Q. Recently, we learned on the Daf that one should recite a special blessing when he sees a place where a miracle occurred for the Bnay Yisroel, such as the site of the crossing of the sea, when we left Egypt, or the crossing of the Yarden river when entering the land. We were told in our shiur that we don't make that bracha today, since we do not know exactly where the sea or the Yarden were split and crossed. However, the Rabbi quoted a famous Sephardic Rosh Yeshiva as ruling, that if one travels by plane close to the Jordan river close to Yericho, he will see all the compatible area, and could recite the blessing. Would the same apply when in the not so far future, we can do touristic space travel and see the land of Egypt and the complete Sinai peninsula. Could we then recite a bracha on the crossing of the sea?
A. Kaftor Vopherach (7), Biur Halacha (208: 1) and others rule that no brochos should be recited unless one is sure and certain that he is witnessing the place where the miracle actually occurred.
Indeed, Horav Ben Sion Abba Shaul zt'l, Rosh Hayeshiva of Porath Yosef, rules in Ohr Letzion (2: 14: 40), that if one travels by plane close to the Jordan river over the area of Yericho, and he sees all the compatible area, he could recite the mentioned blessing.
Horav Shlomo miller's Shlit'a opinion is that although it may be possible for a plane traveling at the right height to see some specific details and identifying aspects of the location being observed, it would not be possible to do so from space and therefore no brocho should be recited on the crossing of the sea.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
Important Numbers
