the true Judge," is recited for the punishment visited on Lot's wife and "Blessed be the One who remembers the righteous," expresses thanksgiving and praise to Hashem for having remembered Avraham Avinu, by the merit of whose righteousness He saved Lot. It would seem to be that there was indeed an established tradition as to the location of the salt pillar remainder of Lot's wife. Yalkut Shimoni (Esther) mentions that the column became a memorial for all times. The Yalkut in Parshas Voeschanan asserts that it was one of the sites shown to Moshe Rabbenu before his death (Tzoar). It was also the object of one of the twelve questions that the people of Alexandria asked of Rabi Yehoshua Ben Chanania (whether it contaminates with Tumas Meis – Nidda 70b.) Pirkey D'Rabi Eliezer (end of ch. 25) describes that the oxen would constantly lick the feet of the salt pillar, but it would miraculously be restored.
However, Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a pointed out that the correct site is unknown to us today and the above brochos are therefore not recited.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
Important Numbers
