Question: I recently returned from a trip abroad and wanted to say HaGomel. When I mentioned this to the officers of my synagogue, however, they told me – as per the instructions of the synagogue’s rabbi – that I would have to wait until Shabbos to do so. I was not given any reason for this and did not wish to display my ignorance, so I quietly acquiesced. Can you please explain why I had to wait?
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Synopsis: The Mechaber rules that a person is required to offer hoda’ah if he survived crossing a sea or traveling through the wilderness, if he recovered from a serious illness, or was set free after being imprisoned. He specifies that the blessing of hoda’ah must be recited before a minyan.
We discussed the various opinions about whether reciting the blessing with a minyan is required l’chatchila or not and whether the person reciting the blessing is counted in the minyan for this purpose. As we noted, the Mishna Berurah rules most leniently – that the quorum should include the one reciting the blessing. Many other authorities agree with this opinion.
Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch (Orach Chayyim, vol 2:143) notes that HaGomel – unlike regular tefillot – requires the response of the entire minyan, since the entire purpose of having a minyan present is to thank G-d publicly. Thus, one should recite the blessing loudly so that all can hear and respond. When it comes to Birkat HaGomel, the blessing is the fulfillment of the mitzvah.
The Chasam Sofer analyzes the source for the four situations mentioned previously. Psalms 107 indicates that only three situations require a Korban Todah. One who survived sea travel is instead to offer praises to G-d before a quorum of ten plus two sages. The other situations have no element of offering praise. However, since the Temple was destroyed, the Sages enacted that one who survives any of the other three situations also offers praise by reciting Birkat HaGomel.
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Answer: The Chasam Sofer adds another possible reason to wait for Keriat HaTorah: because the actual aliyah – where one is called up to the Torah reading and can bless with the Birkat HaTorah is in place of the Korban Todah. At that time, one actually fulfills the words of the related verse (Psalms 107:22) “V’yizbechu zivchei todah, vi’sapru ma’asav b’rinah” – And let them slaughter thanksgiving offerings, and relate His works with joyful song.
However, as we noted earlier, this would be the case if that verse appeared by all four of the situations that require a blessing of HaGomel. However, the one who survived sea travel is not included in that verse, and thus the Chasam Sofer reasons that we cannot say that he is required to bring a Korban Todah. Surely, then, there would be no reason for the person to wait for the next Torah reading to recite the blessing (in light of the rule of zerizin u’makdimin – that we rush to perform a mitzvah as soon as possible). Therefore, the reason given to wait for the Torah reading is because of the need of an assemblage of ten – which is surely present at Keriat HaTorah – and this reason equally applies to all four situations. In the view of the Chasam Sofer, this is the most compelling reason to wait.
Now we return to Rabbi Sternbuch (Teshuvot v’Hanhagot, Orach Chayyim responsum 143): “Let us examine the text of Rambam (Hilchot Berachot 10:8), who writes ‘…and they are required to offer thanksgiving [Birkat HaGomel] before ten and two of them being sages, as it states (Psalms 107:32), ‘Viy’romemu’hu b’k’hal am u’v’moshav zekeinim ye-haleluhu’ – Let them exalt Him in the assembly of people, and praise Him in the session of the elders. And how does he give thanksgiving, and how does he bless? He stands between them and he blesses: ‘Mi shegemalcha kol tov, yigmal’chah kol tov, selah’ – He Who has bestowed goodness upon you, may He continue to bestow every goodly kindness upon you, selah. And all those who hear, say [in response] ‘shegemalcha tov hu yigmal’cha selah’ – [He] Who has bestowed goodness, [may] He bestow goodness upon you, selah.”
Rabbi Sternbuch notes: “It seems from the Rambam’s words [i.e., ‘how does he give thanksgiving’ and ‘how does he bless’] that the halachic requirement of ten in our case is actually two different requirements – first, that the blessing be recited before ten men, and second, as relates to hoda’ah (the offering of thanksgiving), that just as he is offering thanksgiving, so must the congregation of ten also offer thanksgiving and praise to G-d, for all goodness is from Him, may His name be blessed that He has bestowed goodness [and may] He bestow goodness upon you, selah.”
Rabbi Sternbuch cites from the Rambam in order to explain that the proper way of fulfilling the requirement of Birkat HaGomel is when one is in the midst of ten men aside from himself. This also is what the Chasam Sofer concludes, but with the caveat that it is due to the rule (Proverbs 14:25) of “b’rov am hadrat melech” – In a multitude of [His] people is the King’s glory – and also that we are not to disregard the minhagei Yisrael, the age-old customs of our people. Thus, in his view, this is a l’chatchila – i.e., ab initio – requirement which has room for lenience only in extenuating circumstances.
Thus, your rabbi set the rule in his congregation – which he, as the halachic authority, was correct to impose – that anyone who needs to recite Birkat HaGomel should do so with what he considers b’rov am – the minyan on Shabbat – where there would be at least ten other people present (and usually considerably more).