Q. If I meet Professor Jordan B. Peterson, do I make a Brocho of SheNosan MeiChochmaso L'vosor Vodom?
A. Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 224: 7) base on Talmud (Brochos 58a) rules that when seeing a brilliant non-Jewish secular scholar one recites the brocho; "Blessed be He who has imparted of His wisdom to His creations.”
Mishna Berura (ibid 7) quotes Pri Megodim, that it refers to the "Seven Wisdoms."
Chida asserts that it means all of them. Therefore Piskei Teshuvos (224:5) writes that the minhag is not to make this Brocho since that is indeed most unusual.
He adds that even following the opinion that it can refer to just a most extraordinary knowledge on one field of wisdom (Birchas Habbais 29: 5), since Poskim maintain that one should recite the Brocho only on Gentiles that keep the Seven Mitzvos of Bnei Noach, it is most unusual to encounter such a case in our times. (Teshuva Meahava 2: 237, Minchas Elozor 5: 7).
Above all, Tzitz Eliezer (14: 37) opines that it has to be one that is accepted by all to be a colossal and truly extraordinary scholar, so recognized by all, and that is most unlikely in our case.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit'a.
Important Numbers
