Today, February 9, 2025, is, according to millions of people, a Nationally Celebrated Holiday.
“Super Bowl Sunday” is guaranteed to garner the largest American TV audience for any event broadcast during the year.
Over 124 million Americans will assemble in living rooms, dens, college dorms, motels, and saloons across America.
Another 62.5 million people outside the U.S. will watch the 59th annual event.
Almost 200 million people will be tuning in just a few hours to observe the sacred ritual of watching the Super Bowl.
This figure overwhelms the measly 152 million Americans who turned out to vote in the past election.
Billions of dollars will be wagered on the outcome, and at least $600 million will be paid to air commercials on TV during the contest.
Each 30-second ad slot sells for approximately a whopping eight million dollars.
This excitement extends to the Jewish world as well.
With the proliferation of Sefarim on any and every topic imaginable, a brand new sefer entitled Hilchos U’Minhagei HaMischak HaGadol (Or simply “The Super Bowl”) was recently published.
The Sefer, authored by the not-so-well-known posek HaRav Kadur-Regel, includes all of the relevant Halachos of watching the game and includes a list of the maachalim (snacks) one is M’Chuyav (obligated) to eat during the game.
Some of the highlights of the Sefer:
· “Chayav Adam L’maleh kreiso b’Kanfei Oif U’Daled Kosos Shel Sheichar”
· (“A person is obligated to fill their belly with chicken wings and four glasses of beer.”)
· “Rauii V’Nachon L’Echol U’Listakel B’Mischak B’Chaburah HaNikres “Super Bowl Party”.
· “(It’s proper and correct to eat and watch the Super Bowl in a gathering known as the “Super Bowl Party.”)
· “Ein Holchim M’Chaburah L’Chabura Eleh B’Emtza haMiskak SheNikres Halftime”
· An individual may not switch from one Super Bowl party to another party except during Halftime.
Many other important Halachos and Minhagim surround the Super Bowl, and I highly recommend the Sefer to learn during Halftime.
There is even a special section that deals with what to do if the game goes into overtime.
Here, the author deeply probes the question of the nature of the obligation to watch the game.
If the Chiyuv M’Dororaiysa is only watching the game and the Chiyuv is for the Gavra to watch “the game’, then one is Yotzei the Chiyuv by watching the first four quarters, and overtime is only a Chiyuv M’D’Rabbanon.
However, if the Chiyuv is on the “cheftza”- meaning you must watch the entire game- irrespective if it goes longer than planned, then the Chiyuv extends for the overtime as well, and you would be Chayav M’Dororaiysa to watch the overtime as well.
All of the relevant poskim are quoted regarding this hotly debated topic.
As is well known, Briskers have a chumra not to talk at all -with the notable exception of giving a Yasher Koach for a touchdown or interception- beginning with the pregame show and extending until the postgame show concludes.
They hold that any dibur outside of the Yasher Koach would constitute a hefsek, and you would be forced to watch the game again.
Some even have the additional Chumara of watching the game on two different feeds in order to be Yotzei all deos (opinions) as to the proper havara (pronunciation) of the commentary.
As far as the Brocha to be made watching the game, the Sefer presents the following often asked Shaylas:
· Is the Brocha “L’Ros (to watch) Es HaSuper Bowl”
· Or is the Brocha is “Al Reias HaSuper Bowl” (On the watching of the Super Bowl)
· When do you make the Brocha?
o Do you do it at the coin toss?
o Or is that a hefsek and you must wait to make the Brocha, “Toch K’dei Dibur” of the opening kickoff?
The Sefer concludes with a long Shtickel Toirah on the “din of Ein Mearvim Simcha B’Simcha regarding if it’s Mutar to combine a Sheva Brochus with a Super Bowl party.
· One perek (chapter) in particular I recommend is the chapter dealing with “Eich Efsher L’histakel B” Mischak B’Seser-Bli L’Galos Aztmo”
· (How do you watch the game secretly without revealing to anyone that you are watching the game?”)
I found this chapter most interesting as it deals with an issue I, as a Rabbi, continue to be asked about.
Many people are already out in the open about their Super Bowl watching and openly enjoy the friendship and camaraderie of getting together with friends for a few hours.
They enjoy not having to talk about Trump or Biden or the latest Yeshivashe hok and can finally sit, laugh, and smile without mentioning who they voted for.
Everyone needs downtime, and everyone, unfortunately, “wastes” time.
And they contend that the “wasting time” of watching the Super Bowl is better than the “wasting time” of hoking again for the zillionth time of how the 47th president is Mashiach Tzidkeinu.
Therefore, if you enjoy the game and enjoy your friends, what could be better (if you’re not missing Torah learning) than escaping some of the painful realities of this world and, for one Sunday a year, enjoying friends and food?
Yet, there are some viewers who are still “in-the-closet” about their watching of the game.
These individuals feel guilty and attempt to conceal their furtive and clandestine Super Bowl watching by making excuses for being unavailable between 6 and 9:30 tonight.
The Sefer Hilchos U’Minhagei HaMischak HaGadol deals with these individuals in a sensitive and compassionate fashion.
He quotes the Gemara:
Rabbi Ilai the Elder says: If a person sees that his evil inclination is overcoming him, he
should go to a place where he is not known, and wear black clothes,ⁿ and he should cover himself in simple black garments, and he should do as his heart desires,ⁿ but he should not desecrate the name of Heaven in public.
The Mechaber of the Sefer suggests that such a person who feels he must watch the game, yet -because of peer pressure and social norms- feels he must remain closeted, such a person should wear a full Eagles uniform complete with a helmet and facemask and go to his local Kosher establishment that is showing the game and watch it covertly there.
The Mechaber is quick to mention that since other Jews will be present, he should have Dass (have in mind) to be Mitztareph (join) them as to be Yotzei (fulfill) the Chiyuv (obligation) of watching the game in a Chaburah and make sure to consume two Kezaysim (two portions) of Kanfei Of (chicken wings.)
Before you watch the game, I highly recommend the Sefer.
Although I am personally not going to be Yotzei my Chiyuv and watch the game in person (as it’s been decades since I have watched it), I hope that by reviewing the relevant Shaylos, I will have fulfilled my obligation, if nothing else, bringing a smile to some faces today.
Whatever you do tonight between 6:00 and 9:30- please remember to say a chapter in Tehillim for Acheinu Bnei Yisroel.
Wishing all a wonderful, productive, and Simcha-filled day.
